To m m y N e l s o n B i B l e S T u dy S e r i e S S T u dy G u i d e
Da n i e l T h i n g s To C o m e T h e K ey to Biblical P ro p h e cy a n d H ow It Can Change Yo u r L i f e To d a y WARNING - THIS PDF IS FOR YOUR PERSONAL USE ONLY. IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED BY LAW TO MAKE COPIES AND DISTRIBUTE TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOUR RESPECT OF THE LAW IN THIS MATTER ALLOWS US AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THESE RESOURCES.
By T o m m y N e l s o n T E AC H E R O F T H E S O N G O F S O LO M O N S E R I E S
T HINGS TO COME WARNING - THIS PDF IS FOR YOUR PERSONAL USE ONLY. IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED BY LAW TO MAKE COPIES AND DISTRIBUTE TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOUR RESPECT OF THE LAW IN THIS MATTER ALLOWS US AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THESE RESOURCES.
i
i
Copyright Š 2008 by Hudson Productions All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this material in any form without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. All Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Version Published 2008 by
13800 Montfort Drive, Suite 260 Dallas, TX 75240 Printed in the United States of America ii
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM TOMMY NELSON Ideal for Personal or Group Bible Study
NEW Romans The Book of Romans taught by Tommy Nelson… Coming January 2009! Video Series (DVD) Study guide
A Life Well Lived Video Series (DVD) Audio Series (CD) 96-page study guide A Life Well Lived (book)
Song of Solomon VideoSeries(DVD) Audio Series (CD) 112-page study guide The Book of Romance (book)
Song of Solomon for Students Video Series (DVD) 70-page Student study guide
Daniel, Things to Come Video Series (DVD) 80-page study guide
Live Conferences Song of Solomon Adult Conference Song of Solomon Student Conference A Life Well Lived Conference For more information call 800-729-0815 or visit www.songofsolomon.com iii
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Tommy Nelson and Hudson Productions wish to thank the following friends, without whose help, this series and study guide would not have been possible: Chris Mano, Director Quin Mathews Films Watermark Community Church Katie Beth Massengill, Watermark Community Church Martin Massinger Jason Johnson Gravity Digital Pocket Pak albums Millet The Printer Studio recording audience and special thanks to Hil Bowman Pat Shaffer Sandra Orellana Ashley Jones Jennifer Canterbury John and Kelly Wills
ABOUT HUDSON PRODUCTIONS Hudson Productions exists to create tools and resources to encourage and teach Biblical truths to individuals and churches. Our four goals are to: 1. Edify the Body of Christ. 2. Equip churches with quality resources to help affect life change in their ministries. 3. Equip Christians with personal Bible study tools that will help them engage with Scripture. 4. Develop resources to help churches, ministries, and individual Christians reach those who are searching for Truth. Hudson Productions was started in 1997 by Doug and Carrie Hudson. Doug is a graduate of Furman University in Greenville, SC and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth,TX. Doug and Carrie live in Dallas,TX with their children K.K., Macy, and Mac. Doug served as the Minister to Single Adults at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano,TX from 1990-1998 where he founded the popular singles Bible study, METRO.
iv
CONTENTS
Page ABOUT THE AUTHOR
vi
HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE
vii
Session 1 Nine Reasons for Biblical Prophecy
1
Session 2 The Times of the Gentiles, part 1
5
Session 3 The Times of the Gentiles, part 2
15
Session 4 Revelation of the Antichrist, part 1
19
Session 5 Revelation of the Antichrist, part 2
25
Session 6 Near and Far: A Closer Look at the Antichrist, part 1
31
Session 7 Near and Far: A Closer Look at the Antichrist, part 2
37
Session 8 The Seventy Weeks of Daniel, part 1
43
Session 9 The Seventy Weeks of Daniel, part 2
51
Session 10 Living as a Minority in a Majority World
55
Session 11 From King to Animal to Worshiper
65
Session 12 The Timeline of Human History
75
Appendix Answer Key
80
Coming Soon
82
v
v
New Bible Study Series
Coming JANUARY 2009
THE TOMMY NELSON BIBLE STUDY SERIES Over the course of the last eleven years of conducting Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes Conferences, we have had the opportunity to hear about the Bible study needs of individuals and churches across the United States. To meet these needs, Tommy Nelson and Hudson Productions have created the Tommy Nelson Bible Study Series of which A LIFE WELL LIVED and DANIEL, THINGS TO COME are the newest releases. We plan to release new or updated Bible study series at least once a year. To learn more, please visit www.songofsolomon.com. vi
BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER…READ THIS! We are so excited you have decided to plunge into discovering life lessons from the book of Daniel. If you are a small group leader, thanks for taking the opportunity to shepherd others along the way. And if you are using this series for personal study, get ready for a life-changing experience you will want to share with others! Here are a few tips as you get started with the series: • This study was designed with small groups in mind. So put a small group together and get started. • The series is also perfect for individuals or couples who are looking for ways to deepen their devotions or find practical ways to apply the timeless truths of Scripture. • This curriculum is designed to be used as either a 12-week or a 6-week study. Each DVD session is between 18-35 minutes long. The sessions are designed to be used as follows: watch each session and then discuss the questions in the study guide. • Depending on the length of your meeting time, you can watch two sessions per meeting to make this curriculum a 6-week series. • Tommy Nelson introduces and closes each session.You do not want to miss out on his exhortations that accompany each session! • In lieu of chronological chapter order, the majority of sessions (2-9) focus on the prophetic chapters of Daniel and several sessions (10 & 11) are more applicable in nature.
A WORD TO SMALL GROUP LEADERS There is no separate leader’s guide. Leaders are truly just facilitators of the material; there are no right or wrong answers. The questions are designed to spur discussion and interaction based on the truths found in Daniel. Before each session we encourage leaders to: • Pray – ask the Lord for guidance on how to lead the members in your group. Pray that He will show you ways to stimulate genuine, dynamic, and open communication. • Preview – it will be very beneficial for you to watch the session before you share it with your group.You will notice the key points from each session and you can better facilitate the discussion questions within your group. • Prepare – a small group will only go as deep and be as transparent as the leader. vii
vii
1 SESSION 1 NINE REASONS FOR BIBLICAL PROPHECY 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
INTRODUCTION In lieu of natural disasters, international political and military conflicts and tyrannical world leaders rising in power, the discussion of the End Times has become a prominent cultural feature discussed in all major media arenas throughout the last century. Headlines preach it, Hollywood capitalizes on it, and best-selling books fictionalize it. Some grand assumptions have been made. Some predictions have been seriously miscalculated. Yet through it all one strand of truth lingers deep within the minds of every man and woman on this planet – there is an end coming. This truth can either debilitate you or motivate you. It can discourage you or inspire you. The Bible is clear – There is an end coming, and everything throughout history has been working towards that end. The study of prophecy is not just about figuring out how it will all end, but it is about finding our place in this journey and understanding how knowing the end of the story now gives us even more purpose, peace and passion for living today. Biblical prophecy has a two-fold purpose. First, it educates us. We see how the End Times will look, who will be involved, and what affect it will have on all of humanity. Second, it transforms us.The study of Biblical prophecy calls us all to examine who we are and how we are living today in light of eternity to come. In this session we will explore why the study of Biblical prophecy is so critical and how we as believers should then live in light of the glorious and inevitable ending that is coming.
Session One • 1
Notes List the nine reasons for Biblical prophecy: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
2 • Session One
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What benefit is there in studying prophecy? Review the nine key reasons for studying prophecy Tommy Nelson outlined and highlight a few that were most significant to you.
2. How does our understanding of the end times make what once was precious to us now seemingly worthless, and what once was seemingly worthless now incredibly precious? If you knew you had only a few weeks to live, what oranges in your life would become jewels, and what jewels would become oranges?
3. In this session, Tommy Nelson talked about how understanding prophecy requires a moral response on our part. It is not just an intellectual exercise. How does our understanding of the end times change us? How have you seen this truth play out in your own life?
Unpacking the Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:17 When Christ returns the dead will rise and those who are still living will be “caught up”, or “plucked, wrapped up” in the sky to meet the Lord and be taken away with Him. This is the rapture of the church.
“The scriptures are given not to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” -Dwight L. Moody
3 • Session One
Session One • 3
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
4.The word “hope” carries a different meaning in our culture than it does in the Bible.What is the nature of the “blessed hope’ we have in the future according to Titus 2:11-13? How is the world’s hope different from the hope we have in Christ?
“When you know the end from the beginning it’s meant to do something in your life.” -Tommy Nelson
5. We are to always live in light of eternity. What obstacles do you face in life that prevent you from maintaining this perspective? What steps can you take to remove some of those hindrances?
4 • Session One