God, The Future, and You | God's Plan for the Last Days

We are glad you're joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Greg Staley Devos learn more and sign up@harvest.org if you really believe Jesus is coming again will be for the fact that Jesus will return as much is interesting not just compelling pastor Greg Morris is a whole offers washing so why will see over John because this will of the return of Christ sure why so even as she is your study Bible prophecy make us anxious reading social media to get as agitated reading God's word is whole. That's why the word of God is architectural each study beginning. Laurie continues his series called end of day.

What common space plan will look back to writing thousands of years old prevents only God's word offers you ever forget all is becoming a problem with me. I leave stuff everywhere.

Sometimes around the country, you know you got this error forgot that there heard about an elderly couple that were getting ready for bed one night and the whites of the husband.

Oh dear, I'm really hungry for some ice cream would you go to get me some ice cream. You said yes there are going to get you some ice cream cheese that vanilla all right but I'll write it down, you always forget. He says I will regard the live stream with whipped cream okay but no ice cream with whipped cream. Write it down.

You forget know know I won't forget the way vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Write it down. I won't forget. I got it. No ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce one more thing. As I wanted cherry on top.

Okay, the lies, cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top. I'll get write it down. I won't forget. So he goes out goes back about an hour later and he gives her her ham sandwich. She says I told you to write it down. You forgot the mustard on the go senile together as a job.

Then I often joke that between the two of us will one complete brain is all remember something super Gadson vice a versa.

So we help each other out. And sometimes when the big thing happens to me interesting experience all I'll tell her about a Kathy guess what happened to me today what and as I'm telling the story. So think what color shirt was a work who cares let me finish the story.

It is, and then to love me all these weird details like stop interrupting me.

I need to finish the story so I finally get through it. You know an hour later and there it is, and so maybe a week later. I'm telling the story to someone a Kathy will interrupt me. That's not the way it happened. Excuse me. You weren't even there. But that's not the way you told it to me the first time and you know it really bugs me. She's right. Why good news for you today. God never forgets anything he remembers everything and that's very important to understand see God being each Journal lives while he lives in the eternal realm in all of life to God is a continuum to him past is present, future is passed and we live in the moment we remember the past we somewhat remember the distant past that we anticipate the future but that's it for us. God sees that all is one big thing like he knows the future with complete accuracy as well as we might know the past. Even better, because he doesn't forget things and so that's the way he sees life and so as we come back to the book of Daniel organist see how the Lord will not predict the future for us when we last left Daniel.

He was with this furry friend in the lion's den. This was under the reign of King Darius but at this particular juncture, and Daniel. Daniel chapter 7 we go back chronologically and he wrote these things and he had this vision back during the role of Belshazzar. Belshazzar was the last king of Babylon, the young king that blaspheme the Lord and saw the writing on the wall and so forth. So, Daniel, probably around 70 years old at this point God gave to the prophet a very troubling vision about his future and the future of the world.

The prophet would held his ground with kings and lions was a little bit freaked out.

Organist see that his face grew pale and he was trembling at the thought of what was about to come. So he used his phone a friend option in the Austin Angel to explain it to him because this was over. Even Daniel said even though he was able to interpret dreams. He couldn't figure out what this vision meant by the way, we are now in the in between spot of Daniel the first six chapters of Daniel are historic you know Daniel in the lion's den and Shadrach me shack in the Bendigo in the fiery furnace and honestly a lot of people never get beyond Daniel 1 to 6, but when you get the 7 to 12 now will render the prophecy where the future is predicted for us and this is very important because every Christian should have a working knowledge of Bible prophecy or to use the theological word, the study of eschatology end times events that some would say when you can understand all of that, there's no point in studying it because there's disagreements about it. Well, that may be true, but we must understand I me Jesus said when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, let the reader understand why would Jesus say that if the reader that would be us could not understand, he wants us to understand the parallel book to the book of Daniel in the New Testament is the book of Revelation. Of the two go hand-in-hand. If you want to understand Revelation study Daniel if you want a better understanding of Daniel study Revelation there's very important connections between the two books with the very word Revelation beats unveiling by the way, it's the book of Revelation singular, not Revelation all the time. I hear Chris and say what was reading Revelation snow Revelation, I digress. Anyway, back to what is the word Revelation me that means the unveiling. Why because it is God's desire to reveal not to conceal.

He wants us to understand these things. Plus, as I pointed out in my first message and my Daniel series. I told you about a promise found in Revelation.

The promise of blessing to anyone who would read the words of the book Revelation 13 says blessed or happy is a man of the woman who reads and hears the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it for the time is near. So first chapter read it then you have to hear it, understand it and then you have to keep it you'll be blessed in what is true of Revelation I think is true of the study of Bible prophecy in general.

So why will I be blessed by study Bible prophecy number one because I will remember that God is in control of all of the events in this world today because we live in a scary world we live in an unstable world we live in a chaotic world. But God's in control, and when I study Bible prophecy.

I'm reassured of the fact number two what I study Bible prophecy. It gives me a heavenly perspective. I'm reminded that I'm just traveling through this life in the afterlife is coming if you really believe Jesus is coming again.

It will affect you in the way that you live, how many of you believe Jesus Christ could come back in your life and raise her hand what's good. Almost everyone now. I really believe that is not going to affect me of the decisions I make for today is going to affect me in the plans I made for tomorrow. Absolutely because I'm told over and first John, he that has this hope that is the hope of the imminent return of Christ purifies himself, even as he is pure. That's why we should study Bible prophecy Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment, you know, there's nothing like hearing the word of God worshiping the Lord together. I will encourage you to join us for something we call Harvest at Home every Saturday and Sunday harvest out or join Christians literally from around the world as we worship and we study the word of God together. So join us for Harvest at Home and harvest. Well, we're beginning our look at the last half of Daniel find some of the most fascinating prophetic Scripture pastor Gray continues his message. Now God the future and you Daniel is now placed in what we might describe as spiritual Time Machine.

No, I don't think it was a DeLorean but he did go back to the future if you will.

He was shown what was coming to the world. He sees the history of the world from his day to the last days from Babylon. The king that he was in at this moment to the reign of the Antichrist, which will be the final kingdom on this planet. So Daniel saw the future.

Then he saw the Lord and finally he saw himself that will be my main outline. Daniel saw the future.

He saw the Lord and he saw himself.

Let's talk about the future Daniel chapter 7.

Starting in verse one read along with being reading from the new King James version of the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a troubling dream and visions of his head while he was on his bed. Then he wrote on his dream telling the main facts and Daniel spoke, saying, I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea and for great piece came out of the sea. Each was different from the other. The first was like a lion, and he had Eagles wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on 2 feet like a man in a man's heart was given to it. There I know what some of your thinking.

What I refer you get visions of Godzilla Rodin and Martha remember Godzilla you and and then Rodin was the can a winged creature.

Mother was cool because it was just a big giant dumb ma you know mother so stupid, aren't they. But know that some of this is talking about. These are symbolic things that were reading here the four dangerous bees that are given to us here in Daniel seven represent kingdoms of the world. Different animals are mentioned, we have a lion. We have a bear, and we have a leper and each of these represent a nation and even today, various creatures represent nations. Great Britain is represented by a lion. The United States is represented by an eagle and I might add a bald eagle and I appreciate that. Of course Russ is represented by a bear child is represented by a dragon. So the point is that this is something that is still done today so these are the great kingdoms of the world, but I find it interesting that as the Lord gives this vision to Daniel and he shows in the future. He likens the kingdoms of the world to crazy ravenous beasts, you know, we look at nations with all their technology sophistication and power having their big military parades driving their hardware. The streets of the city looking at all they can do and God looks at it he says you're just like a budget crazy hungry bees attacking one another, despite all of our advances in technology mankind just find new ways to blow himself up by the way these beasts that we read about in Daniel seven parallel the dream of Nebuchadnezzar that we read about earlier member Nebuchadnezzar had dream race on image of the had a head of gold chest and arms of silver belly and thighs of bronze and then legs of iron in feet of iron and clay that parallels this vision. It's the same idea with different illustration.

So first we have the winged lion in verse four, also known as a head of gold. This is mighty Babylon multiple times in Scripture. Babylon is identified as both a lion and an eagle, so it's a winged lion that is an image they had mighty Babylon lasted from 636 to 539 BC and ruled much of the world. In this vision, the lion stands like a man and is given a man's heart and this reminds us about the ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar was so powerful, but then he was humbled.

Remember when he looked at his kingdom and said look of the great kingdom. I built aren't I awesome the Lord said judgment is coming on you and Nebuchadnezzar lost his senses for a period of time that were restored him so he was given a hard of man. That's what that is alluding to. But of course Babylon was defeated by the Medo Persian forces under the direction of King Cyrus bringing us to the bear with three ribs in his mouth that parallels the breast and arms of silver, the Medes and Persians verse five. Another beast comes like a bear raised itself up on one side and he had three ribs in his mouth between the teeth of it and they said to arise and devour much flesh. Don't think of a teddy bear.

Don't even think of a panda bear. Think of a grizzly bear. Think of an aggressive bear.

There was a film made a while back called grizzly man that was about a young man who felt he had a special connection to bears.

And so we went out with his video camera and film them had thousands of hours of footage and said he had a special connection to the meek and even pet them and then they lost contact with them for a period of time and send the search party in he had been killed and eaten along with his girlfriend by a grizzly bear because that is the nature of a bear. The bear is there to destroy the conquer and that was the Medo Persian Empire. They defeated mighty Babylon within they were defeated by Greece, represented by a leopard with four wings.

The wings imply speed so leopards are already fast cats. But when you put wings on them. There even faster, and that is given to us.

Verse six is a leopard I would check on the back of it four wings of a bird. He also had four heads the beast at foreheads and dominion was given to Greece was led by Alexander the great.

Alexander was a brilliant military tactician. In fact, history tells us that Alexander and 35,000 Greek soldiers went up against the Medo Persian army of 300,000 on the battlefield and one that's it so amazing, so it's not a big bear, it's a fierce leper moving with great speed but then Alexander died at the age of 32 is this boring view. I hope this doesn't sound like a history class.

It is a history class, but it's a Bible history class so wake up on or not. I know your family with and this is important because this is all history. We can go back and check all of this all predicted this was all the future for Daniel, but it's all the past for us and the reason that matters is that when the Bible speaks of things to come. We know they're going to happen. As God says they will because God lives in the eternal realm. Anyway, so here comes Alexander he dies at 32 unexpectedly, his kingdom was divided among his four generals. Hence the phrase this one has four heads. Now we have one final beat sound like into a bear, a leopard or line. It's just a ferocious beast verse seven.

After this ice on the night visions of Fort bees dreadful and terrible strong exceedingly. He had great iron teeth.

It devours and broken pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it and it was diverse from the bees that were before it had 10 horns. So who defeated Greece history buffs tell me who defeated Greece, Rome, that's correct.

And Rome was a powerful nation, a powerful military unlike any other that it ever existed.

Rome was very well known for its power and its cruelty.

It was Rome, the crucified. The apostle Peter and beheaded the apostle Paul. It was Rome that banished John to the island of Patmos. Most significantly, it was Rome that crucified our Lord Jesus Christ outside of the walls of Jerusalem. The Romans crucified, thousands and thousands of people and conquered most of the world and establish something called packs Romana forced peace. You either submitted to the power of Rome. Are you God. Originally Rome was ruled by the Senate. But later the emperors became more powerful and then demanded worship. They saw themselves as deities.

The demand of the people say hail Caesar, which was in effect giving glory and praise to Caesar what was kind of a problem with the church because they would not give their worship to a man because of this, many of our Christian brothers and sisters in the first and second century died, and of the persecutions of Rome, because they would not say hail Caesar.

Now here's the funny thing about Rome, they were never defeated by another power they just fell apart slowly but surely, and crumbled and sold as a story and fold there just powerful ferocious beast, but then out of it later comes 10 horns.

What's that all about in the Bible. Horns are symbols of power, so the Bible is saying 10 nations are going to come together kind of rooted in Rome. In the end times and this will be the Confederated nations of the coming world leader the Antichrist now or in the future. We've already seen Greece, we've already seen the Medo Persians. We've already seen Babylon only seen Rome, but we have not seen the forces of the antichrist and out of these horns. We also read about a little horn in verse eight that was among the others had eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things this little horn, as we will discover is the antichrist, you might say he's tooting his own horn right here sites on wants to come the end times.

Pastor Greg Laurie with a message from a series end of days here on a new beginning.

So, have you seen the film called the Jesus music is now out on DVD.

It's a fast-paced visit with some of the pioneers. What we now call contemporary Christian music. It was often a musical expression of how lost they were until they found the Lord Tommy Combs of love song drugs didn't work all the freethinking jealousy… Just left people rather hopeless beginning at the bottom line Kaiser of resurrection morning size didn't go away even though we exercise our freedom to me to experience what we want. Dr. Lars of love song still empty. Still clueless sitting there kind of bewildered thinking like go from here started here about Calvary pastor Greg Moore every night.

It was something you a new band would form a new song this new thing called Jesus music on fire have hearts on fire for the Lord. I saw contemporary Christian music for baryons Michael W Smith. There was this one records as people read Marinol sat on a white cover on the everlasting Jesus remained yelled for about $4000. It went on to sell 200,000 units labeled D this is a new resource were offering to our listeners that I know they're going to love. Let me tell you a story that I really told I was in a Christian band for one night.

One night, this is early 70s right Calvary Chapel is experiencing the Jesus movement in full force, all these new bands are literally forming left and right and so I was over the little home Bible study and one of the guys there was a very good guitar player and songwriter and singer.

Then there was another guy who is an amazing flautist is not obviously a flock to strike really incredible he could play that flute like there was no tomorrow. So my friend singing this song and the flautist is playing his flute and I'm sort of keeping time on the coffee table kind of drumming a little bit and someone said let's form a band and I think I remember the band was bright and morning star something like that. So we went on the cover. Generally they were brand-new. Ben, can we play and that they said sure you're on tonight. The next thing I know I'm standing on the stage with a competent position on guitar another competent musician on a flute and I'm standing there with a conga drum and I you know I couldn't scrub on the coffee table and I got I got nervous. I couldn't keep time with the song and I immediately discovered this is not by calling but you know this just sort of gives you a sense of the times as all these bands are forming bands like love song names like country, faith, general faith lot of feedback in those days the way and others that were creating a new kind of music. Now let me explain. Up to that point basically in the church you would find traditional hymns. The, the odd folksong here and there but no drum sets no amplifiers, no electric guitars, but that is what was happening so I saw contemporary Christian music happened before my very eyes, and a front row seat for a spiritual awakening, and so this is been captured in a beautiful way by the Irwin brothers from the kingdom story company who produces documentary film called the Jesus music and we want to offer it to you for your gift of any size. Sometimes people say that really mean my gift of any size. Yes it does.

Some give a little, some give more.

Some may give a bit more whatever you can give will invested in our ministry to continue to teach the word of God and preach the gospel and I want to thank you in advance for that and I will send you a special little package. It has the DVD and the Blu-ray and a downloadable code so you can watch the Jesus music on your computer on your laptop on your phone or whatever device you have so order it right now were so excited offer to you the Jesus music.

Let me had one other thing this movie is sort of the forerunner if you will about major film that's coming out next year called Jesus revolution.

The film organist send you is a documentary. But this other film is going to be a feature film shown all around the world. So get ready and learn about your spiritual heritage and order your copy of the Jesus music right now.

Yeah that's right we have it waiting for you will send it to say thank you for your generous investment in teaching believers and reaching unbelievers as we do each day here on a new beginning again is called the Jesus music and you can call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 orders online harvest.or will next time pastor Greg comes back with more of his logically enlightening seventh chapter of Daniel join us here on the new beginning pastor and Bible feature Lori and everybody. Thanks for listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it.

Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God