Hope Sabbath School Lesson 8 From The Stormy Seas To The Clouds Of Heaven

[Music] [Applause] [Applause] welcome to Hope Sabbath school an in-depth interactive study of the word of God I'm so excited about this series on the Book of Daniel we're moving now into Daniel chapter 7 from the stormy sea to the clouds of heaven it's an exciting message it's good news for the Saints of the Most High God and I'm glad you're with us if you've missed anything in this series go to our website hope TV org slash hope SS and you can watch the entire series plus other series of of great Bible studies we're glad you're part of the journey with us we'll pray you'll be blessed today and welcome to the team great series unbelievable many of you may be well studied in the Book of Daniel but are you learning some new things I am learning new things and I'm looking forward to today's study we're glad you're part of our study too by the way we have a chapter by chapter series of Bible studies on Daniel and revelation because they've combined together if you go to our website hope Bible study org you can sign up and get a free series of Bible studies Daniel and revelation really connected together here's some emails from some of our hopes Abbey school members around the world from the island of Haiti thanks for writing Senay us hello hook Sabbath school team thank you for the way you helped me understand the Bible and teach it better may the Lord bless you every day and give each one of us the gift of salvation well Sania's writes from the first black country independent in the world he says well thanks we know you're proud of your beautiful island there of Haiti Sania's thanks for writing to us and we're glad you are not only learning the Word of God but you're teaching the Word of God to others Qin Yamaha writes from Zambia lots of hope Sava school members in Zambia and actually probably more than a million Hope Sabbath school members just in Zambia greetings to the hope Sabbath School team I wish to express my gratitude for the great work God is doing through you what he treats me the most is the ethnic diversity of your team take a look at each other huh yes we don't all look the same it really gives me great joy to see people of different ethnic backgrounds mingling together without discrimination Amen that's awesome isn't it your team demonstrates that we worship the same God regardless of the color of our skin that's we might say well that's obvious I mean we're all part of God's family but that is a message that we want to share isn't it we are a worldwide family I always download your videos every week and they help me to understand the Bible better god bless you may he lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace well chin Yama thanks for writing to us from Zambia and and we're encouraged to remember what's important and that is to lift up Jesus and his love for every nation kindred tongue and people here is a precious note this is a real note this is a real note not an email it sent from a couple a donor couple in Washington in the United States that's in the northwest part of the United States it says I wrote to you one of the people of the couple I wrote to you by email some time ago to express our gratitude for the blessings hope Sabbath school is to us an elderly couple we have been watching for several months now and wanted to send a donation to help with the Ministry of Hope Sabbath school each one of you shows the love of Jesus in your smiling face that's that's what do you say praise God right praise God I wish we knew more about each one of you may hope Sabbath school keep blessing folks until Jesus comes and a gift of a thousand dollars to help them Ministry of this global evangelistic media ministry called Hope service cool thank you to you wherever you are there in Washington and to all of our donors from around the world we're part of a great miracle of God I think we've got one more note here actually two one from John Moore same last name is me a Ugandan from who's in South Sudan my name is John from South Sudan but I grew up in Uganda I've been watching hope Sabbath school for two months now I became a Seventh day Adventist Christian about eleven years ago but never discovered the joy that Hope sabbath-school gives me I have been truly blessed by this program I grew up on a difficult path 14 of my 26 years I grew up without any parents or what you would call family Hope Sabbath school has helped me discover myself and what is his self a precious child of God right my country South Sudan needs these messages may God bless you well John thanks for writing to us from South Sudan is amazing 212 countries now I think around the world are accessing programming through our new suite of apps and by the way if you haven't downloaded a hope Channel app it's awesome and you can choose different languages if you want to share with friends who speak other languages truly amazing one last note from Nova Scotia in Canada Laura writes and Laura says thank you for hope Sabbath school I'm so glad you're still teaching and hope that you will be doing it for a long time to come I learned so much from hope Sabbath school and I love the songs put together by your wife she is so special and I say Amen I love listening for for many years now and I wish you could come and meet us in person well god bless you and all hope Sabbath school members around the world well Laura thanks for writing to us from Nova Scotia in Canada and we actually would like to sing a song with you right now it's taken from the book of Daniel by the way these are all Scripture songs so that means word for word taken from the Scriptures if you open your new King James Version of the Bible to Daniel 2 verses 22 23 you will see a prayer by the prophet Daniel or I put it to music we're gonna sing it right now [Music] blessed be the name of God forever and ever for his love and mine are doesn't be the name of God [Music] and might our and he changes the times and the seasons he removes kings and raises up kings he is wise and knowledge to those who have understanding he reveals deeper secret things he knows what is in the darkness and light dwells with me he reveals these sacred things he knows what is in the darkness and light clouds wave I like you and praise you you have given me with [Music] praise you my father's you have given wisdom and MA blessed be the name of God forever [Music] right blessed be the name of God [Music] [Applause] for wisdom and might are and it changes the times and the seasons him nor can he raises up kids in his wisdom to Isaac knowledge Sigrid and he knows one exam [Music] sacred things he knows what is in the [Music] let's be the name of God for for wisdom men right [Music] you know you might say well that was a few minutes we took that just sing that song but that's right out of the text and something happened to me Jonathan when I was singing the last part blessed be the name of God like this wave of like joy and gratitude just washed over me it was like God caught me by surprise blessed be the name of God amen wherever and ever we're studying a great prophecy from Daniel chapter 7 today and we just want to pray the Holy Spirit will guide us from the stormy sea to the clouds of heaven we invite you to pray with us father in heaven thank you so much you're a great and awesome God you know what is in the darkness and light dwells with you we thank you that you will give us wisdom even today by your Holy Spirit as we study your Holy Word may lives around the world be blessed now and forever we pray in the Holy Name of Jesus amen amen go to Daniel chapter 7 together as we begin our study it's an amazing revelation and remember all Scripture is given by inspiration of God so this isn't just Daniels words about God this is a revelation from God to the prophet Daniel and Rodney would you begin our study today in Daniel chapter 7 and whatever translation we have will follow along with you Daniel 7 the first seven verses and I'm reading from the New King James Version in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed then he wrote down the dream telling the main facts Daniel spoke saying I saw in my vision by night and behold the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea and four great beasts came up from the sea each different from the other the first was like a lion and had eagle's wings I watched till it's wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on the two feet like a man and a man's heart was given to it and suddenly another beast a second like a bear it was raised up on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth and they said thus to it arise devour much flesh after this I looked and there was another like a leopard which had on its back four wings of a bird the Beast also had four heads and Dominion was given to it after this I saw in the night visions and behold a fourth beast dreadful and terrible exceedingly strong it had huge iron teeth it was devouring breaking in pieces and trampling the residue with its feet it was different from all the beasts that were before it and it had ten horns I think I wake up in a cold sweat but notice verse one I want you to focus your attention on verse one what what important insights do you see even in verse one that you think we should note before we move on Jonathan yeah I mean this is a belt Shazzer was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar and so this is at a new time in the kingdom and probably Daniel is is wondering like what is happening now what is God doing and the Nebuchadnezzar had gone through a bit of a conversion process of coming to know God and now I see a real conversion yeah right eventually yeah and so now this new king is is here and maybe it's a message for this game so it's important to realize chronologically that chapter 7 comes before chapter 5 right it's after chapter 4 when Nebuchadnezzar finally is converted his grandson is now on the throne but it's not yet the handwriting on the wall that we see in Daniel 5 okay so name kind of what do we say what would we say linking it to a historical event is that significant Brittany first year of the reign of what's the significance of including that I mean why does that matter anybody yes Stephanie it's it's the time yeah it's real history right right it's not like well I think I had no no this is when it happened what else do you notice in verse one though that I just noticed it while we were reading that I think's rather significant anybody else what do you see yes Travis there was more information thank you it says that he's going to write down the main facts so did you like to know what the rest of the story was you'll have to wait till you get to the king from heaven right because he just writes down the main facts apparently the things guided by the Holy Spirit of God Daniel make sure you write down these main facts okay all right now let's talk about the dream itself I don't know about you but I think I would wake up with a sweat with these animals coming up why do you think God uses animals as symbols of kingdoms in Daniel chapter 2 we had different metals right on an image brittany i think it goes back to the history when we look at archaeology we find some of the same beasts used to represent those kingdoms like the lion with eagle's wings was used to represent babylon and we find that when we look back at the archaeology so God was using something that people knew to help them understand okay anybody else yeah Nancy it's also an excellent teaching tool because imagine if you had to describe what a lion is like powerful but when he says lion you know it's powerful when he says leopard you know it's fast and when it's a leopard with extra wings it's really bad right because this is not obviously a literal animal is it it's symbolism Kenneth and also all through cultures throughout the history of the earth kingdoms represent the kingdom if an animal okay so you might ask hope Sava school member we might ask you to tell us what animal and they might say well a horse from Mongolia or a bear from Russia or that's a good point so back to what Britney was saying we found archaeological evidence that would point for example to the winged lion for Babylon Travis and we did as we see these beasts they're destroying and conquering and doing these things and Jesus ISM in the Bible was represented as a lamb so it kind of separates Jesus gives himself you know out of love and these are conquering beasts and but he's also a lion of the tribe of Judah right so even there you've got showing his sacrificial work but also you know he is he is king of kings and Lord of lords right so what parallels do you see between these this vision if you will and the vision in Chapter two that was given to Nebuchadnezzar anybody what parallels do you see Harald well they're kind of given in the same order in terms of succeeding kingdoms like the first will be like Babylon and as Britney mentioned there's archaeological evidence that there was a line with with wings in the palaces a Babylonian king so we can say or we can make that correlation you've got very simply - you've got the four precious metals right well iron I guess was precious in it was very strong but gold silver bronze and iron and you've got these four animals so you are that parallel yes Travis the rock comes and destroys the image and we see God setting up his kingdom there's actually it destroys five things it destroys gold and destroys silver it destroys bronze and then the steel and the clay and we see five elements that get destroyed also in in Daniel chapter 7 we see the lion the leopard and you know the beast and then their little horn so we're going to get the outcome similar outcome if they all of the prophecies go from present time to God's ultimate deliverance right so that historical development which is what we call the historicist method of interpretation right this this isn't all this is sequential yes Rodney and you also see a correlation in verse seven with the iron teeth there's a reference there even the metal okay yes all right now we're gonna yes Rick and then what I want to talk about because Travis alluded to the fact that there's new information starting in verse eight which isn't in the revelation given in Daniel 2 right yeah it's interesting that Daniel 2 is given to Nebuchadnezzar the pagan King and this one's given to Daniel himself right to the Prophet and it does seem that God wants to give it's so important he wants to give a little extra information and I think that's interesting to the king he gives the medals and the golden statue which we relate to the idol nothing King and he of course when and made one yeah but here Daniel is given like organic the natural animals are kind of the symbols okay interesting natural and yet composite so yeah you know go whoa what's a lion doing it's not a real lion is it it's a composite beast Britany I'd like you to take us to verse 8 and verses 19 to 25 which talk now about another power Travis alluded to a little horn which is not mentioned at all in the revelation given in Daniel 2 I'll be reading from the New King James Version Daniel chapter 7 verse 8 and then 19 through 25 I was considering the horns and there was another horn a little one coming up among them before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots and they're in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking pompous words then I wish to know the truth about the fourth beast which was different from all the others exceedingly dreadful with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze which devoured broke in pieces and trampled the residue with its feet and the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up before which three fell namely that horn which had I in a mouth which spoke Papas words whose appearance was greater than his fellows I was watching and the same horn was making war against the Saints and prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days came and a judgment was made in favour of the Saints of the Most High and the time came for the Saints to possess the kingdom 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 this Kingdom and another shall arise after them and he shall be different from the first ones and shall subdue three kings he shall speak pompous words against the Most High shall persecute the Saints of the Most High and shall intend to change times and law then the Saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time and when the secrets of the Book of Daniel began to be open as reformers as they were called began to study the Bible which had been taken away now being translated into their own languages at the risk of their own lives they began to find a startling truth and that is that the Christian Church based in Rome the papacy seemed to fulfill all of the identifying characteristics of this little horn power now that's troubling because it's their church right big Martin Luther for example who was a monk right but this was this is his church so he's trying to call the church back to the Bible but what was some of the identifying characteristics that pointed to this actually being not just another political power but a political religious power that was was doing great harm well let's just take one at the time Rodney what would you start with he shall speak pompous words against most high so that would that could possibly be a pagan Kingdom right that would speak against God they've done it before but certainly there's a religious element to this power what else Rick well it's interesting it very specifically says this horn is different from the others the others are kings yes so this one can't be a king it's different it's different there's something about this little horn that's different from the ones before now this has come out out of the collapsed Roman Empire right these ten horns and then you've got this little horn up well what else do you see Travis well I'm just gonna say we get a geographical location because the ten kings we know that that was that was Roman the Roman Empire so we know we have a geographical location in the world where this little horn is coming from you know some people might going back to Daniel to say well the the the image had ten toes but I mean everybody has ten toes unless they're deformed but this is very specific these are ten horns and these ten horns are ten Kings so it's not just well everybody has ten horns right no it's very specific and then the little one that grows up what else did you see we've got a lot of information Evelyn um well I guess we could say it's a given that when a king comes to power they try to change laws and try to do everything in their favor but what's interesting about this horn is that they're focused on changing the law of God so that's something very significant about this little horn there specifically attacking God's people in God's law times and laws what what laws of God deal with time but certainly the fourth one does any others I suppose you could say the fifth one with you know you'll have long life if you honor your parents but really remember a Sabbath day to keep it holy six days labor but the seventh day is the Sabbath and it must have been shocking to some of these faithful followers of Jesus as they studied the scriptures to say well that's exactly what our church right it's the Christian Church there's not a pagan religious organization they've changed times are there other laws that they changed you say well doesn't one of the commandments say you should have no other God raven images and held out to them and yet their churches were full of images right they gave them Christian names maybe yep but this must have been a painful study what else did you see here it's not just one or two things they began to see other identifying characteristics where it says also that the little horn plucked out three horns out of the ten that could grow up out of the Beast the fourth piece there were three horns so we have to look in history which horns because horns represents our king which side to a kingdom so in history this little horn had to plug three nations or uproot it and they're not in the map anymore and you see that fulfilled in history yes now what that tells me Rick said earlier it's different and it is because it's a religious power but apparently it has political it has political and military power do ya you you know you can't pluck up kingdoms just by going to church there's this kind of mixture of political military and religious Travis and these kingdoms their hurry light Ostrogoths and the Vandals were though were that they were the kingdoms that were plucked out they were plucked up for religious reasons as well so they weren't conquered just because they wanted that area and to move in and take over they were plucked out to make way for the teachings of the church so what about persecuting Nicole they not only were religious power but it says they persecuted not just pagan people I don't think the Saints of the Most High where do you see that fulfilled in history persecuting the saints of the Most High Kenneth do you want to I'm doing the time of the Dark Ages no they were persecuting the church hateful people who would not go by the way and it is very interesting to know that this King dump started as a little home you know unlike the previous kings you know you see a line you see this but this one came as a little and so like initial you will not even suspect by the time they realize it has become powerful it doesn't stay little yeah what was some of the things they might be persecuted for what does history tell us Gladys well the vowel dances was one of their groups that were persecuted and they were persecuted because they were focusing on the Bible that were reading the Bible and teaching the Bible and making it accessible for people to understand the truth for themselves you know and the church was not agreeing with that because they were able to control the people by telling them what to believe so they were persecuted for the truth so believing what the Bible taught I think of John Huss also who was martyred because he believed that people should have the Bible in their own language Brittany think about Martin Luther and how he discovered what the Bible says that we're saved by grace through faith and the church had a lot of different things that people had to do in order to earn salvation at least in their mind and and so he was persecuted for this teaching that you don't have to do all these things you don't have to pay for your sins to be forgiven you can go straight to God and one of the big challenges by the way let's be sensitive because this must have been painful to followers who are going what's happened to my church Yeah right and of course for Luther one of the great challenges was this selling of indulgences that you could pay and buy your way to heaven and that just something stuck as he read the scriptures that that's not right that's not how we're saved Jonathan um along those lines it almost seems like there's a concerted effort to replace some of the images of the sanctuary you kind of change transform how prayer works instead of going directly to God we go through another person instead of having our forgiveness directly from God it is mediated through these specific bread you eat in these things so it completely transforms this true works which kind of the next chapter talks about and so yeah that's this huge persecution for anyone that didn't abide by that we got to move on to the judgment scene because we've got definitely more information here don't we yeah that we had in Daniel chapter two so let's go back now to Daniel chapter 7 verse 9 and 10 where we see a judgment seat set Nicole could you read that for us verses 9 and 10 the New King James Version of Daniel 7 verses 9 and 10 says I watched till Thrones were put in place and the Ancient of Days was seated his garment was white as snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool his throne was a fiery flame its wheels are burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him and thousand thousands ministered to him ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the court was seated and the books were opened and back to verse 1 he wrote the main facts know what challenge you think he had trying to write a description of this same comparative people say oh how many angels are the ten thousand times ten thousand it's like that's a lot of angels right tens of thousands of angels there and he's never seen anything like this before this is clearly not talking about an earthly kingdom is it yeah so his mind is focused on the heavenly kingdom this judgment if you could keep reading for us Evelynn in verses 26 and 27 of the same chapter 7 still talking about this judgment scene can I'll be reading from the New King James Version but the court 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 the people the Saints of the Most High his kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey Him you know if that's the only thing you got from the study of the Book of Daniel we want to go into greater depth is that there are these powers that are not only contending for the on earth but actually persecuting the people of God but the God wins I mean that's the big picture right yeah and as someone said if God wins then serve God follow God because he wins that's important because we're gonna look at a lot more information we want to come to that referenced in the judgment scene found in verses 13 and 14 and I'm gonna ask Kenneth if you'd read that for us in ghent in Daniel 7 13 and 14 I'll be reading from the New King James Version and the reason I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven he came to the Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him then to him was given Dominion and glory a kingdom that all peoples nations and languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed before we talk about what this event is let's pick up that title son of man one like the son of man can you think of that title being used elsewhere records definitely in the Gospels Jesus referred to himself let's look at a few of those in fact more than one time right maybe you could start raking in Matthew 8 and verse 20 someone else look at Matthew 9 verse 6 and we're looking mark 13:24 to 27 Luke 926 and those are just a few that I wrote down let's start in Matthew 8 verse 20 sure I'm reading from the New King James Version version Matthew 8 verse 20 and Jesus said to him foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head why does he call himself the Son of Man yes Travis well because he's the Incarnate son of God so he took on humanity humanity and he took on our the sinful nature and he became a real human being right would really be tempted I love what it says in John chapter one in the beginning was the word the Word was with God the Word was God in verse 14 and the word among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten so he is fully son of God but he's also son of man alright what about Matthew chapter 9 and verse 6 gratis yes I'm the reading from the New International Version Matthew chapter 9 verse 6 but I want you to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins so he said to the paralyzed men get up take up your mat and go home so what do you learned there about the Son of Man it's not just well I'm gonna call myself son of man he has authority he's the son of God right this is a what we call a messianic title son of man look in mark chapter 13 Britany do you have that verses 24 through 27 you know it's exciting isn't it to study the Bible and you say oh that's why he's given this title son of man I'll be reading from the New King James Version mark chapter 13 verses 24 through 27 but in those days after that tribulation the Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light the stars of heaven will fall and the powers in the heavens will be shaken then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory and then he will send His angels and gather together his elect from the four winds from the farthest part of Earth to the farthest part of heaven and that great event is the yeah the glorious return of Jesus we call it the second coming first coming was when he came as a baby right and then grew up ministered died for our sins rose again ascended to heaven this is the second glorious coming and he calls himself son of man one last reference Luke 9 verse 26 someone have that would read it for us Herald Luke 9 verse 26 yes and I'll be reading from the New King James Version Luke 9 verse 26 for whoever is ashamed of me and my words of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and in his father's and of the Holy Angels son of man son of God right and that role is crucially important Travis you alluded to it first Timothy Paul tells us in chapter 2 verse 5 the special work of the son of man it's why he's called son of man and not just always referred to as son of God what is that special word Nancy do you have that first Timothy 2 and verse 5 and I'm reading from the New King James Version for there's one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus he said oh it says he's just a man no he's son of man and also son of God and He is the mediated you remember that end of John one where it says he's like the ladder yeah it goes connects heaven and earth right angels going up and down that's a symbol of course that he's connecting heaven and earth so that we can find our way back to God I just say Amen it's a beautiful picture isn't it now this coming of the Son of Man it says with clouds in go back to Daniel with us to Daniel chapter 7 verse 13 he comes with clouds of the Ancient of Days is that talking about the second coming of Jesus or another event I see some heads moving now Jonathan yeah I think it's pretty clearly it's happening in a specific time period right kind of after you have this town where the peaced Beast has said these pompous words these things about the Most High and then there's this response of the judgment and it in the context of that that there is this this coming of the son of man before he comes to receive his kingdom so he he receives something in in in nature of the character and responding to the pompous words but not act the actual second coming of Christ and you're probably gonna tell us we need to study Daniel chapter eight and nine to see the rest of that story Travis do you want to add to that well we got to remember too that Daniel and revelation both are highly symbolic and so Jesus coming or we see him coming with the clouds we can get the interpretation that clouds can mean angels so this the son of man coming with our angels to the judgment scene and of course he comes in glory at the end within the clouds and it says with ten thousand times ten thousand so those angels that we see at the judgment scene we're gonna come with him when he comes in glory yeah that's gonna be amazing scene don't you think especially if we're every team yeah we've accepted him as our Savior yeah we go this is our God we've waited for him and he will save us right that's that's the prayer for each one isn't it that we will welcome him with joy so tell me some other scriptures if Jonathan I think you're absolutely right that this is a judgement scene and the son of man who is none other than the son of God who became flesh Jesus our Savior he has a key role in this judgment is there any other scripture that would reinforce that Britney that that Jesus son of man son of God has an important role in the judgment there's many scriptures that talk about how he is our judge he is our advocate he is art witness and one of them is in John chapter 5 verse 22 okay let's take a look actually John 5 has quite a bit about the end a judgment and about the resurrection when Jesus comes - let's look at verse 22 of John chapter 5 then I'll be reading from the New King James Version John chapter 5 verse 22 for the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son why do you think that is Raik I mean the father could certainly do the judgment right Father Son and Holy Spirit one God so why would why would the father say I think because he's the son of man he's walked in our shoes he can judge fairly he knows what it's like to be human but don't you think the father could judge fairly - yes so for whose benefit is it oh because and Brittany alluded to this beautiful truth there's another verse in scripture that says he's not only our judge but he's also our what is advocates like our lawyer or attorney right where is that verse found anybody know where it's found first John Stephanie chapter 2 chapter 1 tells us if we confess our sins first John 1 verse 9 he's faithful and just to forgive us by the way we need that if we're gonna stand as the judgment right we need forgiveness we need a Savior but read for us first John 2 and verse 1 and I'll be reading maybe even verses 1 2 3 if you would thank you I'll be reading from the King James Version my little children these things write I unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for our are ours only but also for the sins of the whole world and hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments so if he's the one who makes the atonement for the sins of the whole world does that mean Evelynn that everyone can be saved he said yes anybody agrees everyone can be saved so why isn't everybody saved because if I read the companion book of Revelation there are people crying for rocks to fall on them rather than welcoming Jesus with joy cept salvation is a gift that has already been paid for but you have to accept it in order to receive it so I'm thinking of another verse that says everyone who reasons holls and then the name of the Lord don't be saying is it that simple yes Jesus save me Jesus saved me Jonathan thinking of John 3:19 this is the judgment light has come into the world but men have chosen darkness rather than light so Christ came as this light bringing these truths bringing this this picture of a loving God and of the reality of life lived out according to God's pattern and we choose that or we reject it and the tragic thing that you quoted from John 3 it says they loved darkness rather than light and Jesus is the light of the world they loved darkness and the ultimate personification of darkness is Satan and his kingdom startling that people would love darkness rather than love light hmm yes you Rodney I'm just delighted that we have this hope in Jesus we have an advocate and that's why we do hope sabbath-school we want the world to know that you too can be saved yes it's it's an amazing it's an amazing promise from you from every nation every kindred tell young people yep yes even from Great Britain where I come from right praise God there's no one excluded who calls upon the name of the Lord right Rick and we saw it even in Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar yes a king that was so full of himself and look at this great Kingdom and God and His love humbled him and then all he had to do was look to heaven yes and God saved him amazing I think we'll have some surprises when we get to the kingdom of heaven one of my favorite preachers once said the first surprise is that we made it by the grace of God but there will be some people that would say really of course the Bible tells us about the repentance of Nebuchadnezzar it tells us about the repentance of a thief dying on a cross next to Jesus but there may be some of the stories not recorded and we're like how did you get here and what's the answer same way you did by the grace of God yep so let's take a look then at this judgment which is not only a judgment against the little horn power and all that confederation that is opposing God but it's a judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High let's go to Daniel chapter 7 and let's take a look first at verse 21 and 25 and I'm going to ask Rodney if you'd read that for us verse 21 and 25 and I'm only passing over because the middle part talks about in favor of the Saints and I'm reading from the New King James Version I was watching and the same horn was making war against the Saints and prevailing against to them he shall speak pompous words against the Most High shall persecute the Saints of the Most High and shall intend to change times and law then the Saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time now that's the inscription recall we had that would be what devastating yeah I mean there would be more than depressing right but the fact that a judgment is coming what does that what does that do for us hope gives us hope yeah shows us that God is fair shows us that God is fair by the way to the same power you read the revelation we should study both books together right come out of her my people and that's what the Reformation and the ongoing Reformation is all about we're not throwing rocks we're just saying while there's still time here the appeal of God to follow the Word of God rather than the traditions of people right which may sound religious but are they based on the clear teaching of the word of God and the most fundamental teaching is how we're saved yes right are we saved by religious works by paying money are we saved by the amazing grace of God who loves us running it means time for us to get to know this Jesus not about him but to get to know him have that deep connected relationship with him because he's our advocate and it's to forest to prepare so let's go to verses 21 and 22 27 and then I'll drop back to verse 18 because they're civil to talk about the judgment in favor of the Saints and Nancy would you read that for us verses 2122 27 and then back in verse 18 okay I'm reading from the New King James Version I was watching and the same horn was making war against the Saints and prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days came and a judgment was made in favor of the Saints of the Most High and the time came for the Saints to possess the kingdom and now 27 then the kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people the Saints of the Most High his kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey Him and 18 but the Saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever even forever and ever there are people being persecuted today yes for being faithful to the Word of God some of them are being persecuted I'm sure by pagan or secular powers but by the way even pagan or secular powers have a religious perspective even if it's that I'm God and there's nobody else right so they have a perspective one important message does the book of Daniel chapter 7 bring for those who may even today maybe some watching today in secret on their app you know on their smartphone watching and they're going this is really bad you know we are suffering just because we want to follow the Bible and we want to be followers of Jesus yes Gladys we read the end of the story and God wins Godwin's Owens and the kingdom the kingdom will be of his people forever and ever his kingdom will never be destroyed and how many does he want in that kingdom oh yeah lest you think oh you're being elitist no he wants all of them there right who will choose to accept his salvation Harold I just wanna if it's possible to read a verse from 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 8 and 9 regarding us long-suffering it's a beautiful passage why don't you take us there what translation of the Bible do you have I'm the New King James James in 2nd Peter chapter 3 verses 8 and 9 right after that it says what the day of the Lord will come and the elements are going to melt with fervent Heat so this final judgment the end of all things and then of course verse 13 of that chapter the new heavens and a new earth where righteousness to us I love that yes there's places now where righteousness is not dwelling right but you reading verses 8 9 of second Peter 3 correct and it reads but beloved do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness but is long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance so the mercy of God yes wanting everyone to repent and repentance means what what does that mean doesn't mean paying money right back to God turning toward God away from darkness to like the light of Jesus right repentance now the Apostle Paul maybe he read the Book of Daniel about the Saints of the Most High in the persecution even in his day in the pagan Roman Empire there was persecution right yes what was some things that he suffered just for being a follower of Jesus he was flogged stone then everyday yes imprisoned hungry me with flashes yeah he he was he was what would he call it whenever where you go they persecute you a fugitive fugitive he was like a fugitive but he everywhere he went he told people about Jesus right yes so he had experienced a lot of hardship in his own life and yet I want you to notice his testimony in the book of Romans chapter 8 verses 35 and 37 to 39 because apparently he didn't say he did not say hear me carefully God must not love me oh because I'm suffering here he had a hope like Rodney mentioned that was beyond his present journey right so let's take a look Gladys could you read for us Romans chapter 8 let's look at verse 35 and then 37 to 39 I'm reading from the New International Version Romans chapter 8 verses thirty five and then 37 to 39 who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall travel or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword no in all these things were more than conquerors through him who loved us for I am convinced the neither death nor life neither Angels nor demons neither present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord I imagine him getting excited you know in separate us and he'd experienced some of those hardships heavier yes now in that same chapter of Romans he tells us a mystery in verse 28 Stephanie could you read that for us it's a mystery and I want you to apply that to what we've learned about what the Saints of the Most High God are going through in the prophecy of Daniel and I'll be reading from the King James Version Dan Romans 8 verse 28 and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose so let's go back Rick let's go back you mentioned about Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Daniel 3 what good did God bring out of that bad situation well what's the mo what's the first obvious thing he did the first obvious thing is he showed up in their persecution in their challenge and I I love that point but then of course he's a witness I mean he used these people being persecuted to be a witness and others were converted we know at least one King Nebuchadnezzar took a little while in seven years crawling around in the field but yes so God worked good out of that situation yeah can you think of any other narratives where a person's persecution led to something good even though what happened wasn't good Britany I think of Stephen being stoned in house Saul who then became Paul later was converted and I believe it was partly because of Stephens testimony and his witness I have no doubt it was a key part of that wasn't it yes because one of the last things that Stephen says is do not lay this sin against them or to their charge right so he was like Jesus saying Father forgive me forgive them they don't know what they do yes Travis I think of the story of Jonah Jonah gets thrown off the ship sees calm down and the whole ship becomes converted God just can work through troubles and we hope this ship was converted but maybe some work we don't know they certainly saw the power of God working in difficult situations I want to I want to talk to you hope Sabbath school family maybe you're going through a time of persecution not just difficult but persecution and I want to assure you from the book of Daniel chapter 7 that God is with you in this time in fact he not only wants to save you and that you may inherit his kingdom he wants to work good even in the midst of this bad situation isn't he a greater awesome God and we have discovered that he's calling all even those who maybe have found themselves in systems that have taken a stance against God he's calling us all to accept his salvation and to be ready for that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ let's pray that we can experience that salvation even today father in heaven thank you for the powerful prophecy in Daniel chapter 7 and the assurance that you work out your purpose to call all to salvation desiring that everyone would accept we know not everyone will but thank you that we had a choice to accept and others will have a choice as well even from the message today in Jesus name Amen well thanks for joining us for hope Sabbath school someone needs to hear about a God who loves them with an everlasting love so go out and share that good news [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: HopeSabbathSchool

Views: 46,551

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Keywords: Seventh-Day Adventist, hopesabbathschool, Hope Sabbath School, Derek Morris, Heaven, Clouds, stormy

Id: aS6I3H2gpHg

Length: 58min 24sec (3504 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 16 2020