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I Dare You: Decide! - Part 1
Daniel 7:8-28
Skip Heitzig

Daniel 7 (NKJV™)
8 "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 there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
9 "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 a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
12 "As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and 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.
15 "I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 "I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:
17 'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.
18 'But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'
19 "Then I wished 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;
20 "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 eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 "I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,
22 "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.
23 "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.
25 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.
26 'But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.
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.'
28 "This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart."

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

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27 Daniel - I Dare You - 2013

The world as we know it won’t last forever. Time will not march on without interruption. Daniel saw a vision of four future kingdoms which can be documented historically. But one final worldwide antagonistic thrust against God is coming. It will be waged by a ruler typically referred to as the Antichrist (but actually there are many more names for him). A fourfold description of this coming dictator’s reign is highlighted before us. Even more basic is the choice we must all make about which kingdom we will be part of.

Skip Heitzig unfolds the book of Daniel verse by verse in the series I Dare You. We'll learn how Daniel lived differently and made a huge impact on his society, and we'll be challenged to do the same.

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Outline

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  1. He Will Be a Powerful Ruler (v. 8)

  2. He Will Be a Prideful Speaker (vv. 8, 11, 20, 25a)

  3. He Will Be a Painful Oppressor (v. 25)

  4. He Will Be the Principal Loser (vv. 9-12, 26-27))


CONNECT QUESTIONS

  1. What does this prophecy reveal?

  2. Why might Daniel be alarmed and distressed over these visions? What does that tell us about his character?

  3. What part does prophecy play in the believer’s life? How can this benefit our walk with the Lord?

  4. What are the characteristics of the Antichrist? How are they similar to the character of Satan?

  5. How does the ending of this prophecy, namely that God’s kingdom ultimately rules and reigns, comfort or inform your own beliefs?

  6. Prophecy elsewhere in Scripture and Jesus’ own words reveal that we will face persecution and possibly martyrdom. What facets of prophecy and our identity in Christ reveal how we should face such trials?

  7. What do you think was the major point of this passage?

  8. What did God reveal to you in this passage?

  9. Is there anything that applies directly to you or to someone you know? How can you take aim in a biblical way to change a negative behavior?

  10. Who was this passage originally directed at?

  11. How does this passage apply to believers?

Detailed Notes

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  1. Introduction
    1. People were convinced that Hitler was for peace; in 1930, these words were spoken by him:
      1. "As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated; but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice"
      2. "I believe that today, my conduct is in accordance with the will of the almighty Creator"
      3. "Mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles and will only perish through eternal peace"
      4. "For the first time...our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead"
      5. Lloyd George called Hitler "the greatest living German"
      6. Anglican church said he was moral and ethical
      7. There was only one man in England who was not deceived—Winston Churchill saw through it all
    2. Daniel peers into the future and sees a coming leader that will make Adolph Hitler look docile
      1. This ruler is known as the Antichrist
      2. People don't take the Antichrist seriously
      3. He's put in the same category as the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus
  2. The coming of God's King and His everlasting kingdom
    1. Daniel 7 is a very compressed prophetic panorama of what happens from the time of Daniel until Jesus returns; chapters 8-12 take portions of this picture and expands them
      1. Daniel sees four beasts that come out of the earth—four kingdoms
      2. The main theme of chapter 7 is the kingdom of God through His Son
    2. We don't know who the Antichrist is
      1. Many have been called the Antichrist over the years (e.g. Caesar Nero, Emperor Caligula, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barack Obama)
      2. Four words describe him: He is a ruler, speaker, oppressor, and loser
    3. He will be a powerful ruler
      1. He's described as a little horn that comes up
      2. A horn signifies a strong ruler
      3. In Psalm 75, the Lord says, "All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be exalted"
      4. This little horn has plans for world domination
      5. The Antichrist
        1. In chapter 7, he's called the little horn
        2. In chapter 8, he's called the king of fierce countenance
        3. In chapter 9, he's called the prince that shall come
        4. In chapter 11, he's called the willful king
        5. Most infamously known as the Antichrist
        6. He has over 25 other titles
          1. In Revelation 13: the beast
          2. Jesus called him the abomination that causes desolation (see Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14)
          3. Paul called him the lawless one, the man of sin, the son of perdition (see 2 Thessalonians 2)
        7. Daniel was the first to speak of him explicitly and comprehensively
        8. The earliest Christians in the New Testament church had heard about the antichrist
          1. John said, "Little children, you have heard that Antichrist is coming" (1 John 2:18)
          2. Someone had been teaching them about him
          3. All they knew about him was based on what Daniel wrote, especially chapter 7
        9. A couple of things about him
          1. His appearance seemed stronger
          2. He has eyes; signifies insight and intelligence; he will be clever, shrewd, with a remarkable ability to deceive
          3. Enamoring, overwhelmingly attractive to people
          4. "They wondered after the beast and said, 'Who is like the beast?'" (see Revelation 13:4)
          5. Perhaps Jesus was referring to him when he said "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive" (John 5:43)
        10. He will be attached to the ancient Roman empire
          1. Ten fragments will reemerge
          2. History tells that the Roman empire was attacked by many different hordes/empires
          3. AD 476 Rome fell; but that's not the whole Roman empire
          4. In AD 395 it was split into two and the Eastern Roman empire lasted for another thousand years
        11. We don't know what its final form will be
          1. Some have suggested it is the European economic community
          2. In a couple of weeks, Skip will tell of a system that is growing very rapidly and fits this picture
          3. Some will scoff at this given our modern times
    4. He will be a prideful speaker
      1. This little horn will have a big mouth
        1. Powerful orator
        2. "He was given a mouth, speaking great things" (Revelation 13:5)
        3. He will speak so effectively that he'll be able to bring peace in the Middle East
      2. He is described as a rider on a white horse (see Revelation 6)
        1. The first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse
        2. That is not Jesus; Jesus is the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19
        3. The rider in chapter 6 brings death and bloody carnage
        4. He rides a white horse as part of his deception; white hat versus black hat
        5. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing
      3. Confident words
        1. A Texan visiting Niagara Falls
        2. Antichrist will try to fix all the bad stuff in the world
        3. "He will have the oratorical skill of a John Kennedy; the inspirational power of a Winston Churchill; the determination of a Joseph Stalin; the vision of a Carl Marx; the respectability of a Mahatma Gandhi; the military prowess of a Douglas MacArthur; the charm of a Will Rogers; the genius of a King Solomon" --Ronnie Floyd
        4. He's a charming, disarming, clever, problem solver
      4. He's going to be dangerous because at some point his charming speech will turn blasphemous (see v. 25)
        1. At some point in his short career, he will turn on people and reveal who he really is
        2. In Revelation 13:6, he blasphemes God and those who dwell in heaven
        3. That will probably happen in the middle of the tribulation period
          1. The tribulation, according to Daniel and Revelation, will last seven years
          2. The tribulation is divided in the middle by an event called the abomination of desolation
          3. That's when the little horn announces to the world that he is god and should be worshiped
          4. Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, "He exalts himself above all that is God"
          5. It was Satan who said, "I will be like the Most High" (see Isaiah 14:14)
    5. He will be a painful oppressor
      1. He uses his strength to war against the saints
      2. Once he succeeds in dominating the world, the holocaust begins
      3. The last half of the tribulation will be hell on earth
      4. The word for persecute speaks of the wearing down of the saints, like the wearing out of a garment
        1. He will continually harass them and wear them down
        2. Physical harassment
        3. Legal injustice
        4. Seizure of property
        5. Physical punishment
        6. Failure to comply laws—everyone to take a mark or be killed (see Revelation 13)
      5. The beast will wage war against God's people and overcome them (see Revelation 13)
        1. What exactly will he do that will be so painful to God's people?
          1. He will kill two thirds of all Jews (see Zechariah 13)
          2. He's going to conquer the city of Jerusalem (see Zechariah 14)
          3. He will go on a rampage to kill believers around the world (see Revelation 13)
        2. He will be a very religious man
          1. He will have a false prophet with him
          2. The Antichrist will be the head over Mystery Babylon, a religious movement (see Revelation 17:5)
        3. Jesus predicted, "Then they will deliver you up...and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:9)—That promise was partly fulfilled in the early church
        4. It will happen even more in this new Roman empire
        5. The good news is that the Antichrist will not last very long
          1. Time, times and half a time—three and a half years
          2. 42 months, 1260 days to be exact
          3. He will make a seven-year deal of peace
          4. He will break the deal in the middle of the seven-year period
          5. He will go on a rampage of death and destruction
          6. Jesus said unless those times were shortened... (see Matthew 24:22)
          7. Those days will be mercifully shortened
    6. He will be the ultimate loser
      1. Mr. Bigmouth's mouth will be shut for good
      2. God with a white robe and white hair sits on the throne
        1. Same description as Jesus in Revelation 1
        2. Jesus said that His Father had committed all judgment to Him, the Son (see John 5:22)
        3. Thrones, plural
      3. When the earthly kingdoms run their course, Christ's kingdom follows
        1. The first is the millennial—a thousand years of a remade earth
        2. Eternal kingdom—new earth, new heaven—the eternal state forever and ever
        3. That will be the time to sing "Joy to the World, the Lord has come, let earth receive her king" written by Isaac Watts in 1719
      4. Porky Pig—that's all folks! That's it! Man is done, God is in charge
        1. The world had a beginning and it will have an end
        2. Every kingdom that rises, falls
        3. Jesus said, "He who believes in Me will...never die" (see John 11:25)
      5. If today was the end of the world, how do you think the media would report that?
        1. "We're Dead" --USA Today
        2. "Dow Jones Plummets as World Ends" --Wall Street Journal
        3. "Apple Loses Market Share" --Microsoft Systems Journal
        4. "Game Over" --Sports Illustrated
        5. "The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour" --Rolling Stone Magazine
        6. "How Will the Extinction of All Life as We Know It Affect the Way in Which We View the Cosmos?" --Discover Magazine
        7. "Death and Damnation: Nielson Ratings Soar" --TV Guide
        8. "Lose Ten Pounds by Judgment Day with Our New Armageddon Diet" --Ladies Home Journal
        9. "System Temporarily Unavailable, Call Back in 15 Minutes" --America Online
  3. Closing—the court was seated, the books were opened
    1. Same as in Revelation 20
      1. The books were opened
      2. God keeps books on everybody
      3. He's looking for a giant canceled stamp across your page, canceled by the blood of Jesus Christ
      4. Skip hopes that canceled stamp is on your page
      5. There's enough evidence to condemn all who are without Jesus
    2. Dare to decide
      1. Somewhere in that tribulation period the world will have to decide—decide whose side they're on
      2. We can and we should decide now
      3. Jesus said, "If you are not for me, you're against me" (Matthew 12:30)
      4. Jesus came to save His enemies—He came to forgive every one of us; so before the court is seated, He can step up and say, "That one is mine! That debt has been canceled!"


 Figures referenced: Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Caesar Nero, Emperor Caligula, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barack Obama
Cross references: Psalm 75, Isaiah 14:14, Daniel 8, 9, 11, Zechariah 13, Zechariah 14, Matthew 12:30, Matthew 24:9, 15, 22, Mark 13:14, John 5:22, 43, John 11:25, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 John 2:18, Revelation 1, 6, 13, Revelation 17:5, Revelation 19 and 20

Transcript

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Welcome to I Dare You, a series through the book of Daniel with Skip Heitzig.

Would you please turn in your Bibles this morning to the book of Daniel, chapter 7. It is a chapter we started a couple weeks ago, and then we had Vision Week last week, and we continue today, Daniel, chapter 7.

As we begin I want to read to you a few statements, four statements that were made by a pretty prominent leader at one time. He said this: "As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice." Powerful statement. Another one, he said, "I believe that today my conduct is in accordance with the will of the almighty Creator."

A third statement: "Mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles, and will only perish through eternal peace." And finally, he wrote concerning his own nation, "For the first time our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead." All of those statements were made in the 1930s by Adolf Hitler the chancellor of Germany.

He sounded so peaceful and he had so many believing that he was such a wonderful guy. One man wrote in his diary after being with Hitler, "All sorts of people who have met Hitler are convinced that he is a factor for peace. He does not seek war, but friendship."

A previous prime minister of England named Lloyd George met Adolf Hitler, after one hour said, "Hitler is the greatest living German." And then one year later he said, "I only wish we had a man of his supreme quality at the head of affairs in our country today." Even the Anglican Church was awed at Adolf Hitler, saying, "He is moral and ethical and makes a clear stand for religion." There was only one man in England who was not deceived, his name was Winston Churchill. He said, "I'm not convinced. There's something up with this guy. It's bad news blues."

Daniel, chapter 7, describes a leader who is coming to this world who will make Adolf Hitler look docile, and what happened in Nazi Germany like child's play. It is a ruler who will dominate the earth. It is a ruler who will persuade and awe the people of this world. He is known most typically as the Antichrist, the Antichrist.

A lot of people don't take that seriously. People in the world certainly don't take the Antichrist seriously. "Come on, that's a movie." They put the Antichrist in the category of the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, fictional. Some of you have that look like: "You mean you're saying there's no Santa Claus?" [laughter]

Daniel describes him and he does so at length. Let's look at chapter 7; let's pick it up at verse 8. But we read several verses last time we were together, and Daniel uncovered this. Let's just kind of cover it all in one fell swoop, and then we'll make some remarks about his character.

Verse 8, "'I was considering the horns,' " this is his vision:

"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 there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; his garment was white as snow, the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. A thousand thousands ministered to him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

"I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

"I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with 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 and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, 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.

"I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'

"Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron, 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, the horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous 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 favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

"Then he said:

'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, 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 rise after them; 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.

'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.'

"This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart."

Just to refresh your memory, Daniel, chapter 7, is a prophetic panorama of what happens from the time of Daniel throughout history until Jesus Christ comes back in a very compressed form. Chapter 7 is the panoramic view—this is important—chapters 8 through 12 will take portions of chapter 7 and expand or highlight an element or elements of it.

Basically, Daniel sees four beasts that come out of the earth. We already covered that last time we were together. These are four kingdoms, world empires, just like the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had in chapter 2. But that is not the main theme of this chapter. It's not that this kingdom, and then that kingdom, and then that kingdom—that's included, but the main theme of chapter 7 is the kingdom of God through his Son Jesus Christ. The main theme of chapter 7 is that history, human history, culminates when God the Father gives to God the Son an everlasting kingdom. And we're going to take time and consider the coming of Christ as mentioned also in this chapter.

But today I want to talk to you about this other personality called the Antichrist. Now, as you can expect throughout history there have been many guesses as to who the Antichrist is. I mean, it gets crazy, but here's a sampling: Early Christians believed it was Caesar Nero because of his persecutions against them. Others believed it was the Emperor Caligula, because in AD 37 he put an image of himself in the Jerusalem temple.

Others guessed it would be Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama have all been called the Antichrist by different groups of people. I guess it depends on which side you're on, right? "You're the Antichrist." I think it's safe to say that none of the aforementioned were or are the Antichrist.

We want to look at who that personality is, and there's basically four words that describe him: ruler, speaker, oppressor, loser. He will be a powerful ruler, he will be a prideful speaker, he will be a painful oppressor, but he will be the principal loser.

Let's look at the first one: he's going to be a powerful ruler. You noticed in verse 8, and verse 11, and verse 20, and verse 21 that this person is described in vision form as a little horn that comes up, "a little horn." The horn signifies a strong ruler. An animal's horn was the animal's strength. It was used as a weapon, and it was a symbol of power and might.

Several times in Scripture—a notable one is Psalm 75 where the Lord says, "All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous will be exalted." So little big horn, or you might say big little horn. This little horn has big plans, and his plans are world domination, to take over everything. And he will increase in strength because he will need to subdue three kings that are mentioned to rule.

Now, chapter 7, the Antichrist is called the little horn. In chapter 8 he's called the king of fierce countenance. In chapter 9 he is called the prince that shall come. And in chapter 11 he is called the willful king. Different names all speaking of the same person—the final ruler—before Jesus Christ comes back.

He's most famously known, or should I say infamously known as the Antichrist. That's what most people, most Christians refer to him as and speak to him with that name, the Antichrist, or about him with that name. But did you know that there are over twenty-five titles of the Antichrist in the Scripture?

Revelation 13 calls him the beast. Jesus Christ called him the abomination that causes desolation, referring to what Daniel spoke of. Paul the apostle in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, calls him the lawless one, the man of sin, the son of perdition. But Daniel was the first guy to speak about him very explicitly and comprehensively.

When we get to the New Testament and the church has been established, the earliest Christians had heard about the Antichrist; they knew all about him. John writes in First John, chapter 2, "Little children . . . you have heard that Antichrist is coming." Now, where did they hear that? Probably somebody had been teaching them the book of Daniel.

"You have heard that Antichrist is coming." They heard that because they heard people teaching it in their churches; they knew about him. Certainly Paul described it, certainly Jesus spoke about him, but all of that was based upon what Daniel wrote about him principally in Daniel, chapter 7.

Notice a couple of things about him. In verse 20 it says his "appearance is greater than his fellows." The word means "chief" or "ruler." He will seem stronger. He will have to be stronger to subdue these three kings and to dominate the ten. In verse 8 and in verse 20 he has eyes. What a weird vision: "I saw a little horn come up, and these little eyes blinking." "Eyes" signifies insight, intelligence; I believe he will be very clever and very shrewd.

I think he's going to have remarkable mental acumen, mental ability, to give advice and to solve problems. I think he's going to be so enamoring, so overwhelmingly attractive to people, because in Revelation 13 the world says this, "They wondered after the beast . . . and said, 'Who is like the beast?' "Translation: "Wow! This guy is it! Crème de la crème." They wondered after him.

I can't prove it, but I believe Jesus was referring to him when he said in John, chapter 5, "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; another will come in his own name, him you will receive."

So somehow this little horn, this coming powerful ruler is going to be attached to the ancient Roman Empire that fragmented that broke up, and ten fragments will reemerge some way, somehow.

Now, if you know your history, you know that the Roman Empire, Rome itself, was attacked by a whole bunch of different hordes of barbarian tribes including the Franks, and the Huns, and the Saxons, and the Vandals, and the Visigoths. And that the city of Rome was sacked eventually in AD 476 by the Visigoths.

But that's not the whole Roman Empire. The Roman Empire in AD 395, about eighty years before, had split into two legs; one in the west, one in the east. The west was Rome; the east was Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul. In that sense the Eastern Roman Empire continued for yet another thousand years. It was different from all of these other world-governing empires that existed.

Now, what the final form of this will be I do not know, and I'm not prepared to say definitively. For years people guessed it was the European economic community, a revived Roman Empire, or the euro gets strong and ten European nations—I'm going to suggest to you in a couple weeks that there is a system in place right now upon the earth that is growing so rapidly and so frighteningly that it fits the prophetic picture, I believe, better than anything else. It's very, very scary, but you're going to have to wait for a couple weeks to get that.

Now, somebody will protest and say, "Come on, this is, this is, this is modern time. The idea of a single world dictator in the midst of modern political structure—that's not going to happen." Well, hold that thought. You gotta hold it for two weeks, but hold that thought. He's going to be a powerful ruler according to Scripture.

The second remarkable thing to note is he will be a prideful speaker. Again, verse 8, verse 11, verse 20, and verse 25 describe this little horn coming up, not only with eyes, but with a mouth. It can speak. This ruler, I believe, will have incredible oratorical ability. He'll be very articulate. Revelation 13, describing the beast, said, "He was given a mouth speaking great things."

He's going to communicate so effectively that he'll be able to bring peace in the Middle East. Now, just imagine that. That's been a jigsaw puzzle no one has been able to solve. He's going to be able to solve it.

In Revelation, chapter 6 (you can just make a note of this, don't have to turn there), the Antichrist is described as the rider on the white horse. He's the first of the four horseman of the Apocalypse. We are told in that chapter, "I saw a white horse and a rider on that horse who went out conquering and to conquer." Now, that is not Jesus Christ, that's the Antichrist. Jesus Christ is the rider on the white horse in Revelation, chapter 19, that judges that present kingdom of the Antichrist and brings peace to the earth after that.

The rider in chapter 6, we know it's not Jesus because he brings with him death, destruction, disease, and desperation, bloody carnage upon the earth. You go, "Yeah, but he's on a white horse." Remember the old westerns? Remember that bad guys were on the black horses, wore the black hats; the good guys on the white horses with the white hats. So if you were a really bad guy but you wanted to fake people out, you'd put on a white hat, you'd get on a white horse.

The Antichrist will be the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing, and he will be very, very confident. Because it says "he spoke pompous words," inflated words. Low self-esteem will not be his problem. He will exude self-confidence.

I heard about a guy from Texas who went to Niagara Falls. You know everything's big in Texas; everything's better in Texas. If you're a Texan, please, I'm not offending you. I'm a Californian, so there. [laughter] This Texan went and saw Niagara Falls and his host pointed out the beautiful falls, the magnificent—he said, "You got anything that big in Texas?" The Texan said, "Nope, but we got plumbers who can fix that." [laughter]

Well, the Antichrist is going to come to fix that. He's going to fix all the bad stuff that has happened in the world, all the leaks in the world, and he will be able with his speech to persuade people. One commentator said, "He will have oratorical skill of a John Kennedy, the inspirational power of a Winston Churchill, the determination of a Joseph Stalin, the vision of a Carl Marx, the respectability of Mahatma Gandhi, the military prowess of a Douglas MacArthur, the charm of a Will Rogers, the genius of a King Solomon."

Imagine having all that wrapped up into one person: charming, disarming, clever, problem solver. But he's going to be dangerous because his enticing speech at some point in his career will turn to blasphemous speech. Look at verse 25 and just note: "'"He shall speak pompous words against the Most High." '" This guy's going to have a mouth. And with all his ability to schmooze and ability to persuade, at some point in his short career, he's going to turn on people and reveal who he really is.

Revelation 13 tells us, "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven." That's probably going to happen in the middle of the tribulation period. You probably know the tribulation according to Daniel and Revelation will last seven years. The last half of the seven years, the last three and a half years is called the great tribulation.

What marks the difference between the first and second half is an event called the abomination of desolation. Jesus spoke about it; Daniel spoke about it. That's when the Antichrist, the world ruler, the little big horn, the big mouth, announces to the world, "I want you to know that I am the one you should worship. I am the one who is your Lord and God." Paul the apostle, Second Thessalonians 2, speaking of him said, "He will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

He'll be able to schmooze Arab and Jew and bring peace, will allow the Jews to have their temple, but eventually—eventually, he's going to want the worship. Who does that sound like? Could it be . . . Satan? Remember that? That's who it is. The devil is the one who said, "I will be like the Most High." He wanted to be worshiped—still does. His agenda has never changed and the Antichrist will be his ambassador.

So we have an interesting description of a powerful ruler who is a prideful speaker. There's a third mark about him that is noteworthy: he will be a painful oppressor. Verse 21, "'I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints.' " That's what he's using the horn for, the power, the strength, is to make war against the saints prevailing against them.

And look at the twenty-fifth verse, " ' "He'll speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and intend to change times and law." '" Once he succeeds in dominating the world, then the holocaust begins, and in this last half of the seven-year period it will be hell on earth. It's the only way to describe it. Jesus said that time will be far worse than any other period of human history, and it will be horrific.

The word in verse 25 for persecute speaks of the wearing out of a garment. He's going to wear down the saints. He's going to continually harass them and wear them down, probably things like physical harassment, legal injustice, seizure of property, physical punishment, and failure to comply laws.

Remember the Antichrist is going to cause everyone to take some kind of a mark on their hand or forehead. If they don't, they will be seen as revolutionary and reactionary, and according to Scripture they will be killed, Revelation, chapter 13. So whatever peace he comes with will end, and he will make terrible war against God's people.

Again, Revelation 13, which is hand in hand with this chapter, in verse 7 and 8, "The beast was allowed to wage war against God's holy people and to overcome them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast." He'll be a painful oppressor.

Now, you might be wondering, "Well, what exactly will he do that will be so painful to God's people?" Well, let me give you just a highlight—a lowlight: he's going to kill two-thirds of all Jews, Zechariah, chapter 13; he's going to conquer the city of Jerusalem, Zechariah, chapter 14; he will deceive the world and go on a rampage to kill believers around the earth, Revelation 13.

But in all that I've read in Scripture about him, I don't believe he'll be a secularist. I think he's going to be a very, very religious person, because he has with him a False Prophet described in the book of Revelation. A False Prophet—that's the religious component of his reign and dominion.

Not only that, but in Revelation 17 it describes a religious movement known as Mystery Babylon in its metaphorical language. It is a religious system over which the Antichrist will be the head. And with all of his dominion and religious power he's going to persecute any who are God's people on this earth.

Jesus predicted this; he said in Matthew 24, "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." That's a promise Jesus made to his people; probably not a promise we like to underline. That promise was fulfilled in the early Roman Empire by guys like Caesar Nero, or Diocletian, or Domitian, who killed Christians and destroyed Bibles and destroyed churches. But in the second phase of this Roman kingdom, it will happen in spades.

If there's any good news about all of this bad news, it's that the Antichrist won't last very long. Look at verse 25, "'"Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time." '" Sounds like an ancient reckoning of three and a half: time, that's one; times, that's two; half a time, that's a half of one. All he has is three and a half years.

Now, if you're going, "Yeah, but you know, it just says, 'Time, times, half a time.' It doesn't say 'three and a half years.' You're just sort of putting that in there." No, later on in Daniel and Revelation it gets more specific. It says 42 months, which happens to be three and a half years. It also says 1260 days, if you want to be exact—that's three and a half years.

He's going to make a seven-year deal of peace, he's going to break the deal in the middle of the seven-year period, and he will devastate the earth. He will go on a rampage of death and destruction.

Jesus in Matthew 24, speaking of the tribulation, said something that I think fits in. I, I think when you listen to it, you'll, you'll read it differently from here on out. "Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened."

In other words, God is only going to let it be confined to a three-and-a-half-year period, not very long in the scheme of the world history. I know if you are being persecuted or you're in pain three and a half years seems like a lifetime. But God in his mercy is going to make it to be shortened, it's predetermined: 1260 days; 42 months; time, times, and a half a time.

So we have a powerful ruler who's a prideful speaker and a painful oppressor. The best news in the scenario is that he will be the principal loser, the ultimate loser. My favorite verse is verse 9. "'I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days' "—who would that be? God—God the Father principally. " 'Was seated. His garment was white as snow; the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him.' "All these are metaphors of judgment.

"'A thousand thousands ministered to him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, the books were opened. Then I watched because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away.' "

So Mr. Big Mouth has a little time and then he'll have, eventually, his mouth shut for good. And this is the judgment. Here's a picture of God the Father sitting on the throne of judgment, the thrones were seated or were put in place, the Ancient of Days was seated, he is seen in purity and wisdom and authority: white robe, white hair, on the throne.

By the way, we have the same depiction of Jesus Christ in Revelation, chapter 1, with the same kind of imagery of white hair and white robe. But if you remember, Jesus said, "The Father . . . has committed all judgment to the Son." And the fact that thrones (plural) are set up, probably speaks of the Father and the Son united in judgment against this Antichrist.

Verse 27, best part," ' "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," ' "that is these earthly kingdoms, these earthly dominions. " '"His kingdoms is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall serve and obey him." '" This is it; when these kingdoms run their course, Jesus' kingdom follows.

That's the end of the world as we know it. Jesus brings in his kingdom. The first part is millennial, a thousand years of a remade earth. You'll be on this earth, remade, revitalized, perfect environment, for a thousand years. After that the kingdom is eternal—new heaven, new earth—the eternal state forever and ever.

Now when this happens, that's the time to pull out that old song we sing at Christmas: "Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King." You say, "Well, that's a Christmas song." No, it's not. Isaac Watts wrote that in 1719, speaking about the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth as seen in this verse: "He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love."

I think I might just ask the Lord if we can sing that at that moment; be a lot of fun. I don't know what he'll say, but I might ask him. Verse 28— [laughter]

Verse 28, I like the way he does this, "'this is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.' "Reminds me of that old Porky Pig cartoon; remember how it ended? Th-th-th-th-that's all folks! [laughter] "That's it! That's what I saw. That's what's going to happen."

The world had a beginning and the world will have an end. Every kingdom that rises, falls. Every single nation that comes has a shelf life. If there is a theme of Daniel that is overriding—that's it. All the kingdoms of the men come, but they go, and this world will end. But Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me will never die."

Let's say today was the end of world; how do you think newspapers and magazines would report that? Well, one suggested it would be this way: USA Today would simply put, "We're Dead"; the Wall Street Journal would say, "Dow Jones Plummets as World Ends"; Microsoft Systems Journal would say, "Apple Loses Market Share"; Sports Illustrated would post on the cover, "Game Over"; Rolling Stone magazine would be, "The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour"; Discover Magazine would post, "How Will the Extinction of All Life as We Know It Affect the Way in Which We View the Cosmos?"; TV Guide, "Death and Damnation: Nielson Ratings Soar!"; Ladies' Home Journal, "Lose Ten Pounds by Judgment Day with Our New Armageddon Diet"; AOL America Online, "System Temporarily Unavailable. Call Back in Fifteen Minutes."

Look at verse 10 as we close. "'The court was seated, the books were opened." 'Isn't that just a frightful sounding event? "'The court was seated' "—this is God's court now. This is the One who knows and see everything. "'The court was seated, the books were opened.' "Revelation 20 says the same thing, "And I saw the books were opened."

Do you know that God keeps books on everybody? You know what he's looking for as the pages turn and he gets to your page? He's looking for a big "canceled" stamp across the page: "Canceled by the blood Jesus Christ." I hope it's there. I hope that you're a follower of Christ and your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. And so that on that judgment book as it comes to your name it says, "Transactions or transgressions canceled by the blood of Christ." Because if it's not, there is enough evidence to convict all of us to go into eternal condemnation forever.

And so the dare is to decide. You know, at some point in the future in that tribulation period the world is going to have to make a decision. And there will be a few who will be holdouts after the rapture, during the tribulation, for the Lord Jesus Christ to the point of persecution and death as this man goes on a rampage against all believers.

But we can and we should decide now. Jesus said, "You're either for me or against me." Because if you're saying, "Well, you know I'm not really—I'm never really against God. I, I like coming to church every now and then. I'm not like against him, but I'm not going to be like totally for him." Jesus said, "Sorry, game's up. Number's up. You're against me. If you're not for me, you're against me. If you don't help gather, then you scatter."

So he's the One that put that line in the sand and said, "Be for me, because if you're not, you're actually acting as my enemy." Good news: Jesus came to save his enemies. Jesus same to forgive every one of us so that before the court is seated and the books are opened he can step up and go, "Father, Father, that one's mine! That debt has been canceled. He/she belongs to me." That's the decision; always is the decision. And ultimately one day this world will decide it's either Antichrist or its Jesus Christ.

Father, as we contemplate that here and now, as we think about our life which is but a drop in the bucket in comparison to the eternal, we're amazed and humbled and honored really that you have given us as much choice as you have. But we believe in your sovereignty and your election, at the same time you have condescended, I guess would be the best term, to us cooperating with you by making a decision, a choice, to say yes or no to your offer.

I pray, Lord, that you would draw men and women to yourself. And I pray that everyone in this room, or hearing this by some other means, would have a resounding, "Yes, I want Jesus as my Savior and as my Master." You're in that business, Lord; you've been in it for thousands of years. You love to rescue people. You love to wipe away the past. You love to take the record in the book and write "canceled" over it; "No debt. Free to go. Free to live." Bring us to that place, in Jesus' name, amen.

For more teachings from Calvary Albuquerque and Skip Heitzig visit calvaryabq.org.

Additional Messages in this Series

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1/6/2013
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I Dare You: Be Distinct!
Daniel 1
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Men and women of character will rise to meet a challenge. Our challenge over the next few months will be modeled in the life of Daniel, a man of God who stood out above the rest, honored God, and influenced his world. Each week, our service will be formed around a new challenge—a dare—to rise up, be counted, be different, and above all, be pleasing to God.
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1/13/2013
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I Dare You: Step Up!
Daniel 2:1-23
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Any crisis we face is a test. How will we respond? What actions will we take? What will our faith in God mean to us and to others in that moment of crisis? Daniel and his friends faced their moment of crisis when the King of Babylon’s insomnia became their worst nightmare. As they faced the possibility of their own death, they used the situation to display their life-giving faith. Let’s consider how we can step up to life’s difficulties and use them as spiritual opportunities.
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1/20/2013
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I Dare You: Speak Out!
Daniel 2:24-49
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Words can become jumbled when we feel intimidated by the one we’re speaking to, especially if the one we’re speaking to intends to kill us! That’s why this story is so inspiring: Daniel speaks out clearly, boldly, accurately, and yet humbly to Babylon’s monarch and thereby gives us a model of speaking God’s truth to our world.
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1/27/2013
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I Dare You: Stand Up!
Daniel 3
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Fitting in, blending in, and conforming to the values of the world around you is what is expected. If you dare go against the flow of popular worldly ideologies, you will be a marked person, regarded as a fanatic and relegated to the category of "dangerous individuals." Three of Daniel's friends decided it was better to stand up for God than to bow down to the wishes of the crowd. Their conviction of heart was to refuse to be "conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2).
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2/3/2013
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I Dare You: Submit!
Daniel 4:1-18
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Before us is a remarkable section of Scripture with a remarkable story about a king who makes a remarkable statement. It is the personal journal of an earthly political monarch who recognizes God’s authoritative rule in the human realm. As amazing as the story is, it carries with it implications for us to submit to God by submitting to man’s government.
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2/10/2013
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I Dare You: Be Humble!
Daniel 4:19-37
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A pundit once quipped, "Humility is like underwear—essential, but indecent if it shows!" The opposite of humility is pride, and Daniel 4 reveals it in spades. Nebuchadnezzar will learn (and then tell) about the greatest lesson God showed him in his long career—that He is able to humble those who walk in pride. So why not learn it the easy way? Listen carefully and apply these truths diligently. I dare you!
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2/17/2013
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I Dare You: Wake Up!
Daniel 5
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As a teacher was lecturing his class, he noticed a student sleeping in the back row, so he said to the sleeping student’s neighbor, "Hey, wake that guy up!" The neighbor answered back, "You put him to sleep, you wake him up!" Falling asleep on the job may be harmless in some situations, but not as the ruler of a nation, and certainly not when God’s judgment is impending. This week’s dare is directed to anyone who is not heeding divine warning signals and needs to wake up.
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2/24/2013
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I Dare You: Be Faithful!
Daniel 6:1-15
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Daniel was consistently faithful, both publicly and privately. His diligence and attitude set him apart from his peers and his reputation withstood harsh scrutiny. When his life was on the line, Daniel refused to compromise—he dared to be faithful!
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3/3/2013
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I Dare You: Be Steadfast!
Daniel 6:10-28
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Calvin Miller once wrote, “Security is never the friend of faith. It is peril that produces steadfastness.” Daniel knew this to be true and was willing to sacrifice the security of life and limb because his heart was steadfast and immovable toward his God. Even though he had been faithful to king and country, this aged prophet faced the trial of a lifetime.
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3/10/2013
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I Dare You: Defend!
Daniel 7:1-8
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Daniel did fine when he was thrown into the lions’ den, but how does he fare when thrust into the critics’ den? Daniel is an amazing book of prophecy as well as history, yet it has not escaped the bright white light of antagonistic critics through the ages. Today I dare you to move beyond a shallow faith that depends on personal feelings and subjective experiences and learn to “contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3).
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4/14/2013
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I Dare You: Decide! - Part 2
Daniel 7
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The time is coming when the world will have to decide between a false messiah and the true Christ. Sadly, some already have. Today, we'll consider the world's fastest growing religion and how it might possibly interact with the Bible's predictions of the end times.
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4/21/2013
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I Dare You: Look Ahead!
Daniel 7:9-14;7:26-27
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Economists, meteorologists, visionaries, and psychics all share one thing in common: They all try to predict the future to announce what's coming. God's prophets never had to; God revealed it to them and they simply wrote it down or spoke it out. The central highlight of Daniel's vision in chapter 7 isn't the coming kingdoms of earthly men nor of the coming Antichrist but rather the coming of Jesus Christ. Let's look ahead and see what's coming.
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4/28/2013
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I Dare You: Be Great!
Daniel 8:1-8;8:20-22
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The New York Life Review posted this: "Great men have but a few hours to be 'great.' Like the rest of us, they must dress, bathe, and eat. And, being human, they must make visits to the dentist, doctor, and barber and have conferences with their wives about domestic matters. What makes men great is their ability to decide what is important, and then focus their attention on that." (I think that goes for great women too!) Let's compare three men who some consider to be great, and then see how we measure up.
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5/19/2013
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I Dare You: Be Shocked!
Daniel 8:8-27
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When was the last time you heard someone respond to an incident or piece of information by saying, “That’s shocking!”? Shock (emotional disgust, offense, and aversion) has been diminished due to a widespread exposure to facts and images. Things get too easily relegated to a file in our brains marked, “I’ve already heard this before.” It’s a sad day (and dangerous) when we become spiritually desensitized to God’s truth and the world’s pain.
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5/26/2013
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I Dare You: Pray!
Daniel 9:1-5
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I have never met a person who's regretted praying too much. I've met plenty who've regretted praying too little. Prayer is the one activity that everybody knows they need, but few actually do. It's preached often, but practiced seldom. Forgive me if I'm dispensing guilt—that's not my intention. I'd rather take a peek into the busy life of an ancient executive (Daniel), and see the role prayer played for him and, in so doing, get fired up about this most powerful of activities!
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6/2/2013
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I Dare You: Pray! - Part 2
Daniel 9:4-19
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Just as a square has four sides and is incomplete without all four sides, so too does effective prayer. Daniel leaves us with a great example (and a simple one at that). Though we can pray anywhere and anytime, these four elements form a great baseline for us to emulate. When you talk to God, make certain the signal is clear, your heart is pure, and your confidence is sure.
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6/9/2013
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I Dare You: Understand!
Daniel 9:20-27
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God wants us to understand! He wants us to understand the truth about life. He wants us to understand the way of salvation. He wants us to understand His plans for the future. Today we come to the scriptural key that unlocks the door to the prophetic future of God’s plan. If you have never known it before, choose to understand it now. I dare you!
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6/30/2013
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I Dare You: Fight!
Daniel 10
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Fighting is never fun, but it's sometimes necessary. Certainly that's the case with the Christian life: It's not a playground but a battleground. Spiritual warfare (the cosmic battle between forces of good and evil) is a reality that none can escape but few really understand. For Daniel, the curtain is pulled back and he is allowed to see past the natural world into the supernatural world. Let's get a firsthand briefing on a heavenly battle that has earthly repercussions.
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7/7/2013
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I Dare You: Remember!
Daniel 11:1-35
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Daniel 11 is packed with prophecies about the history of Israel and the world. In just the first 35 verses of the chapter, we find that 135 of those prophecies have already been fulfilled. As we look at the historical details Daniel received in his visions, God's sovereignty comes to the forefront and prompts us to remember that He will carry out the prophecies yet to be fulfilled.
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7/14/2013
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I Dare You: Rest!
Daniel 11:36-45
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It's hard to be at rest when everything around you is chaos and conflict. But today that is our dare. Peace isn't the absence of a storm but being at rest in the midst of the storm. Daniel is informed about a stormy future in store for his own people and for the whole world. As we look ahead to consider a leader who will come during the most tumultuous time in human history, I dare you to rest in four distinct ways:
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8/4/2013
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I Dare You: Hope!
Daniel 12:1-3
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There is nothing needed more in the world today than hope. Every generation faces the tendency toward despair and hopelessness. Daniel especially did since he was learning of his own people's future suffering that would last for multiplied generations. But at last, God gives him a precious ray of hope: The worst of times will usher in the best of times. Four words describe that future time and become four rungs on the ladder of hope.
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8/11/2013
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I Dare You: Respond!
Daniel 12:4-13
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The Christian life is essentially a response to God: God is the Master and we are His servants; He's the Good Shepherd and we are the sheep; He is the Head and we are members of His body. Even our love for God is a response: "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). In this final section of the book of Daniel, let's consider three things that God does and what our response should be in each case.
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8/18/2013
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I Dare You: Be Balanced!
Daniel 1-12
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One dictionary defines balance this way: "A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions." That's a fitting word to describe the whole of Daniel's life. In today's final study of the book of Daniel, we consider the man himself and how his life was so outwardly powerful and yet so inwardly stable. Daniel was supremely balanced in at least four areas.
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There are 23 additional messages in this series.
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