Now Get Back To Work | Dr Daniel Kong

You're listening to a message to go from act. We hope this message will

light up your day. Before I begin, Um, before I begin,

how many of you have actually watched very closely about the news that's happening around

the world as of late. It can be good news, it can be

bad news, up to you. But yeah, watched the news, right.

I mean, we've seen the heat wave happening in China as of late.

There some floods as well, people have died. There are some bush

fires in the Greek islands. And then there was a recent kidnapping in America

that is not those are not not so good news. Malaysia one or two

days ago had this interesting news. We've halted something because of yeah, Outland

gunmen. Right recently as well, there was a shooting and some people have

its demise. But you know, this whole thing ramp. The reason why

I'm starting with this because sometimes these sort of news and events can sometimes affect

the way we operate. Okay, and it will make sense hopefully at bad

end of the service. But yeah, sometimes we feel happy, sometimes we

feel sad. Sometimes we feel like, oh man, I don't be alive

right now because the world is just not in a good space, but you

know, we can get overwhelmed, and sometimes just being overwhelmed itself can really

cripple the way we operate. Okay, And but I want to tell you

right now there it's a bit of hope because we are living in a space

that you know, we have God in the picture. And this whole year

we're going through the series about having to remember that Heaven still rules regardless of

whichever situation they're in. And I've had the privilege to sort of go through

a few chapters in this year looking through the Book of Daniel. Okay.

Coincidentally, my name is Daniel as well. So yeah, but not not

not selling the book. We can read the book if you want. It's

a really good book, but we're going through the the you know, the

book from almost like cover to cover by skip the few chapters. But world

events they can make or break you. Circumstances shouldn't really impact us too much,

but sometimes it can. Okay. So um yeah, um. The

reason why I started with that is because sometimes when we hear those are things

that have happened. Okay, sometimes you're putting a position that we may uh

some some some people may have this thing called the prophecy or projection of things

to come. And this is exactly what has happened in the Book of Daniel.

The first six chapters talks about a bit of history, a bit of

prophecy as well, but it is more Daniel receiving, or rather somebody else

receives something. The King receives a prophecy, and Daniel is the one that

interprets the second half. Most people don't read beyond the first six books because

beyond the Daniel in the Lions, then it becomes a bit more complex.

Okay, it becomes a bit more like the Book of Revelation, if you

know, I'm talking about a lot of prophecies that is a bit like a

like a like a lot of the Rings kind of a movie, or maybe

even more Harry Potter, etc. But it's very hard to digest and understand,

okay, because people don't quite exactly understand what the context is. And

beyond that, um, people don't think it could happen. That's that's another

way to put it. Okay, Now let me just quickly go remember the

time, probably not we're not not born yet, but remember the time when

World War two happened right of course, not right, of course not.

But imagine if somebody would come to you in the sixteen hundreds to tell you,

hey, there's this big thing. The whole world is gonna fall apart.

You know, there will be invasions, uh you know Germany, in

Poland, et cetera. That with the Holocaust, right, Um, there

will be assassination you know of a president of the United States. You know,

they're kind of a news and most recently, you know, even the

pandemic which you've gone through. If somebody would have come to you to fifty

years before to say that this is about to happen, almost like a zombie

apocalysis is going to have happened, you probably like, yeah, what is

this meant? I can't I can't imagine, I cannot understand. It probably

will not happen. It's just all every ferry. And this is what people

actually do when they look at the Book of Revelation, okay, and also

some of the chapters beyond the first six books of Daniel. Okay. So

when I understand the context, okay, so I hopef you understand I'm coming

from and we The reason why I started with that is because Daniel did receive

a vision. He has dumb struck by the vision he's received, and then

of course he had to then go and seek maybe some clarity in that vision.

Okay, and the vision is very bizarre for those of you who have

come. The last time before I went on to t right, I covered

the Daniels chapter seven, and there's also quite on his own. Now I'm

going to be covering Daniel chapter eight. Okay, So if you have the

Bibles with you, you can take it out. I'm only gonna be covering

Daniel chapter eight today. Okay. I was at this uh, I was

at this leader's conference. I was in Melbourne. This guy by the name

of Mark Check. Everybody knows Darling Check. Maybe not a generation love,

but Darling Check used to be the Hills song worship past during my time growing

up shows my age. But nobody really knew Check so much because he wasn't

so visible. But they started a church called Hope, you see. And

he was one of the speakers at that particular conference, and he said to

us and challenge re challenged me and because he said, for those of you

who take out your Bibles and they look up their phones, and then he

said that there's actually not the biblicity of phone just it's meant to be a

joke. But anyway, I thought it was funny back then. But most

people these day carry their phones and thinking as a Bible. But nothing wrong

with that. But if you have a Bible, you can take it out

in the case, it's okay to bring that thick book out every Okay,

so far, okay, now let me open him. A prayer before I

begin. Let's pray Father, as we gather today. Father, may your

presence Lord be with us. Uh, you know, open our hearts,

open our minds to receive your word today. And your wisdom, Father,

be upon us as you know sp gleaned from you today. Thank you Lord

in jesucing me pray Amen. Now openheimer. Okay, anyway, watched it

not yet, Phil and I watched it on opening night, believe it or

not. And and for those of you who don't know, that's the context

of the guy who created the or rather's the father of atomic bombs. And

of course we know the better story went triour movie. Don't catch it when

you're very sleepy. I almost fell asleep. It's a good grouping movie,

but I it was I was very tired, and I was mid jet lack

still jet lack, and I struggle a little bit. But again the reason

why I started with something like that is also to understand that back to the

whole thing about prophecies, right or visions, that you receive things that haven't

happened, and people were like, you know, how can this even happen?

Right, So nobody knew their toomic bomb back then, even right they

were creating something for a reason for a war that they wouldn't even well at

the time it was even sure that it was going to happen, but it

did happen, etc. And it's no different, like I said, for

Daniel's time, because when you tell all these events to somebody like Daniel,

he's like, what on earth, it's not real, man, You cannot

imagine it. Right. But now that we've had this fast forward in twenty

twenty, we see things that happened, even some events have happened beyond Daniel's

prophecies, right, so we can sort of understand easier for to understand.

But imagine talking about end times right, end times it's real, right,

every believes and times it's real, right, But it's something that we cannot

be it's not tangible because either we see it may not happen our lifetimes or

we think that, yeah, I just don't I don't digest it right now

because it's not really my problem right now. So that's something that may be

a bit different from Daniel, because, like I said, he received something

and the prophecy actually was sort of given to him, but it only happened

about twenty all years later during his time. Okay, now let me just

come back and lean a little bit, because otherwise you guys would be like,

are we losing everybody? Uh, twenty ten? Right? We had

this ten years towards vision twenty twenty, right or as on dope plow,

dope plow right, remember that right now, Vision twenty twenty right when we

thought of flying cars, I got ev cars, etc. But but you

know, I think most of use, I would say, nine of verse

wouldn't have thought that twenty twenty would be the way it panned out when we

thought about it in twenty ten, and there's only a ten year horizon now.

Living in those times, no one could see what has happened. And

we come back to Daniel because this book right talks about the rise and falls

of kingdoms. But in all that astonishment and things that he saw, there

is also some you know, I guess, some ability for him to interpret

it because of some help. Okay, now I have a slide up here

just to give you an idea. So I mentioned part A of Daniel chapter

one to six is about, you know, the different kings that have come

he's received, they've received rather and then he was the one that is in

charge of interpreting. And Daniel back then started off his journey of becoming helping

kings interpret these things. And he started about as a teen, okay,

and then he worked this way up and now we are at chapter last time,

we're chapter seven, now chapter eight. He's a round about ninety over

years old, so he's done this for a long time and he still cannot

interpret it. I mean, just giving a context. Okay, it's quite

radical and wow. Okay, now Daniel chapter eight. The nutshell of it

is that hanging there, go to work and ultimately victory is certain. Okay,

that's all I'm going to cover today. But as simplistic as it sounds,

this is really just to remind us that Heaven will we're still in control

and God student in control, Okay, and then we'll dive into the details

in a little bit. Now I started off alright, I haven't started off,

but I put up this particular slid first light, please welcome back.

That's to me, welcoming back. You know, I'm very better titles.

But I said, now get back to work. And I felt because not

not not to words Gordon Ramsey, but I felt that this is something to

remind me that to get back to work. That's one thing. Hopefully at

the end of this service you get what I mean by get back to work.

And this is ap to Daniel in the Bible as well. Okay,

so it's just meant to be a bit humor. But if you like to

take notes, I've titled this get back to work, as simple as that,

okay, But that one is just a meme. Okay, don't worry

about it. Now. For those of you to who was with me the

last time, Chapter seven UH talks about um. Can I have the third

slide these UH four mythical creatures. If you want to catch a bit more

about that, go and get the recording. Otherwise, reach chapter seven come

and talk to me a briefly through that. But very bizarre creatures, right,

and uh, we concluded that whole you know that that that message about

you know, finding peace in the midst of this chaotic kind of a situation.

Okay, Now, just to give some context, then in chapter eight

is about two years after this vision that he first received. Okay, so

this just meant to be a sneak preview. But the vision came to pass,

Like I said, Trent fifty years. Then chapter eight vision came to

pass Trent fifty years after he received a vision. So it was a long

time. Okay, just like how I give you the vision train, tiny

kind of example, there's only ten years. It was a very long time

before he can see anything, right, And this is exactly the type of

context I want to begin with. But most events in the future happens in

the future. It is not can be tomorrow, It can be a week,

it can be a month. But most of the time it's quite far

away, and sometimes good and bad. Like I said, sometimes we do

not take there's no urgency because we think that's not going to happen. Okay.

But Daniel, on the other hand, looks at it a bit differently.

Okay, So now let's look at the verses, and like I said,

go to chapter chapter eight, leave your bible there, and we're gonna

just cover all the verses over there. The title of this chapter is titled

from the NKJV Bible, New King James Version, Vision of a Ram and

a Goat. So we move from one story where we've got four mythical creatures

going to another two creatures. Okay, but this one is probably more qute.

Celie, I would say, got ram them anyway, let's let's go

trade. In the third year of the reign of King Belshazza, a vision

appeared to me, this Daniel, not me, not this Daniel, but

the old Daniel, the ancient Daniel to me, Daniel after the one that

appeared to me the first time. So this is talking about the chapter seven

vision. Okay, I saw in the vision, and it so happened while

I was looking. I'll paused there for a while, so he saw the

vision and then he was still looking. Okay, And if you remember Daniel

chapter seven, right, he was always looking out or being very watchful of

the things. So he didn't just woke out with a dream or see a

dream and then he just stopped there. He's still trying to find out.

In another context, some some transition would say that he's seeking as he sees

that vision, and the important thing about this is to remind us that we

are not just to see something, but try our best to interpret it.

Okay, Like you say, if you receive a vision that you're receiving a

million dollars soon, you'll probably want to find out the details, right kind

of thing, all right, So so this is what exactly has happened to

him. He's keeping a watchful eye on God, keeping a watchful eye on

the word that is received, okay, and keeping a watchful eye or what

will be unfolding on earth. Even though the vision was very bizarre or something

that we cannot understand, remember the stuff that's happened in the past. When

people off the past looked at it, they probably don't understand. But he's

saying, Okay, this is important because I've been shown it, so therefore

I will continue to be watchful. Okay. I know it's a lot just

for the first verse, but hopefully you're going to be okay with me.

I'll move along faster. Okay. Worse two, sorry, not worse two.

I saw in the vision, so it happened to me while I was

looking. I was at Shoe Sun or some translation. They call it Susa,

okay, not as u s hr Susa okay uh. And it was

I uh the citadel which is in the province of Elam okay um and this

city right to give you some context, I haven't a sort of a picture

in the next slide. Oh, Susa is that rid dot in the middle,

okay, right there, right over here? Okay, this is the

ancient map. So Egypt is all that side greases the side, but Susa

is right in the middle of serious on the left over there. Okay.

And just to give you some contexts of where that is. Okay, So

Susa, um, where was I It's about twenty fifteen miles to the east

of Babylon where Daniel lives. Remember Daniel. It's not a local where he

is. So I always used this example. It's like when I was in

Melbourne. I based in Melbourne, but I'm not from Melbourne, right,

so so therefore I still feel, uh, you know, I'm not part

of this is not really my community in that sense. But he learned to

live within this community and be effectively where it is because he was originally from

Susa, became all of the capitals in the Persian Empire where this dream is

set. So the reason why I want to say this is because he was

probably not um literally there or personally there, but in the dream he appeared

to be somewhere else. So it's like you having a dream of you being

in the US, but not quite exactly in the US kind of thing.

Okay. So this is the context at that time. Okay. So it's

transported to another city is Susa through a vision? Okay. I saw in

the vision in chapter two, as it was two, that was, I

was by the river July. Okay. Then I lifted my eyes and saw

there standing beside the river was a ram which had two horns, and the

two horns which were high, and some transition used the word long okay,

means long hornsa. But one was higher than the other. So one short,

one long. It's a bit strange, but it's okay. In balance.

Maybe he's walking sideways, but it doesn't matter. Let's move on.

The higher one came up last. I saw the ram pushing or some transient

vis We're charging westward, northward, southward, so that no animal would withstand

him. Nor was there any that would deliver from his hand. But he

did according to his will and became great. So, like I said,

use animals as examples or as as to tell the story. But if you

look up the context, right, the animals represent the different nations in that

place. That's why they say what was it westward, northward and southward?

Okay, So Susa was one of the animals. So they're basically saying that

they're conquering the different regions. That's the interpretation of it. Okay. And

what does this represent if you go back to the next lighter, So if

you fast forward to verse twenty, I'll tell you what that is top top

right corner, the ram which you saw having the two horns, They are

the kings of Media and Persia. Okay, So the two horns, one

is Media and one is Persia. Again, the longer one is Persia.

I think. So the ram actually represents the meadow Persian Empire. We talked

about this the last time as well, you know, Babylon, Media,

Persia history lessoner and then after the Grease or the or the old ancient Greece

which is Gersia and then lift this room. Okay, So for those of

who likes history. This is a bit of history over there. Okay,

So this is the interpretation of that particular vision that is talking about basically world

domination. At the time they were spreading okay, moving all directions. Okay,

but one horn was longer than the other, and that represents the longer

horn is Persia because it's a bigger empire or bigger bigger dominance, bigger power,

and then meads or media in terms of the location is a smaller one.

Okay, But the ram was powerful. Bottom line mean to say that

kingdom was very strong every Okay, strong cannot be defeated. That's why they

only strong empires would expand. If you're a weak, right, you wouldn't

really move too far. Right. It shows that they're moving all directions,

and they are expanding very powerfully, very aggressively, I might add, okay,

and no other power could be standed. We stand that expansion until something

else happens. Okay. And in verse five we read, as I was

considering, suddenly a male gold came from the west across the surface of the

whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a notable horn. It

means something that's visible a notable horn, a sharp one, and horns actually

refers to powers and kingdoms, as we've read in the last uh you know,

chapter seven between the eyes. Okay, so the one sharp horn.

Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had been

standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. Let me

just pause there for a while so that you can understand the vision. Okay.

So here's one particular animal here, one one shot on long horn,

one short horn, happily doing its thing and spanning its empire. And then

suddenly there's this furious goat with one soul horn, rushing towards a big empire

as it is. Okay, And again this is what he's seeing the vision.

And if you cannot imagine what that looks like, I put that there,

taken from mister Google. Okay, so I can see one horn longer

the other, and then another side there based with one soul horn, rushing

towards and establish empire. Okay, okay, so far, okay, Now,

how many of us sometimes feel like something when it rushes to you,

You don't know what to do. What would you do? And someone rush

rush at you? You do you duck. Do you scream? Some people

just freeze there like like you know, like I like kangaroos when you drive

towards them, they get dazzled. On any day, what do I do

anyway? Okay, but but you get the idea. And this also represents

to the extent sometimes when things overwhelm you. Okay, you you just don't

know what to do, and you can do things different. And this is

again furious power. You know, the Bible says charging towards you furious,

you know, fast and furious and furious. Okay, just to give some

context, like now let's move on. Okay, it comes a goat with

a horn. Okay, this is this is the context, a goad with

one horn, the one on the left over there. So up to this

point, right, nobody opposed the ram because the Ram is heavily, happily

doing It's an expansion until a greater power came. And this um goat,

if you look at verse training one later on, if you have your Bibles,

represents the ancient Greek or Greece. Okay, if you go back to

the one slight before Edison, uh, the one in the map. Sorry,

yep, So the blue parts over there is where the Ram is coming

from. The get represent a nation, so it's coming in to attack.

They already established empire a larger power. Persia was a very strong empire by

the way. Okay, they're expanding, and then a larger power is coming.

Okay. So basically, this is what I'm trying to explain. A

great Ram, it's going to be it's overwhelmed because a more furious power is

charging towards them. And then later they will use words like rage. Okay,

rage is right, angry, right, happy bull come to you.

Okay, lab raging bull come to you. I think you better. Yeah,

Okay, anyway, let's move on and I'll stop for how to explain

it on chapter I'm sorry, Verse seven. As I saw him confronting the

Ram, he moved with rage against him. This is the word rage.

Attacked the Ram and broke his two horns, and there was no power in

the Ram to withstand him. But he cast him down to the ground,

trampled him, and there was no one that could deliver the Ram from his

hand. Okay. Therefore, the male good grew very great, and when

he became strong, the large horn was broken. It means the the soul

horn was broken, and in that place, four notable ones came up toward

heaven or the winds of heaven. Can imagine what has happened? Okay,

there was an attack, uh one forces die horns broken, and then in

that attack, the casualty was the horn of the soul, the soul goat.

Okay. So, as I mentioned to you before, the male goat

represents grease. Okay, so a lot of stuff has happened there. If

you have some kind of vision like that, right, you'll probably be a

big colum cupboard. Like I said, seeing cannot really understand fully. And

that's probably the what Daniel was going through during a time. Okay. And

if you look at horns, the context of horns or as you represents rulers.

That's why in the previous uh, the previous chapter that I've been learned,

there is horns growing represents rulers that are actually coming up. Okay,

so um, let me come back to this. Okay. So later,

fortunately there was an angel that came in Jel Gabriel, not this Gabriel,

but another Gabriel explained to Daniel at large, what this notable horn actually represents.

That horn actually represents the king of ancient Greece. If you don't know

who that is, Alexander the Great. Okay, so that everyone knows who

Elexanded the Greatest, right, he lived about thirty oh years older, thirty

two if I remember correctly. But there's a reference of Alexander the Great.

But also in time he actually felt or he died. So the breaking off

of the horn represents represented when Alexander the Great finished his term or he died

in short, okay, And then out came four other horns or smaller horns,

and that is basically a representation of four other kingdoms that have come out

of dead great dominance after Alexander the Great. Okay, sobreat history lesson over

there, Okay. Now, so it's almost like a repeat of chapter seven

if you if you read chapter seven, there is always taking over. Like

I said, this may be heavy for some, but bear with me.

After a while it will get easier to understand. Okay. But I'm just

trying to paint the picture a little bit now. Verse nine says, and

out came four of them. These are the four horns, four generals that

came from Alexander the Great. As I mentioned to you came a little horn

that is growing exceedingly great. So again out to confessing that there's four horns.

And out of the four horns there's one horn. There has another sub

horn that grows up. Like I said, he gets more and more bizarre,

okay, And verse ten, and he grew up exceedingly okay to the

host of heaven. And he cast down some of the horss and some of

the stars to the ground, trampled them, and he even exalted himself as

the high, as high as the Prince of the Host. And we all

know why Prince of Host actually represents it represents God at times. For me

and say, that small little horn right, that chili party actually caused a

lot of damage. Also, dare to go against the almighty God, okay,

and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away. The place of his

sanctuary was cast down. So if you want to put notes there, a

footnote for this particular thing, you can write there little horn creates or rex

heywalk in that time. Okay. Now I have some visuals to help,

Okay, So for those of you remember we went to chapter two, chapter

seven with the four beasts. Chapter e is the two beasts. There is

some cool relation to chapter eleven if you're gonna move on later on, okay,

but a lot of animals in place. There are some mixture of little

horns that's talked about here horns, and then is covered in revelation as well.

And here we have breaking over one horn. Four more came out,

and then these four horns represent the different new established new rules. And then

there's some correlation before it's happening in e chapter eleven, if we ever get

there eventually, next light, please, so when that horn broke off,

that represents an extend the Great, four more horns were birthed, and these

four horns represents the different new empires all empire before the invasion. After that

there were another four nations or other four empires that were established after their collective

one big empire by alexand the Great was subdivided to another four empires. Okay,

so far all right, I know, I know, right. So

if you visualize the new animal, they've got four horns modern day Syria,

Egypt, trace is somewhere here I can't remember what this one is Macedonia,

and then we didn't Syria. There's a sub horn a small little horn.

Okay, okay, so far, okay, thank you, oh excise,

all right, here you go, little horn, little horn. Okay.

So once little came out to be great, created more hay walk than any

other before, and we can read about later on. Okay in verse eleven.

Now, a lot of scholars believe that this little horn is actually represented

by this particular king called Antiochus. Okay, the fourth of Epiphanis. Okay,

this is the king, the Greek king of the eight king of the

Syrian dynasty during that time. What a name? Right, all right,

Antiochus? Would you name his son dead or I don't know, let's not

go there. But he ruled right between one seven five BC until it's death

and one six four BC. I've got some of the footnotes that I don't

think can see it, but it's there if you want to copy the slide

I containing it to you. But when Daniel had this vision, right,

it was five hundred BC. Mean to say, it was way before this

happened. If you know numbers, the bigger the BC number is earlier.

So this is this, this prophecy of that that that thing only happened in

one sound five b C. So it's like I said, training fifty years

after Daniel receives the prophecy, Okay, but he was quite full of himself.

I would say he also caught himself eos epiphysis okay, which also means

God manifests. To call yourself God manifests or you must really one think you

are God, okay, because it manifests in you. Okay. So it's

quite arrogant. How many no right rulers that are quite powerful and strong,

even their modern rulers, that they think they are literally small g God.

They can do anything within their power. And this is again no different even

then, humility is not their strong suit life. It's what I'm trying to

say. Okay, they're quite arrogant. Uh And and during that time some

of the people actually mocked him the city. He's actually a bit crazy because

he thinks that he is gone. Okay. But this little horn, once

little, became great and also proud, as we've read in the scriptures.

Okay, he was hated by Jews. Is probably the first person that started

to kill ot of Jews, even before Hitler came to the picture. Okay.

And this was in uh you know the BC Times, Okay, he

invaded Jerusalem, he dessecrated the temple. Let me just read Wikipedia is your

friend. Uh, he invaded Jerusalem, he desacraated a temple of God,

set up idols of the Greek god Zeus during that time, okay. And

then he also offered a pig sacrifice in the temple. Okay. And you

know picks are generally considered unclean then, so to take it to the temple,

it's actually defying the temple. And they stopped the temple sacrifice in Jerusalem.

Okay. So his goal was very clear is to stick it to the

Jews back then that hey, I am in control, I'm bigger than anything.

And and that is basically detrooning God in that picture, in that in

that in that vision, okay, chapter sorry, verse trail because of transgression,

an army was over, okay. So basically saying that all this is

losing to the small little horn, to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices.

He cast truth down to the ground. He did all and this all

profit. Now, when I first read that particular verse, right, it

didn't sit well with me, because all of us always here, right,

if I'm doing God's work, I have God on my side. When you

see something like this happens, right, or it's being defunct, even though

it's a vision, right, it doesn't sit well with you, right because

this is, yeah, you're going against God. How how bad can it

be? Is truth is being cast down to the ground. That means this

guy is spreading lies and he's not that the Bible says he did it all

and prospered. That means he can continue to do it because no one is

about or no one has stopped him, at least in the vision. Okay,

so imagine that what would the people feel? The God, where are

you? Kind of questions are always going to come, definitely, and and

and and Yeah they did horrible things to people of God, that's for sure.

But it makes you ponder a lot because sometimes right I put this up

there, that there are heart lessons. Sometimes God introduces heart less qute unquote

heart lessons so that we get our attention in order to discipline or remind us

sometimes sow. Sometimes we feel that the pandemic has happened the way it happened

because it's a wake up call to the extent, because why previously we are

all very you know, very complainants. Complainant, and and God uses whatever

means necessary. I put up a slide to get our attention to bring us

to a place of repentance and obedience. So the reign of terror during this

king's time, right, maybe perhaps I say, maybe it's God's way of

disciplining his people for their sin. And they're rebelling against him, and I

we know people that then sin quite a fabrid Okay, So he God uses

kings laws. And previously we talked about even a decrease in Daniel chapter six,

right, basically uses all things. Remember the degree that you know you

can't pray, and then Daniel and pray. Then he got the trouble throwing

the lines. Then he survived that that decree. Okay, in case you

don't know what I'm talking about, um, But yeah, he brings people

to this place to ensure that we remember ultimate repentance and also obedience. And

it happened all the way back then. But like I said, what did

it say? Well, it means that the truth was cast down to the

ground and he prospered. And if you look at some too, I have

the verse up as well from verse two, the kings of the Earth rise

up the rulers banded together. These are earthly kings. Okay. And then

against the Lord and against his anointed, they miss his people, God's people.

Okay, let us break their chains and throw their shackles. So earthly

kings have been known right from the beginning of time to always come and try

to supersede God in that sense. Okay. So no longer Heaven rules,

but earthly king actually rules. Okay, and this is again no different from

this time. Okay. They want to throw their shackles. They do not

want to be accountable to God, is the way to put it. Okay.

They want to know or feel that they're supreme, even though we know

that, as we've read in the first few verses or chapters before, that

God is always supreme, even though it may seem as though He is allowed

or rather his absent during the time. Okay, And doesn't that feel normal?

Sometimes to us today? We feel that sometimes, Hey, God,

where are you? Why is this prime minister allowed to do this? Why

is this king allowed to behave the way he behaves? I recently came back

from Australia. That place has got his own set of light, things that

people enjoy, but things that sometimes I don't think. Well, I mean,

like the way they hopefully there's not going to be getting in trouble,

but the way they were open about, you know, the whole gender thing,

and it's come to the point that it's legislatlatively also accepted. In fact,

they're even teaching it at schools at the very young tend to age.

And we're just talking to having a conversation about it at how they are trying

to brainwash the kid that is okay to allow these things. And again you

ask, how come truth, even something as simple as gender can be,

can be you know, taken to another level. And this is exactly what's

happened there. The truth is trampled. It seems that wicked rulers, wicked

lawmakers is successful in what they do and they still get the votes of people.

Again, right, this is not something that is common even within our

nation's context. Right, how can this guy say the things he says and

still gets elected or still run run the country, or run the particular state,

et cetera. But I want to remind everybody here that you know,

Heavens still rules, God is still in control, and we'll come to that

portion very soon. Okay, all right halfway through. Okay, now let's

just go through chapter twelve and our land very quickly. All right, So

chapter twelve because of the transition an army or I read that a really sorry.

Chapter thirteen. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy

one that's said to a certain one who's speaking, how long will this vision

be? Concerning daily sacrifices, transgression of dissolution, and the giving of both

sanctuary and the host. There's truffle underfood. So just in case you're not

aware, the people that are asking these questions actually not the humans. They

are actually angels. There's asking, so even angels were concerned how long is

this going to carry on? So this gives us a context, right that

sometimes only God knows that even the highest the highest angels don't know. So

sometimes when we ask questions like how comes God, I don't know what it's

totally fined. Even the angels don't know. Upper management has all the cards

there, the middle management. The angels may not know, so why you

could cheer essentially, but again it's just meant to be a bit of a

joke. But even if angels don't know, but definitely they are concerned how

long will this last? How long is it going to carry on? Okay?

And how long will your people suffer? God? You're allowing it to

happen. It's probably what the angels are asking, okay. And verse four

reminds us our fourteen rather reminds us that how long for two thousand, three

hundred days? Anybody go in math? How much? Two days? But

six years? Okay? Very good, very good with us? Then the

sanctuary will be clean clean, cleans are cleansed. Okay, So six years.

So ever ever struggle with something, and then you pray for deliverance,

etc. And then you've got tested six years? Or do you feel six

means you cannot wait it? Or six years are crazy? You're yeah,

God knows exactly how long each it reminds us. God knows exactly how long

each king's rule is. And we know all rulers have got a expiry date.

Every empire who reigns will also end somewhere some sometime. But in a

nutshell, we all operate under God's timetable and not man's timetable. Okay.

And this is exactly what's happened then, So it is given by God,

and it's a point but good news is it will happen. The century will

be cleansed or restored. Any tyranny or any funny foolishness that's happened in the

past will eventually come to it end. Any anti anti God movements, etc.

Will also have his days numbered very soon, okay, because God will

not allow that to continue to violate to a certain point in time. Okay.

So verse fifteen. Then it happened when I Daniels has seen the vision

and was seeking meaning. Like I said, he's see and he wants to

interpret. He keeps on watching. Why is he watching? Because actually,

just just to take a step step back a little bit, right, why

he watches because he don't understand. In short, Okay, sometimes we feel

that how come we don't quite understand why things happen the way it happened in

our in our lives, right even for him, right the mighty. And

again I just remind him he's interpreted so many dreams in the past, and

he's ninety always, or you think that he'll be top notch in his crystal

wall kind of interpretation already by then if he has a degree in that,

but he still do not quite understand and cannot understand. And but what's he

doing. He keeps watching, he keeps looking out, and he keeps trying

to figure out what it is. Okay. So, in other words,

he continues to seek, He continues to understry to understand as best he can.

So what are we to do, y'all? Don't understand? It's fine,

Just keep watching long, keep looking, okay, hanging there, like

I said earlier, hanging there. It's gonna be okay. But in the

meantime, just keep watching, and yeah, it'll be okay. All right.

Now, um, let's move on. Sixteen And I heard a man's

voice between the banks of Ulai who called, And this is where Gabriel the

Angel came in. Okay. And then he explains the vision okay. And

in there he says, understands some of men that the vision refers to the

time of the end. Okay. It means that's the time that it finishes.

Now, as he was speaking with me, I was deep in my

sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood upright.

You when I first read this or it's very funny, because um,

when you see an angel, you four flat face on the ground, I

thought it was very funny, but it's really amazing. Angels are something that

when you see it, you cannot you cannot. Yeah, it's too great

the power in that Sensela. So that's why he fall flat. It's not

sleepy, and he's a fall flatfore. Okay, Whereas I always digress,

But when he came out, I was afraid and fell to my faces where

I ended. But yeah, we don't laugh at when angel comes. I

know we put it so then it was intensely concerned about the meaning. That's

why he wants to know. Right. How many of us sometimes, when

we're going through things, right, we're just very casual about it. When

God reviews to you something, you're like, it's not for me, it's

for someone who's interpret Again, it's not sometimes just by those visions, those

big grand visions like in a movie kind of setting. God speaks to you

in all forms, in a gentle voice, in visions. But how many

of us actually take it seriously that we are still watchful and waiting and ensure

that we hear from him or basically, in short, we try to find

out, not just hide. Sometimes we're afraid that we hide. It's almost

like I have a vision of the Ostrich putting his head into the ground.

Hopefully things will be all right. The pandemic will be over. You know,

while we will things, all things are going on. He cares enough.

And we know this because if you look at chapter nine, he has

earnest prayer later on about what his feelings are. Good. Read it if

you want, or next time we meet, I might cover that. Okay,

we'll see how it goes. Okay, okay, seventeen understand, son

of Man. The vision refers to time to the end. Eighteen. Now,

as he was speaking with me, I was in deep sleep with my

face to the ground. But he touched me and I stood upright, okay,

nineteen, And he said, looking, I'm making known to you that

what shall happen in the later time of the indignation, which is another word

to use in the nation, is a time of wroth. That means the

roth will be over for the point of type shall be okay. So riptures

actually reminds us that God is in control. God is still sovereign. In

a sympasic sense. It will come to an end, but it's up to

God. Tribulation will come to an end. So two things to remember,

time will end eventually, whether good or bad. Secondly, is the time

or tribulation will end, suffering will end, So it's not indefinite anyway.

You can say, amen to that. Where we're going through a small,

big, small, you'll come to an end. Okay, that's always seen

in the passage. Okay, And the angels explained to Daniel that an appointed

time is about to happen Verse twenty. The ram which I saw having two

haunts is the one that talks about the two empires, Media and Persia.

And then the male good is the Kingdom of Greece. In the large horn

between the eyes represents the first king. In the first king, as you

mentioned earlier, was Alexander the Great Okay, and broken horn, the four

pieces stood up in place, and the four kingdoms, and these were the

four generals after Alexander will arise our nation, but not with his power.

Okay, now let me stopping for a while. Not by his power actually

means that actually these small, little, small k kingdoms right draw power from

somewhere else. Okay. You can interpret it as drawing power from a higher

order like God, or he could even come from Satan. Because these guys

were not doing God leadings. Okay, and this is what that particular thing

but with its power, not by its own power, but by another power.

Now, I'll pause you for a while because I need to catch a

breath. Okay. I know it's a lot to digest, but prophecies usually,

right, there's a short term prophecy and a long term prophecy. Okay,

there's the there is the now or near, and then there's a far

version. Okay. As I mentioned earlier, the near representation of that prophecy,

right was the cruel King that we talked about. Okay, that shows

a glimpse of it. But the far version right is actually talking about Antichrist,

which is in the Book of Revelation. Okay, So it's giving a

glimpse of the final destiny that's about happened. So just be watchful. It's

another way you put it. And Antiochus is actually the representation of the Antichrist

in a smaller form. Imagine the magnitude of what an Antichrist would be or

the damage that it will do later the small little hornor confresion with him or

imagined the Antichrist. Okay, just to be watchful, and this will happen.

It hasn't happened yet, Praise God. But it will happen, maybe

tomorrow, maybe our time, maybe after a lifetime, but it will happen.

Now, let's finish up twenty three and in the latter time of the

kingdom. Okay. In other transition, he talks about the end times or

when the world no longer exists. Okay, when the transgressors has reached their

fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features. Who understands since the

schemes and this the antiquist I'm talking about, Okay. His power shall be

mighty. Not by his own power he shall destroy fearful, he shall prosper

and try he shall destroy the mighty and also the Holy people. Again,

more suffering is coming, all doom and gloom. He's gonna get worse.

It's way to put it, okay, twenty five through him, through his

cunning, he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule. Okay. Everyone

knows the ultimate liar, right, the king of lies as ata and it

is the word we use. But he's this guy, the Antichrist, is

dispatched by Satan himself. Okay, because he's under Satan's authority, okay,

and he will destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the

prince of Princess. Again, that's God if if you don't know, is

referring to God, okay. As you see kings rulers, or rather earthly

kings and rulers, sometimes they they hate. They have so much hatred for

the real God that they inflict damage to the people that are God's centric or

God or very Godly. In a sense, it means they basically inflict a

lot of suffering to those that follow God. In short, because they they

won't to exert there authority, they won't exert their rule. So in some

sense they can only get to Capitol G God, true God's people because they

know that they can never reach capital G God. And this was exactly what's

happened, and it's going to get worse, as I mentioned to you.

But the good news is at the end. But he shall be broken at

the very end, who is he the anti Christ shall be broken. But

the best part about that last particular line there is with doubt human means.

The means is not going to be broken by human the means. We don't

humans cannot defeat the Antichrist, but ultimately the big Ga in short, okay,

so to come back. Okay, it shall be broken. So what's

the summary here. Various kings will rise and falls, earthly kings or rise

and fall. The great Mighty Queen Elizabeth also fallen to like I guess,

I guess to all age. But in God's time, God's kingdom will return.

And that's what we're talking about heaven rules. Of course, we have

a bit of a site, or rather some privilege to see what has happened

in the past, but there's a lot of future that we cannot really see.

But the bottom line is right. Humans can be very arrogant, can

be very I guess they think that they are always in control, and they

sometimes have an opposite heart of what we call a godly heart right, what's

right? And they will always resist control. They don't want to bow down

to a god because they feel that, hey, I'm in control it right,

So they always resist. But ultimate news is dead. They will be

broken, small little rulers. Eventually they will be broken as well. Even

the Antichrist will be broken. That's God's promise. He will be struck down

by God. Himself, and he read revelations right, Christ himself will actually

come down and let me just read the verse. The two of them will

be thrown a life in the fiery lake of sulfur. That's God coming down

and taking all this and just getting rid of them. Now. Just as

a reminder, many rulers here they govern and their own capacity. They do

not serve under God's authority. And that's sometimes when we pray for leaders,

even in our nation, we pray that they will submit to God to understand

have this fear of God, because if they actually understand that, things will

be aligned okay. But if they go and operate under their own authority,

is when you can see, I would dare say, right to certain extent,

they are little anti Christ behaviors or anti God behaviors in the way they

operate, because, like I said, humans, earthly kings have always thought

themselves as bigger, as stronger. It's human nature. When I'm well to

do, when I'm okay, when I'm wealthy, I don't pray as much

why such sufficient one? And that's why, like I said, sometimes God

allows things to happen is to it may seem a bit rude, but it

supposed to remind us who's ultimately in control. So the pandemic, yes,

is a blip, but I think it's a weak. I think many after

the pandemic has has set their priorities right. In short, and it takes

that I was shaking two wake us up otherwise, you know, business usual.

But yeah, we'll not go too much more into that. But yeah,

Christ is going to return eventually. In twenty six is the vision of

the evenings and mornings which was told is true? And and and earthly kings

hit that they don't like to they don't like the truth, therefore seal up

the vision for it refers to the many days in the future. As we

sit earlier, you know, time will and it reminds us again that only

God determines when that time is. But let's not just sit and wait.

I think we need to do something about it. And what did what did

Dinna do? And like I said, it will makes sense with the way

I started this the message what are you doing? Worse twenty seven I Daniel

fainted was for days. He couldn't take it, he couldn't start My imagine

seeing that right, like I said, in affects us. We see genocide

happened in effectus. We see kidnappings happen in affects us. We see people

are dying in affectus. It infected Daniel in a in a way that no,

none of us can imagine. But what do you do after that?

After that, I arose when about the King's business? I was astounished by

the vision, but no on neess today. So he still couldn't fully understand

it at the time, but he went ahead the God's business. So again,

ever few over them with things that are happening around you, what do

we do? This is USUALLYE pray about it, see God for it.

Move on. We cannot stop. We cannot be crippled. Ever ever,

ever seen in some cases where oh I cannot lie, I cannot function anymore.

I know it's difficult, but you have to do. You think his

energy was just stepped. He was definitely sapped. He was definitely feeling tired,

even affected, emotional, but he didn't allow himself to be paralyzed by

the overwhelming problem. He had to move on. And I hope Church that

we understand this is exactly what it means to be, you know, getting

back into business. Really just focused on the bigger things that we need to

do. And yes, as difficult as it may seem, it's a reminder

that we have to soldier on. And like I said earlier, the promises

at the end, suffering will not go on forever as his promise. But

in the meantime, yeah, let's just get the work done. And he

went back to work in Babylon serving the Pagan king. Not easy, you

know. I mean, it's nice to serve or work in a Christian organization.

Every understands what you're doing. But you and I a lot of us

are called to be out there a lot of pagan organizations that may not even

understand why you're doing the things you're doing. We do not appreciate what you're

doing, but we are caught to just soldier on, even though we may

not understand fully why we are put in the person, why and just it's

there, etc. With a heavy burden, he carried on the work that

God has placed in him. So Church, I'm just gonna end here,

Just remain faithful. I've gotta summary slide. Yeah, as much as we

listen to news, stomach it, yeah, but we had to carry on.

He can be deeply disturbing but don't let it cripple you, all right.

Sometimes God allows I named it God's God bell, right, he allows

dingdong troubles. Sometimes him come charging our way. But we need to understand

that we stied to serve God. It means to get He may be just

getting our attention. But don't be overwhelmed, but instead seious opportunities to draw

close to Him. And yeah, I'll just be effective in where you are

because maybe it's God's making you up. Be fearful in the present, go

back to work, be diligent to the task that God has placed in you.

Trust is the thing we sung about trust earlier. Right, I trust

in God, easy to sing? Right, What does it mean? Trust

in his sovereignty? Sovereignty actually means that God is God. God is King,

capital King. Know that he has the ultimate victory. It's not the

way to put it, because that is the end of the story. Really,

it's already written. Like I said, you read a book, you

skip to the end or read the snobsys that's the that the end, happy

ending, So hanging there, don't be overwhelmed. And the three served the

heavenly King. Remember everything, do your serving the king, serve your communities,

wherever you are engaged in your missions field. I'm not talking about going

to the missions in the traditional sense. Go out in your workplaces, in

your schools, in your colleges, and just do whatever you're called to do.

Glorify God in whatever you do. Lastly anchored in his internal kingdom.

This simply agious reminds us to yea, even though we're burden, don't be

consumed by the challenges because they're all temporary. It's going to be okay.

It's going to be okay. Our hope comes from God. I'll put my

trust in you. Right. The perspective should change the way you look at

things, and really just a reminder that He's in control should be sufficient.

I remember last time, whenever my dad walks in, things will be fine

because Dad knows what to do. I crashed my car, all right,

that what I do. He comes and he saves the day. A superhero

when I was younger. It still is, by the way, but this

is the God you can call on, So just be anchored and remember He's

more eternal than whatever we're going through. We hope you've been blessed by this

message. For more information on our church, please visit X Church org.

We are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that this week is

going to be a good week. I hit for you. God bless