WEBVTT
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The Christian Bible holds
the Guinness World Record
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of best-selling
book in the world.
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Many homes in the Western
world have at least one
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Bible on their bookshelves,
and many of them have
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more than one.
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But how many people
actually read them?
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And even of those who do,
how many read Bible prophecy?
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Prophecy makes up at least a quarter of God's revealed word,
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yet for many it is the most neglected part of Scripture.
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My friends, we don't want
you to fall into that trap.
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Because God wants you to
dive into the prophecies
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He inspired to be recorded
for you to understand.
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Join us on this episode of
Tomorrow's World where
00:36.536 --> 00:40.006
we explain why you
need Bible prophecy.
00:40.073 --> 00:46.579
♪
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Greetings, and welcome
to Tomorrow's World.
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Where we help you make sense
of your world through
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the pages of the Bible.
00:53.052 --> 00:56.122
We'll also be offering you
one of our most popular free
00:56.189 --> 00:58.958
DVD's, "The Power of Prophecy."
00:59.025 --> 01:01.694
This DVD contains four
programs that are designed
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to help you finally begin to understand the prophecies
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that fill God's word.
01:07.667 --> 01:09.769
Like everything we offer
on Tomorrow's World,
01:09.836 --> 01:11.504
there's no cost
to you whatsoever.
01:11.571 --> 01:13.840
So, be sure to keep an
eye on your screen for
01:13.907 --> 01:17.377
the information you need to
get your own free copy.
01:17.444 --> 01:20.947
Now, before we begin, I
need to be very clear.
01:21.014 --> 01:23.917
Today, I am speaking specifically of Bible prophecy.
01:23.983 --> 01:27.153
History is filled with so-
called prophets who claimed
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to tell the future--men like Edgar Cayce or Nostradamus.
01:31.024 --> 01:34.694
History has not been
too kind to such claims.
01:34.761 --> 01:37.063
The same could be said
for the weird predictions
01:37.130 --> 01:40.533
concerning the year 2012--
a weird "end of the world"
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prediction based on drug-induced, misinterpreted
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Mayan concepts that did more
to sell crackpot books and
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movie tickets than it did
about telling the future.
01:49.943 --> 01:54.747
Bible prophecy is important--
so much so that God has filled
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His own word with it.
01:56.082 --> 01:58.685
So it should not be a
surprise that the Devil
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has counterfeited true
Bible prophecy and the
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biblical prophets
in countless ways.
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But you don't need the counterfeit--you need the truth.
02:08.228 --> 02:10.263
And that's what I'm
focusing on today:
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real Bible prophecy.
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And let's be honest:
Have you ever tried to
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read Bible prophecy and
found it intimidating?
02:17.804 --> 02:20.974
With all of its symbols
and visions of harlots
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and monsters and statues,
or talk of antichrists,
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the fall of empires, heavenly
signs--it can seem a bit much.
02:29.549 --> 02:32.285
When I was a young teenager,
I remember reading the book
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of Revelation and reading
about the seven-headed
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beast with ten horns.
02:36.356 --> 02:39.259
I told my late grandmother
about what I thought it meant--
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which was completely wrong,
by the way--and she looked
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at me kindly and told me
with a gentle smile,
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"You know, we tend to stay away from that book of the Bible."
02:48.935 --> 02:52.205
Now, I am definitely not here to speak ill about my grandmother
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on a television program broadcast around the world.
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I loved her very much.
02:56.609 --> 02:59.746
But for all her wisdom and
experience, she had simply
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never had anyone explain
to her the blessings that
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reading and understanding
prophecy can bring into
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our lives--and the purposes
for which God inspired it
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in the first place.
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Think about what avoiding
prophecy meant for her--
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and for you and me.
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Between one-fourth and one-third of your Bible is prophecy.
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Imagine ignoring every fourth word or every fourth chapter.
03:24.771 --> 03:28.174
If anyone else demanded
that we rip out 30 percent
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of the pages of our Bible,
we would be crying aloud
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about censorship
and totalitarianism.
03:34.213 --> 03:37.617
When Jesus was about to
begin His ministry, He was
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tempted by Satan, and in
response, Jesus made an
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important statement that we
need to listen to today--
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in Matthew 4 and verse 4:
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"Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by
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every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God."
03:54.267 --> 03:57.904
Now, note: "Every word"
means "every word."
03:57.971 --> 04:00.907
Not "two out of three"
or "three out of four."
04:00.974 --> 04:03.476
In fact, Christ is
plain that He wants
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His followers reading the
prophecies He inspired,
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in both Old and
New Testaments.
04:09.616 --> 04:12.352
In Revelation 19:10, we're
told that "the testimony
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of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy," and the very
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beginning of the book of
Revelation--the very first
04:18.858 --> 04:22.161
verse of the very first
chapter--tells us that
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Christ revealed the
contents of that book
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under God's instructions,
"to show His servants--
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things which must
shortly take place."
04:30.436 --> 04:34.941
And in Revelation 1 and verse
3, God gives us a promise:
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"Blessed is he who reads
and those who hear the
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words of this prophecy,
and keep those things
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which are written in it;
for the time is near."
04:45.284 --> 04:48.321
Who doesn't want to
receive God's blessings?
04:48.388 --> 04:51.324
God doesn't waste words,
and He inspired Bible
04:51.391 --> 04:53.493
prophecy for good reason.
04:53.559 --> 04:55.728
Over the rest of today's
program, we're going to
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outline four reasons that
God inspired prophecy.
04:59.799 --> 05:03.603
When you see the truth of
each, you understand why
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it is such a vital part
of the Bible, and why
05:06.572 --> 05:09.175
you need to dive
into it for yourself.
05:09.242 --> 05:11.811
But before we look at the
first reason, I want
05:11.878 --> 05:15.281
to give you the opportunity
to receive a free DVD that
05:15.348 --> 05:18.618
will help you understand the prophecies of the Bible--
05:18.685 --> 05:22.355
"The Power of Prophecy." It's one of our most popular
05:22.422 --> 05:26.059
free resources, with four
Tomorrow's World programs
05:26.125 --> 05:30.329
that answer a host of vital questions about Bible prophecy,
05:30.396 --> 05:34.133
including... "What is the mysterious Beast of Revelation?"
05:34.200 --> 05:37.236
"What are the Five Keys to
Understanding Prophecy?"
05:37.303 --> 05:40.173
"What are the Six Greatest Perils facing the United
05:40.239 --> 05:43.176
States?" "What does the Bible say about the future of
05:43.242 --> 05:47.613
the EU, Russia, China, Iran,
and other nations?"
05:47.680 --> 05:50.750
"How can I personally prepare
for what is to come and
05:50.817 --> 05:52.018
protect my family?"
05:52.085 --> 05:55.655
[and] "How can I escape
the Great Tribulation?"
05:55.722 --> 05:58.725
Unlocking Bible prophecy
to your understanding will
05:58.791 --> 06:01.627
help the pages of Scripture
come to life in a way
06:01.694 --> 06:03.129
they never have before.
06:03.196 --> 06:06.099
Request your free copy of
"The Power of Prophecy,"
06:06.165 --> 06:08.735
and I'll be right back to begin explaining why God
06:08.801 --> 06:12.138
has inspired prophecies
in the pages of your Bible.
06:12.205 --> 06:13.339
♪
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For today's free
offer call...
06:19.579 --> 06:25.184
Or go to...
06:25.251 --> 06:28.187
This clear and
straight-forward resource
06:28.254 --> 06:30.823
will help you understand
this vital truth--
06:30.890 --> 06:33.760
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
06:33.826 --> 06:36.696
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
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receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
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06:41.033 --> 06:44.237
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
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and modern culture will
help you make sense of
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your world from a
biblical perspective.
06:49.976 --> 06:54.147
Call today and join
millions around the world
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who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
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truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
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Call now!
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Or go to...
07:08.060 --> 07:12.765
♪
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Welcome back.
07:14.167 --> 07:16.502
Today, we're helping you
understand why you need
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Bible prophecy.
07:17.804 --> 07:21.507
And the key is understanding
why God inspired it in your
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Bible in the first place.
07:22.842 --> 07:26.345
We're looking at four reasons, and here is the first:
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Bible prophecy warns people
and nations to repent so
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they can avoid punishment.
07:33.986 --> 07:37.023
When the Apostle Peter wrapped up the first inspired sermon
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of the New Testament Church,
he told the gathered crowds,
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"Be saved from this
perverse generation."
07:44.030 --> 07:47.233
My friends, look around you at the world today and tell me--
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honestly--if you don't think that his words apply even
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more powerfully today,
almost 2,000 years later,
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than they did in his day?
07:56.943 --> 07:58.945
You can see it, can't you?
07:59.011 --> 08:01.480
The world is coming
apart at the seams.
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Something is terribly
wrong with civilization,
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and while many people
claim they know the way
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to fix it, none of them are saying what truly needs
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to be said: The world
is dying due to sin,
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the breaking of God's
righteous law.
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In fact, as we highlight
frequently on this program
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and in our free Tomorrow's
World magazine, some of
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those nations that have
been blessed the most by
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God are the very nations
that are leading the way
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in breaking God's law, and
teaching others to do so.
08:33.412 --> 08:36.949
That path will lead those
nations, and eventually
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the entire world, into the
most horrific time mankind
08:40.486 --> 08:44.423
has ever known: The Great
Tribulation, followed by
08:44.490 --> 08:45.758
the Day of the Lord.
08:45.825 --> 08:48.661
We read of the times
prophesied to come in
08:48.728 --> 08:52.531
Matthew chapter 24,
beginning in verse 21:
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"For then there will be
great tribulation, such as
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has not been since the
beginning of the world
08:57.970 --> 09:01.874
until this time, no,
nor ever shall be.
09:01.941 --> 09:05.778
And unless those days were
shortened, no flesh would
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be saved; but for the
elect's sake those days
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will be shortened."
09:10.516 --> 09:14.587
Note: Jesus says "no
flesh" would be saved
09:14.654 --> 09:16.622
if God did not intervene.
09:16.689 --> 09:19.659
While the punishment for unrepentant sin will begin,
09:19.725 --> 09:22.495
frankly, in the United
States, Great Britain,
09:22.561 --> 09:26.198
and other British-descended nations, it will eventually
09:26.265 --> 09:29.602
engulf the entire world, threatening the existence
09:29.669 --> 09:32.238
of every living thing.
09:32.305 --> 09:35.441
But God the Father and
Jesus Christ make a way
09:35.508 --> 09:37.576
of escape available.
09:37.643 --> 09:40.680
In Ezekiel 33 and verse
11, God tells us
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He has no pleasure in the
death of the wicked.
09:43.950 --> 09:47.586
Instead, He warns us about
what is coming so that we
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will repent so that we'll
stop sinning and accept the
09:51.390 --> 09:53.192
opportunity for escape.
09:53.259 --> 09:56.062
Turn earlier in the book
of Ezekiel and read
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His passionate words
to Israel--words that
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I assure you are meant for
nations and peoples today.
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Read them in Ezekiel 18:30...
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"'Repent, and turn from
all your transgressions,
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so that iniquity will
not be your ruin.
10:13.479 --> 10:16.449
Cast away from you all the
transgressions which you
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have committed, and get
yourselves a new heart
10:19.652 --> 10:21.020
and a new spirit.
10:21.087 --> 10:24.924
For why should you die,
O house of Israel?
10:24.991 --> 10:28.594
For I have no pleasure in
the death of one who dies,'
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says the Lord God.
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'Therefore turn and live!'"
10:34.033 --> 10:37.203
Today's free DVD,
"The Power of Prophecy,"
10:37.269 --> 10:41.073
teaches that understanding
how God describes modern
10:41.140 --> 10:44.010
nations in the ancient
words of the Bible is
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a fundamental key to
understanding prophecy.
10:47.680 --> 10:50.182
And, believe it or not,
modern nations such as
10:50.249 --> 10:53.185
the United States, Great
Britain, Australia and
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New Zealand, Germany, France,
China, Russia, and, yes,
10:57.356 --> 11:00.493
the modern state of Israel,
as well as many others,
11:00.559 --> 11:04.163
are identifiable
in Bible prophecy.
11:04.230 --> 11:06.966
And when you understand
what Bible prophecy says
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is coming upon our nations,
and how their sins will
11:10.536 --> 11:13.205
be visited upon them,
then you understand
11:13.272 --> 11:16.075
why all of us here at
Tomorrow's World refuse
11:16.142 --> 11:19.845
to cease crying aloud and
sparing not in declaring
11:19.912 --> 11:24.116
those sins and encouraging the world to turn from its sins,
11:24.183 --> 11:28.687
and embrace its Savior, Jesus Christ, and find escape
11:28.754 --> 11:30.456
from the times to come.
11:30.523 --> 11:34.160
For repentance is the
only means of escape,
11:34.226 --> 11:36.495
and prophecy makes
this fact plain.
11:36.562 --> 11:39.698
Bible prophecy warns
people and nations
11:39.765 --> 11:43.269
to repent so they can
avoid punishment.
11:43.335 --> 11:46.072
My friends, that means
you and me, too.
11:46.138 --> 11:48.307
If you want to escape the
punishments coming upon
11:48.374 --> 11:51.644
this world, then you need
to stop sinning and
11:51.710 --> 11:55.014
breaking God's commands
and turn to Jesus Christ
11:55.081 --> 11:57.049
in repentant obedience.
11:57.116 --> 12:01.420
However, we must see the world not as we want it to be,
12:01.487 --> 12:03.189
but as it really is.
12:03.255 --> 12:04.957
God certainly does.
12:05.024 --> 12:09.361
And the fact is that, sadly, most will not repent and change.
12:09.428 --> 12:12.465
In fact, many of you
watching may not choose
12:12.531 --> 12:14.567
to turn from your sins.
12:14.633 --> 12:18.104
Most will go into punishment
and into captivity.
12:18.170 --> 12:21.440
Then, the second reason
God inspired prophecy
12:21.507 --> 12:26.078
in the pages of the Scriptures
kicks in. Bible prophecy
12:26.145 --> 12:30.182
encourages those in
captivity to repent.
12:30.249 --> 12:34.019
Like punishment from a loving parent, God's punishment
12:34.086 --> 12:36.822
isn't harsh just for the
sake of being harsh.
12:36.889 --> 12:40.226
He hopes individuals will
repent before punishment
12:40.292 --> 12:43.462
arrives; and even after
punishment has come,
12:43.529 --> 12:45.998
He continues to hope
they will repent.
12:46.065 --> 12:48.767
And prophecy plays
a role in that, too.
12:48.834 --> 12:51.871
We see this purpose for
prophecy reflected in
12:51.937 --> 12:54.640
passages such as
Deuteronomy 4.
12:54.707 --> 12:57.476
Now ,yes, Deuteronomy was written to ancient Israel
12:57.543 --> 13:01.714
long ago. But today's free DVD,
"The Power of Prophecy,"
13:01.780 --> 13:05.050
will explain why its words
have meaning for many
13:05.117 --> 13:06.652
modern nations today.
13:06.719 --> 13:10.523
And in those words, God
inspires Moses to explain
13:10.589 --> 13:13.859
to Israel about the punishment that they will receive
13:13.926 --> 13:16.896
for their sins, and how
they can still
13:16.962 --> 13:18.230
choose to change.
13:18.297 --> 13:21.300
We see this starting
in verse 27:
13:21.367 --> 13:24.603
"And the LORD will scatter
you among the peoples,
13:24.670 --> 13:28.174
and you will be left few in
number among the nations
13:28.240 --> 13:30.075
where the LORD
will drive you.
13:30.142 --> 13:33.712
And there you will serve gods, the work of men's hands,
13:33.779 --> 13:38.984
wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
13:39.051 --> 13:43.255
But from there you will
seek the LORD your God,
13:43.322 --> 13:46.592
and you will find Him if
you seek Him with all
13:46.659 --> 13:49.261
your heart and with
all your soul.
13:49.328 --> 13:52.131
When you are in distress,
and all these things come
13:52.198 --> 13:55.801
upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD
13:55.868 --> 13:59.705
your God and obey His voice
(for the LORD your God is a
13:59.772 --> 14:04.610
merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you,
14:04.677 --> 14:08.080
nor forget the covenant
of your fathers which
14:08.147 --> 14:09.315
He swore to them."
14:09.381 --> 14:13.852
It is our sincere hope that
many if not all of you
14:13.919 --> 14:17.690
listening will repent, turn
to God with all your heart,
14:17.756 --> 14:21.994
and sincerely commit your
lives to obeying Him.
14:22.061 --> 14:25.331
But for those who do not and
who find themselves under
14:25.397 --> 14:28.534
the soon-coming punishment
of the Great Tribulation,
14:28.601 --> 14:31.804
then we hope these words of Deuteronomy 4 will come to
14:31.870 --> 14:34.506
mind--that you'll remember that the times you are
14:34.573 --> 14:38.978
experiencing were prophesied, and came about exactly as the
14:39.044 --> 14:40.646
Bible said they would.
14:40.713 --> 14:44.516
And that you will, at
that time, turn to God
14:44.583 --> 14:47.519
with all your heart and
with all your soul.
14:47.586 --> 14:50.189
Cry out to Him
in those times.
14:50.256 --> 14:53.058
And if you turn to Jesus
Christ in your captivity with
14:53.125 --> 14:57.563
a whole heart, committed to obeying Him, then He will
14:57.630 --> 14:59.231
hear you.
14:59.298 --> 15:02.201
Yes, the second reason God
inspired prophecies in the
15:02.268 --> 15:05.671
pages of your Bibles is that Bible prophecy encourages
15:05.738 --> 15:08.374
those in captivity to repent.
15:08.440 --> 15:10.809
Well, so far, the reasons
for Bible prophecy
15:10.876 --> 15:12.845
we've covered have been
a bit of a downer.
15:12.911 --> 15:16.415
The next reason we will cover will visit the other extreme,
15:16.482 --> 15:20.552
as we see that prophecy also brings us the greatest hope
15:20.619 --> 15:24.890
in all of human history--a hope that you need in your life.
15:24.957 --> 15:29.561
We'll cover that in a moment, but first, let me pause to
15:29.628 --> 15:33.899
remind you how to get your free DVD, "The Power of Prophecy."
15:33.966 --> 15:36.502
This collection of four Tomorrow's World programs
15:36.568 --> 15:39.938
is a must-have for anyone
who has been confused or
15:40.005 --> 15:43.309
intimidated by prophecy
before but who longs
15:43.375 --> 15:44.343
to understand it.
15:44.410 --> 15:47.680
God inspired prophecy
to be understood.
15:47.746 --> 15:50.549
Don't regret missing out on
the life-changing information
15:50.616 --> 15:52.284
in this DVD.
15:52.351 --> 15:55.321
Order yours now, and I'll
be right back to explain
15:55.387 --> 15:58.857
the great hope of mankind
that is revealed in the
15:58.924 --> 16:00.826
words of Bible prophecy.
16:00.893 --> 16:01.894
♪
16:01.960 --> 16:03.462
This clear and
straight-forward resource
16:03.529 --> 16:06.065
will help you understand
this vital truth--
16:06.131 --> 16:08.867
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
16:08.934 --> 16:10.102
Call now!
16:10.169 --> 16:14.139
Or go to...
16:14.206 --> 16:16.141
♪
16:16.208 --> 16:19.144
So far, we've seen that
God uses prophecy to warn
16:19.211 --> 16:21.980
nations to repent and
escape punishment,
16:22.047 --> 16:25.851
and He uses it to inspire
those who do not repent to
16:25.918 --> 16:28.253
turn to Him in the midst
of their punishment.
16:28.320 --> 16:31.190
The third reason for Bible
prophecy highlights the
16:31.256 --> 16:34.093
irony of Christians who say
that you don't need to pay
16:34.159 --> 16:35.594
attention to prophecy.
16:35.661 --> 16:39.164
Because it illustrates why
prophecy is at the heart
16:39.231 --> 16:42.534
of the message Jesus
Christ came to preach.
16:42.601 --> 16:45.904
The third reason is that
Bible prophecy announces
16:45.971 --> 16:49.575
the good news of the
coming Kingdom of God.
16:49.641 --> 16:53.078
Too many think Jesus
Christ only came to tell
16:53.145 --> 16:55.581
people how they can be
forgiven of their sins.
16:55.647 --> 16:58.984
And, yes, the forgiveness
of sins is a source of joy
16:59.051 --> 17:00.819
and cause for praise.
17:00.886 --> 17:04.556
But that is only one facet
of a larger message God
17:04.623 --> 17:06.191
sent His Son to preach.
17:06.258 --> 17:11.230
We read of that message in
Mark 1, verses 14 and 15:
17:11.296 --> 17:15.968
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee,
17:16.034 --> 17:20.439
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying,
17:20.506 --> 17:24.343
"The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand.
17:24.410 --> 17:28.147
Repent, and believe
in the gospel."
17:28.213 --> 17:31.316
That Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to be
17:31.383 --> 17:34.119
established at the return
of Jesus Christ is one of
17:34.186 --> 17:37.055
the most hope-filled and
life-transforming messages
17:37.122 --> 17:39.625
you can ever hope
to comprehend.
17:39.691 --> 17:43.629
And focusing as it does on
future events, the Gospel of
17:43.695 --> 17:47.199
the Kingdom of God is inherently a prophetic message.
17:47.266 --> 17:51.370
In fact, many prophecies of
both the Old and New Testaments
17:51.437 --> 17:56.608
point us to different, hopeful details of that Kingdom's reign.
17:56.675 --> 17:57.976
For instance...
17:58.043 --> 18:01.113
Revelation 20 speaks of
the 1,000-year removal
18:01.180 --> 18:04.583
of Satan the devil and
proclaims that glorified,
18:04.650 --> 18:08.454
faithful Christians will reign alongside Jesus Christ
18:08.520 --> 18:09.955
during that time.
18:10.022 --> 18:13.425
Zechariah 14 explains how
all the nations of the
18:13.492 --> 18:16.795
world will assemble in
Jerusalem each year for
18:16.862 --> 18:18.964
the joyous Feast
of Tabernacles.
18:19.031 --> 18:22.434
Isaiah 11 speaks of the
transformed nature of
18:22.501 --> 18:26.338
the animal world, while
Isaiah 35 tells of the
18:26.405 --> 18:29.975
transformed and beautified
earth, and the healing of
18:30.042 --> 18:33.412
all who are blind, deaf,
and unable to walk.
18:33.479 --> 18:37.883
Zechariah 8 tells of how
small children will be safe
18:37.950 --> 18:39.618
playing in the streets.
18:39.685 --> 18:42.221
If you're a longtime
viewer or a subscriber
18:42.287 --> 18:45.057
to the Tomorrow's World
magazine, then you know
18:45.123 --> 18:48.227
the many prophecies of
the Kingdom of God are
18:48.293 --> 18:50.562
a special focus of
this ministry.
18:50.629 --> 18:53.031
God has commissioned us
to preach the Gospel
18:53.098 --> 18:55.901
of Christ's coming
Kingdom, and we do.
18:55.968 --> 18:59.972
And you need the hope that
comes from understanding
19:00.038 --> 19:01.306
about that Kingdom.
19:01.373 --> 19:04.910
That's why you need
Bible prophecy.
19:04.977 --> 19:07.779
There's a reason the
Apostle Peter called the
19:07.846 --> 19:11.383
prophetic reign of Jesus
Christ the "restoration of
19:11.450 --> 19:15.521
all things, which God has
spoken by the mouth of
19:15.587 --> 19:20.259
all His holy prophets
since the world began."
19:20.325 --> 19:24.863
The Gospel of the Kingdom of
God is a prophetic message,
19:24.930 --> 19:27.699
and if you're ignoring the prophecies of your Bible,
19:27.766 --> 19:30.736
then you are ignoring the beautiful descriptions of
19:30.802 --> 19:34.306
Tomorrow's World that the Almighty inspired in the
19:34.373 --> 19:37.609
pages of Scripture to fill
you with a hope and longing
19:37.676 --> 19:40.145
for that soon-coming world.
19:40.212 --> 19:43.916
Again, Bible prophecy
announces the good news
19:43.982 --> 19:46.251
of the coming Kingdom of God.
19:46.318 --> 19:50.856
A fourth, vital reason for prophecy is that Bible prophecy
19:50.923 --> 19:55.060
demonstrates God's total sovereignty and power.
19:55.127 --> 19:59.298
And in a world like today's,
in which every week seems to
19:59.364 --> 20:04.169
bring news of more upheaval, chaos, and heartbreak, we need
20:04.236 --> 20:08.941
a reminder that our loving Creator is truly in control.
20:09.007 --> 20:13.445
God points to this purpose of prophecy in Isaiah chapter 46,
20:13.512 --> 20:16.214
beginning in verse 9:
20:16.281 --> 20:20.052
"Remember the former things
of old, for I am God,
20:20.118 --> 20:23.055
and there is no other;
I am God, and there is
20:23.121 --> 20:26.725
none like Me, declaring
the end from the beginning,
20:26.792 --> 20:31.063
and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying,
20:31.129 --> 20:35.934
'My counsel shall stand, and
I will do all My pleasure,'
20:36.001 --> 20:40.339
calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My
20:40.405 --> 20:41.974
counsel, from a far country.
20:42.040 --> 20:47.379
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
20:47.446 --> 20:52.284
I have purposed it;
I will also do it."
20:52.351 --> 20:54.553
Many of you are familiar
with my friend and longtime
20:54.620 --> 20:56.822
Tomorrow's World presenter Richard Ames.
20:56.888 --> 21:00.459
He loves to emphasize a vital truth that he summarizes
21:00.525 --> 21:05.130
in three simple words:
"God reigns supreme."
21:05.197 --> 21:08.166
And if any of you know
Richard Ames personally,
21:08.233 --> 21:12.437
then you know he lives his life in the light of those words.
21:12.504 --> 21:16.608
God uses prophecy to help
teach you that truth and to
21:16.675 --> 21:21.079
make it that much more real
in your heart and in your mind--
21:21.146 --> 21:22.414
in your life.
21:22.481 --> 21:26.318
Bible prophecy teaches us
that God is faithful and
21:26.385 --> 21:28.253
can be trusted.
21:28.320 --> 21:30.856
It reveals that all of
human history, from the
21:30.922 --> 21:33.992
beginning to the end, is
simply the unfolding of
21:34.059 --> 21:38.930
His plan for mankind--
and it reveals that plan.
21:38.997 --> 21:42.267
When we trust God, then
even in our hardships,
21:42.334 --> 21:45.904
we can have faith that He
is in charge and is working
21:45.971 --> 21:50.776
all things to our good, as
we're told in Romans 8:28.
21:50.842 --> 21:55.080
It is that trust in God's
power to fulfill His purpose
21:55.147 --> 21:59.217
that moved the Apostle Paul,
in his hardships to
21:59.284 --> 22:01.853
begin his letter to
Titus in this way:
22:01.920 --> 22:05.991
"Paul, a bondservant of God
and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
22:06.058 --> 22:08.627
according to the faith
of God's elect and the
22:08.694 --> 22:12.030
acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
22:12.097 --> 22:17.335
in hope of eternal life
which God, who cannot lie,
22:17.402 --> 22:20.706
promised before time began..."
22:20.772 --> 22:24.109
Only the Creator has the
ability to declare the end
22:24.176 --> 22:28.146
from the beginning and to guarantee that it will be so.
22:28.213 --> 22:31.683
And such a Creator is not
only worthy of our love
22:31.750 --> 22:35.220
and worship, He's also
worthy of our trust.
22:35.287 --> 22:39.791
Prophecy helps to remind us
that He has total sovereignty
22:39.858 --> 22:43.395
and power, and we can trust
Him with our lives.
22:43.462 --> 22:46.398
When we put these four purposes of prophecy together,
22:46.465 --> 22:50.936
we see that Bible prophecy is not just some academic pursuit,
22:51.002 --> 22:53.805
or some "fortune telling" game in which we try to predict
22:53.872 --> 22:57.042
the future and see if it turns out the way we thought.
22:57.109 --> 23:00.946
You need prophecy because
there is a purpose God
23:01.012 --> 23:03.548
intends to work
in your life.
23:03.615 --> 23:06.818
We'll discuss that purpose in the conclusion of our program.
23:06.885 --> 23:11.089
First, let me take advantage
of this last break to encourage
23:11.156 --> 23:15.293
you to order today's free DVD, "The Power of Prophecy."
23:15.360 --> 23:18.263
We don't just want you to understand that prophecy
23:18.330 --> 23:19.364
is important.
23:19.431 --> 23:22.334
We want you to
understand prophecy.
23:22.400 --> 23:25.570
This free DVD will help
get you on your way.
23:25.637 --> 23:28.573
One of the four messages
on this DVD is "Five Keys
23:28.640 --> 23:33.011
to Understanding Prophecy,"
and it will begin to explain
23:33.078 --> 23:36.081
how to take the often intimidating symbols
23:36.148 --> 23:38.984
and messages of Bible
prophecy and make their
23:39.050 --> 23:40.385
meaning plain.
23:40.452 --> 23:43.355
It's time to stop avoiding
prophecy and, instead,
23:43.421 --> 23:45.423
dive into the deep end.
23:45.490 --> 23:48.293
This DVD, "The Power of
Prophecy," will help
23:48.360 --> 23:49.694
you get started.
23:49.761 --> 23:52.764
Order your copy now, and
I'll be right back to
23:52.831 --> 23:54.733
help us see what all
of this should mean.
23:54.800 --> 23:55.600
♪
23:55.667 --> 24:01.873
For today's free
offer call...
24:01.940 --> 24:08.747
Or go to...
24:08.814 --> 24:10.816
This clear and
straight-forward resource
24:10.882 --> 24:13.618
will help you understand
this vital truth--
24:13.685 --> 24:16.321
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
24:16.388 --> 24:19.257
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
24:19.324 --> 24:22.160
receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
24:22.227 --> 24:23.628
World magazine.
24:23.695 --> 24:26.865
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
24:26.932 --> 24:29.801
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
24:29.868 --> 24:32.337
your world from a
biblical perspective.
24:32.404 --> 24:36.308
Call today and join
millions around the world
24:36.374 --> 24:38.977
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
24:39.044 --> 24:44.916
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
24:44.983 --> 24:46.284
Call now!
24:46.351 --> 24:50.222
Or go to...
24:50.288 --> 24:54.693
♪
24:54.759 --> 24:58.496
Today, we've discussed
four reasons God inspires
24:58.563 --> 25:00.799
prophecy in the pages
of your Bible.
25:00.866 --> 25:03.735
1. Bible prophecy warns
people and nations to
25:03.802 --> 25:05.770
repent so they can
avoid punishment.
25:05.837 --> 25:10.075
2. Bible prophecy encourages
those in captivity to repent.
25:10.141 --> 25:13.211
3. Bible prophecy announces
the good news of the coming
25:13.278 --> 25:14.713
Kingdom of God.
25:14.779 --> 25:18.416
4. Bible prophecy demonstrates God's total sovereignty
25:18.483 --> 25:19.851
and power.
25:19.918 --> 25:22.921
When you think about these
reasons, it's plain that God
25:22.988 --> 25:26.758
doesn't intend prophecy to be some sort of academic exercise,
25:26.825 --> 25:30.095
or just some sort of secret
code we have to crack to
25:30.161 --> 25:31.830
know what the future holds.
25:31.897 --> 25:33.899
Rather, God is using
prophecy to produce
25:33.965 --> 25:36.534
an impact in your life.
25:36.601 --> 25:39.271
He seeks to change your
life to draw you closer
25:39.337 --> 25:42.641
to Him--to bring you more
in line with His purpose
25:42.707 --> 25:44.242
for your life.
25:44.309 --> 25:46.878
God intends prophecy to
move you to repent--
25:46.945 --> 25:49.381
to change your ways,
day by day...
25:49.447 --> 25:52.350
turning from sin and
disobedience to His laws,
25:52.417 --> 25:56.488
and turning to repentance,
embracing the rulership of
25:56.554 --> 25:58.523
His Son, Jesus Christ.
25:58.590 --> 26:01.693
Whether we do this before
punishment comes our way,
26:01.760 --> 26:03.962
or even in the midst
of that punishment,
26:04.029 --> 26:07.098
a transformed life is what
He seeks to achieve with
26:07.165 --> 26:09.868
His inspired prophecies.
26:09.935 --> 26:13.505
And with prophecy, God gives form to our hope for the future.
26:13.571 --> 26:17.108
By pointing us, in prophecy,
to our future roles in His
26:17.175 --> 26:21.479
Kingdom--as glorified children of God, helping Jesus Christ
26:21.546 --> 26:25.517
to beautify this world and
serve others by helping them
26:25.583 --> 26:28.620
to understand the ways of
God more fully--God gives us
26:28.687 --> 26:31.723
a goal that gives meaning
to our lives.
26:31.790 --> 26:34.926
As Christ says in
Matthew 6 and verse 33,
26:34.993 --> 26:39.197
"[S]eek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness"
26:39.264 --> 26:43.001
--and prophecy helps us to make that Kingdom real in
26:43.068 --> 26:44.602
our minds and our hearts,
26:44.669 --> 26:46.938
painting a beautiful and detailed picture of
26:47.005 --> 26:50.442
Tomorrow's World that helps
us envision the world that He
26:50.508 --> 26:52.844
longs to build alongside us.
26:52.911 --> 26:55.747
Finally, when life gets
difficult, and we pass through
26:55.814 --> 26:59.551
trial and hardship, it is prophecy that reminds us that
26:59.617 --> 27:04.723
God is great and good, and that in all things He reigns supreme
27:04.789 --> 27:08.059
in the heavens--no matter our current circumstances.
27:08.126 --> 27:12.163
The end of all things is
in His hands, and we can
27:12.230 --> 27:15.166
rest assured that
He is in control.
27:15.233 --> 27:19.237
My friends, you need what
God wants to place within
27:19.304 --> 27:23.241
your life through the words
of prophecy that He has inspired
27:23.308 --> 27:24.909
in the pages of His Bible.
27:24.976 --> 27:27.612
And if you're ready for
what He longs to give you,
27:27.679 --> 27:31.349
today's free DVD is a
great place for you to start.
27:31.416 --> 27:33.485
I hope you will order
your copy today.
27:33.551 --> 27:36.788
And I hope you'll
come back next time.
27:36.855 --> 27:39.090
When you do, Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, Rod McNair,
27:39.157 --> 27:41.659
and I will be right here
waiting for you--ready to
27:41.726 --> 27:45.030
share with you the teachings
of Jesus Christ, the powerful
27:45.096 --> 27:48.166
hope of the Kingdom of God,
and the end-time prophecies of
27:48.233 --> 27:50.568
your Bible and their meaning.
27:50.635 --> 27:52.404
Until then, take care.
27:52.470 --> 27:53.405
♪
27:53.471 --> 27:59.544
For today's free
offer call...
27:59.611 --> 28:04.716
Or go to...
28:04.783 --> 28:06.985
Call today and join
millions around the world
28:07.052 --> 28:10.055
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
28:10.121 --> 28:13.992
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
28:14.059 --> 28:16.594
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:16.661 --> 28:18.029
Living Church of God.
28:18.096 --> 28:24.502
♪