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Lesson 7 - Getting Started With ProphecyIntroduction: "Blessed is he who reads . . . this prophecy" (Rev. 1:3). This lesson begins our study of prophecy. 1. Who alone truly knows the future? Isa. 46:9, 10 [The Further-study verse is John 14:29] (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV) "Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, {10} Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'" 2. Has God revealed the future? Amos 3:7 [2 Peter 1:19-21] (Amos 3:7 NKJV) "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." 3. Which prophecies did Jesus mention by name, saying we should understand them? Matt. 24:15 [Rev. 10:1, 2] (Matthew 24:15 NKJV) ""Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand)," 4. For what time period was the book of Daniel especially written? Dan. 12:4 (Daniel 12:4 NKJV) ""But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."" [Note: Daniel and Revelation are both about the last days; but Daniel was written first and Revelation builds on its prophecies. In order to understand the two books we must start with Daniel and with Daniel's first prophecy. Each succeeding prophecy is built upon the ones before. Dan. 8:17; 12:9] 5. What circumstances led up to Daniel's first prophecy? Dan. 2:1-3 [Dan. 2:1-23, 29] (Daniel 2:1-3 NKJV) "Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. {2} Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. {3} And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."" 6. Who explained the dream, and what period of earth's history did it picture? Dan. 2:27, 28 [Dan. 2:19] (Daniel 2:27-28 NKJV) "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. {28} "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:" 7. What was the dream? Dan. 2:31-35 [Acts 17:26] (Daniel 2:31-35 NKJV) ""You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. {32} "This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, {33} "its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. {34} "You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. {35} "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." 8. There are two vital principles we must
understand to interpret correctly Daniel and Revelation: (Daniel 2:36-38 NKJV) ""This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. {37} "You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; {38} "and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all; you are this head of gold." [Note: Nebuchadnezzar represented Babylon. "King" and "kingdom" often mean the same in prophecy (Dan. 2:39; 7:17, 23). Hos. 12:10; Isa. 14:4] 9. What did the silver, bronze and iron represent? Dan. 2:39, 40 (Daniel 2:39-40 NKJV) ""But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. {40} "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others." [Note: The three kingdoms that followed Babylon were Persia (or MediaPersia), Greece and Rome respectively. Dan. 5:28; 8:20, 21] 10. To see how prophecy builds on itself, note how these same four kingdoms are described again, in greater detail, in the next major prophecy of Daniel. What symbols did God use this time? Dan. 7:2-7, 17 (Daniel 7:2-7 NKJV) "Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. {3} "And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. {4} "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it. {5} "And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!' {6} "After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. {7} "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns." (Daniel 7:17 NKJV) "'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth." 11. What would happen to Rome, the fourth kingdom? Dan. 7:23, 24a (Daniel 7:23-24 NKJV) ""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..." [Note: As predicted, only three world powers followed Babylon. Rome was never succeeded, but from 351 to 476 A.D. it was divided up into the following divisions by warring factions within: AngloSaxons (England), Franks (France), Suevi (Portugal), Visigoths (Spain), Alamani (Germany), Burgundians, Lombards, Ostrogoths, Heruls, and Vandals.] 12. How is this breakup of Rome into modern Europe described in Daniel 2? Will Europe ever be reunited? Dan. 2:41-43 [Dan. 2:21] (Daniel 2:41-43 NKJV) ""Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. {42} "And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. {43} "As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay." 13. What will happen in the days of divided Europe? Dan. 2:44 [Matt 21:44] (Daniel 2:44 NKJV) ""And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." 14. How does Revelation describe this event? Rev. 11:15-18 [Rev. 6:14-17] (Revelation 11:15-18 NKJV) "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" {16} And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, {17} saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. {18} The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth."" Commitment: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and pagan Rome have all passed away--we are now living in the tiptoes of the image, just before the new kingdom is set up! When God's kingdom comes, with what group of people, as described in our last text, do you want to be found?
Further Study VersesQuestion 1 - Further Study (John 14:29 NKJV) ""And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe." -->Back to Study Question 2 - Further Study (2 Peter 1:19-21 NKJV) "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; {20} knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, {21} for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." -->Back to Study Question 3 - Further Study (Revelation 10:1-2 NKJV) "I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. {2} He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land," -->Back to Study Question 4 - Further Study (Daniel 8:17 NKJV) "So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."" (Daniel 12:9 NKJV) "And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." -->Back to Study Question 5 - Further Study (Daniel 2:1-23 NKJV) "Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. {2} Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. {3} And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." {4} Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation." {5} The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. {6} "However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation." {7} They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation." {8} The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: {9} "if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation." {10} The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. {11} "It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." {12} For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. {13} So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. {14} Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; {15} he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. {16} So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. {17} Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, {18} that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. {19} Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. {20} Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. {21} And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. {22} He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. {23} "I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."" (Daniel 2:29 NKJV) ""As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be." -->Back to Study Question 6 - Further Study (Daniel 2:19 NKJV) "Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven." -->Back to Study Question 7 - Further Study (Acts 17:26 NKJV) ""And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings," -->Back to Study Question 8 - Further Study (Daniel 2:39 NKJV) ""But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth." (Daniel 7:17 NKJV) "'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth." (Daniel 7:23 NKJV) ""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." (Hosea 12:10 NKJV) "I have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets."" (Isaiah 14:4 NKJV) "that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: "How the oppressor has ceased, The golden city ceased!" -->Back to Study Question 9 - Further Study (Daniel 5:28 NKJV) ""PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."" (Daniel 8:20-21 NKJV) ""The ram which you saw, having the two horns; they are the kings of Media and Persia. {21} "And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king." -->Back to Study Question 10 - Further Study Question 11 - Further Study Question 12 - Further Study (Daniel 2:21 NKJV) "And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding." -->Back to Study Question 13 - Further Study (Matthew 21:44 NKJV) ""And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."" -->Back to Study Question 14 - Further Study (Revelation 6:14-17 NKJV) "Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. {15} And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, {16} and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! {17} "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"" -->Back to Study
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