Vineyard Labourer Bible College

Study 10

UNFOLDING THE FUTURE

The Bible contains that which will make the Christian strong in spirit and intellect. The psalmist says, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." The Bible is a wonderful book, It is a history that opens up to us the past centuries. Without the Bible we should have been left to conjectures and fables in regard to the occurrences of past ages. It is a prophecy that unveils the future. It is the Word of God, unfolding to us the plan of salvation, pointing out the way by which we may escape eternal death and gain eternal life. It gives not only the history of this world, but a description of the world to come. It contains instruction concerning the wonders of the universe; it reveals to our understanding the character of the Author of the heavens and the earth. In it is the revelation of God to man.

The searching of all books of philosophy and science cannot do for the mind and morals what Bible study can do, if it is made practical. He who studies the Bible holds converse with patriarchs and prophets. He comes in contact with truth clothed in elevated language, which exerts a fascinating power over the mind, and lifts the thoughts from the things of earth to the glory of the future, immortal life. What wisdom of man can compare with the revelation of the grandeur of God? Finite man, who knows not God, seeks to lessen the value of the Scriptures, claiming that his supposed knowledge of science will not harmonize with the Word of God; but the divine Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path.

WHAT SAITH THE LORD

1. What has God given man to guide him? 2 Peter 1:19.

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:" 2 Peter 1:19.

2. Through what agents does God communicate His secrets to mankind? Amos 3:7.

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

Please read the entire chapter of Daniel 2. In this dream God outlined the future of an ancient king (Daniel 2:29). Notice how God used Daniel.

3. Why should this dream be of special interest to us? Daniel 2:28.

"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;" Daniel 2:28.

4. Who revealed the dream to Daniel? Daniel 2:27, 28.

"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;" Daniel 2:27, 28.

5. What had the king seen in his dream? Daniel 2:31-35.

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Daniel 2:31-35.

Note: In this dream God outlined the history of this world from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to its very end. By the use of different metals in the image He revealed that there would be four empires in the succeeding years. History reveals that these empires were: Babylon (head of gold), Medo-Persia (chest and arms of silver), Greece (thighs of brass), and Rome (legs of iron). By this image He showed that the forth world empire would be divided, represented by the feet composed of iron and clay.

6. What was represented by the head of gold? Daniel 2:37, 38.

"Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold." Daniel 2:37, 38.

Note: Babylon, with its magnificent display of wealth, was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Its beautiful buildings were interspersed with luxuriant gardens. Indeed it was the capital city of a golden kingdom.

7. How would the second kingdom, Medo-Persia, compare with Babylon? Daniel 2:39.

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." Daniel 2:39.

Note: God, through the prophet Daniel, told Belshazzar that the Babylonians were to be succeeded by the Medo-Persians. Daniel 5:25-31.

8. What part of the metal man represented the third kingdom of Greece? Daniel 2:39.

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." Daniel 2:39.

Note: "The battles of Granicus, 334 BC, Issus in the following year, and Arbela in 331 BC, settled the fate of the Persian Empire, and established the wide dominion of the Greeks." - H. Grattan Guinness, "The Divine Programme of the World's History," page 308.

9. What part of the image represents the fourth world empire, Rome? Daniel 2:40.

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." Daniel 2:40.

Note: "The images of gold, or silver, or brass, that might serve to represent the nations and their kings, were successively broken by the iron monarchy of Rome." - Edward Gibbon, "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," Chapter 38, General Observations at end of chapter, par. 1.

10. As the feet, part iron and part clay, represented a divided condition, what was to happen to the iron kingdom of Rome? Daniel 2:41.

"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay." Daniel 2:41.

Note: Between AD 351 and 476 a series of invasions by barbaric tribes from Europe completely overran the Western Roman Empire and brought it to its end. These tribes included: Saxons (English), Franks (French), Alemanni (German), Burgundians (Swiss), Lombards (Italians), Visigoths (Spanish), Suevi (Portuguese), Vandals, Ostrogoths, and Heruli.

11. What statement of seven words shows that the Old World powers would never be welded back into one great kingdom? Daniel 2:43.

"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." Daniel 2:43.

12. At the end of earth's history, what will God set up? Daniel 2:44, 45.

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." Daniel 2:44, 45.

13. What event will mark the setting up of this kingdom? Matthew 25:31-34.

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" Matthew 25:31-34.

In every age man has looked for a better life in a land where the miseries and troubles of this world will be no more. Whether it be called Utopia, Heaven or Paradise, man has longed for a place and a time when all sickness, sorrow, and death will end.

In God's plan there is just such a heaven for the faithful. The Bible says that Abraham, the father of the faithful, looked for that type of home. In Hebrews 11:16, speaking of the saints of old, we read: "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."

We will learn about that city in another lesson. It will answer the longing of every heart and settle the problem of every sincere child of God.

As Christ was dying on the cross of Calvary, there was one bright spot in His hour of agony. The dying thief turned to Him for salvation. From the depths of his contrite heart he cried out, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." Luke 23:42. Back came the promise of Christ that the thief would be with Him in His kingdom. If you would like to make the same request of Christ ask Him now, in prayer.