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Understanding the Endtime Lesson 5
Israel’s God-Given Destiny

THERE ARE MORE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER NATION.

TODAY WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ISRAEL’S GOD-GIVEN DESTINY.

SHE’S A CHOSEN NATION.

NOW, IT’S INTERESTING THAT THIS LITTLE NATION OF ISRAEL ON THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA MAKES UP LESS THAN ONE-TENTH OF ONE PERCENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION.

AND YET, ISRAEL’S IN THE NEWS DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH.

YOU CAN’T REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL WHICH LIE AHEAD OF US WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

LET’S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.

THERE WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF ABRAHAM.

THE FIRST 11 CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE ARE DEVOTED TO 2,000 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY.

THEN COMES THIS MAN ABRAHAM AND GOD SLOWS DOWN AND SPENDS 12 CHAPTERS ON ONE MAN.

LET’S NOT MISS THIS.

11 CHAPTERS COVERING 2,000 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY AND THEN 12 CHAPTERS ON THE LIFE OF ONE MAN.

THAT SHOWS US HOW IMPORTANT ABRAHAM WAS IN THE PLAN OF GOD FOR THE HUMAN RACE.

ABRAHAM BECAME THE FATHER OF THE PHYSICAL PEOPLE OF GOD UPON THE EARTH, THE JEWS, AND THE FATHER OF THE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE OF GOD UPON THE EARTH, THE CHURCH.

LET’S GO TO THE SCRIPTURE NOW.

GENESIS CHAPTER 12, STARTING WITH VERSE 1.

THIS IS GOD’S CALL TO ABRAHAM.

NOW, THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM.

HE WAS KNOWN AS ABRAM UNTIL GOD CHANGED HIS NAME TO ABRAHAM.

“GET THEE OUT OF THY COUNTRY, AND FROM THY KINDRED AND FROM THY FATHER’S HOUSE, UNTO A LAND THAT I WILL SHEW THEE,” THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE GOD WAS CALLING ABRAHAM TO THE PROMISED LAND.

THAT’S THE LAND TODAY KNOWN AS THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

CONTINUING, “AND I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION AND I WILL BLESS THEE, AND I MAKE THY NAME GREAT; AND THOU SHALT BE A BLESSING: AND I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS THEE: AND CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE:

AND IN THEE SHALL ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.”

THINK ABOUT THAT, THIS ONE MAN IS BEING TOLD EVERY FAMILY ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED BECAUSE OF YOU.

TWO THINGS TO REMEMBER, YOU WILL BE A BLESSING AND I WILL BLESS THOSE THAT BLESS YOU AND I WILL CURSE THOSE THAT CURSE YOU.

DOES THAT STILL APPLY TO THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, THE NATION OF ISRAEL TODAY?

ACTUALLY, IT DOES.

NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PROMISED LAND.

THERE ARE TWO PROMISES THAT GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM.

HE GAVE HIM THE PROMISE OF THE PROMISED LAND AND HE GAVE HIM THE PROMISE OF THE PROMISED SEED.

GENESIS 15:13 TELLS US ABOUT THE PROMISED LAND.

GENESIS 15:12

GOD HAD TOLD ABRAHAM, “I WANT YOU TO PREPARE A SACRIFICE, LAY THE PIECES OUT.”

AND WHEN HE DID THAT, THAT’S WHEN THIS DARKNESS CAME ON HIM AND ABRAHAM ACTUALLY FELL INTO A TRANCE.

GENESIS 15:17

THINK OF THIS, GOD MADE AN AGREEMENT, AN UNBREAKABLE COVENANT.

GENSIS 15:18

UNTO THY SEED HAVE I GIVEN THIS LAND…

ABRAM, BY THEN, HAD JOURNEYED TO THE PROMISED LAND.

HE WAS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.

“I HAVE GIVEN YOU AND YOUR SEED THIS LAND FROM THE RIVER OF EGYPT IN THE SOUTH UNTO THE GREAT RIVER EUPHRATES IN THE NORTH.”

SO HERE, GOD GIVES ABRAHAM THE PROMISE OF A HOMELAND IN THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND HE LAYS OUT THE ROUGH BOUNDARIES.

NOW, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES IN SCRIPTURE THAT GIVE A MUCH MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PROMISED LAND.

APPROXIMATELY FROM THE RIVER OF EGYPT IN THE SOUTH, ALL THE WAY TO THE EUPHRATES RIVER IN THE NORTH, ISRAEL’S NEVER REALLY HAD ALL THIS LAND EXCEPT DURING ONE ERA. ONLY DURING THE TIME OF DAVID AND SOLOMON DID THEY ACTUALLY RULE ALL THE WAY FROM THE RIVER OF EGYPT IN THE SOUTH ALL THE WAY TO THE EUPHRATES RIVER.

IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE SINCE THEN.

ISRAEL DOESN’T HAVE ALL THAT LAND NOW, BUT THE PROMISE IS STILL AS VALID AS IT HAS EVER BEEN.

NOW, LET’S THINK ABOUT THE PROMISED SEED, GENESIS 17:19.

NOW, THIS PROMISE IS BEING MADE TO ABRAHAM.

ABRAHAM IS 100 YEARS OF AGE, SARAH IS 90.

ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, SARAH HAD ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE CHANGE OF LIFE AND FOR THIS PROMISE TO BE MADE THAT SHE’S GOING TO HAVE A BABY AFTER THIS TIME; IT’S ALMOST AS SUPERNATURAL AS THE VIRGIN BIRTH THAT WOULD BRING FORTH THE PROMISED SEED THAT GOD’S TELLING ABRAHAM ABOUT RIGHT HERE.

IMAGINE ABRAHAM SAYING TO HIS FRIENDS, “SARAH AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY.”

THEY SAY, “YEAH, SURE, RIGHT.”

AND I IMAGINE WHEN ABRAHAM AND SARAH LEFT, THE PEOPLE SAID, “YOU KNOW, I THINK ABRAHAM’S GOING SENILE.

HE MAY EVEN HAVE A TOUCH OF ALZHEIMER’S,

TO THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE SO.”

SO, WHY DOES GOD DO THINGS LIKE THIS?

WHY DOES GOD CREATE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES?

IT’S TO GET OUR ATTENTION.

TO MAKE US REALIZE THAT HIS PLAN IS IN PROGRESS, THAT HE IS DOING SOMETHING IN THE EARTH.

HERE’S WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

SURE ENOUGH, SARAH BECAME PREGNANT, THE BABY WAS BORN AND THEY CALLED HIM ISAAC.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN ABRAHAM AND SARAH’S MIND THAT THIS WAS A SPECIAL CHILD.

EVERYONE THAT KNEW ABRAHAM AND SARAH SAID, “THIS IS INCREDIBLE, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING TO THIS. ABRAHAM SAID GOD’S GIVEN HIM A PROMISED LAND AND HE HAS GIVEN HIM A PROMISED SEED.”

IS GOD WORKING HIS PLAN IN THE EARTH?

WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT AS WE GO ALONG THAT THAT IS EXACTLY THE CASE.

EVERYTHING WAS WONDERFUL NOW.

ABRAHAM HAD HIS SON THAT HE DREAMED OF ALL HIS LIFE.

I’M SURE THAT THEY SPENT TIME TOGETHER. THEY UNDOUBTEDLY HUNTED TOGETHER, THEY FARMED TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING WONDERFUL AS THIS RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPED AND ABRAHAM CONTINUED TO WALK WITH GOD.

HOWEVER, THERE CAME A TIME THAT GOD NEEDED TO TEST ABRAHAM.

IF HE IS GOING TO MAKE HIM THE PIVOT OF HUMAN HISTORY, THE FATHER OF THE PHYSICAL PEOPLE OF GOD UPON THE EARTH, THE JEWS; THE FATHER OF THE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE OF GOD UPON THE EARTH, THE CHURCH, THEN HE’S GOT TO MAKE SURE WHERE ABRAHAM REALLY STANDS IN HIS LOYALTIES.

IN GENESIS CHAPTER 22, VERSE 1, WATCH WHAT HAPPENED. “AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS THAT GOD DID TEMPT ABRAHAM AND SAID UNTO HIM, ABRAHAM, AND HE SAID, BEHOLD, HERE I AM.

AND HE SAID, TAKE NOW THINE ONLY SON, ISAAC, WHOM THOU LOVEST AND GET THEE INTO THE LAND OF MORIAH,” HE TELLS HIM EXACTLY WHERE TO GO, “AND OFFER HIM THERE FOR A BURNT OFFERING UPON ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS, NOT ANY MOUNTAIN, BUT ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS WHICH I WILL TELL THEE OFF.”

WHAT A TEST.

“GOD DID TEMPT ABRAHAM,” THAT MEANS HE TESTED HIM.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE THE JOY OF YOUR LIFE, YOUR LONG-AWAITED PROMISE AND I WANT TO KNOW, DO YOU LOVE ME, OR DO YOU SIMPLY LOVE MY BLESSING AND MY PROMISE. I NEED TO KNOW WHICH ONE YOU LOVE THE MOST.

SO, ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS TESTED.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ABRAHAM AGONIZING OVER THIS DECISION, BUT THE SCRIPTURE DOESN’T TELL US THAT.

THE ONLY COMMENTARY THAT WE HAVE IS, ONE WRITER SAID THIS, “ABRAHAM STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD.”

NOW, GOD LEADS ABRAHAM TO MORIAH AND TO A SPECIFIC MOUNTAIN THAT ENDED UP BEING CALLED MORIAH.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

BECAUSE MOUNT MORIAH, 2,000 YEARS LATER, WAS DESTINED TO BE THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

ACTUALLY, 1,000 YEARS LATER, AT THE TIME OF DAVID, THE FIRST TEMPLE WOULD BE BUILT THERE AND IT IS STILL KNOWN AS THE TEMPLE MOUNT TODAY.

SO, GOD WAS PLANNING THIS ALL OUT.

WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, GOD WAS PLANNING THIS OUT IN 2,000 B.C.

WHEN THEY GET TO THE MOUNTAIN THAT GOD SAYS, “THAT’S THE ONE, ABRAHAM,” ABRAHAM SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, “YOU STAY HERE, THE LAD AND I WILL GO TO YONDER MOUNTAIN TO WORSHIP AND RETURN.”

LISTEN TO THAT DECLARATION OF FAITH.

WE’RE GOING THERE, WE’RE GOING TO WORSHIP AND WE’RE GOING TO RETURN.

NOW, ABRAHAM HAD A PROMISE AND HE KNEW THAT GOD NEVER FAILED HIS PROMISE.

AND THE PROMISE WAS THAT IN ISAAC ALL YOUR SEED IS GOING TO BE BLESSED.

SO, I CAN IMAGINE ABRAHAM THINKING WITHIN HIMSELF, “HOW IS GOD GOING TO DO THIS?

HE WANTS ME TO KILL MY ONLY SON, ISAAC, AND IF MY SEED IS TO BE BLESSED IN ISAAC, AND ISAAC HAS HAD NO CHILDREN YET.

SO, GOD IS EITHER GOING TO STOP ME BEFORE I KILL HIM, OR HE WILL RAISE HIM FROM THE DEAD BECAUSE GOD CANNOT BREAK HIS COVENANT.”

WELL, THEY GET UP THERE AND ABRAHAM BINDS ISAAC, HE BINDS HIS HANDS AND HE PLACES HIM ON THE ALTAR AND HE RAISES THE KNIFE OVER THE SON THAT HE LOVES SO DEARLY.

THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO EVERYONE OF US IN OUR WALK WITH GOD.

SOONER OR LATER GOD WILL ASK YOU FOR THE THING THAT YOU LOVE THE MOST BECAUSE HE WANTS TO KNOW IF WE LOVE HIM MORE THEN WE LOVE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD.

IN GENESIS 22:12, HERE’S THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED.

AS ABRAHAM HAD THE KNIFE DRAWN AND ALMOST READY TO PLUNGE IT DOWNWARD, SUDDENLY THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL SPOKE AND SAID, “LAY NOT THINE HAND UPON THE LAD, NEITHER DO THOU ANYTHING UNTO HIM, FOR NOW I KNOW THAT THOU FEAREST GOD.

SEEING THOU HAS NOT WITHHELD THY SON, THINE ONLY SON FROM ME.

AND ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND LOOKED, AND BEHOLD, BEHIND HIM, A RAM CAUGHT IN A THICKET BY HIS HORNS, AND ABRAHAM WENT OVER AND YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A FORESHADOWING OF THE FACT THAT YOU AND I WERE

HE MADE HIMSELF A BODY AND SAID, “I WILL DIE IN THEIR PLACE.”

SO, WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND ME?

NUMBER ONE, HE WANTS TO KNOW IF WE LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE AND HE ALSO WANTS US TO KNOW THAT HE HAS PROVIDED FOR US A SACRIFICE.

REMEMBER THE PROMISE, GENESIS 22:18, “AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED BECAUSE THOU HAST OBEYED MY VOICE.”

BECAUSE THOU HAST OBEYED MY VOICE.

THIS IS THE ACID TEST FOR ALL OF US.

DO WE OBEY GOD’S VOICE IN OUR LIFE?

WE HAVE HIS WORD, THAT’S HIS VOICE.

WE HAVE HIS SPIRIT, THAT’S HIS VOICE.

THAT’S WHAT GOD WANTS TO KNOW, FROM NOT JUST ABRAHAM, BUT FROM ALL OF US.

HAVE YOU OBEYED MY VOICE?

NOW, REMEMBER IT SAID, “AND IN THY SEED.”

NOTICE IT’S SINGULAR.

AND THE APOSTLE PAUL MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS WORD WAS SINGULAR IN GALATIANS 3:16.

LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID.

GALATIANS 3:16

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING HERE?

ALL THE PROMISE WAS POINTING TO THE ANSWER OF GOD FOR THE HUMAN RACE, TO JESUS CHRIST.

SO, WHEN HE SAID, “IN YOUR SEED, ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED,” HE’S SAYING IN THE MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST, WILL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.

WELL, ISAAC THEN LIVES.

HE HAS TWO SONS.

EVERYTHING WAS GOOD, EVERYTHING WAS WONDERFUL.

THESE SONS WERE TWINS.

THEY WERE NAMED ESAU AND JACOB.

ESAU WAS BORN FIRST SO HE HAD THE BIRTHRIGHT AND HE HAD THE PATRIARCHAL BLESSING DUE TO HIM.

HOWEVER, JACOB YEARNED FOR THE THINGS OF GOD.

ESAU DIDN’T REALLY CARE.

HE WAS A GOOD OLE BOY.

HE LIKED TO HUNT.

HE LIKED TO HANG AROUND WITH DAD.

BUT JACOB HAD THIS CONSUMING HUNGER FOR GOD AND HE THOUGHT, “YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A BIRTHRIGHT, I WANT TO GET IT.”

SO, HE BEGAN TO PLAN, “HOW CAN I GET THIS BIRTHRIGHT FROM MY BROTHER ESAU?”

THE BIBLE SAYS, “SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND.

THEY THAT HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL BE FILLED.”

WELL, ONE DAY JACOB IS COOKING POTTAGE AND ESAU HAD BEEN OUT ON A DEER HUNT.

HE COMES IN, HE’S WEARY, HE’S FAINT AND HE DROPS DOWN IN THE CHAIR AND HE SAYS, “JACOB, GIVE ME SOME OF YOUR POTTAGE, I’M ABOUT TO DIE.

I CAN’T GO ANOTHER STEP.”

AND JACOB SAID, “WELL, I’LL GIVE YOU A BOWL OF MY POTTAGE IF YOU’LL SELL ME YOUR BIRTHRIGHT.”

THAT’S A GOOD TRADE.

IT’S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER.

AND ESAU THOUGHT ABOUT IT A MOMENT AND SAID, “IT’S NO GOOD TO ME, I’M GOING TO DIE.

THAT BIRTHRIGHT’S NO GOOD TO ME.”

IT DIDN’T MEAN ANYTHING TO HIM, THE SPIRITUAL THINGS.

HE WAS ALL FOR THE HERE AND NOW.

HE WAS ALL FOR THE MATERIAL, THE PHYSICAL, SO HE SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT.

LATER ON, JACOB MANAGED TO ALSO GET HIS BLESSING.

WELL, JACOB THEN HAD TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE BECAUSE AFTER THAT, HIS BROTHER BECAME VERY ANGRY, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE LOST THE PATRIARCHAL BLESSING.

HE DIDN’T CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT THE BIRTHRIGHT, BUT HE WANTED TO BE A BLESSED PERSON, BACK TO THAT MATERIALISM THING AGAIN.

AND SO, JACOB HAS TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE WHEN HIS BROTHER ESAU REALIZES THAT JACOB HAS STOLEN HIS BLESSING.

JACOB ENDS UP GOING TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF LABAN, RELATIVES TO ABRAHAM’S FAMILY.

HE WENT DOWN THERE.

HE MARRIED TWO WIVES THERE.

HE MARRIED LEAH AND THEN HE MARRIED RACHEL.

HE HAD 12 SONS AND THEY BECAME THE HEADS OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

SO NOW, THE NATION OF ISRAEL IS BEING BORN.

AFTER HE HAD THESE CHILDREN, IT WAS TIME TO GO GET HIS LIFE STRAIGHTENED OUT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T RUN FROM THINGS FOREVER.

AND JACOB THOUGHT, “I’D LOVE TO SEE MOTHER AND DAD AND MY BROTHER AGAIN.

I’M AT ODDS WITH MY BROTHER AND IT’S NOT RIGHT.

I’VE SPENT ALL MY LIFE CHEATING AND CUTTING CORNERS AND TRYING TO TAKE OTHER PEOPLE’S PLACE.

I’M SICK OF LIVING THIS WAY.

I NEED TO HAVE PEACE IN MY LIFE AND MY HEART.

SO, HE HEADS BACK TO HIS HOMELAND.

ESAU HEARS HE’S COMING AND HE GOES OUT TO MEET HIM.

NOW JACOB KNOWS THAT ESAU IS A MIGHTY HUNTER AND HE KNOWS THAT ESAU HAD GREAT WRATH AGAINST HIM.

THE LAST TIME HE SAW HIS BROTHER, HIS BROTHER WANTED TO KILL HIM.

SO, JACOB KNOWS TOMORROW MIGHT BE THE CROSSROADS FOR HIM.

THAT NIGHT HE SENDS HIS WIVES, ALL OF HIS CHILDREN, ALL OF HIS SERVANTS, AND ALL OF HIS CATTLE ACROSS THE BROOK AND HE SAYS, “I’VE GOT TO BE ALONE WITH GOD.”

YOU KNOW, ALL OF US WILL COME TO A PLACE LIKE THAT IN OUR OWN LIVES.

AS JACOB BEGAN TO PRAY, THE BIBLE SAYS AN ANGEL SHOWED UP AND THE ANGEL BEGAN TO WRESTLE WITH JACOB.

AND JACOB WRESTLED WITH THE ANGEL.

HE SAID, “I’VE GOT THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME.

I’VE GOT A VISITATION OF GOD IN MY LIFE AND I’M NOT GOING TO MISS THIS.”

HE GRABBED HOLD OF THE ANGEL AND THEY WRESTLED THROUGH THE NIGHT,

UNTIL FINALLY THE BREAKING OF THE DAY.

THE ANGEL SAID TO JACOB, “YOU’VE GOT TO LET ME GO.

THERE’S A HIGHWAY HERE.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMING BY AND THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE ME.”

AND JACOB SAID, “I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY, I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNTIL YOU BLESS ME.

I’M TIRED OF MY LIFESTYLE.

I’M TIRED OF NOT REALLY BEING RIGHT WITH GOD, NOT BEING RIGHT WITH MY BROTHER.

AND FINALLY THE ANGEL SAID, “ALL RIGHT, SO, TELL ME YOUR NAME.”

“MY NAME IS JACOB, CHEATER, SUPPLANTER.”

WELL, YOUR NAME IS NOT GOING TO BE THAT ANYMORE.

I’M CHANGING YOUR NATURE AND I’M CHANGING YOUR NAME TO ISRAEL BECAUSE AS A PRINCE, THOU HAST PREVAILED WITH GOD AND WITH MEN.”

SO, THAT’S WHEN THE NAME ISRAEL WAS BORN AND OF COURSE, THE NAME CONTINUES TODAY AND WE HAVE THE NATION OF ISRAEL WITH US TODAY.

NOW, THE PROMISE WAS REPEATED, THIS PROMISE OF THE PROMISED LAND AND OF THE PROMISED SEED WAS NOT SIMPLY TO ABRAHAM.

NOTICE IN GENESIS 50, VERSE 24, “AND JOSEPH SAID UNTO HIS BRETHREN, I DIE, AND GOD WILL SURELY VISIT YOU AND BRING YOU OUT OF THIS LAND…”

THEY WERE IN EGYPT UNTIL THIS TIME, “…UNTO THE LAND WHICH HE SWARE TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC AND TO JACOB.”

SO, THIS WAS NOT SIMPLY A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM ONLY.

THIS WAS TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC AND TO JACOB.

WE’RE GOING TO SKIP AHEAD NOW 1,000 YEARS, BECAUSE ANOTHER PROMINENT FIGURE IN THE PLAN OF GOD AND IN JEWISH HISTORY WAS BORN.

HIS NAME WAS DAVID.

HE WAS THE SECOND KING OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

GOD LOVED DAVID.

HE KILLED A GIANT.

HE BECAME A DELIVERER TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

HOWEVER, AS TIME WENT ALONG, THE SPIRITUAL CLIMATE OF ISRAEL BEGAN TO DEGENERATE AND GOD BECAME ANGRY WITH ISRAEL AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “AND GOD MOVED DAVID TO NUMBER ISRAEL.”

NOW GOD TOLD THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, DON’T BE NUMBERING THE PEOPLE, I DON’T WANT YOU RELYING ON YOUR NUMBERS, I WANT YOU RELYING ON ME.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE WANT TO COUNT OUR BANK ACCOUNT, WE WANT TO SEE WHAT OUR RESOURCES ARE, BUT GOD WANTS US RELYING ON HIM, DOESN’T HE?

SO, GOD MOVED ON DAVID TO NUMBER THE PEOPLE, AND DAVID DID IT.

HIS GENERAL, JOAB, TRIED TO TALK HIM OUT OF IT, BUT HE DID IT ANYWAY.

WELL, AFTER HE DID IT, HIS HEART SMOTE HIM.

HE KNEW HE HAD SINNED AGAINST GOD.

HE KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE.

AND SO, HE INQUIRED OF THE LORD.

HE SENT FOR THE PROPHET GAD AND HE SAID, “I KNOW I HAVE SINNED TERRIBLY.

I KNOW JUDGMENT IS COMING FOR MY INIQUITY, WHAT DO I DO?”

THE PROPHET SAID, “YOU’VE GOT THREE CHOICES, YOU CAN RUN FROM YOUR ENEMIES FOR THREE MONTHS, OR ELSE YOU CAN HAVE SEVEN YEARS OF FAMINE IN THE LAND, OR YOU CAN HAVE THREE DAYS OF TERRIBLE PESTILENCE FROM GOD.”

AND DAVID THOUGHT IT OVER AND SAID, “I WILL FALL IN THE HANDS OF GOD BECAUSE I KNOW GOD IS MERCIFUL.”

AND SO HE SAID, “I WILL TAKE THE THREE DAYS OF PESTILENCE.”

WELL, 70,000 PEOPLE DIED AND IT WASN’T STOPPING AND DAVID CRIED TO THE LORD AND SAID, “WAIT A MINUTE, GOD, I DID THIS, NOT THE PEOPLE AND YOU’RE TAKING THIS OUT ON THE PEOPLE.

PLEASE, IF YOU’VE GOT TO JUDGE, JUDGE ME, BUT STOP THIS.

HOW DO I STOP THIS?”

IN II SAMUEL CHAPTER 24, VERSE 18, THE PROPHET COMES.

“AND GAD CAME THAT DAY TO DAVID AND SAID UNTO HIM, HERE’S THE WAY YOU STOP IT,

GO UP, REAR AN ALTAR UNTO THE LORD IN THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH THE JEBUSITE.”

SO, IN VERSE 24, THE KING GOES UP TO ARAUNAH TO THE THRESHING FLOOR AND SAYS, “NAY, BUT I WILL SURELY BUY IT OF THEE.”

WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN HE GOT THERE, ARAUNAH SAID, “YOU’RE MY KING, I’LL GIVE YOU THE THRESHING FLOOR, I’LL GIVE YOU THE OXEN FOR A SACRIFICE, ANYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.”

AND DAVID SAID, “NO, I WILL SURELY BUY IT OF THEE AT A PRICE, NEITHER WILL I OFFER BURNT OFFERINGS UNTO THE LORD MY GOD THAT COST ME NOTHING.”

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY, THEY WANT A RELIGION THAT DOESN’T COST THEM ANYTHING.

THEY THINK EVERYTHING IS FOR THEM, THEM, THEM.

IT’S NOT, IT’S FOR HIM, HIM, HIM.

DAVID SAID, “I DON’T WANT TO WORSHIP GOD AT NO COST.

I WANT TO GIVE OF MYSELF.

I LOVE HIM.”

SO, DAVID BOUGHT THE THRESHING FLOOR AND THE OXEN FOR FIFTY SHEKELS OF SILVER.

NOW, DON’T FORGET, HE’S BUYING THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH.

AND WHAT WE’RE GETTING READY TO FIND OUT IS THAT THIS IS THE SAME AS MOUNT MORIAH AND THIS IS THE SAME THING AS THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

NOW, THERE’S A HUGE DISPUTE IN OUR WORLD TODAY OVER WHO OWNS THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

THE MUSLIMS SAY IT SHOULD BELONG TO THEM, THE JEWS SAY IT SHOULD BELONG TO THEM.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CHRISTIANITY SOMETIMES SAYS, “IT SHOULD BE OURS.”

BUT RIGHT HERE IS THE ANSWER, DAVID BOUGHT IT FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

HE BOUGHT THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH AND WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT IN JUST A MOMENT THAT THAT ACTUALLY IS MOUNT MORIAH, THAT IS THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

IN II CHRONICLES, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1, THEN SOLOMON, THIS WAS THE SON OF DAVID, HE BEGINS TO BUILD THE FIRST TEMPLE.

NOW, DAVID WANTED TO DO IT AND GOD SAID, “NO, DAVID, YOU’VE KILLED TOO MANY PEOPLE.

SOLOMON, YOUR SON, WILL DO IT.”

AND, “SOLOMON BEGAN TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IN JERUSALEM IN MOUNT MORIAH WHERE THE LORD APPEARED UNTO DAVID, HIS FATHER, IN THE PLACE THAT DAVID PREPARED IN THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH THE JEBUSITE.”

NOW, NOTICE THIS, IT SAYS IT IS IN MOUNT MORIAH AND IT’S THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH.

SO, GOD TAKES ABRAHAM TO THAT SPECIFIC MOUNTAIN TO OFFER ISAAC UP 1,000 YEARS PRIOR.

NOW, HE AGAIN CHOOSES THIS PARTICULAR PLACE BECAUSE ALMIGHTY GOD INTENDED TO HAVE A PLACE ON THIS EARTH WHERE HE, HIMSELF, WOULD PLACE HIS NAME. IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT IN I KINGS CHAPTER 9.

I KINGS 9:1-3
NOTICE THIS, GOD SAID, “I’LL PUT MY NAME THERE, I’LL PUT IT THERE FOREVER IN THIS PLACE, I’VE CHOSEN JERUSALEM.”


NOW, JERUSALEM IS A SMALL, RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT CITY.

AND YET, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE WARS FOUGHT OVER JERUSALEM THAN ANY OTHER CITY ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH.

WHY?

THERE HAS BEEN 40 WARS SO FAR FOUGHT OVER THIS LITTLE PLACE, JERUSALEM.

IT’S NOT IMPORTANT MILITARILY, ECONOMICALLY, OR AGRICULTURALLY, AND YET, IT SEEMS EVERY WORLD LEADER HAS TO GO THERE.

WHY IS THAT?

BECAUSE ALMIGHTY GOD SAID, “I’M GOING TO PUT MY NAME THERE.”

DO YOU KNOW THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON IS GOING TO BE FOUGHT OVER THIS 35 ACRES.

IT’S THE MOST DISPUTED REAL ESTATE IN THE WORLD.

NOW, IN THE NEXT SEGMENT OF, “UNDERSTANDING THE ENDTIME,”

WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRST EXILE, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST TEMPLE AND THE SECOND TEMPLE.

IT’S AN IMPORTANT STORY AND IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE THIRD TEMPLE THAT’S GETTING READY TO BE BUILT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

IT’S ALL THE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE PAST OF ISRAEL, THE PRESENT OF ISRAEL AND THE FUTURE OF ISRAEL.

IT’S GOING TO AFFECT YOU, ME, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T MISS IT.

PART 2
IN OUR LAST SEGMENT OF, “UNDERSTANDING THE ENDTIME”, WE LEARNED ABOUT ABRAHAM AND HIS SPECIAL CALLING.

WE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROMISED LAND AND THE PROMISED SEED AND THAT COVENANT IS STILL IN PLACE TODAY.

WE ALSO FOUND THAT GOD ESPECIALLY CHOSE MOUNT MORIAH, WHICH IS NOW THE TEMPLE MOUNT, TO PLACE HIS NAME THERE FOREVER.

NOW, IN THIS SEGMENT WE WILL WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST TEMPLE AND LEARN OF ISRAEL’S FIRST EXILE,


THE 70 YEARS FORETOLD BY THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.

WE WILL ALSO WITNESS THE SUPERNATURAL EVENTS THAT ENABLED THE BUILDING OF THE SECOND TEMPLE.

AND FINALLY, WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND EXILE.

NOW, LET’S GO TO SOLOMON’S PRAYER.

SOLOMON FINISHED THE BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, ON MOUNT MORIAH, AND HE PRAYS THIS DEDICATORIAL PRAYER TO THE LORD.

“IF YOUR PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE AND THEIR REBELLION, BECAUSE OF THEIR IDOLATRY, GOD, I AM ASKING YOU TODAY, IF IN THEIR CAPTIVITY, IF IN THEIR EXILE, THEY REPENT AND TURN THEIR FACE TO THIS PLACE, I’M ASKING YOU TO HEAR THEIR PRAYER AND TO GATHER THEM AGAIN.”

NOW, AFTER SOLOMON FINISHED THIS WONDERFUL PRAYER, IT’S TIME TO OFFER THE SACRIFICE.

THE SACRIFICE IS PLACED ON THE ALTAR AND THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT FIRE, SUPERNATURALLY CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND CONSUMED THE BURNT OFFERING. THE SACRIFICES AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE HOUSE SO MUCH THAT THE PRIEST COULD NOT EVEN MINISTER. AND WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAW THE FIRE FALL AND THEY SAW THE GLORY OF THE LORD, THEY PUT THEIR FOREHEADS TO THE PAVEMENT, AND THEY BOWED, WORSHIPPED AND MAGNIFIED GOD.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE NATION OF ISRAEL HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN, EVEN TO THIS DAY AS THEY’RE THINKING OF BUILDING THEIR THIRD TEMPLE.

THEY BELIEVE WHEN THEY DEDICATE IT THAT THE GLORY OF GOD WILL AGAIN COME AND THE FIRE OF GOD WILL AGAIN FALL AS A SIGN OF GOD’S APPROVAL ON WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

SO, THIS CAUSED THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND THE TEMPLE TO BE THE CENTER OF JEWISH LIFE, THE HEART AND THE SOUL OF THE JEWISH NATION AND THE CENTER OF THEIR WORSHIP UNTO THE LORD.

GOD WARNED ISRAEL BACK THEN ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY WERE DISOBEDIENT.

HE SAID TO THEM, “IF YOU WILL TURN FROM FOLLOWING ME, YOU WILL NOT KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL TURN TO OTHER GODS, THEN, I WILL CUT OFF ISRAEL OUT OF THIS LAND, THIS PROMISED LAND WHICH I HAVE GIVEN TO YOU. AND THIS HOUSE, THIS TEMPLE, I’LL ALLOW IT TO BE DECIMATED BECAUSE YOU HAVE ABUSED IT AND ISRAEL WILL BECOME A PROVERB AND A BY WORD AMONG ALL PEOPLE.”

HE SAID THIS IS WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU FAIL TO WALK WITH ME, LOVE ME AND TO WORSHIP ME.

NOW, AGAIN, WHY DOES GOD DRIVE ISRAEL INTO EXILE?

REMEMBER THERE’S THE FIRST TEMPLE ERA THEN THE FIRST EXILE; THE SECOND TEMPLE, THE SECOND EXILE.

THE SECOND EXILE TODAY IS OVER AND WE’RE IN THE THIRD TEMPLE ERA.

BUT IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW HOW GOD THINKS.

THEY WERE DRIVEN INTO EXILE BECAUSE THEY FORSOOK THE LORD.

LISTEN TO THIS, “AND AT THIS HOUSE, WHICH IS HIGH, EVERY ONE THAT PASSETH BY IT SHALL BE ASTONISHED, AND SHALL HISS AND THEY SHALL SAY, WHY HAS THE LORD DONE THIS TO THIS LAND AND UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND THEY SHALL ANSWER, BECAUSE THEY FORSOOK THE LORD THEIR GOD,” THEY’VE GONE, THEY’VE WORSHIPPED OTHER GODS.

SO, THIS SHOWS HOW GOD HAS DEALT WITH ISRAEL THROUGH TIME.

LET’S MOVE NOW FROM THE FIRST TEMPLE ERA.

WE KNOW THAT SOLOMON BUILT THE FIRST TEMPLE IN 968 B.C.

THAT’S WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED AND IT STOOD FOR THE NEXT 400 YEARS.

AT THE END OF THIS TIME PERIOD CALLED THE FIRST TEMPLE ERA, ISRAEL WAS IN A HORRIBLE STATE OF BACKSLIDING AND FINALLY, GOD SAID, I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE.

I’M GOING TO DRIVE THIS PEOPLE OUT.
I’M GOING TO DRIVE THEM INTO EXILE.

I’M GOING TO TAKE THEM TO THE BOTTOM UNTIL THEY CAN GET ALL OF THIS JUNK THEY’VE ACCUMULATED IN THEIR HEART, UNTIL THEY, SOMEHOW, CAN BE DRIVEN TO A PLACE OF REPENTANCE.

AND HE SENT THIS PROPHET BY THE NAME OF JEREMIAH TO PROPHESY. AND HIS PROPHECY WAS THAT THE KING OF BABYLON WAS GOING TO COME.

GOD WAS GOING TO SEND HIM.

HE WOULD INVADE THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WOULD BE CARRIED AWAY INTO CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS.

WELL, IT HAPPENED.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR INVADED ISRAEL AROUND 606 B.C. DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN WHO BELIEVED THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, WENT WITH THE KING OF BABYLON, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, BECAUSE THE MESSAGE FROM JEREMIAH WAS IF WHEN I SEND YOU JUDGMENT AND YOU COOPERATE WITH IT AND YOU GO WITHOUT RESISTANCE INTO THE LAND OF BABYLON, I WILL BLESS YOU EVEN IN YOUR CAPTIVITY.

YOU KNOW, GOD CAN BLESS US WHERE EVER WE ARE AS LONG AS WE WALK WITH HIM.

IF THE ENTIRE NATION IS UNDER JUDGMENT, THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE HAVE TO BE UNDER JUDGMENT, BUT WE CAN BE BLESSED, EVEN IN OUR TIME OF JUDGMENT.

SO DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN GO INTO BABYLON.

HOWEVER, THE KING OF ISRAEL, THE KING OF JUDAH AT THE TIME, WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF ZEDEKIAH.

HE DIDN’T BELIEVE THE PREACHING OF JEREMIAH, SO HE DECIDED TO RESIST.

THE BIBLE SAYS, IF YOU RESIST, YOU’RE GOING TO BE DESTROYED.

BECAUSE OF HIS RESISTANCE, NEBUCHADNEZZAR BROUGHT ALL OF HIS SONS IN FRONT OF HIS FACE, KILLED ALL OF THEM BEFORE HIS EYES AND THEN THEY PUT ZEDEKIAH’S EYES OUT AND CARRIED HIM AWAY INTO BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY.

SO, WHILE ZEDEKIAH WAS IN A JAIL CELL, BLIND, WITH HIS EYES, POKED OUT, DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN WERE CLIMBING IN THE HIERARCHY OF THE NATION OF BABYLON.

THEY ENDED UP BEING HIGH UP IN THE RULERSHIP BECAUSE THEY OBEYED GOD AND THEY DID WHAT HE SAID.

BUT DON’T FORGET THIS, ISRAEL WAS EXILED FOR NOT HEARING GOD’S WORDS.

NOW, THE 70 YEARS BEGAN IN 606 B.C., AT THE FIRST INVASION.

THEN ZEDEKIAH FOUGHT AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TO COME BACK AND THAT’S WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED IN 586 B.C.

BY THIS TIME, DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN WERE ALREADY DOWN IN BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY AND GOD WAS FULFILLING HIS PROMISE TO THEM.

LET’S CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS HERE, BECAUSE DANIEL, DOWN IN BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, BEGAN TO BE KNOWN FOR HIS WALK WITH AND IT’S PROPHESIED IN THE BIBLE THAT THIS CAPTIVITY WOULD LAST FOR 70 YEARS.

WELL, JUST SHORTLY BEFORE THE EXPIRING OF 70 YEARS, THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON WAS OVERTHROWN.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NIGHT IT WAS OVERTHROWN, A KING BY THE NAME OF BELSHAZZAR, WHO WAS THE GRANDSON OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THREW A BIG FEAST AND HE DID THINGS HE SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE. HE TOOK THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS WHICH HIS GRANDFATHER, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, HAD CAPTURED IN JERUSALEM AND HAD NEVER DARED TO USE.

HE KNEW THEY WERE PRECIOUS AND SACRED, SO HE HAD NEVER DARED TO USE THEM. BUT BELSHAZZAR TOOK THEM, HAD HIS BIG, IMPIOUS FEAST THAT NIGHT AND GOD WAS SO DISPLEASED WITH WHAT HE DID THAT THE FOREFINGER OF GOD BEGAN TO WRITE ON THE WALL IN THE PLASTER.

AND BELSHAZZAR WAS SO FRIGHTENED BY THIS SUPERNATURAL EVENT THAT HE BEGAN TO LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO TELL HIM WHAT THE HANDWRITING MEANT.

DANIEL WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT THE PEOPLE KNEW OF THAT COULD HEAR FROM GOD.

SO, THEY BROUGHT DANIEL IN AND BELSHAZZAR SAID, “CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS MEANS?”

DANIEL SAID, “YES I CAN, KING, BUT IT’S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.”

BELSHAZZAR SAID, “TELL ME ANYWAY.”
HE SAID, “IT SAYS THOU ART WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE AND YOU’RE FOUND WANTING.

AND THIS NIGHT YOUR KINGDOM WILL BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE MEADS AND THE PERSIANS.”

THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED.

RIGHT AT THAT TIME THE ARMY OF THE MEADS AND THE PERSIANS CAME IN, AND CONQUERED THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON.

NOW, YOU REMEMBER THAT BABYLON RULED THE ENTIRE WORLD DURING THAT DAY.

WELL, THE MEADS AND THE PERSIANS PUSHED BABYLON OUT AS THE RULER OF THE WORLD AND TOOK ITS PLACE.

IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT THERE WAS A VERY SPECIAL THING THAT HAPPENED.

BECAUSE OF DANIEL’S SPIRITUAL REPUTATION, HE WENT FROM THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON RIGHT INTO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MEADS AND THE PERSIANS.

KING DARIUS WAS OVER THE MEADS.

THERE WERE TWO KINGS, ACTUALLY.

CYRUS WAS KING AND CO-RULER WITH HIM WAS DARIUS.

WELL, DARIUS WAS A CONFIDANT OF DANIEL.

IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT SOMEONE CAME TO DARIUS.

THESE PEOPLE WANTED DANIEL’S JOB.

THEY WANTED TO DISPLACE HIM.

THEY SAID, “WE’LL NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH DANIEL.

HE’S SO FAITHFUL.

HE’S SO HONEST.

HIS CHARACTER IS SO HIGH THAT WE’LL NEVER FIND A WAY TO DISPLACE HIM UNLESS WE FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIS RELIGION, HE IS SO DEVOUT.”

AND THEY KNEW THAT DANIEL PRAYED THREE TIMES A DAY, SO THEY DECIDED THEY WOULD FLATTER KING DARIUS IF THEY WOULD CREATE A LAW THAT NO ONE COULD ASK ANY PETITION OF ANY OTHER GOD OR ANY OTHER KING EXCEPT HIM FOR 30 DAYS.

THEY SAID, “DARIUS, THIS WILL TEACH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE IN CONTROL.

YOU’RE THE NEW RULER HERE” AND DARIUS WAS SO FLATTERED, HE SAID, “OKAY.”

AND HE STAMPED IT WITH HIS SEAL, WITH THE SEAL OF THE MEADS AND THE PERSIANS, WHICH WAS UNCHANGEABLE.

THESE ENEMIES OF DANIEL KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THE BIBLE SAYS, “WHEN DANIEL KNEW THAT THE DECREE WAS SIGNED,” HE KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING, AND HE COULDN’T STOP IT.

HE KNEW THE DECREE WAS SIGNED BUT “HE OPENED HIS WINDOW TOWARD JERUSALEM JUST LIKE SOLOMON HAD TAUGHT THEM TO DO AND PRAYED AS HE ALWAYS DID.”

NOW, HE KNEW HE WAS SIGNING HIS OWN DEATH SENTENCE, BUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN LIFE ITSELF.

HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN NOT HAVE HIS DAILY PRAYER WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.

SO, WHEN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AFTER DANIEL HEARD HIM PRAYING, THEY QUICKLY WENT TO KING DARIUS AND SAID, “OH, YOU KNOW THE MAN THAT YOU SAT OVER THE REALM, THIS MAN BY THE NAME OF DANIEL, THE JEW, HE IS DOWN PRAYING.

HE HAS VIOLATED YOUR LAW.”

AND THE BIBLE SAYS KING DARIUS WAS VERY SORRY BECAUSE HE HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT DANIEL AND HIS DEVOTION.

AND SO, CONSEQUENTLY, DARIUS ACTUALLY PERSONALLY WENT TO DANIEL AND SAID, “DANIEL, THE LORD GOD THAT YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY, HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER YOU.”

THEY THREW DANIEL INTO THE DEN OF LIONS AND THAT NIGHT DARIUS WAS SO UPSET WITH WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED THAT HE REFUSED TO EAT ANYTHING BEFORE HE WENT TO BED.
NORMALLY HE HAD AN ORCHESTRA IN TO PLAY FOR HIM TO GO TO SLEEP.


THEY DIDN’T HAVE BOSE RADIOS BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

AND SO THE ORCHESTRA WOULD COME AND PLAY UNTIL, FINALLY, THE KING WOULD FALL OFF INTO A FITFUL SLUMBER AND THE ORCHESTRA WOULD QUIETLY SLIP OUT.

BUT THAT NIGHT KING DARIUS SAID, “NO MUSIC.”

AND HE STAYED UP WALKING THE FLOOR, FASTING, PRAYING, “GOD, SAVE DANIEL.”

DAYBREAK, KING DARIUS MAKES HIS WAY DOWN TO THE LION’S DEN.

HE PULLS THE LID OFF OF THE LION’S DEN.

HE CRIES OUT, “OH, DANIEL, IS THE LORD GOD THAT YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY ABLE TO DELIVER YOU?”

NOW, DANIEL IS DOWN THERE AND I IMAGINE HE WENT TO SLEEP BECAUSE GOD HAD SENT HIS ANGELS DOWN TO LOCK THE LION’S JAWS.

HE MAY HAVE HAD HIS HEAD ON ONE LION FOR A PILLOW HAD HIS FEET ON ANOTHER LION, PROPPED UP.

SO, HE HEARS THIS COMMOTION AND AGAIN, KING DARIUS CALLS OUT, “OH, DANIEL, IS THE LORD GOD THAT YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY ABLE TO DELIVER YOU?

AND HE THINKS, “HOW NICE, THE KING IS WORRIED ABOUT ME.

HE REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO DO THIS TO ME.”
SO DANIEL GETS UP AND HE CALLS BACK, “OH, KING, LIVE FOREVER.

HE IS ABLE.”

WELL, DARIUS LETS THE ROPE DOWN AND PULLS DANIEL OUT OF THE DEN OF LIONS

AND AS THEY’RE WALKING BACK TO THE PALACE, DARIUS WAS SO OVERWHELMED WITH THE POWER OF DANIEL’S GOD THAT HE SERVED CONTINUALLY.

HE SAID THAT “FROM THIS DAY FORWARD I’M MAKING A DECREE THAT IF ANYONE MAKES ANY PETITION OF ANY OTHER GOD OTHER THAN YOUR GOD, THEN HE WILL BE CAST INTO THE DEN OF LIONS BECAUSE YOUR GOD IS THE TRUE GOD THAT HAS THE POWER TO ANSWER.”

DANIEL WALKED WITH GOD AND BECAUSE HE WAS FAITHFUL TO GOD AND DIDN’T FAIL THE TEST, ONE NIGHT IN THE LION’S DEN PAID CASH FOR THE BUILDING OF THE SECOND TEMPLE, HE REVERSED THE CAPTIVITY.

REMEMBER THAT CYRUS WAS THE OTHER RULER IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MEADS AND PERSIANS.

IT’S INTERESTING THAT GOD MOVED ON THE PROPHET ISAIAH IN CHAPTER 44:28 OF THE BOOK OF ISAIAH AND PROPHESIED ABOUT CYRUS BEFORE HE WAS EVEN BORN.

THERE ARE VERY FEW PROPHECIES IN THE BIBLE WHERE A MAN IS PROPHESIED ABOUT BY NAME, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

ISAIAH 44:28, “THAT SAITH OF CYRUS, HE IS MY SHEPHERD, AND SHALL PERFORM ALL MY PLEASURE, EVEN SAYING TO JERUSALEM, THOU SHALT BE BUILT, AND TO THE TEMPLE, THY FOUNDATION SHALL BE LAID.”

SO DANIEL, HE KNEW THIS PROPHECY AND SINCE HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH DARIUS, HE UNDOUBTEDLY ALSO HAD ACCESS TO CYRUS AND HE HAD OCCASION TO SAY TO CYRUS, “DO YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN THE BIBLE?”

HE SAID, “YOU’RE KIDDING ME.

I DON’T EVEN BELIEVE IN THE GOD OF ISRAEL, I’M A HEATHEN KING.

YOU SAY I’M IN THE BIBLE?”

AND HE SHOWED HIM THE SCRIPTURE, ISAIAH 44:28.

HE SAID, “ISN’T THIS AMAZING”? THIS IS SAYING THAT I’M GOING TO BUILD THE TEMPLE.” DANIEL TOLD HIM THE STORY THAT THEY WERE IN EXILE FOR 70 YEARS AS THE PROPHET JEREMIAH SAID.
AND CYRUS SAID, “WELL, WHAT YEAR IS IT?”

AND DANIEL SAID, “THIS IS ABOUT YEAR, MAYBE, 68.”

AND CYRUS SAID, “IT’S TIME FOR US TO FULFILL THE PROPHECY THEN. AND CYRUS GAVE THE COMMANDMENT IN 538 B.C., THE 68TH YEAR, THAT ALL WHO CARED ABOUT THE TEMPLE AND THE HOUSE OF GOD IN JERUSALEM SHOULD GO BACK.

THE FIRST WAVE OF JEWS WENT BACK IN 536 B.C.

THIS WAS EXACTLY 70 YEARS AFTER THE EXILE HAD BEGUN WHEN DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN WERE FIRST CARRIED DOWN.

NOW, IT WAS DURING THIS TIME A MAN NAMED ZERABBABEL WAS RAISED UP BY GOD TO LEAD THE EFFORT TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE, TO BUILD ISRAEL’S SECOND TEMPLE.

BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A MOMENTOUS TASK AND THEY HAD SO LITTLE TO WORK WITH, I’M SURE THERE WERE TIMES OF TERRIBLE DISCOURAGEMENT FOR ZERUBBABEL.

THAT’S THE REASON THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH WAS SENT TO DELIVER A MESSAGE STRAIGHT FROM GOD TO HIM.

IT’S ZECHARIAH 4:6, “THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD UNTO ZERUBBABEL SAYING, NOT BY MIGHT, NOT BY POWERS, NOT BY YOUR STRENGTH,” IT’S NOT BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT ACCESS TO A LOT OF MONEY.

“NOT BY MIGHT, NOT BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD.”

THIS WAS THE WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE LORD.

THEY DID WORK.

FIRST OF ALL THE DECREE WAS MADE IN 538.

THEY BUILT FOR A WHILE.

THEY GOT THE FOUNDATIONS LAID.

THEN ENEMIES CAME AND THEY STOPPED THE BUILDING FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN IT WAS STARTED AGAIN.


FINALLY, THE BUILDING OF THE SECOND TEMPLE WAS COMPLETED IN 516 B.C.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

THE SECOND TEMPLE ERA HAD BEGUN.

NOW, THE TEMPLE WASN’T VERY BEAUTIFULLY.

IT WAS NOTHING LIKE SOLOMON’S TEMPLE.

THEY SIMPLY DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO DO IT.

HOWEVER, HEROD THE GREAT, WHO RULED OVER THE JEWISH PEOPLE UNDER ROME AROUND 19 B.C. WANTED TO EARN THE PLEASURE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, SO HE DECIDED HE WOULD ENLARGE THEIR TEMPLE AND MAKE IT MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL.

WHICH HE DID AROUND 19 B.C. AND IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT PEOPLE SAID, IN THAT ERA OF TIME, “HE THAT HAS NEVER SEEN HEROD’S TEMPLE HAS NEVER SEEN A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING IN HIS LIFE.”

SO, WE’RE WATCHING ALL OF THIS TRANSPIRE.

THAT WAS 19 B.C.

AND THE TEMPLE WAS MADE MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL.

HEROD THE GREAT CONTINUED TO RULE, THEN FINALLY, JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN.

NOW, HERE’S THE PROMISE.

REMEMBER, GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM, “IN YOUR SEED, THE WHOLE WORLD IS GOING TO BE BLESSED.”

JESUS WAS BORN.

JESUS BECAME THE GREATEST MAN WHO HAD EVER LIVED.

HE STARTED THE GREATEST RELIGION THAT MORE PEOPLE ADHERE TO TODAY THAN ANY OTHER RELIGION.

HE WROTE THE BOOK THAT IS THE BEST SELLER OF ALL OTHER BOOKS EVER WRITTEN AND STILL IS TODAY 2,000 YEARS LATER.

HERE, GOD IS FULFILLING HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM.

IN YOUR SEED, SPEAKING OF THE MESSIAH, SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.

NOW, MOST HISTORIANS SAY THAT HEROD THE GREAT DIED IN 4 B.C.

AND WE KNOW THAT HEROD THE GREAT WAS ALIVE WHEN JESUS WAS BORN.

THAT’S THE REASON WE THINK HE WAS BORN ABOUT 5 OR 6 B.C. IF ALL THESE DATES ARE ACCURATE. HEROD THE GREAT HEARD ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS FROM THE WISE MEN WHO CAME TO FIND HIM.

HEROD SAID, “TELL ME WHEN YOU FIND HIM, I TO WANT TO WORSHIP HIM.”

BUT HE DIDN’T WANT TO WORSHIP HIM.

HE WANTED TO KILL HIM BECAUSE THEY HAD ASKED THE QUESTION, “WHERE IS THIS ONE BORN KING OF THE JEWS?”

GOD WARNED JOSEPH IN A DREAM, YOU MUST GET THE CHILD OUT OF HERE BECAUSE HEROD THE GREAT WANTS TO KILL HIM.

SO, JOSEPH AND MARY TAKE JESUS, AND THEY TRAVEL INTO EGYPT AND STAYED THERE UNTIL HEROD DIED IN 4 B.C.


NOW, AS WE CONTINUE ON WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

IN SPITE OF ALL THE MIRACLES AND IN SPITE OF ALL THAT GOD DID, JESUS WAS REJECTED BY THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

JOHN WRITES ABOUT IT IN CHAPTER 1, VERSE 10 OF HIS GOSPEL.

HE SAYS THERE, HE, SPEAKING OF JESUS, “HE WAS IN THE WORLD, THE WORLD WAS MADE BY HIM AND THE WORLD KNEW HIM NOT.

HE CAME TO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.”

BUT THE NEXT VERSE SAYS, “BUT AS MANY AS DID RECEIVE HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD.”

JESUS, EVEN IN HIS REJECTION, LOVED THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

AND SO HE PROPHESIES TO THEM JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH.

HE LOOKS OVER JERUSALEM, LUKE 19:43 GIVES US THE ACCOUNT.

JESUS IS NOW PROPHESYING OVER THE JEWS, OVER JERUSALEM.

HE SAYS, “FOR THE DAY SHALL COME UPON THEE THAT THINE ENEMIES WILL CAST A TRENCH AROUND YOU AND COMPASS YOU ROUNDABOUT AND KEEP THEE IN ON EVERY SIDE AND THEY SHALL LAY YOU EVEN WITH THE GROUND.”

YOUR TEMPLE IS COMING DOWN, THE PRIDE OF YOUR NATION IS COMING DOWN AND THY CHILDREN WITHIN THEE AND THEY SHALL NOT LEAVE IN THEE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER.”

WHY?

“BECAUSE THOU KNEWEST NOT THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION.”

SO, YOU DIDN’T HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, YOU WERE DISOBEDIENT TO GOD, CONSEQUENTLY, YOU’RE GOING BACK INTO EXILE.

WELL, THE PROPHECY CAME TO PASS. A FEW YEARS LATER IN 70 A.D., THE ROMAN ARMIES CAME AGAINST JERUSALEM, LED BY GENERAL TITUS.

THEY DESTROYED THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, BURNT THE TEMPLE TO THE GROUND AND NOT ONE STONE WAS LEFT ON ANOTHER.

THIS PROPHECY WAS SO THOROUGHLY FULFILLED THAT TODAY THE JEWS STILL DON’T KNOW FOR SURE WHERE THE TEMPLE WAS LOCATED ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT.

SO, WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 70 A.D., THAT BEGAN THE SECOND EXILE.

GOD IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID.

IF YOU PERSECUTE ME, IF YOU DISOBEY ME, THEN I WILL DRIVE YOU INTO EXILE.

NOW, THE FIRST EXILE WAS 70 YEARS.

THIS EXILE IS GOING TO BE 1,878 YEARS.

WHAT DID THE JEWISH PEOPLE DO THAT WAS SO TERRIBLE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE EXILED FOR 1,878 YEARS?

THEY REJECTED THE PROMISE, THE COVENANT, THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, THE MESSIAH, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH.

THAT’S THE REASON THEIR PUNISHMENT WAS SO EXTREME.

LET US LOOK AT THE END OF THE SECOND EXILE.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A PROPHECY FROM EZEKIEL.

THIS IS EZEKIEL 37.

AND HE’S PROPHESYING THE REBIRTH OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL AFTER THE SECOND EXILE.

IN THIS PROPHECY EZEKIEL SAID THAT GOD TOOK HIM OUT AND HE SAW A GREAT VALLEY AND THIS VALLEY WAS FULL OF DRY BONES AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “EZEKIEL, CAN THESE BONES LIVE?”

AND EZEKIEL SAID, “I DON’T KNOW.

GOD, THIS IS TERRIBLE.”

WELL, WHAT WAS EZEKIEL REALLY SEEING?

I BELIEVE HE WAS SEEING HITLER’S HOLOCAUST.

HAVE YOU READ THE STORIES OF THEM STACKING THE JEWISH BODIES UP WHILE THEY WERE KILLING SIX MILLION JEWS DURING THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS?

I BELIEVE THAT EZEKIEL SAW A PICTURE OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND THE LORD SAID, “CAN THESE BONES LIVE?


CAN THIS NATION EVER COME BACK TOGETHER?”

AND EZEKIEL SAID, “I DON’T KNOW.”

AND THE LORD SAID, “PROPHECY TO THEM.”

AS EZEKIEL PROPHESIED, BONE CAME AGAINST BONE.

IF YOU READ THE REST OF THE PROPHECY, IT SAYS, “I WILL BRING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, THE EAST, AND THE WEST AND I WILL GATHER THEM BACK TO THEIR OWN LAND.”

WELL, IT HAPPENED.

AFTER WORLD WAR II THEY CAME TOGETHER.

AND IT’S SUCH AN AMAZING STORY. BECAUSE AFTER WORLD WAR II ON NOVEMBER 29, 1947, THE UNITED NATIONS VOTED TO CREATE THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND THE LAND OF PALESTINE.

NOW, THE ISRAELIS ACCEPTED IT, THE ARABS REJECTED IT AND STARTED A WAR THE VERY NEXT DAY.

THAT WAS WHEN THE THIRD TEMPLE ERA BEGAN.

ISRAEL, WAS REBORN ON MAY 14.

THE VOTE WAS TAKEN ON NOVEMBER 29 OF ’47, BUT ISRAEL DECLARED HER INDEPENDENCE ON MAY 14, 1948. 42 MILLION ARAB PEOPLES LAUNCHED A WAR AGAINST THIS LITTLE NATION OF ISRAEL.

THEY ONLY HAD 600,000.

42 MILLION AGAINST 600,000.

MOST OF THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD THOUGHT ISRAEL WOULD NOT SURVIVE, BUT AMAZINGLY, GOD HELPED HER AND WHEN THE ARMISTICE TREATY WAS SIGNED IN 1949, ISRAEL CONTROLLED MORE LAND THAN THE UNITED NATIONS HAD GIVEN HER, BUT YET, THE PROMISE OF ABRAHAM WAS NOT FULLY RESTORED.

THEY STILL DIDN’T HAVE JERUSALEM.

WELL, WHAT HAPPENED?

IN 1967 NASSAR SAID, “WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET THIS JEWISH NATION SURVIVE.

LET’S GO BACK AGAINST THEM AGAIN AND THEY LAUNCHED A WAR, ONCE AGAIN, AGAINST ISRAEL.

AMAZINGLY ISRAEL DEFEATED ALL OF HER NEIGHBORS IN SIX DAYS AND THEY CAME BACK TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND THE GREAT MESSAGE WAS SENT AROUND THE WORLD, “THE TEMPLE MOUNT IS IN OUR HANDS.”

WELL, NOW, INSTEAD OF BUILDING THEIR TEMPLE, THEY WERE AFRAID.


THEY FEARED THE WORLD COMMUNITY, THEY FEARED THE UNITED NATIONS.

OUR NEXT LESSON IN UNDERSTANDING THE END TIME IS ENTITLED “ISRAEL, GOD’S PROPHETIC TIMECLOCK.”

GOD’S NOT FINISHED WITH THIS STORY.

WE’VE HEARD THE PAST, NOW IN OUR NEXT LESSON, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR THE FUTURE.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T MISS IT BECAUSE IT’S STILL HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

Purchase WWIII – Entrance Ramp for the Antichrist by Irvin Baxter

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