Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: We spend so much time in things that are not of value. This flesh is going to pass away. You're going to go into the grave. You're going to be cremated or they're going to put you in a box and then put you down. But the moment you take your last breath, you're in the presence of the Lord or you're in hell. That's what the Bible teaches.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. We are glad to have you along today for our continuing study of God's absolute sovereignty over life, death, and the afterlife.

Pointing to biblical prophecies that have already been fulfilled, Raul will urge you to trust the Lord's promises concerning the end of the world. All that we know will one day be wiped away, but we will live on, either communing with God in heaven or separated from Him in hell. If you have your Bible, join us in Daniel chapter 9. Here's Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: This is probably one of the greatest chapters in the book of Daniel. It starts in chapter 1 when he's taken to Babylon, then chapter 2, chapter 4, chapter 6, chapter 7, and then chapter 9 exposes the whole situation that is taking place today, believe it or not. You know what's coming pretty soon as you kind of see where Israel is today.

I went back and I was doing a lot of study for this morning because I want to make sure I'm right on what I'm going to say with you because these are the things that are happening today and in the future. And I want to share with you the word of God. This is important for us to understand that in Daniel chapter 9 is a very important chapter, especially from verses 20 to 27 that are not only a warning for us, going back to the book of Nehemiah chapter 1 to chapter 2, and then when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey.

The prophet speaks about 70 years, or 490 years, that have to come to fulfillment prophetically speaking. Jesus is speaking about the church, talking about that church that would be in existence at this time that God is speaking to the Jew. Guess who that church is? We are the church. Not just this church; we are the church that God is speaking about from the time of Acts chapter 2 to the present time.

2,000 years have gone by, and the Lord says, "Seven years I'm going to be with Israel." He says because the Antichrist, the false prophet, will rise up, but they can't rise up until the church is taken out of the way. The rapture of the church; it hasn't happened. Some people have given up and said it's never going to happen. It's going to happen in God's time. And once He comes for the real church, all hell is going to break loose.

Daniel in this chapter comes to a place where he says, "Okay, you guys, 70 years are almost up," and then God will release 42,500 to go back to Jerusalem. But he says things are going to happen quickly. He says in verses 20 to 27, "This is for the last days, what's going to happen." So let's begin with a prayer. He starts with a prayer. Let's look at verse 1 of chapter 9.

He says, "In the first year of Cyrus the king, the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, Persia, Iran, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by the books of the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem." So 70 years times 7 is 490 years. We'll get to see that at the end.

Verse 3: "Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer." Immediately, he puts himself among the sinful people and this is what he says: "I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer, supplications and fasting, and sackcloth and ashes." A sign of mourning. A sign of repentance. He wants the people to repent.

Verse 4: "And I prayed to the Lord my God," notice my God, "and made confession and said, 'O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His word, commandments.'" In verse 4, he says this when he uses the word Lord there, it is Yahweh. God, Elohim. Lord, Adonai. These are the terms that are used for the name of the Lord titles.

Verse 5: "We," here it is again, we, "he with the people, we have sinned and committed iniquity." He puts himself not as a self-righteous person; he says, "Lord, I have sinned just like these people have sinned. I am a sinner. We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled even by departing from your precepts and your judgments." We departed from the word of God and we have not had part for the word of God. We have left the word of God out of our reach.

Well, when you put God last, it doesn't work. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. You've got to read. You've got to pray. You've got to share the gospel with people because if you don't, then why are you a Christian? Because you're afraid of hell? When you know that God wants to give you freedom, very simple by repenting, asking Him to come into your heart and by His blood, He wipes out all their sins, all of our sins. And when He does that, what do you have? The peace of God.

The peace of God. Maybe you're here and you don't have the peace of God in your life. And maybe the Lord is going to speak to you today because as He speaks, verse 6: "Neither have we," again, "listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, to our princess, to our fathers and to all the people of the land." He says we haven't listened. We've done whatever we wanted to do.

Verse 7: "O Lord, righteousness belongs to you." God is righteous. We become righteous by the blood of Christ. "We belong to you, but to us, shame of face as is this day to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries of which you have driven them because of unfaithfulness which they have committed against you." He already talks about the Jews being all over the world, which God will bring back, which He did in 1948, May 14th.

He says, "O Lord, to us belongs shame." They are ashamed of what they've done to our kings, to our princess, to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. You know how many times he says we have sinned against you? "To the Lord our God belongs mercy, forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him." He wants to forgive you. He doesn't want you to be guilty. Are you guilty here today? Are you ashamed of what you've done or what you're doing today?

Don't just come here to think you're going to have the peace of God, because you're not. I always say this, and you've heard me say it so many times, when you come through those doors, you should say, "Okay, Lord, how can you change my life today?" You don't want to leave the same way you came here, then that means the word of God didn't do nothing to you. You want the word of God to change you, to transform you, so that people can see your testimony, your loved ones, your friends, your enemies. That's why we're Christians.

He goes on to declare in verse 9 again, "The Lord our God belongs mercy, forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws," the word of God, "which He set before us by His servant, the prophets." So we go back to the Old Testament, we come to the New Testament, we have the word of God. The Jew has only the Old Testament. We have the Old Testament and we have the New Testament because of Christ.

They don't accept Christ, so they don't have and they don't believe in the New Testament yet. They will. And in verse 10 again, "So we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servant, the prophet." Verse 11: "Yes, all Israel has transgressed or sinned your law and has departed so as not to obey your voice. Therefore," again, when he uses the word therefore he's taking you back, "therefore to curse an oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us because we have sinned against him." So he takes them back to Egypt where the word of God was given to them in Sinai. He says we know the word of God and we're disobeying God's word.

"And He was confirming His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges and notice who judged us by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under whole heaven such have been noticed done as what has been done in Jerusalem." Destroyed, wiped out. "As it is written in the book of Exodus, as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us. Yet we have not made our prayers before the Lord our God that we might turn from our sins, iniquities and understand your truth." You're not going to understand the truth unless you repent.

We spend so much time in things that are not of value. This flesh is going to pass away. You're going to go into the grave. You're going to be cremated or they're going to put you in a box and then put you down. But the moment you take your last breath, you're in the presence of the Lord or you're in hell. That's what the Bible teaches.

Therefore, another therefore: "The Lord has kept this disaster or the disaster has been kept in the mind and brought upon us. For the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He has done. Notice, though we have not obeyed His voice." How many times He repeats Himself about not obeying the voice of the Lord.

"And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt," He says, "with a mighty hand and made yourselves a name as it is this day, we have sinned and we have done wickedly." Confession comes along by Jeremiah here.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com to check out our wide array of faith-enriching, Bible-based resources. And our free app will also help you infuse God's word into your daily life with digital studies, live-streamed Bible teaching, and much more. Let's continue now with more from Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: He says in verse 16, "O Lord, according to all your righteousness, I pray. Let your anger and your fury turn away from your holy city, Jerusalem. Your holy mountain. Because our sins, for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem," it says, "and your people are a reproach to all those around us, Jerusalem."

"Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of your servant Jeremiah, and his supplications," plural, "and for the Lord's sake, cause your face to shine on your sanctuary which is desolate," speaking of Jerusalem. It's desolate. "O my God, incline your ear and hear, open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by your name. For we do not present our supplications before you because of our righteousness indeed, but because your great mercies. Great mercies given to them."

He goes on to declare verse 19: "O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen. O Lord, act. Do not delay for your own sake, my God. For your city and your people are called by your name." See, we are called Christians because of Christ. They were called according to the title the Lord had in the Old Testament.

But then he says this, verse 20: "This we begin now from the prayer to the 70 weeks of prophecy." He says, "Now while I was still speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God and for the holy mountain of God," speaking of Jerusalem, Calvary, remember that mountain where they went to and Christ was crucified.

Verse 21: "Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel. Remember Michael and Gabriel? They were archangels. Here Gabriel is used. Gabriel was also used in not only in Daniel chapter 9 here or chapter 8, verses 16 to 27 in Daniel's vision. But also he reveals the prophecy of the 70 weeks here in chapter 9:21-22. And then he announces in the New Testament John the Baptist's birth, Luke chapter 1, verses 11 to 22. And then he announces the birth of Jesus Christ in the gospel of Luke chapter 1:26-38. And then he stands in the presence of God, Luke chapter 1:19. It's not Michael; it's Gabriel.

He says in verse 22, "And he informed me," so Gabriel was sent from heaven to come to speak to Daniel and say, "Daniel, this is what you're going to do. This is what's going to happen." So this brings us even to the present.

Verse 22: "And he informed me and talked with me and he said, 'O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill and understanding.' We can understand the word of God." He goes on, verse 23: "And at the beginning of your supplications, the command went out and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved. Therefore consider the matter and understand the vision." Notice what he said: "And you," he says, "for you are greatly beloved and consider the matter." He is well-beloved in heaven. Imagine in heaven, how about us in heaven?

Verse 24, here it comes: "70 weeks are determined," 490 years, "for your people and for your holy city Jerusalem, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity." How did that happen? Through Jesus. "To bring everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy." A complete prophetic end. No more prophecy once Jesus Christ comes again. "And to anoint the most holy. Who's that? Jesus."

Verse 25: "Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince." So the prophecy was given and then this happens: "There shall be seven weeks, sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublesome time." Remember in 70 AD the actual Romans came at that time, Titus the Roman General came and destroyed the city of Jerusalem, burned it down, and then what happened to Jerusalem? It was totally destroyed even to the present time when you go there.

The Lord wants us to understand that He loves the Jew, but the Jew doesn't love Him. But they will because of the prophecy being given today. He goes on to declare verse 26 again: "And after sixty-two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off," going to be what, crucified. So from Nehemiah to the crucifixion is 483 years. Remember that. "Of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city of Jerusalem, the city. Who is that? Titus the General of Rome. He burned down the city of Jerusalem. When you go there with us, you can see these big old stones that we don't even know how they put them up, how they took them down, huge. In the city of David, you can see the actual ashes.

So he says, "Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end shall be with a flood and in the end of war desolation are determined." Now here it is, very carefully listen: "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week." Who's that? The Antichrist. You see? The church has been taken, and now here is the prophecy of the Antichrist. He says, "And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week," seven years. "But in the middle of the week," what's that, the half of the middle of seven years, three and a half semi, the last three and a half years, great tribulation.

"But in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end in sacrifice of offering." He's going to allow the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. You've been with us on top of the mount; we have the Muslim temple, the mosque of Omar, and on the other side there's a flat place where Solomon built the actual temple there. And the temple is going to be built there in the same place. The Antichrist is going to allow it.

Verse 27 again: "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offerings and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even unto the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate."

Now let me give you the background now, what's going to happen. Sir Robert Anderson wrote a book called The Coming Prince. He says in order to find an end of the 69 weeks, we must first reduce them into days. So since we have 69 weeks of 7 years each and each year 360 days for one year, the equation is to follow: 69 times 7 times 360 equals 173,880 days exactly.

Beginning with March 14, 445 BC, Nehemiah chapter 2, bringing us to April 6, 32 AD, Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to prove that 173,880 days equal exactly the period from March 14, 445 BC to April 6, 32 AD. And we're living in that period of time. I know for a fact because the Bible is true. The word of God is true. Man, if you don't know Jesus, you better know Him. If you're not walking with Jesus, you better walk with Christ. These are the days the Bible speaks about.

Guest (Male): From what the Bible says about the end times, it seems likely that we're living in one of the final chapters of world history, and it's more important than ever that we prepare to see God face to face. You're listening to Somebody Loves You radio with Raul Ries. Today's message was titled "Hell Breaks Loose." For an unedited version with much more teaching, just call us at 800-634-9165 and for a donation of five dollars or more, we'll send one to you.

To equip you with clarifying insight into the afterlife, we'd like to tell you about Raul's four-lesson series titled "Heaven or Hell." It's available on both CD and USB. Zeroing in on the two eternal destinations given in the word of God, this study will help you better understand God's salvation plan and the way He's provided through Jesus to live with Him forever.

Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to purchase Raul's four-message "Heaven or Hell" study. We'll send you the CD set for 18 dollars or the thumb drive for just 10 dollars. The number again is 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You radio, PO Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

Don't forget your tax-deductible gifts are a great blessing to us and we're grateful for your partnership as we share the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ. Next time we'll continue with more in this series, looking into the sobering reality of hell. God doesn't want anyone to exist apart from Him for all eternity, and He gives each of us an opportunity to choose peace and joy with Him in heaven. This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You radio in Diamond Bar, California.