WEBVTT

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 Turn with me in your Bible to Daniel chapter 8, wonderful hymn of assurance, and that's

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 actually where the book of Daniel is going to get to in chapter 12, is the promise of

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 resurrection.

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 We won't see that explicitly in today's passage, but that's the hope that the book is leading

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 up to.

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 Daniel chapter 8, page 745 in a pew Bible.

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 We'll read the whole chapter together.

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 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that

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 which appeared to me at the first.

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 And I saw in the vision, and when I saw, I was in Susa, the citadel, which is in the province

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 of Elam.

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 And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai Canal.

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 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal.

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 It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the

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 higher one came up last.

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 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward.

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 No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power.

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 He did as he pleased and became great.

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 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole

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 earth without touching the ground, and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

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 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal,

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 and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.

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 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and

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 broke his two horns, and the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to

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 the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.

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 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken,

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 and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

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 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward

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 the east, and toward the glorious land.

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 It grew great even to the host of heaven, and some of the host and some of the stars it

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 threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

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 It became great, even as great as the prince of the host.

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 And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was

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 overthrown, and a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering

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 because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.

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 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke,

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 For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes

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 desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?

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 And he said to me, For 2,300 evenings and mornings.

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 Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.

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 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it.

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 And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.

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 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called Gabriel,

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 Make this man understand the vision.

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 So he came near where I stood.

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 And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face, but he said to me, Understand,

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 O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.

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 And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground,

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 but he touched me and made me stand up.

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 He said, Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation,

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 for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

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 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia,

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 and the goat is the king of Greece.

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 And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.

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 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose,

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 four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.

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 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit,

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 a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.

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 His power shall be great, but not by his own power.

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 And he shall cause fearful destruction, and shall succeed in what he does,

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 and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.

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 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand,

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 and in his own mind he shall become great.

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 Without warning he shall destroy many,

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 and he shall even rise up against the prince of princes,

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 and he shall be broken, but by no human hand.

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 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true,

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 but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.

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 And I, Daniel, was overcome, and lay sick for some days.

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 Then I rose and went about the king's business,

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 but I was appalled by the vision, and did not understand it.

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 How do you deal with disappointment?

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 Last Saturday I was talking with a few guys at the men's breakfast.

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 We were talking about how we can encourage one another,

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 and build each other up,

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 and we were talking about why do we need encouragement as Christians.

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 And it struck me as we were talking that,

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 especially the longer you live on this earth,

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 the more that we face disappointment.

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 Now, disappointment can take a variety of forms.

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 Sometimes it involves losing loved ones,

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 or ending relationships.

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 Sometimes it involves remaining in a relationship,

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 a marriage, or a friendship, or a family relationship,

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 but knowing that right now it's not what you hoped it would be,

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 and it doesn't seem to be getting fixed soon.

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 Maybe you feel like your career path has hit a dead end.

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 You're stuck in a job you don't like with a boss who doesn't like you.

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 Maybe you've seen the inside of ugly church conflicts,

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 or moral failures of church leadership.

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 Maybe you're disillusioned with our national political scene,

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 and the way our culture seems to be trending.

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 How do we deal with disappointment without losing hope,

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 and without latching on to false hopes?

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 Because false hopes only increase our sense of despair

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 when they don't come to pass.

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 I think this is one of the questions that our passage today is addressing.

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 And what we'll see in this passage is that God is shaping his people's expectations

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 for the future,

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 preparing them to face some very trying and difficult circumstances,

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 but at the same time reassuring them

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 that he's still on the throne,

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 and he's going to triumph in the end.

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 Now, we've been going through the book of Daniel.

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 We've finished chapters 2 through 7.

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 If you remember, that's the central section of the book

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 that was written in Aramaic,

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 the international trade language of the Persian Empire.

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 That section had a broader view.

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 It was sort of addressed to the whole world,

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 introducing the world to the one true God

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 who rescues, reveals, and rules.

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 But at the beginning of chapter 8,

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 the language shifts back to Hebrew.

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 The local language of Judah and Jerusalem.

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 And the focus of the rest of the book

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 shifts to the particular concerns

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 of the exiled people of God at the time.

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 They were asking questions like these.

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 Will God bring us back home

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 to the land that he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

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 Will God provide for the rebuilding of his house,

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 the temple in Jerusalem, his city?

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 Will our nation exiled and scattered because of sin

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 be gathered together under God once again?

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 And the answer that God gives in these chapters,

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 chapters 8 through 12,

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 is on the one hand very hopeful,

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 and on the other hand very sobering.

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 On the one hand, he says,

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 yes, I will bring you home,

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 just as I promised in Jeremiah 29.

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 Yes, the temple and the city will be rebuilt.

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 Verse 11 through 14 of this chapter

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 only makes sense if there is a temple in Jerusalem.

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 And yes, I will gather you together

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 as my people once again.

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 On the other hand,

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 the answer God gives here is very sobering.

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 The world will continue to be dominated

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 by beastly empires

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 and arrogant rulers who do not acknowledge God.

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 Some of these rulers will specifically

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 persecute God's people

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 and profane God's temple.

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 Even after you get back home,

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 you will face great suffering

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 and prolonged opposition.

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 The road ahead is not going to be smooth or easy.

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 This is what Daniel is saying,

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 what God's saying to his people

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 through this vision of Daniel.

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 He's giving them a hopeful message,

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 but he's also giving them a very sobering

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 and realistic picture of the future.

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 Now, if you think back to the beginning of Daniel,

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 the people of Israel had just been taken into exile.

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 They were brought away from their land,

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 put in the middle of enemy territory.

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 And many of them in that kind of situation

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 could have been tempted to despair

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 and just give up hope

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 and just decide to abandon their identity

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 as the people of the one true God.

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 Perhaps they could have thought,

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 we've just blown it.

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 God's given us over to our enemies.

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 He's done with us.

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 He's going to wipe us out.

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 But if you look at what God says to them

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 at the beginning of the exile,

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 in passages like Jeremiah 29

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 or even the first four chapters of Daniel,

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 it's a message of encouragement.

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 And God says, I'm right here with you.

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 God gives Daniel and his friends wisdom

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 and understanding and favor,

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 even with the king of Babylon.

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 God says, yes, you've been exiled because of your sin,

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 but don't despair.

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 Don't think that everything's just going downhill from here.

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 Don't think that there's no hope,

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 that it's no good trying anymore at all.

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 I'm with you.

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 There's hope in the midst of your exile.

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 But here in chapter eight,

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 the time of their exile was coming to an end.

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 And within only a few years,

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 large numbers of Israelites

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 would be heading back to Jerusalem

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 and beginning to resettle the land

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 and rebuild the city of Jerusalem

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 and eventually rebuild the temple.

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 And in that situation,

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 many of them could have been vulnerable

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 to embrace false hopes

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 or unrealistic expectations

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 that the future would now be easy and smooth.

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 And so God's preparing his people

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 for the reality that

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 it's going to be more complicated than that.

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 There's a bumpy road ahead.

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 And there's a long road ahead.

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 So this brings us to the vision of chapter eight.

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 Now, this is the third

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 of four major prophetic visions

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 in the book of Daniel.

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 I've included a bulletin insert

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 to help you see a little bit

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 about how some of these visions fit together.

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 So on this side,

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 you can see the visions of chapter two

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 and chapter seven, right?

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 At the beginning and the end of the Aramaic section,

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 they correspond to each other.

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 They both have four successive kingdoms

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 followed by the everlasting kingdom of God.

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 I've listed two of the most common ways

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 that scholars have connected

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 the four kingdoms of Daniel's visions

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 to historical empires.

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 Honestly, you can make a good case

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 for either one.

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 We can talk later if you're interested

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 in putting those together.

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 But then the visions of chapter eight

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 and chapter 11 in this Hebrew section

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 focus more narrowly on the trials of God's people

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 under a particularly hostile ruler

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 who appears in chapter eight as the little horn.

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 And we'll get to that.

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 But they focus specifically

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 on the Persian and Greek periods.

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 Now what I want to do today

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 is walk through Daniel's vision in chapter eight

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 and its interpretation.

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 Thank you, Evan.

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 And just walk through Daniel's vision in chapter eight

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 and then consider some implications for us today.

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 All right, so let's go through this.

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 Verse two, start at the beginning of the chapter.

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 Verse two, Daniel sees himself in Susa, the citadel.

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 Susa was 220 miles east of Babylon.

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 It had been conquered by the Medes

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 and it would become one of the four capital cities

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 of the Persian empire under Cyrus.

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 So it's a fitting location for Daniel's vision

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 which begins with the empire of the Medes and Persians

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 represented by the ram.

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 According to verse 20.

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 And then later on the kingdom of Greece

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 which arises later.

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 Now Daniel wasn't necessarily physically in Susa

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 but that's where he saw himself in the vision.

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 Is this city that would become central

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 in the Persian empire.

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 And Daniel sees two animals.

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 A ram and then a goat.

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 And both would have been recognized symbols of power.

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 Powerful animals representing powerful rulers

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 in the ancient near east.

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 Verse three and four.

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 The ram has two horns.

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 Representing Media and Persia.

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 Now the Medes arose first

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 in what is now northwestern Iran.

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 They became prominent after the fall of the Assyrian empire

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 in 612 BC.

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 But the Persians were stronger

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 even though they came later.

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 Cyrus the Persian who was also of Median descent

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 defeated the Median king

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 and united the Medes and Persians

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 in a single empire in 550 BC.

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 That's the picture of two horns.

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 One horn comes up later.

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 The second horn is the stronger.

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 And the Persian empire dominated the near east

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 for 200 years.

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 So verse four.

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 See that picture.

00:14:28.939 --> 00:14:30.839
 The ram charging west, north, south.

00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:31.539
 Seemingly unconquerable.

00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:33.939
 He did as he pleased.

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:35.199
 He became great.

00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:37.159
 But then in verse five.

00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:38.299
 The goat.

00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:40.039
 Behold.

00:14:40.699 --> 00:14:42.099
 A male goat came from the west.

00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:43.879
 Now verse 21.

00:14:44.779 --> 00:14:46.819
 I'm sort of working with Daniel's vision

00:14:46.819 --> 00:14:47.620
 and the interpretation.

00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:48.980
 We're going through both at the same time.

00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:49.759
 So verse 21.

00:14:49.939 --> 00:14:50.459
 You see that.

00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.959
 The goat is the king of Greece.

00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:54.779
 Verse five.

00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:57.279
 Describes the goat's rapid descent to power.

00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:59.799
 Coming from the west across the face of the earth

00:14:59.799 --> 00:15:00.779
 without touching the ground.

00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:03.659
 He's sort of rapid, rapidly moving.

00:15:04.579 --> 00:15:07.579
 And he's marked by a conspicuous or prominent horn

00:15:07.579 --> 00:15:08.579
 between his eyes.

00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:11.559
 Which verse 21 identifies as the first king of Greece.

00:15:11.699 --> 00:15:13.339
 Now if you've studied your ancient history,

00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.939
 it's pretty obvious that this is talking about

00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:18.159
 Alexander the Great.

00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.419
 336 BC.

00:15:21.059 --> 00:15:22.480
 He became the ruler of Greece.

00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:25.620
 For the next 12 years, he expanded his empire

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.639
 from Greece into North Africa,

00:15:28.079 --> 00:15:28.839
 through the Middle East,

00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:30.860
 and all the way to Western India.

00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.259
 He was undefeated in battle.

00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:37.580
 He is seen as one of the greatest military generals

00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:38.980
 who ever lived.

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.759
 Verse six to seven says,

00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.960
 he destroyed the ram and stomped on him.

00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:46.680
 He took over the former Median Persian empire.

00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:49.120
 He was not only great like the ram,

00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.200
 but verse eight, exceedingly great.

00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:54.540
 But then, same thing happens to him that happened to the ram.

00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:58.259
 When he was strong, the great horn was broken.

00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:01.840
 Alexander the Great fell ill and died suddenly

00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.060
 at the age of only 32 while he was in Babylon.

00:16:06.140 --> 00:16:07.879
 After his death, his kingdom was divided

00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:11.020
 between four of his military generals.

00:16:11.180 --> 00:16:12.540
 They fought over it for a while,

00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:15.879
 and then eventually it sort of settled into four pieces.

00:16:16.459 --> 00:16:17.959
 Verse 22 refers to those.

00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:20.899
 And those four kingdoms endured for 150 years.

00:16:22.419 --> 00:16:25.059
 And Daniel's vision in chapter 11 focuses in more detail

00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:26.620
 on two of those four kingdoms,

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:29.000
 which he calls the king of the north

00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:29.939
 and the king of the south,

00:16:30.599 --> 00:16:32.819
 who were the Seleucids in Mesopotamia

00:16:32.819 --> 00:16:34.019
 and the Ptolemies in Egypt,

00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:37.159
 who were right next to the promised land

00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:39.480
 and had the most impact on that.

00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:42.240
 So, now, before we go on,

00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:44.120
 and before you get lost

00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:46.259
 in all those ancient history details,

00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:49.480
 let me make two brief observations so far.

00:16:50.539 --> 00:16:53.779
 First, this is an unstable picture.

00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:56.980
 Kingdoms rise up, they seem invincible,

00:16:57.560 --> 00:16:58.840
 they last for a long time,

00:16:58.920 --> 00:17:01.379
 and then they fall just as quickly as they arose.

00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:05.000
 Second, this is a very scary vision.

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:07.980
 Beastly empires,

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:10.019
 arrogant rulers,

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:13.140
 dominating the world through violence and intimidation,

00:17:13.579 --> 00:17:15.099
 seeking to make themselves great,

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.500
 one after another.

00:17:16.860 --> 00:17:17.680
 And if you notice,

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.599
 there's no divine intervention in this vision.

00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:25.059
 There's no word of guidance from heaven.

00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:27.799
 There's no comforting word of assurance,

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:29.360
 at least not yet.

00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:32.220
 And then in verse 9 to 12,

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:35.279
 the scariest part of it all.

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:39.160
 Out of one of them came a little horn.

00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:42.799
 Daniel spends more time describing this little horn

00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.039
 in verse 9 through 14 and 23 through 25

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.940
 than either the ram or the goat.

00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.660
 Now, if you remember,

00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:53.779
 in chapter 7,

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:56.139
 there was also a little horn.

00:17:56.779 --> 00:17:57.720
 So, turn back a page.

00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.899
 Chapter 7, verse 8,

00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:03.800
 Daniel sees a terrifying beast

00:18:03.800 --> 00:18:05.160
 with ten horns.

00:18:06.360 --> 00:18:07.019
 And then verse 8,

00:18:07.080 --> 00:18:08.019
 I considered the horns,

00:18:08.120 --> 00:18:08.740
 and behold,

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:11.220
 there came up among them another horn,

00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:12.100
 a little one,

00:18:12.780 --> 00:18:14.340
 before which three of the first horns

00:18:14.340 --> 00:18:15.500
 were plucked up by the roots.

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.000
 And behold,

00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:17.840
 in this horn

00:18:17.840 --> 00:18:20.100
 were eyes like the eyes of a man

00:18:20.100 --> 00:18:21.320
 and a mouth

00:18:21.320 --> 00:18:22.780
 speaking great things.

00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:24.960
 And then verse 25

00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:26.140
 of chapter 7

00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:27.120
 goes on to describe

00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:28.839
 the work of this little horn,

00:18:29.219 --> 00:18:29.819
 this ruler.

00:18:30.419 --> 00:18:31.039
 And it says,

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:32.359
 he shall speak words

00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:33.699
 against the Most High.

00:18:34.699 --> 00:18:36.119
 Chapter 7, verse 25,

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.599
 and shall wear out

00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:39.159
 the saints of the Most High

00:18:39.159 --> 00:18:41.419
 and shall think to change

00:18:41.419 --> 00:18:42.679
 the times and the law

00:18:42.679 --> 00:18:44.579
 and they shall be given

00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:45.399
 into his hand

00:18:45.399 --> 00:18:46.539
 for a time times

00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:48.159
 and half a time.

00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:51.480
 So this little horn,

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.640
 as an arrogant guy,

00:18:54.840 --> 00:18:55.860
 but he's not just

00:18:55.860 --> 00:18:56.519
 an arrogant ruler,

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.480
 there's plenty of those,

00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.360
 he specifically attacks

00:18:59.360 --> 00:18:59.920
 God

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.440
 and God's people

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.660
 and God's law.

00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:04.279
 And for a time,

00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.300
 he succeeds

00:19:05.300 --> 00:19:06.240
 in doing so.

00:19:07.060 --> 00:19:07.640
 Now turn ahead

00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:08.300
 to chapter 8.

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.400
 This little horn

00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:11.240
 appears again.

00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.420
 And again,

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.040
 he's characterized

00:19:14.040 --> 00:19:15.840
 by extreme arrogance.

00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.779
 Verse 9, 10, 11,

00:19:19.199 --> 00:19:19.919
 and 25

00:19:19.919 --> 00:19:20.659
 talk about

00:19:20.659 --> 00:19:22.019
 he grew exceedingly great.

00:19:22.579 --> 00:19:23.099
 Verse 10,

00:19:23.199 --> 00:19:23.839
 it grew great

00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:25.119
 even to the host of heaven.

00:19:25.199 --> 00:19:26.179
 He's sort of challenging

00:19:26.179 --> 00:19:29.399
 the angels of God.

00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:31.859
 Verse 11,

00:19:31.899 --> 00:19:32.639
 he became great

00:19:32.639 --> 00:19:33.399
 even as great

00:19:33.399 --> 00:19:34.699
 as the prince of the host.

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.980
 That is God himself.

00:19:37.619 --> 00:19:38.619
 Verse 25 says,

00:19:38.679 --> 00:19:39.799
 he shall even rise up

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:41.159
 against the prince of princes.

00:19:43.259 --> 00:19:44.240
 Isaiah 14

00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:45.679
 had used similar language

00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:47.360
 when Isaiah was describing

00:19:47.360 --> 00:19:48.220
 the king of Babylon.

00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:50.640
 Isaiah said this,

00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.560
 Isaiah said,

00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:52.519
 you said in your heart,

00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:53.660
 I will ascend to heaven.

00:19:54.539 --> 00:19:55.820
 Above the stars of God,

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:57.180
 I will set my throne on high.

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.180
 I will ascend above

00:19:58.180 --> 00:19:59.140
 the heights of the clouds.

00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:00.100
 I will make myself

00:20:00.100 --> 00:20:01.019
 like the most high.

00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.860
 Then of course,

00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:03.420
 Isaiah says,

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.519
 but God's going to bring you down.

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:07.680
 And so this little horn

00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:08.200
 is described

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:09.220
 in a very similar way,

00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:11.180
 rising up against God

00:20:11.180 --> 00:20:12.060
 and in his arrogance

00:20:12.060 --> 00:20:14.259
 attacking the people of God,

00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:15.799
 the worship of God

00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.039
 and the truth of God.

00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:17.960
 Verse 10,

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.559
 some of the host

00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:21.920
 and some of the stars

00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.000
 it threw to the ground

00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:24.319
 and trampled on them.

00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.319
 And verse 12 says,

00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:26.980
 and a host

00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:28.420
 will be given over to it

00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:30.440
 together with

00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:31.339
 the regular burnt offering.

00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:31.819
 Now,

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.379
 these verses

00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:33.059
 are a bit tricky

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:33.819
 to understand.

00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:34.759
 Okay,

00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:35.420
 because usually

00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:36.359
 the word host,

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.220
 the word host

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.000
 just means an army.

00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:38.799
 Okay,

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:39.279
 it doesn't mean,

00:20:39.619 --> 00:20:40.759
 it's not a hospitality word here.

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.099
 Right?

00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.059
 It means an army.

00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:43.619
 And so it's usually referring

00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:45.039
 to either the stars in the sky

00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.960
 or the angels of heaven.

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:48.079
 But here,

00:20:48.179 --> 00:20:49.539
 it seems to actually be referring

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:51.379
 to God's people on earth.

00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:54.019
 There's a connection,

00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:55.039
 and we'll see this

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:56.299
 in a bit again,

00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:57.659
 but there's a deep connection

00:20:57.659 --> 00:20:59.559
 between God's people on earth

00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:01.740
 and God's armies in heaven.

00:21:02.639 --> 00:21:03.500
 And Daniel shows us

00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:04.759
 that they're connected together

00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:06.960
 even in how they're described.

00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.680
 it's not that

00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.960
 it's not that this guy

00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:12.200
 actually conquers angels,

00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:13.400
 but that he's attacking

00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:14.039
 God's people

00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:15.880
 who are being protected

00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:17.340
 and who are linked

00:21:17.340 --> 00:21:19.319
 to the armies of heaven.

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.039
 Okay?

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.519
 Verse 11,

00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:23.559
 so he's attacking the people,

00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:24.600
 the host of God.

00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:25.920
 Then,

00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:26.460
 verse 11,

00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:27.799
 he attacks the worship of God.

00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:28.980
 The regular burnt offering

00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:29.860
 was taken away

00:21:29.860 --> 00:21:31.420
 and the place of his sanctuary

00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:32.279
 was overthrown.

00:21:32.360 --> 00:21:32.799
 In other words,

00:21:32.840 --> 00:21:33.579
 he takes over

00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:35.000
 the temple of God

00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:35.559
 in Jerusalem

00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:38.139
 where burnt offerings

00:21:38.139 --> 00:21:38.700
 were offered

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.819
 every morning and evening.

00:21:39.940 --> 00:21:40.740
 That was a sign

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:42.859
 of total devotion to God.

00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:44.159
 That was the people

00:21:44.159 --> 00:21:45.000
 coming before God

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:45.799
 every day and saying,

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:46.659
 God,

00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:47.399
 we are seeking

00:21:47.399 --> 00:21:48.179
 your kingdom first.

00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:48.980
 We love you.

00:21:49.099 --> 00:21:50.819
 You are the one

00:21:50.819 --> 00:21:51.899
 and only true God.

00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:53.259
 And he takes it away.

00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:55.599
 He banishes the worship of God.

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:57.279
 Verse 12 says,

00:21:57.859 --> 00:21:58.960
 it will throw truth

00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.720
 to the ground.

00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:02.700
 He attacks the people of God,

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.480
 the worship of God,

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.379
 and the truth of God.

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.379
 And verse 12 says,

00:22:05.380 --> 00:22:06.080
 this little horn

00:22:06.080 --> 00:22:07.880
 will act and prosper.

00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:08.680
 Now,

00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:11.520
 if the ram is Median Persia,

00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:13.500
 if the goat is Greece,

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:15.960
 then who fits the description

00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:17.000
 of the little horn?

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:18.740
 Now,

00:22:18.780 --> 00:22:19.540
 there are a lot of things

00:22:19.540 --> 00:22:21.300
 that scholars disagree about

00:22:21.300 --> 00:22:23.160
 when you look

00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:24.020
 at the book of Daniel

00:22:24.020 --> 00:22:25.620
 and read different commentaries.

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:27.260
 But everyone pretty much agrees

00:22:27.260 --> 00:22:28.120
 on this one.

00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:30.360
 Everyone pretty much agrees

00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:31.040
 the little horn

00:22:31.040 --> 00:22:31.900
 of chapter 8

00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:33.580
 is primarily referring

00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:34.419
 to a man named

00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:36.079
 Antiochus IV.

00:22:37.139 --> 00:22:39.139
 He was the Seleucid ruler

00:22:39.139 --> 00:22:40.339
 who reigned over Syria

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:41.039
 and Palestine

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.599
 and Egypt

00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:42.740
 from about 175

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:44.599
 to 164 BC.

00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:45.559
 He is also known

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:47.659
 as Antiochus Epiphanes,

00:22:48.299 --> 00:22:49.339
 which is the Greek word

00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:50.439
 for manifest

00:22:50.439 --> 00:22:51.799
 or displayed.

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.619
 On his coins,

00:22:54.419 --> 00:22:55.279
 there was an impression

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:55.919
 of his head

00:22:55.919 --> 00:22:57.199
 with a star on his head

00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:58.860
 and the words,

00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.440
 King Antiochus,

00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:02.620
 God manifest,

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:05.200
 bearer of victory.

00:23:07.019 --> 00:23:07.319
 Now,

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:08.259
 why does Daniel's vision

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:09.240
 focus so much

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:10.840
 on this one guy?

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:11.140
 Right?

00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:12.279
 This vision spans

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.360
 400 years

00:23:13.360 --> 00:23:15.140
 and yet he focuses

00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:16.380
 much of his vision

00:23:16.380 --> 00:23:17.920
 on this one man,

00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:18.860
 this little horn.

00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:21.559
 And the answer is,

00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:22.400
 the reason why,

00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:23.880
 is Antiochus

00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:24.860
 was not just one

00:23:24.859 --> 00:23:25.939
 among many arrogant

00:23:25.939 --> 00:23:27.299
 and proud rulers.

00:23:29.179 --> 00:23:29.699
 He,

00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:30.879
 specifically,

00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:32.059
 more than anyone else,

00:23:32.479 --> 00:23:33.719
 in this 400 year period,

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:35.199
 he attempted to wipe out

00:23:35.199 --> 00:23:36.599
 the people of God,

00:23:37.139 --> 00:23:38.139
 the worship of God,

00:23:38.199 --> 00:23:39.399
 and the truth of God.

00:23:40.699 --> 00:23:41.839
 So what did Antiochus do

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:42.459
 just a little bit?

00:23:42.679 --> 00:23:43.479
 169 BC,

00:23:43.659 --> 00:23:45.019
 Antiochus invaded Jerusalem.

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.799
 He needed some cash

00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:48.019
 for his military campaigns.

00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:49.259
 So he took

00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:50.679
 the valuable vessels

00:23:50.679 --> 00:23:51.919
 from the temple of God.

00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:54.199
 And then he went back home.

00:23:54.859 --> 00:23:55.439
 You think,

00:23:55.539 --> 00:23:55.719
 well,

00:23:55.979 --> 00:23:57.219
 that's pretty bad,

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:58.459
 but Nebuchadnezzar did it too.

00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:01.079
 But then two years later,

00:24:01.139 --> 00:24:02.000
 it gets much worse.

00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:04.359
 167 BC,

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:05.159
 he came back

00:24:05.159 --> 00:24:05.619
 determined

00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:07.039
 to wipe out

00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:08.859
 the monotheistic faith,

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.019
 biblical faith,

00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:12.179
 of the Jews,

00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:13.319
 and

00:24:13.319 --> 00:24:18.479
 determined to make Jerusalem

00:24:18.479 --> 00:24:20.279
 into a pagan Greek city.

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:21.899
 He plundered

00:24:21.899 --> 00:24:23.219
 and burned Jerusalem,

00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:25.160
 killed thousands

00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:25.960
 of Jews,

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.519
 invaded the temple,

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:29.680
 halted the daily sacrifices,

00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.120
 dedicated the temple

00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:32.460
 to the Greek god Zeus,

00:24:32.900 --> 00:24:33.740
 offered a pig

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.019
 on the altar,

00:24:35.860 --> 00:24:36.680
 burned copies

00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:37.360
 of the scriptures,

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:38.779
 executed people

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.579
 found in possession

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:40.039
 of them,

00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:41.600
 outlawed circumcision,

00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:43.059
 put to death mothers

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.980
 who had circumcised

00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:44.620
 their sons,

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:45.839
 compelled Jews

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.880
 to offer sacrifice

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:47.440
 to idols,

00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.039
 and eat unclean meat

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:50.180
 on pain of death.

00:24:50.180 --> 00:24:52.799
 If you ever read

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.779
 the books of

00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:55.120
 1st and 2nd Maccabees,

00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:56.360
 they're in what we call

00:24:56.360 --> 00:24:57.019
 the Apocrypha,

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.259
 they describe these events

00:24:59.259 --> 00:24:59.980
 in more detail.

00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.420
 It was the most

00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:03.500
 intense persecution

00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:04.779
 that God's people

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.420
 had faced,

00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:07.539
 perhaps ever

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.320
 in their history,

00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:09.660
 and certainly

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.480
 since the exile

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.019
 to Babylon.

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:12.900
 Many caved

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.560
 into the pressure

00:25:13.560 --> 00:25:14.700
 to deny their faith,

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:15.680
 many others

00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.279
 were killed

00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:17.240
 or fled,

00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:20.059
 and in the middle

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:20.339
 of it,

00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:20.980
 it seemed

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.139
 that God

00:25:22.139 --> 00:25:23.299
 did nothing

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:25.660
 to stop it.

00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:28.480
 How could a pagan

00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.440
 idol worshiper

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.639
 walk into

00:25:30.639 --> 00:25:32.319
 the holiest place

00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:32.839
 on earth

00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:33.879
 that God had said,

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.599
 I will put my name here,

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.759
 I will dwell here

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:37.319
 with you,

00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:38.899
 this is my holy place,

00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:39.680
 how could he

00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:41.099
 walk in there,

00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:42.839
 abolish God's commandments,

00:25:43.299 --> 00:25:44.339
 set up worship

00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:45.039
 of idols,

00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:46.619
 and get away

00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.039
 with it?

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.740
 Seeing a vision

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.480
 like this

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:53.399
 or experiencing

00:25:53.399 --> 00:25:54.500
 events like these

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:57.519
 can provoke

00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.339
 many questions.

00:26:03.199 --> 00:26:04.139
 Now many of us

00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:04.839
 haven't experienced

00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:05.659
 that kind of

00:26:05.659 --> 00:26:07.039
 persecution

00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:09.079
 or opposition

00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:11.559
 to our faith

00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:15.119
 or trauma

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:15.879
 in our lives.

00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:18.339
 One question

00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:18.879
 that comes

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:19.819
 that might be

00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.659
 asked is why.

00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:23.220
 Some of the Psalms

00:26:23.220 --> 00:26:24.059
 ask this question,

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.259
 Psalm 22,

00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:28.119
 my God,

00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:28.599
 my God,

00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:29.220
 why have you

00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:29.899
 forsaken me?

00:26:31.419 --> 00:26:32.119
 Why are you

00:26:32.119 --> 00:26:32.559
 so far

00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.099
 from the words

00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:33.740
 of my groaning?

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.379
 I say to God,

00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:36.799
 my rock,

00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:37.299
 why have you

00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:37.879
 forgotten me?

00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:39.740
 Why do I go

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.099
 mourning

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:40.659
 because of the

00:26:40.659 --> 00:26:41.000
 oppression

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:41.559
 of the enemy?

00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.619
 Sometimes that's

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:44.980
 a question

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.619
 that comes up.

00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.299
 Maybe you've

00:26:47.299 --> 00:26:47.759
 been through

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.500
 trauma

00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:49.880
 of some kind.

00:26:51.099 --> 00:26:51.420
 Maybe you

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:53.599
 can understand

00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:54.119
 what it's like

00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:54.779
 to be attacked

00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:56.960
 and persecuted

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.759
 in some form

00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:58.099
 or other.

00:26:59.180 --> 00:26:59.980
 But the question

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.740
 that's asked here

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:02.700
 in verse 13

00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:04.279
 is how long,

00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:06.440
 which is also

00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:07.220
 a common question

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:07.900
 in the Psalms.

00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:08.839
 Psalm 13,

00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.220
 how long,

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:10.660
 O Lord?

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:12.220
 Will you

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:12.700
 forget me

00:27:12.700 --> 00:27:13.039
 forever?

00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:15.079
 How long

00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:15.359
 will you

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:15.740
 hide your

00:27:15.740 --> 00:27:16.259
 face from me?

00:27:16.339 --> 00:27:16.799
 How long

00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:17.160
 must I

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.700
 take counsel

00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:18.420
 in my soul

00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:18.759
 and have

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.420
 sorrow in my

00:27:19.420 --> 00:27:19.700
 heart?

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.700
 All the day,

00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:21.460
 how long

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:21.859
 shall my

00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:22.339
 enemy be

00:27:22.339 --> 00:27:22.740
 exalted

00:27:22.740 --> 00:27:23.200
 over me?

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:23.759
 O Lord,

00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:24.779
 Psalm 94,

00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:25.680
 O Lord,

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.420
 how long

00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:26.740
 shall the

00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:27.420
 wicked triumph?

00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:28.120
 God,

00:27:28.120 --> 00:27:30.420
 in the midst

00:27:30.420 --> 00:27:30.900
 of torment

00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:32.140
 and injustice

00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:33.019
 and persecution

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:34.519
 and mistreatment,

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:35.580
 the God of the

00:27:35.580 --> 00:27:36.360
 Bible permits

00:27:36.360 --> 00:27:37.480
 his people to

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:38.400
 ask such

00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:38.880
 questions.

00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:40.920
 And in fact,

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.640
 by teaching us

00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:42.340
 to pray through

00:27:42.340 --> 00:27:42.920
 the Psalms,

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.759
 God teaches us

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.420
 to include

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:45.460
 those questions

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:46.300
 in our prayers

00:27:46.300 --> 00:27:48.320
 and to identify

00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:49.340
 with fellow believers

00:27:49.340 --> 00:27:50.100
 who cry out

00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:50.680
 in pain

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:52.460
 and under

00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:53.019
 persecution,

00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:55.000
 to call out

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.379
 to God

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:55.920
 when his word

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.420
 is twisted

00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:56.920
 and thrown

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.559
 to the ground

00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:59.500
 and when his

00:27:59.500 --> 00:27:59.980
 people are

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:00.460
 forcibly

00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:00.960
 prevented

00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.259
 from worshiping

00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:02.740
 and praying

00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:03.200
 together.

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.139
 How long?

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.099
 But the

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:08.559
 striking thing

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:09.940
 here is

00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:10.299
 look at who

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:10.759
 asked this

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:11.139
 question.

00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.200
 It's not

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:13.700
 Daniel who

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.099
 asked this

00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:14.460
 question.

00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:17.240
 It's not

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.299
 a human

00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:19.379
 being who

00:28:19.379 --> 00:28:19.799
 asked this

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:20.180
 question.

00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:21.539
 It is a

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.119
 holy one.

00:28:23.019 --> 00:28:23.779
 That is a

00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:24.460
 heavenly being

00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:25.900
 who calls

00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:26.599
 out on behalf

00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:27.099
 of God's

00:28:27.099 --> 00:28:27.700
 suffering and

00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:28.139
 mistreated

00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:28.579
 people.

00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:30.539
 When the

00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:31.119
 people of God

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:31.759
 are attacked,

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.519
 when the

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.220
 worship of God

00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:34.839
 is forcibly

00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:35.359
 stopped,

00:28:36.099 --> 00:28:36.859
 when the

00:28:36.859 --> 00:28:37.519
 truth of God

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:37.980
 is thrown

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:38.680
 to the ground,

00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:40.039
 heaven takes

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.460
 notice,

00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:42.099
 and the

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.559
 holy ones

00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:43.180
 cry out

00:28:43.180 --> 00:28:44.319
 on our

00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:44.759
 behalf,

00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.359
 how long?

00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.400
 If you

00:28:49.400 --> 00:28:49.779
 have ever

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.440
 been or

00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:51.240
 will be

00:28:51.240 --> 00:28:52.400
 persecuted,

00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:54.000
 mistreated,

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.480
 opposed,

00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:56.519
 for the

00:28:56.519 --> 00:28:56.839
 name of

00:28:56.839 --> 00:28:57.259
 Christ,

00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:58.220
 know that

00:28:58.220 --> 00:28:58.420
 you are

00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:58.960
 not alone.

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:00.500
 Even if

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:00.779
 you have

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.420
 no human

00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:01.940
 companions,

00:29:02.879 --> 00:29:03.359
 the heavenly

00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:04.379
 host is

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:05.859
 watching and

00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:06.480
 crying out to

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.319
 God on

00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:07.900
 your behalf.

00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:10.839
 And in

00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:11.400
 verse 14,

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:11.779
 the answer

00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.240
 comes,

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:13.440
 how long?

00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:14.680
 For

00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:15.359
 2,300

00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:16.279
 evenings and

00:29:16.279 --> 00:29:16.559
 mornings.

00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.119
 Then the

00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:18.720
 sanctuary shall

00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.379
 be restored to

00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:19.879
 its rightful

00:29:19.879 --> 00:29:20.279
 state.

00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:22.339
 In other

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:22.740
 words,

00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:26.299
 violent

00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:27.000
 hostility

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:28.740
 against God's

00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:29.099
 word,

00:29:29.700 --> 00:29:29.940
 God's

00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:30.319
 people,

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:31.319
 and God's

00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:31.819
 worship will

00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:32.420
 last for a

00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:32.759
 while,

00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:33.899
 but it

00:29:33.899 --> 00:29:34.420
 won't last

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:34.779
 forever.

00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.039
 Antiochus took

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.379
 over the

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.420
 temple in

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.460
 167 BC.

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:41.319
 About three

00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:41.899
 years later,

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.539
 in 164 BC,

00:29:43.700 --> 00:29:44.180
 he ended up

00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:45.139
 provoking a

00:29:45.139 --> 00:29:45.859
 violent revolt.

00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:47.420
 And Judas

00:29:47.420 --> 00:29:49.720
 Maccabeus retook

00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:50.220
 the city of

00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:51.740
 Jerusalem with

00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:52.880
 his army,

00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.279
 rededicated the

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:55.700
 temple to

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.460
 Yahweh, to

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:56.779
 the God of

00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:57.140
 the Bible,

00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:57.980
 and restored

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.360
 the worship

00:29:58.360 --> 00:29:58.820
 of God.

00:30:01.800 --> 00:30:02.240
 Now,

00:30:02.300 --> 00:30:02.740
 scholars go

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.039
 back and

00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:03.440
 forth about

00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.779
 these 2,300

00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.500
 evenings and

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:05.800
 mornings.

00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.700
 Is it 2,300

00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:09.400
 evening and

00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:10.220
 morning sacrifices

00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:11.740
 or 1,150

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.480
 days?

00:30:13.320 --> 00:30:13.820
 Close to,

00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.460
 but not quite,

00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:14.980
 the amount of

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.460
 time between

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.060
 the stopping of

00:30:16.060 --> 00:30:16.700
 the sacrifices

00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.840
 in 167 and

00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:18.440
 the rededication

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:18.920
 of the temple

00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:19.779
 in 164.

00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:20.920
 Is it 2,300

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:21.519
 days?

00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:23.019
 Just about the

00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.319
 amount of

00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:23.779
 time between

00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:24.400
 the murder of

00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:24.880
 the legitimate

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.779
 high priest in

00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.720
 171 to the

00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:27.460
 rededication of

00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:27.920
 the temple in

00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:28.640
 164.

00:30:30.140 --> 00:30:30.900
 But I think

00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:33.559
 it's not meant

00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:34.180
 to be an exact

00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:34.519
 number.

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:36.120
 I think it's

00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:36.759
 best to see

00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:38.279
 2,300 evenings

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:38.900
 and mornings as

00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:39.980
 a symbolic or

00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:40.940
 representative number

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:42.600
 for a significant

00:30:42.600 --> 00:30:43.319
 but limited

00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:44.440
 period of time.

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:44.500
 time.

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.559
 Just as Daniel

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.039
 talked about

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.019
 time, times,

00:30:48.080 --> 00:30:48.480
 and half a

00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.519
 time in

00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.059
 chapter 7,

00:30:50.120 --> 00:30:50.640
 verse 25.

00:30:51.779 --> 00:30:52.680
 The point is,

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.019
 the persecution

00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:54.440
 is going to

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:54.920
 last for a

00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:56.019
 while, not

00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:56.440
 just for a

00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:56.900
 day or two,

00:30:57.259 --> 00:30:58.100
 but it's

00:30:58.100 --> 00:30:58.480
 also not

00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:58.660
 going to

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.220
 last forever.

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:02.660
 And at the

00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:03.039
 end of this

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:03.799
 frightening vision

00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.140
 in verse 14

00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:06.880
 and verse 26

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.900
 and verse 25

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.660
 and verse 26,

00:31:08.779 --> 00:31:09.840
 there's finally

00:31:09.840 --> 00:31:11.000
 a word of

00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:11.320
 comfort.

00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:13.000
 the sanctuary

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:13.359
 shall be

00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:13.859
 restored.

00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:15.099
 Verse 14

00:31:15.099 --> 00:31:16.659
 and the end

00:31:16.659 --> 00:31:17.519
 of verse 25,

00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:18.679
 he shall be

00:31:18.679 --> 00:31:19.019
 broken.

00:31:19.399 --> 00:31:19.799
 This little

00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:20.399
 horn shall be

00:31:20.399 --> 00:31:21.399
 broken, but

00:31:21.399 --> 00:31:22.079
 by no human

00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:22.519
 hand.

00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:26.480
 Antiochus

00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:28.339
 died not

00:31:28.339 --> 00:31:29.079
 when Judas

00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:29.659
 Maccabeus took

00:31:29.659 --> 00:31:30.279
 Jerusalem, but

00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:30.919
 in the next

00:31:30.919 --> 00:31:31.240
 year.

00:31:33.859 --> 00:31:34.779
 He died in

00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.839
 163 B.C.

00:31:37.139 --> 00:31:37.939
 So here's the

00:31:37.939 --> 00:31:38.179
 point.

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:39.720
 Arrogant nations

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.259
 will eventually

00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:40.819
 collapse.

00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:42.220
 Those who

00:31:42.220 --> 00:31:42.679
 fight against

00:31:42.679 --> 00:31:43.200
 God's people

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:43.779
 will finally

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.220
 perish.

00:31:45.159 --> 00:31:45.720
 This was

00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:46.079
 true of

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:46.899
 Antiochus in

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:47.200
 the second

00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:48.119
 century B.C.,

00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:48.619
 perhaps the

00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:49.279
 greatest threat

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.319
 that God's

00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.039
 people faced

00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:52.200
 over the

00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:52.559
 course of

00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:52.779
 several

00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.299
 centuries.

00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:54.879
 And

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.099
 throughout

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:55.439
 history,

00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:59.980
 it has

00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:00.359
 also been

00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:00.659
 true of

00:32:00.659 --> 00:32:01.179
 many other

00:32:01.179 --> 00:32:01.500
 arrogant

00:32:01.500 --> 00:32:02.039
 rulers who

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.159
 have

00:32:02.159 --> 00:32:02.500
 targeted

00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:02.859
 God's

00:32:02.859 --> 00:32:03.159
 people,

00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:04.159
 who have

00:32:04.159 --> 00:32:04.519
 prohibited

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:04.919
 God's

00:32:04.919 --> 00:32:05.179
 worship,

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:05.480
 and who

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:05.599
 have

00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.000
 suppressed

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.379
 God's

00:32:06.379 --> 00:32:06.720
 word.

00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.039
 They have

00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.460
 prospered

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:08.700
 for a

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:08.960
 while,

00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:10.539
 but none

00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:10.759
 of them

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:10.920
 has

00:32:10.920 --> 00:32:11.200
 lasted

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:11.579
 forever.

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:12.839
 None of

00:32:12.839 --> 00:32:12.980
 their

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:13.480
 empires

00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:14.019
 have

00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:14.299
 lasted

00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:14.639
 forever.

00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:14.960
 They have

00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.420
 eventually

00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:15.720
 been

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:15.940
 brought

00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:16.339
 down.

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.200
 Now,

00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:20.460
 what do we

00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:20.839
 take away

00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:21.159
 from this

00:32:21.159 --> 00:32:21.420
 vision?

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:23.879
 Well,

00:32:23.899 --> 00:32:24.240
 let's look

00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:24.799
 at Daniel's

00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.299
 response

00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:27.000
 himself in

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.619
 verse 15

00:32:27.619 --> 00:32:28.059
 to 18

00:32:28.059 --> 00:32:28.319
 and verse

00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:28.839
 27.

00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.299
 First off,

00:32:31.339 --> 00:32:31.579
 Daniel's

00:32:31.579 --> 00:32:32.119
 confused.

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:34.019
 Verse 15,

00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:34.359
 he says,

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:35.319
 when I saw

00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:35.659
 the vision,

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.039
 I sought

00:32:36.039 --> 00:32:36.679
 to understand

00:32:36.679 --> 00:32:36.959
 it.

00:32:38.299 --> 00:32:38.719
 And God

00:32:38.719 --> 00:32:39.079
 sends an

00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:39.379
 angel,

00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:39.939
 Gabriel,

00:32:40.939 --> 00:32:41.359
 first time

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:41.919
 Gabriel appears

00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:42.119
 in the

00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:42.819
 Bible by

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.099
 name,

00:32:43.919 --> 00:32:44.379
 but God

00:32:44.379 --> 00:32:44.679
 sends an

00:32:44.679 --> 00:32:45.099
 angel to

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:46.359
 explain the

00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:47.000
 meaning of

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:47.359
 the vision

00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:47.839
 to him.

00:32:48.919 --> 00:32:49.379
 But even

00:32:49.379 --> 00:32:50.039
 after Gabriel

00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:50.919
 explains it

00:32:50.919 --> 00:32:51.819
 in verse 27,

00:32:51.939 --> 00:32:52.259
 the end of

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:52.819
 verse 27,

00:32:52.899 --> 00:32:53.159
 he says,

00:32:53.219 --> 00:32:53.719
 I still

00:32:53.719 --> 00:32:54.559
 didn't

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.179
 understand it.

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:57.699
 Now,

00:32:57.740 --> 00:32:58.019
 isn't that

00:32:58.019 --> 00:32:58.379
 interesting?

00:32:58.459 --> 00:32:58.819
 Even when

00:32:58.819 --> 00:32:59.519
 God himself

00:32:59.519 --> 00:32:59.939
 gives a

00:32:59.939 --> 00:33:00.439
 vision about

00:33:00.439 --> 00:33:00.979
 the future

00:33:00.979 --> 00:33:01.819
 to one of

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:02.219
 his most

00:33:02.219 --> 00:33:02.959
 faithful and

00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:03.860
 intelligent and

00:33:03.860 --> 00:33:04.700
 humble servants,

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:05.920
 even when

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:06.360
 God sends

00:33:06.360 --> 00:33:06.680
 an angel

00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:07.460
 to explain

00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:08.000
 the vision

00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:08.840
 to him,

00:33:08.940 --> 00:33:09.559
 Daniel still

00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.259
 doesn't

00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:10.840
 fully

00:33:10.840 --> 00:33:11.740
 understand it.

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:13.660
 You see,

00:33:13.720 --> 00:33:14.079
 the future

00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:14.680
 is always

00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:15.240
 going to be

00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:15.700
 somewhat

00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:16.259
 veiled

00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:17.240
 to us.

00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:19.799
 That's why

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.079
 you should

00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:20.720
 be suspicious

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.779
 of anyone

00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:22.299
 who claims

00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:22.960
 to understand

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:23.579
 all the

00:33:23.579 --> 00:33:24.039
 prophecies

00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.279
 in the

00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:24.539
 Bible

00:33:24.539 --> 00:33:25.200
 with perfect

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:25.680
 clarity

00:33:25.680 --> 00:33:26.960
 and has

00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:27.340
 detailed

00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:27.799
 predictions

00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.539
 of exactly

00:33:28.539 --> 00:33:29.019
 what's going

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.480
 to happen

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.620
 in the future

00:33:30.620 --> 00:33:31.100
 leading up

00:33:31.100 --> 00:33:31.539
 to the return

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.100
 of Christ.

00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:35.019
 That's not

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.279
 how we're

00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:35.539
 meant to

00:33:35.539 --> 00:33:36.039
 respond to

00:33:36.039 --> 00:33:36.620
 these visions.

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.220
 Even as

00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:38.740
 they reveal

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.660
 some things,

00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:41.039
 they also

00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:42.360
 keep some

00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:43.100
 things mysterious.

00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:45.000
 How,

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:45.700
 when,

00:33:46.360 --> 00:33:46.980
 exactly what

00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:47.220
 it's going

00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:47.460
 to look

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.779
 like.

00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:50.920
 So Daniel's

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:52.299
 confused.

00:33:53.140 --> 00:33:53.720
 His understanding

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.160
 is limited.

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:54.840
 But second,

00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:55.579
 he's utterly

00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:56.340
 overwhelmed.

00:33:57.600 --> 00:33:58.240
 Verse 17.

00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:01.759
 He's

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.099
 frightened

00:34:02.099 --> 00:34:03.079
 and fell

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:03.339
 on my

00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:03.680
 face.

00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:05.559
 He fainted

00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:05.980
 with fear.

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:07.940
 Verse 18.

00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:08.340
 I fell

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:08.820
 into a deep

00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:09.219
 sleep with

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:09.619
 my face

00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:09.880
 to the

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.039
 ground.

00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:10.239
 He's

00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:10.780
 completely

00:34:10.780 --> 00:34:11.619
 overcome.

00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:12.440
 Verse 27.

00:34:12.579 --> 00:34:12.739
 Even

00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:13.219
 after it's

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:13.639
 interpreted,

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:14.639
 he was

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:14.960
 sick in

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:15.280
 bed for

00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:15.940
 many days.

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.360
 And even

00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.760
 after he

00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.059
 got up

00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:18.260
 and went

00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:18.619
 back to

00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:18.920
 work,

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:19.719
 he says,

00:34:19.800 --> 00:34:19.960
 I was

00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:20.400
 appalled

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.820
 by this

00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:21.139
 vision.

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.219
 You see,

00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:23.760
 God doesn't

00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:24.440
 usually pull

00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:24.880
 back the

00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.380
 curtain on

00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:25.880
 the future

00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:27.219
 as he did

00:34:27.219 --> 00:34:27.679
 with Daniel

00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:28.239
 because it

00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:28.579
 would be

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:29.059
 too much

00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:29.399
 for us

00:34:29.399 --> 00:34:29.819
 to handle.

00:34:31.399 --> 00:34:31.839
 I mean,

00:34:31.879 --> 00:34:32.279
 it would be

00:34:32.279 --> 00:34:32.659
 too much

00:34:32.659 --> 00:34:33.059
 for most

00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.339
 of us

00:34:33.339 --> 00:34:33.699
 to handle

00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:34.159
 if God

00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:34.599
 just showed

00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.619
 us some

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.000
 of our

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.699
 own personal

00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:38.319
 future and

00:34:38.319 --> 00:34:38.619
 what our

00:34:38.619 --> 00:34:39.299
 life is going

00:34:39.299 --> 00:34:39.819
 to look like

00:34:39.819 --> 00:34:40.199
 one,

00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:40.500
 two,

00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:40.819
 three,

00:34:40.939 --> 00:34:41.099
 four,

00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:41.659
 five years

00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.000
 down the

00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:42.359
 line.

00:34:42.939 --> 00:34:43.399
 Most of

00:34:43.399 --> 00:34:43.799
 us wouldn't

00:34:43.799 --> 00:34:44.119
 be able

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:44.519
 to handle

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:44.799
 it.

00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:48.299
 And so

00:34:48.299 --> 00:34:49.919
 99.99%

00:34:49.919 --> 00:34:50.379
 of the time

00:34:50.379 --> 00:34:51.159
 God wisely

00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:52.579
 keeps it

00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.119
 concealed from

00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:54.539
 us and

00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:54.799
 gives it

00:34:54.799 --> 00:34:55.079
 to us

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:55.500
 one moment

00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.079
 at a time.

00:34:57.219 --> 00:34:59.439
 But every

00:34:59.439 --> 00:34:59.779
 once in a

00:34:59.779 --> 00:35:00.059
 while,

00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:01.559
 God pulls

00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:01.939
 back the

00:35:01.939 --> 00:35:03.539
 curtain and

00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:04.079
 gives some

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.659
 insight into

00:35:04.659 --> 00:35:05.019
 the future

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:05.459
 to one of

00:35:05.459 --> 00:35:05.939
 his servants

00:35:05.939 --> 00:35:07.939
 because he

00:35:07.939 --> 00:35:08.419
 wants us to

00:35:08.419 --> 00:35:09.559
 know that

00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:09.959
 the future

00:35:09.959 --> 00:35:10.439
 is in his

00:35:10.439 --> 00:35:11.919
 hands just

00:35:11.919 --> 00:35:12.659
 as the past

00:35:12.659 --> 00:35:13.319
 and the

00:35:13.319 --> 00:35:14.339
 present are

00:35:14.339 --> 00:35:14.599
 in his

00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:14.959
 hands.

00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:16.799
 He wants

00:35:16.799 --> 00:35:17.079
 us to

00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:18.319
 know that

00:35:18.319 --> 00:35:18.819
 when everything

00:35:18.819 --> 00:35:19.759
 seems chaotic

00:35:19.759 --> 00:35:21.419
 and out of

00:35:21.419 --> 00:35:22.919
 control and

00:35:22.919 --> 00:35:24.379
 unfair and

00:35:24.379 --> 00:35:24.899
 overwhelming,

00:35:24.900 --> 00:35:24.960
 overwhelming,

00:35:26.180 --> 00:35:27.360
 when the

00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:27.900
 world seems

00:35:27.900 --> 00:35:28.920
 dominated by

00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:30.039
 arrogant

00:35:30.039 --> 00:35:30.660
 beasts,

00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:33.000
 when God's

00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:33.480
 people are

00:35:33.480 --> 00:35:34.240
 persecuted and

00:35:34.240 --> 00:35:34.700
 attacked,

00:35:35.700 --> 00:35:36.760
 and when there

00:35:36.760 --> 00:35:37.280
 doesn't seem to

00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:37.980
 be any divine

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.480
 intervention

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:40.900
 that you can

00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:41.180
 see.

00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:43.420
 God wants us

00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:44.420
 to know he's

00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:44.900
 still on the

00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:46.460
 throne and

00:35:46.460 --> 00:35:47.220
 evil won't

00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:48.079
 triumph in the

00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:48.480
 end.

00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:50.240
 And he wants

00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:50.599
 us to know

00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:50.960
 that God

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.900
 isn't surprised

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:53.579
 by all that's

00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.079
 happening to

00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:54.400
 us.

00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:55.760
 He even

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:56.780
 gave us a

00:35:56.780 --> 00:35:57.079
 heads up

00:35:57.079 --> 00:35:58.619
 beforehand that

00:35:58.619 --> 00:35:59.099
 it was going to

00:35:59.099 --> 00:35:59.539
 be difficult,

00:35:59.680 --> 00:36:00.260
 but he's bigger

00:36:00.260 --> 00:36:00.900
 than the trial

00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.720
 we're experiencing

00:36:01.720 --> 00:36:02.860
 and he's going

00:36:02.860 --> 00:36:03.340
 to bring us

00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:03.700
 through the

00:36:03.700 --> 00:36:04.400
 darkness into

00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:04.920
 the light

00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:06.180
 once again.

00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:09.820
 Most of us,

00:36:09.860 --> 00:36:10.360
 if we've lived

00:36:10.360 --> 00:36:10.860
 in this country,

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:12.019
 haven't experienced

00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:12.599
 the kind of

00:36:12.599 --> 00:36:13.400
 persecution that

00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:15.160
 the Jewish

00:36:15.160 --> 00:36:15.660
 people did

00:36:15.660 --> 00:36:16.500
 under Antiochus

00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:17.019
 Epiphanes.

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.200
 We're quite

00:36:18.200 --> 00:36:18.820
 far away from

00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:19.079
 that.

00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:21.840
 But whatever

00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:22.500
 the nature of

00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:23.199
 the opposition

00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:26.159
 or being

00:36:26.159 --> 00:36:27.159
 personally attacked

00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:28.559
 for no apparent

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:29.019
 reason,

00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:31.719
 whatever the

00:36:31.719 --> 00:36:32.539
 suffering and

00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:33.279
 trials you may

00:36:33.279 --> 00:36:33.860
 be going through,

00:36:34.019 --> 00:36:34.519
 whatever the

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.460
 things that are

00:36:35.460 --> 00:36:36.380
 disappointments

00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:39.139
 that threaten

00:36:39.139 --> 00:36:40.940
 to kill your

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:43.440
 hope and lead

00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:43.840
 you to just

00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:44.759
 despair and

00:36:44.759 --> 00:36:45.279
 give up,

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:48.599
 God wants to

00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:48.880
 say,

00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:49.539
 I'm with

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:49.779
 you.

00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:51.659
 It's not

00:36:51.659 --> 00:36:51.860
 going to

00:36:51.860 --> 00:36:52.420
 last forever.

00:36:54.279 --> 00:36:54.840
 You know,

00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:55.340
 we can also

00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:55.980
 find comfort

00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:56.779
 in something

00:36:56.779 --> 00:36:57.199
 that Daniel

00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:57.739
 only saw

00:36:57.739 --> 00:36:58.059
 from a

00:36:58.059 --> 00:36:58.500
 distance.

00:37:00.179 --> 00:37:00.679
 Daniel saw

00:37:00.679 --> 00:37:01.440
 a holy one,

00:37:01.539 --> 00:37:01.880
 a heavenly

00:37:01.880 --> 00:37:02.639
 being calling

00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:03.599
 out on behalf

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.460
 of God's

00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:05.239
 suffering and

00:37:05.239 --> 00:37:05.699
 mistreated

00:37:05.699 --> 00:37:06.179
 people.

00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:10.139
 But we see

00:37:10.139 --> 00:37:11.559
 in Jesus

00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:12.079
 Christ,

00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:13.799
 the true

00:37:13.799 --> 00:37:14.539
 God

00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.159
 manifest.

00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.599
 We see

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:17.980
 the holy

00:37:17.980 --> 00:37:18.380
 God,

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:18.500
 God,

00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:19.700
 who became

00:37:19.700 --> 00:37:20.039
 a human

00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:22.000
 being and

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.340
 who entered

00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:22.860
 into our

00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:24.180
 pain and

00:37:24.180 --> 00:37:24.840
 suffering and

00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:25.340
 took upon

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:26.559
 himself the

00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:27.320
 consequences of

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.220
 our sin and

00:37:28.220 --> 00:37:29.980
 guilt and who

00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.559
 called out when

00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:31.119
 he hung on the

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.420
 cross,

00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:32.019
 my God,

00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:32.579
 my God,

00:37:32.660 --> 00:37:33.840
 why have you

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.539
 forsaken me?

00:37:36.460 --> 00:37:36.940
 And yet he

00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:37.500
 wasn't saying

00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:39.280
 that in defiant

00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:40.119
 rejection of God,

00:37:40.180 --> 00:37:40.680
 he was saying

00:37:40.680 --> 00:37:41.380
 that in humble

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:41.920
 trust.

00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:42.019
 God,

00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:45.000
 because one of

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:45.539
 the next words

00:37:45.539 --> 00:37:46.059
 he said is,

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:46.440
 Father,

00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:47.659
 into your

00:37:47.659 --> 00:37:48.059
 hand,

00:37:48.460 --> 00:37:48.920
 I commit

00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:49.500
 my spirit.

00:37:51.539 --> 00:37:52.260
 Jesus faced

00:37:52.260 --> 00:37:52.840
 every one of

00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:53.260
 our worst

00:37:53.260 --> 00:37:53.700
 fears,

00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:55.900
 every one of

00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:56.360
 our greatest

00:37:56.360 --> 00:37:57.260
 disappointments,

00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:00.880
 every one of

00:38:00.880 --> 00:38:01.400
 the things that

00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:01.880
 threatened to

00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:02.440
 crush our

00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:03.019
 faith and

00:38:03.019 --> 00:38:03.539
 hope and

00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:04.840
 love once

00:38:04.840 --> 00:38:05.260
 and for

00:38:05.260 --> 00:38:05.599
 all,

00:38:06.240 --> 00:38:07.460
 and he came

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:07.820
 up on the

00:38:07.820 --> 00:38:08.360
 other side.

00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:10.280
 he rose

00:38:10.280 --> 00:38:10.740
 again three

00:38:10.740 --> 00:38:11.320
 days later

00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:13.599
 and he

00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:15.140
 promises what

00:38:15.140 --> 00:38:15.620
 we just sang

00:38:15.620 --> 00:38:16.099
 about in that

00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:16.620
 great hymn,

00:38:17.780 --> 00:38:18.559
 Jesus lives

00:38:18.559 --> 00:38:19.640
 and so shall

00:38:19.640 --> 00:38:20.160
 I.

00:38:21.720 --> 00:38:22.720
 Jesus lives

00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:23.700
 and so shall

00:38:23.700 --> 00:38:24.740
 I for

00:38:24.740 --> 00:38:26.539
 eternity and

00:38:26.539 --> 00:38:27.079
 Jesus lives

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:27.720
 and so shall

00:38:27.720 --> 00:38:29.059
 I today and

00:38:29.059 --> 00:38:30.059
 tomorrow and

00:38:30.059 --> 00:38:31.960
 this week and

00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:32.420
 through whatever

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:33.120
 we have to

00:38:33.120 --> 00:38:35.160
 endure during

00:38:35.160 --> 00:38:35.640
 the time that

00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:36.059
 we're on this

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:36.380
 earth.

00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:40.559
 on the night

00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:41.079
 before he was

00:38:41.079 --> 00:38:41.500
 crucified,

00:38:41.680 --> 00:38:42.160
 Jesus said to

00:38:42.160 --> 00:38:42.700
 his disciples,

00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:43.220
 the world is

00:38:43.220 --> 00:38:43.680
 going to hate

00:38:43.680 --> 00:38:44.960
 you because

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:45.360
 they hated

00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:45.960
 me first.

00:38:46.720 --> 00:38:47.260
 If they

00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:47.940
 persecuted me,

00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:48.640
 they'll persecute

00:38:48.640 --> 00:38:49.099
 you too.

00:38:51.539 --> 00:38:52.280
 If they kept

00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:52.660
 my word,

00:38:52.720 --> 00:38:53.039
 they'll also

00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:53.660
 keep yours.

00:38:55.800 --> 00:38:56.380
 And then he

00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:57.019
 said, I've said

00:38:57.019 --> 00:38:57.620
 all these things

00:38:57.620 --> 00:38:58.660
 to you to

00:38:58.660 --> 00:38:59.240
 keep you from

00:38:59.240 --> 00:38:59.940
 falling away,

00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:01.840
 to keep you

00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:02.380
 from falling

00:39:02.380 --> 00:39:03.220
 into despair

00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:05.340
 when life

00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:05.920
 doesn't turn

00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:06.820
 out the way

00:39:06.820 --> 00:39:07.260
 you hoped,

00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:08.260
 when the

00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:08.680
 road is

00:39:08.680 --> 00:39:09.740
 longer and

00:39:09.740 --> 00:39:10.740
 bumpier and

00:39:10.740 --> 00:39:12.560
 harder than

00:39:12.560 --> 00:39:12.880
 you ever

00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:13.380
 imagined.

00:39:15.060 --> 00:39:15.580
 And to

00:39:15.580 --> 00:39:16.060
 keep you from

00:39:16.060 --> 00:39:16.640
 embracing a

00:39:16.640 --> 00:39:17.280
 false hope that

00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:17.740
 your life will

00:39:17.740 --> 00:39:18.420
 always be easy

00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:18.880
 and smooth,

00:39:18.980 --> 00:39:19.520
 that's not what

00:39:19.520 --> 00:39:20.160
 Jesus ever

00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:20.700
 promised.

00:39:21.700 --> 00:39:22.100
 But he said,

00:39:22.180 --> 00:39:22.700
 I've also said

00:39:22.700 --> 00:39:23.260
 these things to

00:39:23.260 --> 00:39:23.680
 you so that

00:39:23.680 --> 00:39:24.220
 you might have

00:39:24.220 --> 00:39:24.640
 peace.

00:39:25.520 --> 00:39:26.180
 In the world

00:39:26.180 --> 00:39:26.620
 you will have

00:39:26.620 --> 00:39:26.960
 trouble,

00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:28.660
 but take heart.

00:39:29.560 --> 00:39:30.520
 I have

00:39:30.520 --> 00:39:32.080
 overcome the

00:39:32.080 --> 00:39:32.420
 world.

00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:33.860
 Jesus gives

00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:34.480
 us a very

00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.440
 sobering and

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.280
 realistic picture

00:39:36.280 --> 00:39:36.980
 of what to

00:39:36.980 --> 00:39:37.460
 expect,

00:39:37.900 --> 00:39:38.620
 but he also

00:39:38.620 --> 00:39:39.060
 gives us a

00:39:39.060 --> 00:39:39.660
 very hopeful

00:39:39.660 --> 00:39:40.100
 word.

00:39:41.300 --> 00:39:42.380
 Take heart.

00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:43.780
 I have

00:39:43.780 --> 00:39:45.019
 overcome the

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:45.400
 world.

00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:48.360
 Let us

00:39:48.360 --> 00:39:48.560
 pray.

00:39:48.560 --> 00:39:48.620
 Amen.

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:04.760
 Father, we

00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:05.340
 thank you for

00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:07.580
 this vision of

00:40:07.580 --> 00:40:07.840
 Daniel.

00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:10.020
 We thank you,

00:40:10.100 --> 00:40:10.500
 Lord, for the

00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:11.100
 courage that you

00:40:11.100 --> 00:40:12.500
 have given to

00:40:12.500 --> 00:40:13.860
 your people in

00:40:13.860 --> 00:40:14.380
 years and

00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:15.240
 centuries past,

00:40:16.080 --> 00:40:16.900
 those who have

00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:19.000
 stood firm and

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:19.500
 who have endured

00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:21.960
 great trials and

00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:25.160
 who are that

00:40:25.160 --> 00:40:26.040
 great cloud of

00:40:26.040 --> 00:40:28.200
 witnesses that

00:40:28.200 --> 00:40:28.740
 Hebrews speaks

00:40:28.740 --> 00:40:30.300
 about that

00:40:30.300 --> 00:40:31.080
 surround us.

00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:34.519
 and even in

00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:34.980
 revelation,

00:40:36.299 --> 00:40:37.900
 call out to

00:40:37.900 --> 00:40:38.279
 you, how

00:40:38.279 --> 00:40:38.819
 long, O

00:40:38.819 --> 00:40:39.139
 Lord?

00:40:42.299 --> 00:40:42.840
 And yet,

00:40:42.920 --> 00:40:43.159
 Lord, we

00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:43.699
 thank you above

00:40:43.699 --> 00:40:44.259
 all for Jesus

00:40:44.259 --> 00:40:46.199
 Christ, the

00:40:46.199 --> 00:40:46.900
 author and

00:40:46.900 --> 00:40:47.619
 perfecter of our

00:40:47.619 --> 00:40:48.199
 faith, who for

00:40:48.199 --> 00:40:48.759
 the joy set

00:40:48.759 --> 00:40:49.279
 before him

00:40:49.279 --> 00:40:49.699
 endured the

00:40:49.699 --> 00:40:51.360
 cross, scorning

00:40:51.360 --> 00:40:53.519
 its shame, and

00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:54.119
 sat down at the

00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:54.579
 right hand of

00:40:54.579 --> 00:40:54.819
 God.

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:56.019
 Lord, we pray

00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:56.400
 that we would

00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:57.159
 consider him who

00:40:57.159 --> 00:40:57.819
 endured such

00:40:57.819 --> 00:40:59.539
 hardship so that

00:40:59.539 --> 00:41:00.159
 we would not grow

00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:01.219
 weary and lose

00:41:01.219 --> 00:41:01.480
 heart.

00:41:01.599 --> 00:41:02.179
 Lord, we pray

00:41:02.179 --> 00:41:03.420
 that you would

00:41:03.420 --> 00:41:03.839
 make us a

00:41:03.839 --> 00:41:06.579
 people who are

00:41:06.579 --> 00:41:08.859
 hopeful, not

00:41:08.859 --> 00:41:10.699
 because we embrace

00:41:10.699 --> 00:41:11.719
 false hopes, not

00:41:11.719 --> 00:41:13.519
 because we live by

00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:14.319
 wishful thinking,

00:41:15.779 --> 00:41:17.819
 but a people who

00:41:17.819 --> 00:41:18.719
 have our hope

00:41:18.719 --> 00:41:19.559
 firmly rooted in

00:41:19.559 --> 00:41:22.219
 you, our

00:41:22.219 --> 00:41:22.960
 crucified and

00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:23.559
 risen Savior.

00:41:26.059 --> 00:41:27.019
 And Lord, that

00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:28.619
 you would give us

00:41:28.619 --> 00:41:30.839
 faith and courage

00:41:30.839 --> 00:41:32.219
 to live for you

00:41:32.219 --> 00:41:32.779
 day by day.

00:41:33.940 --> 00:41:34.719
 We thank you in

00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:35.239
 Jesus' name.

00:41:35.659 --> 00:41:35.880
 Amen.