Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
Bible Dads: Paul
Today’s Audio Devotion:
Bible Dads: Paul
When we meet Timothy in Acts 16:1, he’s a teenager, the “son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.” The word “but” seems to imply that Timothy didn’t have a believing father. Perhaps he had little fatherly influence in his life. The life-shaping influences for Timothy were his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15).
The apostle Paul informally adopted Timothy and made him part of his traveling team. Imagine the conversations they had as they hiked the Roman roads, camped under the stars, and sailed the blue sea. Soon Paul was sending Timothy on missions of his own. Eventually the young man became overseer of the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote two letters to him in Ephesus—1 and 2 Timothy, the latter being the final known words of the apostle.
You can influence some young person for the Lord. Keep your eyes open. Through your prayers, encouragement, hospitality, and words of wisdom, you can shape the next generation.
The old disciples of Christ owe to the succeeding generations to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the power, pleasure, and advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises.
Matthew Henry
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Some 2,600 years ago, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream. In this dream, the king saw a five–part statue made of five different metals (see Daniel 2). Each section represented an empire, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. Four of these empires have already risen and fallen in history—a clear fulfillment of Daniel's prophetic interpretation. The fifth and final empire indicates a future Europe—a ten nation coalition that will unite under the Antichrist's rule.
You can read about the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation in Daniel 2, but let's take a quick visual look at what you will find:
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King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Daniel's words to the king are clear. "You are this head of gold" (Daniel 2:37–38).
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Medo–Persian Empire
The Medo–Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately two hundred years (Daniel 5:28).
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Grecian Empire
Greece's Empire succeeded the Medo–Persians (Daniel 8:21).
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Roman Empire
When the Grecian empire was conquered by Rome, all the lands and peoples of the previous kingdoms were assimilated into the Roman Empire through the strengths of the "iron legions of Rome" (Daniel 2:40).
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Future European Coalition
This empire has not yet risen. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire—Europe—will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. The future Roman Empire will be present on the earth when God sets up His earthly kingdom (Daniel 2:44).