God's Plan for the Ages - 9. The Last Seven Years

[Music] all right let's pray and then we'll get into tonight's time father we thank you so much we thank you for your word we thank you for your revelation to us that that there you are enthroned in heaven and you're not silent but you've spoken to us and you've spoken to us in a way that we can understand but we can't understand everything God we there are details of your unfolding plan that we don't comprehend yet but Lord we're so grateful that there's so much but that we can't understand and help us to grab on to some of that tonight we pray this in Jesus name Amen let me give you a little a preview tonight we're mainly gonna be in the books of Daniel and in the book of Revelation so if you kind of want to find your fingermarks and there in your Bible do so we're gonna begin in Daniel chapter 9 but I just want to remind you of where we kind of left off last time we left off last time talking about the New Covenant and how the New Covenant is yet to be complete that there's aspects to the New Covenant that are not yet fulfilled notably the glorious reign of Jesus over this entire earth that has not yet happen and there's other aspects but focusing mainly on that there are aspects of the New Covenant that have not yet been fulfilled nevertheless we saw from Daniel chapter 9 that there was a very specific prophecy saying that within a span of time the angel Gabriel announced to Daniel the prophet that those things that are characteristic of the New Covenant would be fulfilled and we talked about it sort of being like a giant stopwatch in heaven somebody asked me whether it was a analog or digital stopwatch and I'm thinking digital but really big really big and so there it is a great big stopwatch in heaven with 490 years allotted to Israel and at the specific place 445 BC I think was March the 14th artaxerxes gives the decree the stopwatch begins and it counts off 483 of those 490 years leaving seven years remaining and it's in those remaining seven years that that God will start again at a yet to be determined time in the future I believe to be the soon future but in the future that seven years will begin again it'll be the last seven years before the glorious return of Jesus and the fulfillment of all the aspects of the New Covenant now tonight we want to talk more about the development of that last seven years because to me it's amazing absolutely amazing to see how much the Bible tells us about that specific period of time it's really sort of stunning that so many biblical passages inform us about life about what God is doing about what man will be doing about what the devil will be doing during that last seven-year period but before we begin in it let me just say a few thoughts reminding you about something about the nature of prophecy God reveals much to us about his plan of the ages that is yet to happen much about the future and but there's much that happens that isn't revealed I don't know if I can make this make sense see but what I'm just trying to get at is this is that in any great event that God does there are certain features of that event that are prophesied there are other features of the event that aren't prophesied and sometimes that features that aren't prophesied are the more memorable ones for example what did God prophesy about the birth of the Messiah well born of a virgin born in Bethlehem that's about it right born of virgin born in Bethlehem now when you think of the Christmas story of that birth in bedlam what do you think about what you think about the taxation of the world that journey from Nazareth the room no room at the end the birth and the stable Jesus laid in the Maine the adoration of the Magi and the shepherds and so forth those particular aspects of the birth of Jesus are very memorable but they weren't prophesied so it happened just as things were prophesied but there were many more aspects to it that were not prophesied and isn't this sort of the wild card in how God unfolds his plan we know aspects but there are other things that God for whatever reason doesn't tell us because when it happens we'll just have to trust him and be amazed all the more so last week we saw from Daniel chapter 9 starting at verse 24 that there are two general parts to God's prophetic plan there's the time of the Gentiles and the times of Israel passages such as Luke chapter 21 verse 24 and Romans 11:25 they speak of the times of the Gentiles in which those times God has no specific redemptive focus on the Jewish people they're not forgotten in his plan but he has no specific redemptive focus upon them but in the times of Israel the other aspect of time that we're talking about that there's 490 years that was given to Jerusalem and the Jewish people prophesied to the prophet Daniel that in this period of time God would have a special redemptive focus upon the Jewish people and in that time he would fulfill the New Covenant now what we saw was that what God promised would be accomplished in those 490 years was not fully accomplished and so it must be accomplished in the remainder of time that's seven years that yet remains so what we want to do tonight is just take a survey do some passages in Daniel and revelation and see what the Bible tells us about that period of time number one just starting right here from Daniel chapter 9 starting at verse 26 excuse me verse 26 yes it says and after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary the end of it shall be with the flood and till the end of the war desolations are determined then and now we get into the part that's yet future he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate so what is this passage tell us about this particular time well first of all it tells us that there is a people of the prince who shall come that there is a prince who shall come and that his people are the ones who destroyed the city and the sanctuary after the Messiah was cut off well who were those people those were the Romans and the prince who is to come will come will be connected in some way with the Romans now this is very very interesting and provocative because the Bible tells us it will talk a little bit more about it tonight but the Bible tells us that in the end times there will be a some sort of unified government over the world that won't some way be connected to the ancient Roman Empire and I find this very fascinating they say well what what empire what confederation nations would have this this inheritance from the Roman Empire now I find this very interesting being a man who's done ministry both in the United States and in Europe because when you talk to the United States audience and people study the Bible along these lines they go what isn't it obvious the inheritors of the Roman Empire that this future world dominating government isn't obvious it's the European Union and it will be them and say well that's of course that's where this this tyrannical government's gonna come from and you talk to European audiences and many of them will say well isn't it obvious this this last day's government this is is it it's America and the nations Confederated with them now you might ask how would they ever associate the Roman Empire with America well friends it's not as crazy as you would think I do personally think that it's the European Union that has those links and not so much America but I don't think the argument for America is crazy because if you would say what nation dominates the world today like Rome dominated the world in its day nobody else comes up except America nevertheless I think that the links that are provided are not merely dominating links but that this European Union will in some way somehow rise up to a much greater dominance and that they not only having that power link so to speak but also having the geographical link will be true inheritors of the Roman Empire Benjamin C it's very interesting thing that the Bible talks about this people of the prince who shall come some inheritance of the Roman Empire will rule over the world once again and what will happen verse 27 he this prince who shall come he shall confirm a covenant with many now again we're told that this man who we other place in the Bible we referred to sometimes sloppily as the Antichrist as the prince who shall come as the man of sin there's several titles given to him in the scriptures but this particular man this world leader he will confirm a covenant with the many with the Israeli people with the Jewish people for one seven-year period again there we have the seven years but what happens verse 27 but in the middle of the week and the very middle of this daniel divides this 7-year period into two halves I got to say this again because it's very important for what we're gonna look at later tonight Daniel divides the 7-year period into two halves I didn't divide it into two halves Daniel the Holy Spirit divided it into two halves there it is a first half in the second half and what's right there in the middle this abomination of desolation this thing that brings an end to sacrifice and offering verse 27 he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering in the middle of that seven years at the three and a half year point in the Covenant he will bring an end to sacrifice and offering and friends you can't bring an end to something unless it's already going so that means that there must be a rebuilt temple there must be an altar there must be ongoing sacrifice there in Jerusalem for him to bring an end to it and so we're told by implication that there could be there must be attempt existing in Israel because they could not have sacrifice that could be ended if there was no temple and then finally verse 27 on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate we're told that there will be a great abomination that's a word commonly used in the Old Testament to refer to an idol that will be followed by great desolation which will precede the final consummation in other words a great idolatry followed by tremendous destruction ultimately resulting in the end of all things the consummation of all things I just want you to stop this for a minute and be amazed with me just Ramone we're told right now what's gonna happen in these last seven years we're told that there's gonna be a political leader who will dominate the world and he'll have a connection with the ancient Roman Empire but we're told that he's gonna make a contract or a peace treaty or a covenant with Israel what we're told that in the very middle of that period of seven years that he's gonna bring an end to sacrifice and offering we're told that there's going to be a temple we're told that there's gonna be the sacrifice and offering and we're told that he's gonna set up some horrific idolatry that's gonna bring great destruction and result in the end of all things the consummation of all things that's pretty significant don't you think I mean that's a pretty good list of what God tells us is gonna happen in that last seven years and this abomination that brings desolation that results in the consummation of all things it is an extremely important event in this last seven-year period it's extremely important it's important because number one this is the event that divides the seven-year period in half it's right there in the middle secondly it is the sign of the consummation of all things in Daniel 9:27 if you were on the earth to see that happen you would know that the end would be very very short it's the sign also that's foreshadowed by Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel chapter 11 verse 31 it's the precise marker to the end of days in Daniel chapter 12 verse 11 it's the critical sign mentioned by Jesus in Matthew chapter 24 connected to both the glorious return of Jesus and the time he called the great tribulation but by the way the time that Jesus called the great tribulation is he connected with this abomination desolation connected with this last seven years here's a period of time that Jesus called the great tribulation and Jesus said some words there that send a chill down my spine I think if anybody properly understands him to send a chill down their spine as well Jesus said that that period of Great Tribulation would be the worst time that planet Earth has ever seen now ladies and gentlemen this earth has seen times of tremendous catastrophe times of war plague famine death times where one-third a one-half of entire populations have been decimated it seen times a terrible catastrophe and calamity Jesus said this is going to be the worst this is going to be the worst time on planet Earth ever those are sobering sobering words so when Jesus calls it a Great Tribulation that's not my title for it it's not your title for it it's Jesus's title for it and then it's in Matthew 23 Paul mentions it in 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 Apostle John makes reference to it in Revelation chapter 13 it's absolutely fascinating how reference is made into this abomination of desolation by Jesus by Paul by John repeatedly in the Bible and this is part of this last seven years now let's turn over to Daniel chapter 7 starting at verse 23 and we're gonna hear another something about these last seven years now let me give you a little clue to tonight's Bible study and how its organized it's not really all that mysterious it's a pretty easy way to do a Bible study in this particular case what you do is you understand that God is speaking prophetically of what's going to happen in the seven-year period therefore you just look up in your Bible things that refer to a prophetic seven-year period or a three and a half-year period in the future why three and a half year period because Daniel divided it in half right and a three and a half year period can either be speaking of the first half of that time but the second half of that time so it's not all that tough you just open up your Bible you do a little word search on your computer nobody uses a real concordance anymore do they you do a little word search whatever you gonna do and you'll find out the passages that connect to either a seven-year period in the put in the future of prophecy or a three and a half year period it's not that complicated so let's take a look here Daniel chapter 7 starting at verse 23 thus he said the fourth beast shall be a fourth Kingdom on earth which shall be different from all other kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth trample it and break it in pieces the ten horns are ten Kings who shall arise from its kingdom and another shall rise after them he shall be different from the first ones and he shall subdue three kings he shall speak pompous words against the Most High shall persecute the Saints of the Most High and so intend to change times and law then the Saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time remember that I'm going to come back to it verse 26 but the courts shall be seated and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and destroy it forever then the kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to all the people to the people to the Saints of the Most High his kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey Him it's such a fascinating section in Daniel early in the Book of Daniel Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and he has his dream about this great image that he saw and of course there's a whole backstory to it about and Nebuchadnezzar couldn't remember the dream or he wouldn't reveal that he could remember the dream and he made the different ones of his magicians and so-called prophets guess it until Daniel came into the dream and spare that it's all great tremendous story there in the Book of Daniel but Nebuchadnezzar's image saw the future world empires the the Babylonian Empire the the medo-persian Empire the Greek Empire and finally the Roman M fire it's an amazing prophecy it'd be wonderful to go into in some depth but later on in the Book of Daniel Daniel has a vision concerning the same empires now when Nebuchadnezzar had a dream or a vision about this these empires of man were a glorious majestic image when daniel has his dream how does he see these empires of men as ravenous animals that's how God sees them and this last one this fourth Empire that's related to the Roman and then the Roman Empire to come so to speak this one that will be in the last days that Daniel spoke about as he seated there he makes reference to this three-and-a-half year period you might be saying I look at this text or I don't see any reference to it three and a half year period oh yes you do you just didn't know that you saw it look at the end of verse 25 what does it say at the end of verse 25 it says then the Saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time now that is a hit Bray ik way of speaking referring to three and a half years a time refers to one year times refers to two years half a time refers to half a year so what's one year plus two years plus half a year three and a half years great we've got some sharp math people here you see that it's just a Hebrew idiom referring to three and a half years so isn't that fascinating here were referred back to that same place where we see this three-and-a-half year section of the last seven years revealed to us and what are we told one verse 23 we're told that there's gonna be a world government that will devour the whole earth there will be one final terrible kingdom which shall rule over the whole earth and then we're told in verse 24 that another shall rise out to them he shall subdue three kings this kingdom will be originally made up of ten nations or kingdoms but one ruler will emerge from among the rest and rule over them all now how is this all going to work out I don't know you know there's gonna be so much complicated and added to this and things that were not let me tell you though when it does unfold people who know the Bible see in the good that's it exactly they'll know it I don't know exactly how all the pieces will fall together but we can be assured that they absolutely will that there will be this this world dominating Confederation of governments that that will be connected to the Roman Empire in some significant way and from it will emerge a world leader who will dominate that and what will happen verse 25 he will persecute the people of God the Saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a times God's people will be persecuted by this ruler for some three and a half years but then verse 27 this kingdom is going to be destroyed by the kingdom of God the everlasting Kingdom where it says then the kingdom and Dominion shall be given to the people the Saints of the Most High his kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and that will be the completion of the promises of the New Covenant there we go right there now there's other sections that tell us about this let's turn over to Revelation chapter 12 there we'll see another passage that speaks to us about this seven-year period now think about it already though already you know something about the politics of those last seven years you know something about the social scene of those last seven years you know something about the religious scene of those last seven years now we're gonna find out even more Revelation chapter 12 starting out verse 1 now a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the Sun with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of twelve stars I need to stop right there look I don't want to imply to you that the book of Revelation is easy to understand and a brand-new baby believer could understand everything in the book of Revelation and you know that I don't want to apply that for a minute but friends it's not as difficult to understand as many people think and the line between what is a sign and what is not a sign what should be taken as a sign or symbolically in the book of Revelation and what should be taken literally the book of Revelation the line between those two things is not all that hard to draw here's a hint when the Bible says this is a sign it's a sign verse 1 now a great sign appeared in the heaven a woman clothed with the Sun with the moon under her feet and under head a garland of twelve stars we do not expect that before Jesus returns in glory there's gonna be a giant lady in the sky with the stars and the moon and all that it's not gonna happen why because the Holy Spirit told us very carefully this is a sign now what it's a sign of is very fascinating but that goes more to the study of the book of Revelation that we did here in this church last summer so I'm gonna pass over that but now on to verse 2 then being with child she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth and another sign appeared in heaven behold a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadem's on his heads his trail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and his throne then the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1260 days now this woman gives birth to the Christ child to the Messiah by the way I do not regard this woman as being married even though that's a very common Roman Catholic approach to this text because all over the place in Roman Catholic depictions of Mary's symbolic depictions you will see her with the moon over her had and was the stars overhead moved to the moon and the stars connected with us they'll have that picture there of her I don't think that's it I think that the woman who gives birth to the Messiah is Israel why because look at right here verse six the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1260 days how long is that three and a half years see it's not that tough we're back to three and a half years which tells us that Israel that brought forth the Messiah will be persecuted greatly by Satan and I would say not only greatly I would say extra ordinarily greatly during this last seven-year period that's one of the things we know now notice this that this gives us a sign as to why hmm why the persecution of the Jewish people has had such a grip on humanity for so long you know anti-semitism even though I got to say I don't really like that term anti-semitism I would prefer to use the term Jew hatred Jew hatred has been such a remarkable fact of human history and Western history for so long I think any reasonable person has to scratch their head and say why why but what's the source of this incredible deep-seated Jew hatred I'll tell you one of the great reasons it's just plain satanic Satan hates the woman who brought forth the Messiah and he wants to destroy them and I'll tell you one of the great reasons why Satan hates the Jewish people why Satan is one part of the instigation for Jew hatred friends I don't want to put it all at Satan's door because I think man is wicked enough to add a lot to the mix himself let's say one of the reasons why Satan is such a popular form mentor of Jew hatred is because he knows that the Jewish people have an enduring place in God's people and he hates God's plan and therefore he hates this people that have a role in it so we know that during this period of time that he'll persecute the woman who gave birth to the male child but now look starting at verse 13 same chapter revelation 12 it says now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child but the woman was given two wings our great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent a time times and half the times how long are we talking about three and a half years connects again with our seven-year period ladies do we understand that this is telling us that one of the sad features of this last seven-year period when God is dealing with Israel in a special way they will be unique greater than normal targets of persecution and in that time God will protect them now one of the things that isn't mentioned specifically in our text that we're going to go over tonight is it will also be a time of tremendous almost unbelievable revival among the Jewish people because we've talked about this before they will know Jesus will not return until they say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord and God will use these events to turn the hearts of the Jewish people so that they will be a messiah accepting people instead of a messiah rejecting people the God's love for Israel is just one of the great reasons why we should love the Jewish people and have a heart for them alright so what do we know about this last seven years of this that the Jewish people will be persecuted severely during this time and that God will protect them in a unique way now let's go on to Revelation chapter 13 and take a look at this chapter now Revelation chapter 13 tells us so much about this that it's probably useful just to read the entire chapter but let me give you the cue place first of all though the cue place in Revelation chapter 13 starting here it's at verse 5 where it says and he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and he was given authority to continue for 42 months how long is 42 months three and a half years which puts us back again isn't this remarkable are you just a little struck like I am that God over and over repeat repeat refers to this period of time that this last seven years is in this period of time that Daniel divided into two separate parts and I'm also curious I don't know why me maybe it's one things will ask the Lord when we see him in heaven why did you refer to it in so many ways what do we have we have so far time times and half a times 1260 days 42 months I don't know if there's other ways it's just remarkable how many different ways that he refers to this nevertheless he certainly does now again that is the link to the passage but we notice in many different things first of all in Revelation chapter 13 verse 5 it says that he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies this is this final world leader this man who's going to come forth from this one world political system and what's he gonna do he's gonna speak great things and blasphemies he's gonna continue in great blasphemy and rebellion against God for this period of three and a half years were also said that he comes forth revelation chapter 13 verses 2 & 3 which says now the Beast which I saw was like a leopard his feet were like the feet of a bear and his mouth like the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power his throne and great Authority and I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed and all the world marveled and followed the Beast do you understand this that this great world leader that the Bible is so specific that it tells us that there's going to be an assassination attempt a mortal wound owes it could be a traffic accident for all we know right some kind of mortal wound upon the head of this leader but it's going to be healed miraculously and that's just gonna add to his power to his charisma and the Bible tells us it's gonna happen in this last they were in one of these halves of the last seven-year period we also know from this if you want to take at verse 3 again it says that he's healed from his deadly wound and then verse 4 where it says and so they worship the dragon who gave authority to the Beast and they worship the be saying who is like the Beast who is able to make war with him we see this ruler who receives worship from the world and directs that worship to Satan you know I find it remarkable here who was like the bees they say and who is able to make war with him Notah find remarkable about this I find it amazing to think that in these last days when this political leader isin and we've seen this in the world haven't we those of us who have been around a few years we see how the world can fall so deeply in love and get so enamored with a political leader now a political leader if he had some charisma if he had some charm how he can get the world to just rally around him and let me tell you when that happens and when the guy can deliver real results the world is gonna go crazy for him and you know what they're gonna say they're not gonna care about whatever spiritual connection he does that's gonna be irrelevant you know why they're gonna love him because he does something because he's powerful what does it say right there who is able to make war with him look how powerful is if I could describe this man that we commonly but sometimes improperly called the Antichrist if I could describe him in any one word with how he's gonna appear to the world I'll tell you this he's gonna look like the ultimate winner that's what it'll look like and anybody who's not with him is gonna look like the ultimate loser that's what its gonna look like in those days we're going on here we see in verses 7 and 8 where it says and it was granted to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and Authority was given him over every tribe tongue and nation and all who dwell on the earth will worship Him whose names have not been written in the book of the life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world here we see the rule who can overcome the Saints and rule the world but we also see this man who has an associate look at verses 11 and 12 where it says and I saw another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence and causes the earth and those who dwell in it the word the first beast whose deadly wound was healed oh this is amazing isn't it we see a ruler who has an associate and this associate leads the world in worship of the ruler using powerful signs and wonders even to the point where he grants power to an image of this ruler verse 15 he was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast and that image of the Beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed that this ruler has a miracle like image of himself and an image that the world is commanded to worship or face a death penalty and then if this is even more remarkable look at verses 16 and 17 and he causes all both small and great rich and poor free and slave to receive a mark on the right hand or on the foreheads that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark of the name of the beast or the number of his name here were shown a ruler who has complete economic control over the earth and will not allow commerce unless a person has demonstrated worship of that ruler that's an amazing thing right and think about how a generation such a thing would be impossible but today's world it could really happen it really could the technology is there to do just such a thing and then finally it says this verse 18 this is the one everybody's waiting for here is wisdom let him who has understanding calculate the number of a beast for it is the number of a man his number is six six six that's the one that gets everybody all excited six six six and they wonder who that is fulfilled by and so many different attempts have been made to fulfilled this person or that person listen I think that if you squeeze the numbers and noting the letters and all this you can make Donald Duck to come out bigger 666 I don't know exactly how this is gonna be fulfilled but it will be fulfilled and that number that name will be associated with that man and he will be asserted with the number of a man six six six now I find this absolutely amazing that the Bible gives us so much information about this period of time did you realize that we're told significant information about the economic system of the world in the last seven years before Jesus returns isn't that wild we know about the economy we know about the politics what we know about the military we know about the the social scene we know about the spiritual scene God tells us all this information about this last seven-year period well here's another indicator force to turn back just a couple chapters Revelation chapter 11 starting at verse 3 this one is really kind of wild revelation 11 starting in verse 3 and I will give power to my witnesses two witnesses and they will prophesy 1260 days clothed in sackcloth 1260 days how long is that three and a half years going on verse four these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the god of the earth and if anyone wants to harm them fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies and if anyone wants to harm them he must be killed in this manner that's tough six these have the power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy then they have power over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they desire when they finish their testimony the Beast that ascends out of the bottle of his pit will make war against them overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom in Egypt where our Lord was also crucified then those for the people from the tribes and tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them make merry and send gifts to one another because the two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth now after three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and great fear fell upon those who saw them I bet great fear fell upon and they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them come up here and they ascended to heaven in a cloud and their enemies saw them in the same hour there's a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell in the earthquake seven thousand people were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven God tells us about the career of these remarkable and and and mysterious two witnesses who ministered during this three and a half year period that they prophesied during this time and during their ministry come plagues and natural calamity and other judgments of God and during that they testify and I believe they have an essential role in bringing the gospel to the Jewish people during this time again this is just amazing that God tells us more and more information about this period alright let's turn back in our Bibles now back to Daniel chapter 12 starting at verse 8 I want you to take a look at this passage and I saved this one for last because in some ways it's the most difficult Daniel chapter 12 starting at verse 8 although I heard I did not understand then I said my lord what shall be the end of these things and he said go your way Daniel where the words are closed and sealed closed up and sealed to the time of the end I should stop right there isn't that remarkable isn't God telling us something right there isn't God telling us that there's aspects of prophecy that won't be understood that won't be unsealed so to speak until closer to the end I don't know why this is a great surprise for Christians if it doesn't mean that then I don't know what else it does mean these things are sealed up not that they're impenetrable but they're just not revealed they're not unrolled that the church as a whole doesn't put their focus on them until the time of the end he says for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end many shall be purified made white and refined but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand and from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up there shall be 1290 days blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1,335 days but you go your way till the end where you shall rest and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days this is very interesting because we don't have the normal 1260 days that were mentioned in other places what do we have 1290 days mentioned in additional 30 days but before we get to that let's just take a look here first of all in verse 9 it tells us that the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end secondly in verse 11 it says that from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination desolation is set up there shall be 1290 days again three and a half years plus 30 days and then it gives us other mysterious statement of verse 12 did you see this blessed is he who waits and comes to 1335 days we're told that something special happens at the end of 1345 days in other words three and a half years plus 30 plus 45 days what does this exactly mean I don't exactly know but I'll give you out what I think is a pretty good guess and I'll just hold on to this until God reveals something different until we see it from the you know from the good seats in heaven you see I believe you could say this at the end of 1260 days Jesus returns in glory at the end of twelve hundred and ninety days Jesus's government is officially installed on the earth and at the end of one thousand three hundred and forty five days or 35 days I should say the nations are judged and if you want to say the millennium begins what's the millennium come back in a couple weeks and we'll spend the evening talking only about the Millennium friends just in these different passages that we've looked at in the old in the New Testament that referred to these last seven years we see that God has told us very much about this last seven-year period it's a very important part of his unfolding plan of the ages his aspect of that plan of the ages that will fulfill or should I say completes the promises of the New Covenant we're told that there's a particular political environment described were a world dominating Confederation of Nations unites behind a single powerful and charismatic leader we're told that there's a particular economic environment where the government has more involvement and control over every transaction than ever before we're told that there's a particular environment in Israel with the temple and sacrifices and peace brought by this charismatic world leader and the rebuilt temple there's a particular social environment described where moral problems grow worse and worse and mighty prophets like these two witnesses speak out against the wickedness of the world and many people regard less and less and we told that there's a particular spiritual and religious environment described where false religion will be forced upon people now what I find fascinating about this is that if the Bible says that this is the political and economic an Israeli and social and spiritual and religious environment of the very last times we look at that environment described in the Bible and we look at the environment in the world today and we say how did the two match up and you know what you say you say that the stage is set for these last seven years to be launched when I don't know but can't you say that the stage is set now look I'll be very straightforward it's entirely possible that in God's plan he might push a pause button right and have humanity go another hundred years another 200 years whatever and then recreate these same kind of world conditions that we see right now he could do that and if he did it it would be within his wise and good and perfect plan but I don't think we should take any chances I think we should look at the world around us and look at the Bible and say listen we're not predicting dates but what we're simply doing is we're simply saying that the Bible tells us in the very end times that there's a political environment an economic environment an environment among the Jewish people in Israel and a social environment and a spiritual environment and that profile fits the world that we live in today we should be ready for the return of Jesus Christ that's what we need to take seriously from this now understanding that we don't set dates it's unwise and it's unbiblical I think when I study a little bit of church history I think of the foolishness of a man named William Miller and how it showed this you see in the Year 1816 a man decided to sit down and study the Bible so as to find out when Jesus Christ would return to the earth and after two years of study in the year 1818 William Miller declared that Jesus would return sometime between March 1st 1843 and March 1st 1844 and he wrote a book about his findings and why he felt that some privilege you know that this prophecy and that prophecy all fit in but he said listen my study leads me to believe that between March 1st 1843 and March 1st 1844 Jesus is going to return friends he said this in the year 1818 so there was a pretty long ramp up to the time he said it would be now by all accounts william miller was an honest forthright godly man and he wasn't alone crackpot but he was one voice among many including several respected scholars and bible teachers who said we agree with miller's analysis and as the day approached in 1843 now of course when nothing happened on March 1st 1843 people said what well we got a whole year right he didn't say it just said there's a year that it's gonna happen in but let me tell you as the day approached March 1st 1844 there was a high expected that there was a fervor among people in America they said a religious frenzy shook William Miller and his followers because they were sincerely convinced that Jesus Christ was coming farms and houses were sold and wills were drawn up and people literally gathered together on hilltops to get a better view of Jesus coming in the clouds but Miller was obviously wrong Jesus Christ did not return in glory to the earth between 1843 and 1844 and history bears a bitter record of his terrible disappointment one historian says this quote both miller and his followers lived to reap the reward of their foolhardy quest and suffer crushing humiliation ridicule and abject despair and by the way several cults grew out of that time as well out of that season of great disappointment now Miller wasn't the first one or the last one to set dates and pay the price for doing something that's both unwise and unbiblical I remember when I was a young man in 1988 that there was a man who wrote a book I think his name was Edgar Wiz nut and he wrote a book 88 reasons why Jesus is returning in 1988 I remember that book well Edgar Wiz nut he was wrong I'm not gonna say anything more I mean because look maybe he's a great guy I mean I don't want to speak disparaging against men but I say on this particular point he was wrong so we don't set dates ladies and gentlemen Jesus told us to look at the signs he told us to look at the signs of time be aware of the world that we live in and I will say this the stage is set maybe at another time God would set the table all over again just like it is now but I'm not gonna deny fool myself that it's set right now and that Jesus wants us to be ready for his return and we want to do so when God tells us so much about this last seven-year period and when we see the stage set the way it is we pay attention friends are you ready are you ready to meet your Savior you should be because I talk about it right now I talk about it about the glorious return of Jesus and how we need to be ready it could happen anytime in the stage is set and all of that's true but I will say this and I hope I'm not speaking out of turn when I say this you you could walk out of these doors and get hit by a bus right and then will stand before the Lord right then and there are you ready are you ready for eternity now tell you one great way to get ready of course you put your faith in Jesus and what he did for us on the cross you have a full and honest appreciation of what he did it is first coming that the best way to be ready for the second coming is to be fully aware and trust in what Jesus did at his first coming place gentlemen another great way to do that is to worship Him right that is a substantial part of what we're gonna be doing together in heaven can't we worship Him as a calming redeeming King who's gonna come to this earth and power and glory and rule and reign over this earth that's why we want to give some time for worship here at the end and of course the elements of communing will be right here for you to partake in the bread and the cup and you can partake of that in so doing you can be remembering of what Jesus did it is first coming and when you do that I just want to say Jesus I remember what you did your first coming I want to be ready for your second coming that's the key for it now next time we're together next week we're gonna talk about this great event when Jesus will catch away the church something that sounds so crazy I would never believe it unless the Bible tells me but I can't deny what the Bible says and we're gonna talk about that event next Wednesday night father we're so grateful we're grateful for your presence here with us we're grateful for your word and Lord we're grateful that you tell us things about the future and Lord you are so wise you're so perfect you tell us enough to be alert and to be ready but Lord you don't tell us things that we didn't need to know and we're happy about that so thank you lord thank you for your word thank you for your grace thank you for your presence now Lord in this time of worship help us to bring our hearts to you and to have ourselves set and ready for eternity we pray that Lord in Jesus name [Music]

Channel: David Guzik

Views: 7,251

Rating: 4.8400002 out of 5

Keywords: david guzik, guzik, enduring word, god's plan for the ages, daniel, seven years, book of daniel

Id: 8wUrmHSFIEk

Length: 52min 33sec (3153 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 07 2019