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GOD'S CHALLENGE
II. Part 1– God’s Challenge
Revelation 17
The Beast that was, is not, yet is and the 2nd Fulfillment of
Daniel 2:33, 41-43
The final overthrow of all earthly dominions is plainly foretold
in the word of truth. In the prophecy uttered when sentence from
God was pronounced upon the last king of Israel is given the message:
"Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off
the crown:.. exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.
I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more,
until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.”
Ezekiel 21:26-27.
The crown removed from Israel passed successively to the kingdoms
of Babylon, Medo-Percia, Greece, and Rome. God says, "it
shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will
give it Him."
That time is at hand, Today the signs of the times declare that
we are stand¬ing on the threshold of great and solemn events.
Everything in our world is in agita¬tion. Before our eyes
is fulfilling the Saviour's prophecy of the events to precede
His coming: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...
Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,
in divers places."
Matthew 24:6-7.
God's challenge to everyone of us
"Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong
reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
"Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen:
let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider
them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for
to come.
"Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may
know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be
dismayed, and behold it together.”
Isaiah 41:21-23.
Why the challenge?
"And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came
unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be?
and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the
world?
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no
man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many...
"For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets,
and shall show great signs and wonders: insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Matthew 24:3-5, 24.
God's promise and assurance
"Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things
do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Isaiah 42:9.
Can we rely on any private interpretation (thus saith the man)
of God's word?
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is
of any private inter¬pretation.
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
II Peter 1:20-21.
How can we understand prophecy? What awaits those who read and
hear the words of God?
"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."
John 7:17.
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words
of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:
for the time is at hand."
Revelation 1:3.
To whom will God reveal His secrets? Was It because of our wisdom
that He reveals these things to us?
"Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The
secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers,
the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;
“But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and
maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter
days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are
these;...
"But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any
wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that
shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou
mightest know the thoughts of thy heart."
Daniel 2:27-28, 30.
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