The Future Foretold

Intro

It was spring of 1940. Hitler’s panzier divisions were sweeping across Europe. Poland was invaded. Then Denmark & Norway. France, Netherlands, Belgium invaded. One after another the countries of Europe fall. The British’ backs were to the wall. Right at that time when it looked like Hitler would be the Fuehrer of Europe and perhaps the world, the editor of the magazine Signs of the Times published a special issue predicting Hitler’s defeat. How did he know? I’ll be back in a moment with the prophetic perspective on the future foretold.

Message

Hello, this is Cody Francis with Prophetic Perspectives. How many presidents, prime ministers and kings have pondered about what the future holds for their country? No doubt many have wished that they could somehow see through the curtain of the future. This is exactly what the God of heaven did for the ancient king of Babylon that revealed not just the future of his country but revealed the future stretching down to our time today. It was this amazing revelation that enabled that editor to predict Hitler’s downfall when no one else could. This prophecy has been uncovering the tangled mess of human affairs for millennia and it still speaks a message down to our time. This prophecy lays a foundation and timeline for the subsequent prophecies of God’s word. Today we want to dig into God’s word to discover how this prophecy has revealed the future for thousands of years and what it reveals for us today.

Outline

I.         The Dream

     A.      Nebuchadnezzar puzzling over the future – Dan. 2:291.        Given a mysterious, unexplainable dream                     

          2.        Psychic’s failed, God revealed to Daniel, revealed Nebuchadnezzar

          3.        Dream particularly for the last days – Dan. 2:28

      B.       Mysterious dream

           1.        Metal man – Dan. 2:31-33

           2.        Stone breaks image in pieces – Dan. 2:34-35

           3.        Principles for understanding prophecy

                 a.        Prophecy given in symbols – Hos. 12:10; Rev. 1:1

                 b.       Bible explains symbols – 1 Cor. 2:134.        What does this dream mean?

II.       The Interpretation

     A.      Foundational prophecy; interpretation immediately given – Dan. 2:36

          1.        Different metals represents different kingdoms/nations – Dan. 2:39

          2.        Beginning w/Babylon – Dan. 2:37, 38

      B.       Babylon – 605 – 539 BC – Dan. 2:36-38

           1.        Golden, luxurious city – Is. 14:4

           2.        Walls, River, Food

           3.        Inscription

       C.       Medo-Persia – 539 – 331 BC – Dan. 2:39

            1.        Feast/River/City

            2.        Cyrus – 150 yrs. – Is. 45:1-5

        D.      Greece – 331 – 168 BC – Dan. 2:39

             1.        Alexander the Great

             2.        Arian – “divine hand”

        E.       Rome – 168 BC – AD 476 – Dan. 2:40

              1.        Ruins Roman world – July/August

              2.        Crucify Jesus

              3.        Gibbon – “iron monarchy”

         F.       Divided Europe – AD 476 - ?? – Dan. 2:41-43

               1.        Attempt unite again & again     

                    a. Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Hitler

                    b.Attempting to unite again! – EU

               2.        Napoleon – “God Almighty”

               3.        Fail Again! – No Unity of Nations!

         G.       God of Heaven set up a Kingdom – Dan. 2:44, 45

               1.        Kingdoms this world, kingdoms of Christ

                     a.   Stone shatter – broken, destroyed, no place

                     b.       Revelation’s peace plan; war forever ended!

                          1)       No more death, pain, suffering

                          2)       Perfect world, Ruler, people

                 2.        Will we be a part of?

                       a.        Thief on cross, remember me – Luke 23:42

                       b.       Cry out, remember me?