Personalities of the Apocalypse

Profiting from ProphecyIntroductory Lesson

06/14/15

Daniel 1-6 Daniel 7-12

EASY

Daniel 1-6 Daniel 7-12

EASY HARD

Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.2 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.3 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I behold till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.4 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.5 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.6

Daniel 7:2-6

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the reside with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.7 And I considered the hors, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn ere eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.8

Daniel 7:7-8

These prophecies remind us of principles and precepts we need to embrace in our walk with God.

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The rebuilding of Jerusalem in

“troublous times” (Dan. 9:25)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The rebuilding of Jerusalem in

“troublous times” (Dan. 9:25)

• The death of Alexander the Great and the division of his kingdom into four parts (Dan. 7:6)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The rebuilding of Jerusalem in

“troublous times” (Dan. 9:25)

• The death of Alexander the Great and the division of his kingdom into four parts (Dan. 7:6)

• The coming of an evil ruler – Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. 8 & 11)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The coming of an evil ruler –

Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. 8 & 11)

• The desecration of the temple (Dan.

8:9-12)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The coming of an evil ruler –

Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. 8 & 11)

• The desecration of the temple (Dan.

8:9-12)

• The exact length of time it would take to re-consecrate the temple – 2,300 days (Dan. 8:14)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The exact length of time it would take

to re-consecrate the temple – 2,300 days (Dan. 8:14)

• That Antiochus would die by either illness or accident (Dan. 8:25)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• That Antiochus would die by either

illness or accident (Dan. 8:25)

• How long it would be from the rebuilding of Jerusalem until the coming of Messiah – 483 years (Dan.

9:25)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• How long it would be from the

rebuilding of Jerusalem until the coming of Messiah – 483 years (Dan.

9:25)

• The Messiah would be rejected (Dan.

9:24; Jn. 1:11)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The Messiah would be rejected (Dan.

9:24; Jn. 1:11)

• The destruction of Jerusalem – 70 AD (Dan. 9:26)

I. Daniel’s Prophecies That Have Already Been Fulfilled• The destruction of Jerusalem – 70 AD

(Dan. 9:26)

Jesus referred to Daniel’s prophecy (Mt.

24:15-16)

When ye therefore shall see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, … then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains ….

Matthew 24:15-16

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be Fulfilled

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be Fulfilled• Jesus will return to establish His

kingdom and rule with His saints (Dan.

7:26-27)

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be Fulfilled• Jesus will return to establish His

kingdom and rule with His saints (Dan.

7:26-27)

• The Antichrist will come in the last days and meet his end on the temple mount (Dan. 11:36,45)

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be Fulfilled• The Antichrist will come in the last

days and meet his end on the temple mount (Dan. 11:36,45)

• The resurrection of the dead at the end of time (Dan. 12:2)

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be Fulfilled• The resurrection of the dead at the

end of time (Dan. 12:2)

In order to study Biblical prophecy in a way that both helps us mature in our faith and edifies the church, there is one very important principle we must embrace:

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledIn order to study Biblical prophecy in a way that both helps us mature in our faith and edifies the church, there is one very important principle we must embrace:

We must study prophecy with the right attitude.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledWe must study prophecy with the right attitude.

Many err by studying prophecy with their focus limited to the future.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledMany err by studying prophecy with their focus limited to the future.

One reason why we do this is, because at heart, we are incurable predictors.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledMany times this hunger causes us to study the prophetic parts of the Bible only to try to figure out the future.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledBiblical prophecy is about so much more than dates.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledThese visions are full of truth we need to understand and embrace and apply to our lives right now, even if we don’t live to see Jesus return.

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledTo properly study Daniel and the other prophetic books we must understand they are about the here and now just as much as they are about the there and then.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only …”

Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only …”

Matthew 24:36

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath set by His own authority.

Acts 1:7

II.Daniel’s Prophecies That Are Yet To Be FulfilledGod wants us to know about the future, in fact 28% of the Bible is prophecy. But the primary reason God has given us all this prophecy is to help us understand things we need to know in order to live now.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein ….

Revelation 1:3

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the Bible

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the Bible• Prophecy against Tyre (Ezek. 26:12-14)

They shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and they dust in the midst of the water … And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it.

Ezekiel 26:12-14

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the Bible• Prophecy against Nineveh (Nahum 1:8)

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the Bible• Prophecies concerning Messiah’s first

coming (333).

1968: Predicted Ronald Reagan would be President of United States

1968: Predicted Ronald Reagan would be President of United States

1968: Predicted the fall of the Berlin Wall

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the BibleThe prophecies of Daniel show us that God’s Word is infallible and absolutely trustworthy.

III.The Unparalleled Accuracy of These Visions Can Teach Us to Trust the BibleThere is not a single promise, precept, or principle in the Bible that does not do what it says it will do. God’s Word works!

IV. When We Study Biblical Prophecy with the Right Attitude, We Can Learn to Trust God

IV. When We Study Biblical Prophecy with the Right Attitude, We Can Learn to Trust GodFulfilled prophecy helps us to know that God sees more than we see. He sees the beginning and the end so we can trust His guidance.

Prophecy shows that the jumbled pieces in society and even in our lives will one day come together in a beautiful portrait that reflects and exalts the One who truly has dominion – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chuck Swindoll

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me,9 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure10 … yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.11c

Isaiah 46:9-11