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Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW016110A
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00:14 [John Bradshaw] This is It Is Written.
00:16 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:20 It's the first place in the world to see the sun. 00:24 The Chatham Islands--named "Rekohu" or "Misty Sun" by 00:29 the island's original settlers. Population: 600. 00:37 It's a part of New Zealand and it's 840 km or about 500 miles 00:42 east of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island. 00:45 Today, the Chathams are home to farmers and fishermen and some 00:49 of the biggest crayfish you're every likely to see. 00:53 At 373 square miles the Chatham Islands-- 00:58 an archipelago of ten islands-- is a quarter of the size 01:01 of Rhode Island. Life moves slowly here, kind of 01:06 how you might wish the rest of the world would be. 01:09 It takes about a day to get around the main island, but 01:12 there's plenty to see and even more to discover. 01:19 The Chatham Islands are the scene of one of the greatest 01:22 environmental success stories of the last hundred years. 01:26 In 1980 there were five Chatham Island Black Robins 01:31 left in existence. And among them, 01:33 only one breeding female. But through the hard work 01:37 and genius of government conservationists, 01:40 led by a man named Don Merton, the Chatham Islands Black Robin 01:45 was pulled back from the brink of extinction. 01:48 Today there are around 250 Chatham Islands Black Robins 01:52 alive, living out there on Little Mangere 01:56 and South East Islands. But 200 years ago here 02:01 on Chatham Islands, it wasn't the birds 02:03 facing extinction, but the people who lived here. 02:07 The most painful chapter in this island's history shines a light 02:11 on a remarkable stand taken hundreds of years before by 02:15 a leader here, and on the convictions of a people who 02:19 considered a sacred covenant to be of far greater importance 02:23 than even their own physical well-being. 02:29 Maui Solomon is the grandson of Tommy Solomon, 02:32 the last full-blooded Moriori, and he's the chairperson of 02:36 the Hokotehi Moriori Trust. Maui is one of the driving 02:40 forces behind the revival of the Moriori culture. 02:44 [Maui Solomon] Moriori were the first 02:46 to settle these islands 700-800 years ago, 02:51 and Rongomaiwhenua and his younger brother Rongomaitere 02:54 came from eastern Polynesia and came directly to these 02:59 islands. We have two threads 03:01 of settlement, one directly from eastern Polynesia 03:04 and another from Aotearoa. "Rekohu" literally means 03:09 "to gaze at the sun through the mist." 03:12 When Moriori first arrived on these islands, it would have 03:15 been a shock, because they'd come from tropical Polynesia 03:18 to a very temperate climate here on Rekohu. 03:23 But they rapidly adapted to this environment, and they used 03:28 local materials, flax and bull kelp and local trees 03:33 to construct their canoes, and their canoes were in 03:38 a very similar model were shaped to a European 03:41 rowing boat. Over 600 years ago, 03:46 Nunuku-whenua, the last in this line of spiritual leaders, 03:52 had witnessed from the mouth of his cave two warring factions. 03:58 He decreed that the people lay down their arms and that from 04:03 that time forward they live in peace and share the resources 04:06 of the land and the sea. He laid down the curse, 04:11 "The day you disobey, may your bowels rot." 04:14 And from that day forward, there was no further killing. 04:18 That worked for them in these islands for centuries. 04:21 And, of course, that experiment was put to the ultimate test 04:25 when Ngati Tama and Ngati Mutunga invaded 04:30 these islands in November 1835. [John] 04:36 In 1835, everything changed for the peaceful 04:40 Moriori society. To call what happened here 04:44 a tragedy would be to under-represent the magnitude 04:48 of what occurred. This was a catastrophe. 04:52 In fact, it was genocide. And while a catastrophe can 04:57 sometimes bring out the worst in people, it can also bring 05:01 out the best. And this one did both. 05:04 [Maui] Nine hundred 05:06 men, women, and children were brought in two boatloads 05:10 from Wellington in the Lord Rodney, 05:14 an English sailing vessel. When they arrived, 05:16 they were very unwell; it had been a rough journey. 05:20 The people were looked after by Moriori. 05:23 They were fed, sheltered. Not long after that, the newly 05:27 arrived Maori from New Zealand began to "takahi"-- 05:30 walk the land-- and killing and enslaving 05:33 Moriori as they went. And it was obvious what 05:36 the intensions were, was to wipe Moriori out. 05:39 [distant rumble] [John] 05:41 To understand the magnitude of what happened here, 05:44 you really need to keep in mind the era in which it occurred. 05:48 In 1835, invasion meant subjugation, 05:51 and it meant slavery. Blood would be shed, 05:55 lives would be lost, it would be ugly. 05:59 The practice of the invaders was to cannibalize 06:03 their enemies. So the invasion of the Moriori 06:07 here at Rekohu would involve unspeakable horrors. 06:12 Now, at that same time the musket wars were taking place 06:15 among the Maori tribes on mainland New Zealand. 06:18 So for the invaders, the thought of coming 06:21 to an island, taking it, 06:23 and killing the inhabitants was nothing out of the ordinary. 06:27 The Moriori held a council at a place called Te Awapatiki 06:31 to discuss what they should do. Some of the young men urged 06:34 that they should fight back. After all, 2,000 Moriori 06:38 and about 1,000 fighting men against 900 invaders 06:42 gave them a pretty good shot at victory, 06:44 even though they weren't a fighting people. 06:47 Not to win? Well, that would mean they'd be 06:50 killed, eaten, enslaved, and wiped out altogether. 06:57 So, 2,000 against 900-- you'd think the outcome 07:00 might be certain. Except it wasn't that simple, 07:05 because of Nunuku's Law. [Maui] 07:10 The ancestors brought with them the traditions and the customs 07:13 from eastern Polynesia, so they were a warrior people, 07:17 a war-like people. They also practiced cannibalism. 07:21 They came to the conclusion that "if we keep killing one another, 07:23 we'll wipe each other out. " They recognized that there's 07:27 always going to be conflict when you have humans. 07:29 So how do we manage that conflict? 07:32 So they evolved their own covenant of peace. 07:35 Combat was ritualized using a wooden staff. 07:38 First blood drawn, honor satisfied, 07:40 fighting was to cease. There shall be no killing. 07:43 Thou shalt not kill. [John] 07:45 About 500 years after Nunuku lived in this very cave, 07:50 the Moriori discovered they had invaders in 07:53 their backyard, and their very existence 07:56 was threatened. So what would they do? 07:59 They could honor Nunuku's Law, which defined them as a people 08:04 and ensured that life was treated as sacred, 08:06 or they could defend themselves and abandon a vital principle 08:11 of their society. Whatever their decision 08:14 would be, it would have enormous consequences. 08:18 So what would they do? We'll find out in just a moment. 08:22 ♪ [soft ethereal music] ♪ 08:32 World history has taught us to associate the word 08:35 "surrender" with thoughts of defeat, shame, and loss. 08:39 But what if it were the road to ultimate victory? 08:42 What if surrender meant letting go of your sin 08:44 or your dysfunction in exchange for freedom and integrity? 08:48 What if your Conqueror offered you healing, wholeness, 08:53 and power? When you're used to being 08:55 in charge, surrender to God may be a struggle. 08:58 But I guarantee you surrender to God is the greatest victory 09:01 you'll ever win. If you'd like to understand 09:04 more, request our free booklet, "The War is Over." 09:07 Simply call 800-253-3000 and ask for your free copy 09:12 of "The War is Over." If the line's busy, 09:15 please try again. Or you can write to 09:17 It Is Written at P O Box 6, Chattanooga, 09:20 Tennessee, 37401. We'll mail a free copy to 09:24 your address in North America. It Is Written is a faith-based 09:28 ministry, and your support makes it possible for us 09:31 to share God's good news with the world. 09:34 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent to the address on your 09:36 screen, or through our website at ItIsWritten.com. 09:40 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 09:43 ♪ [deep rumbling tones] ♪ 09:49 [John Bradshaw] This is It Is Written. 09:52 I'm John Bradshaw. This is a rugged 09:56 and often windswept place: the Chatham Islands. 10:00 Five hundred miles east of New Zealand 10:02 in the southern Pacific Ocean. Almost 200 years ago, 10:05 this was the scene of an incredible tragedy, 10:08 one that very nearly resulted in the extinction 10:11 of the people who lived here. 10:15 [Maui Solomon] Nine-hundred Maori in total 10:18 arrived and landed at Port Hutt. It was clear to the people 10:24 at that time that the invaders intended to wipe them out, 10:30 to enslave them. We're told that 1,000 men 10:35 met at Te Awapatiki to debate over three or four days what 10:41 the response would be to the invasion by Ngati Tama 10:44 and Ngati Mutunga. So the young men urged 10:47 resistance, but the elders forbade breaking their covenant 10:51 of peace, and said that the covenant wasn't something 10:54 that could be varied to suit the dictates of the time, 10:57 and it would be a complete loss of "mana" 11:00 for them as a people if they violated 11:02 that sacrosanct law. So this covenant of peace was 11:06 so sacred to Moriori they put their spiritual beliefs 11:11 above their physical needs. [John] 11:15 The will of the elders won out. Two chiefs, Torea and Tapata, 11:20 are quoted as having said, "The law of Nunuku is not 11:24 a strategy for survival, to be changed 11:28 as conditions vary. It is a moral imperative." 11:32 Nunuku's Law was a sacred covenant, and it would be 11:35 treated as such. The consequences for the Moriori 11:39 were disastrous. Initially, 226 were murdered. 11:44 Hundreds more were taken as slaves. 11:47 Many of the slaves were killed and eaten. 11:50 Some died from despair, while many others died 11:54 as a result of diseases introduced by the invaders. 11:58 In 30 years or so, the Moriori population fell 12:02 to just 101. Ninety percent of the Moriori 12:08 population had been killed. 12:13 Here in the Moriori marae is a memorial to those 12:17 who perished. At the Auckland Public Library, 12:20 the names of all the Moriori who died during that time 12:23 are recorded. So that while their lives 12:26 were lost, the memory of them was not. 12:30 And on the memorial are carved the names of those who died 12:34 during and following the massacre. 12:40 Now here's a question: Who would choose to lose 12:44 their life rather than to fight trying to defend it? 12:50 What kind of person or people, knowing the seriousness of the 12:55 consequences, would consider a law so important, so utterly 13:00 inviolable, that they would choose to honor that law 13:05 rather than preserve their own life or, essentially, 13:10 their entire culture? Is a law ever so important that 13:16 a person should die rather than violate that law? 13:20 When we go to the Bible we find again and again references to 13:24 people who chose to put a greater cause above 13:27 their own welfare, and even ahead of their own lives. 13:31 Let's look in Revelation 12. It's a discussion of God's 13:34 church, God's people down through the ages from 13:38 the time of the birth of Jesus. The church is depicted as a 13:42 woman--a figure God often uses in the Bible to 13:45 represent the church or His people. 13:48 She delivers a child-- that's Jesus. 13:51 Then the devil is represented as a red dragon. 13:54 He deceives a third of the angels in heaven 13:58 and goes on the attack against Jesus. 14:01 Jesus' ascension to heaven is mentioned, and then a time 14:04 of difficulty for the church. For 1,260 years--now, remember, 14:08 a day represents a year in Bible prophecy-- 14:11 for 1,260 years, the church is in the wilderness. 14:16 But God's people are ultimately triumphant, and there's 14:19 a description of at least some of God's people 14:21 in Revelation 12:11. It says, "And they overcame him 14:26 by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. 14:30 And they loved not their lives unto the death." 14:34 "They loved not their lives to the death." 14:40 Is a cause ever so great that a person should be willing 14:44 to lay down his or her life for that cause? 14:49 Here on the Chatham Islands, back in the 1830s, the answer 14:53 given to that question was 'yes.' 14:58 Throughout history there have been accounts of people who've 15:01 given their lives for others. During World War II, 15:05 a U.S. Army transport ship, the Dorchester, 15:08 was carrying hundreds of American troops to Europe. 15:12 This was a dangerous business. And while the ship was traveling 15:15 to Greenland, it was torpedoed and sunk by a German warship. 15:20 In the chaos, there weren't enough lifejackets to go around. 15:25 But the four chaplains on the ship--a Catholic, 15:28 two Protestants, and a Jew-- encouraged the troops, 15:32 helped them off the ship, and then gave their lifejackets 15:38 to the soldiers. They went down with the ship 15:42 into the frigid water singing and praying together, 15:47 and they died. A 43-year-old Gulf War veteran 15:53 retired from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and now he had 15:56 the kind of time he always wanted to have for his wife 15:59 and their 5-year-old boy. He'd been in the Gulf War; 16:03 he'd been involved in the invasion of Afghanistan. 16:06 But now, with the rest of his life stretching before him, 16:09 he decided that he'd take care of some projects he'd been 16:11 wanting to get to for some time. And one of them was to cut down 16:14 a tree in their backyard. He and his 5-year-old son went 16:18 out in the backyard, and they would clear that tree. 16:21 As the tree was falling to the ground, the 5-year-old boy 16:26 walked out into the path of the falling tree. 16:29 Now, this solider, this retired soldier, knew what to do. 16:32 He'd been awarded the Soldier's Medal 16:34 for bravery for rescuing soldiers from a helicopter crash 16:38 in Haiti, and he would save the life of his son as well. 16:42 He rushed into the path of the falling tree and pushed his son 16:45 to safety. But tragically, the tree fell 16:49 on him. They airlifted him to Vanderbilt 16:51 University Medical Center, but he was dead by the time 16:55 he arrived at the hospital. That little boy would grow up 17:00 with only hazy memories of his father. 17:04 But there'd be one thing he'd always know about his dad: 17:07 he'd know forever that his father loved him enough 17:11 to die so that he would live. ♪ [music] ♪ 17:22 Now, chaplains dying for men under their spiritual care and 17:26 on their side during a war, that's probably not altogether 17:30 surprising. A father dying for his son 17:33 is incredible, it's heroic, but that's something 17:37 we can understand. Now, the Moriori of 17:39 New Zealand's Chatham Islands died for an ideal. 17:42 And in Revelation 12, people died for someone 17:45 that they had never seen. What would drive a person 17:48 to do that? And what would you do 17:51 if you ever found yourself in a similar situation? 17:55 I'll be back with more in just a moment. 18:01 [Announcer] "Every Word" is a one-minute 18:04 Bible-based daily devotional presented by 18:06 Pastor John Bradshaw and designed especially 18:08 for busy people like you. Look for "Every Word" 18:12 on selected networks, or watch it online every day 18:14 on our website, ItIsWritten.com. 18:19 ♪ [upbeat music] ♪ 18:24 [John Bradshaw] Some verses of the Bible 18:26 cause you to really stop and reflect. 18:28 If you were honest with yourself, 18:30 what would you say is the driving force of your life? 18:34 What is the thing that you're most passionate about? 18:36 Paul wrote in Philippians 2:21, "For all seek their own, 18:40 not the things which are Jesus Christ's." 18:42 Of course, you can't exist in this world without being 18:44 involved in certain things. You wouldn't be 18:46 a very interesting person if you didn't have interests 18:48 and pursuits and so on. But what is it that drives you? 18:52 What's really the most important thing to you? 18:55 Paul wrote that the problem people have--and interestingly, 18:58 he said all people-- is that they put God's interests 19:01 behind their own. Could it be that many people 19:05 need to adjust their priorities? If you're one of those people, 19:08 ask God to help you to put His things first. 19:11 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 19:14 Let's live today by every word. 19:16 ♪ [music] ♪ 19:26 What if surrender meant letting go of your sin or 19:29 your dysfunction in exchange for freedom and integrity? 19:33 If you'd like to understand more, request our free 19:35 booklet, "The War is Over." Simply call 800-253-3000 19:40 and ask for your free copy of "The War is Over." 19:44 If the line's busy, please try again. 19:46 Or you can write to It Is Written at 19:48 P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tenneessee, 37401. 19:53 We'll mail a free copy to your address in North America. 19:56 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, and your support 20:00 makes it possible for us to share God's good news 20:03 with the world. Your tax-deductible gift can be 20:06 sent to the address on your screen, or through our website 20:09 at ItIsWritten.com. Thank you for your continued 20:12 prayerful support. Again, our toll-free number is 20:15 800-253-3000, and our web address is 20:20 ItIsWritten.com. 20:24 ♪ [ominous music] ♪ [John Bradshaw] 20:33 In 1835, a society was attacked without provocation. 20:38 Many were brutally murdered, and of those, many were cannibalized 20:42 and the survivors were enslaved. Almost 200 years later, 20:48 that society no longer exists. Remnants of that civilization 20:53 can still be seen. Centuries-old carvings 20:57 made by the Moriori are still visible on the trunks of trees, 21:02 ancient living artifacts from another era. 21:07 ♪ [melancholy piano music] ♪ [Maui Solomon] 21:13 I don't judge the ancestors for what they did 21:17 at the time they did it. That was the right thing 21:19 for them to have done, because that was their custom, 21:22 that was their tradition. And by holding fast to those 21:26 traditions, they have passed on to this present generation 21:30 of Moriori a legacy of peace, of hope. 21:34 Making that sacrifice, they've left a lesson for humanity. 21:38 They're not forgotten. Their legacy of peace and hope 21:42 lives on. 21:50 ♪ [chimes] ♪ [John] 21:53 Geographically, Chatham Island is a stunning place 21:58 filled with incredible features, including these basalt 22:01 columns reminiscent of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. 22:06 It was here in this stunning place that a peaceful society 22:12 met a violent end, because it chose to adhere to principles 22:16 that put values even above life itself. 22:21 For the Moriori, it was more important to do 22:24 the right thing than to dominate or to conquer another people. 22:30 The Moriori would choose the right path and make 22:33 a bold stand for peace. Like God's people 22:37 in Revelation 12:11, they loved not their lives unto the death. 22:45 What motivates a person to live by that creedo? 22:50 A famous Revolutionary War figure paid for his dedication 22:53 to his country with his life, and is quoted as having said, 22:57 "My one regret is that I only had one life to give 23:01 for my country." Now, while that quote 23:04 is disputed by some, that's patriotism. 23:09 The night before he died, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 23:12 was speaking at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, 23:15 on behalf of striking sanitation workers. 23:18 There had been threats made against his life; in fact, 23:20 the pilot of the plane that carried Dr. King and others 23:24 to Memphis, Tennessee, told the passengers on board that 23:27 plane that the plane had been guarded the night before. 23:31 During that speech, Dr. King said, "I don't know 23:35 what will happen with me now. We've got some difficult days 23:38 ahead. But it doesn't matter with me 23:41 now because I've been to the mountaintop... 23:44 I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up 23:47 to the mountain, and I've looked over, 23:50 and I've seen the Promised Land. I'm not fearing any man now. 23:56 Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." 24:02 The next day, outside room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, 24:07 the unthinkable happened. Now, what is it that drives 24:12 a man to go to those lengths, to consider a cause to be 24:15 more important even than his own well-being, 24:18 even than his own life? Well, for Dr. King, 24:22 it was justice; it was human rights; 24:25 it was the plight of his people. But let's consider Jesus 24:30 of Nazareth. The Bible says of Jesus, 24:33 "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 24:37 Romans 5:8. And why? 24:40 John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave 24:46 His only begotten Son." 24:49 Love, the great motivator. Now, there's something important 24:54 to consider here. God had a law. 24:57 Human beings had broken that law. 25:00 The only way for human beings to be reconciled to God 25:04 was through the death of His Son, Jesus, 25:07 although if God had simply set aside His law, the death 25:13 of Jesus wouldn't be necessary. That would have been the easy 25:16 way out for God, a way out of a terrible situation 25:20 that no parent wants to endure. But just as the Moriori 25:24 considered their law too sacred to be set aside, 25:28 God considered His law to be too important 25:31 to set aside also. And as a consequence, 25:35 Jesus willingly went to the cross for you and me, 25:40 because God so loved the world. John 15:13 says, "Greater love 25:47 hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life 25:51 for his friends." I've heard people say they don't 25:55 believe they have the faith necessary to be a martyr. 25:59 Well, there are people in this world paying the ultimate price 26:02 for their faith in God, and the Bible does say that 26:05 there are challenging times ahead for planet earth. 26:08 But the truth is, God's not asking most of us 26:11 to die for Him. Instead, He's asking us 26:16 to live for Him. And that involves death--dying 26:20 to one's own self-interest, dying to one's own self-will. 26:25 In holding to Nunuku's Law, the Moriori gave more to 26:29 the world in their destruction than many civilizations give 26:31 to the world in their existence. An example of what it means to 26:35 be truly committed to a worthy, to a noble cause. 26:39 An example of what it means to consider something so important 26:43 that it's more important than life itself. 26:46 That's how committed Jesus was to you, so committed 26:49 that He gave His life so that you might live. 26:54 What are you planning to do with that gift Jesus died 26:56 to give you? Let's pray. 27:00 Father in heaven, thank You today for Jesus, 27:03 Your gift to the world. Salvation was purchased 27:06 at an infinite cost to Yourself. When you could have spared 27:09 the life of Jesus, Your Son, You didn't. 27:12 When Jesus could have walked away from the cross, 27:15 He didn't. Today as You offer that gift 27:18 to the world, I pray for those hearing me right now. 27:20 In light of all You've done, grant great grace to those 27:24 who need to respond to Your mercy and goodness. 27:26 Grant that they would do so now. Will you receive Jesus as your 27:30 Lord and Savior, friend? Will you accept eternal life 27:33 right now? Lord, thank You for the 27:36 certainty of a life of meaning, an eternal life with You. 27:40 We accept it in Jesus' name. Amen. 27:44 Thanks for joining me. I look forward to seeing you 27:46 again next time. Until then, remember: 27:50 "It is written, 'Man shall not live 27:52 by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 27:57 from the mouth of God.'" ♪ [majestic music] ♪ |
Revised 2019-03-07