Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
Great Reunions: Jacob and Esau
Today’s Audio Devotion:
Great Reunions: Jacob and Esau
The word estranged comes from a Latin word that meant “not belonging to the family; a stranger.” Family members can sometimes be estranged from one another due to a conflict in the past. But when they meet and are reconciled, their reunion is watered by tears of joy.
That was the situation with the two sons of Isaac—Esau and Jacob. As the older brother, Esau was in line to receive Isaac’s blessing as the firstborn. But Jacob tricked Isaac into bestowing the blessing on him instead. Esau’s grudge against Jacob caused Jacob to flee for his life to the home of a family relative in a distant land (Genesis 27:41-45). Many years later, Jacob returned to Canaan with his own family. When Esau saw his younger brother coming, he ran to him and embraced him—and they wept together.
Reconciliation and reunion don’t have to take years of estrangement to heal. Be the first to build a bridge if estrangement has taken place (Matthew 5:23-24).
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
William Blake
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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).