Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW018169S
|
00:10 ♪[Theme music]♪
00:20 [Sound of train] 00:23 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:25 I'm John Bradshaw. 00:26 Thanks for joining me. 00:29 Seems like a strange sort of a name for a war: 00:33 the Great War. 00:34 They said it would be the war that would end all wars. 00:38 And, of course, it wasn't. 00:40 Now, there is a war that will end all wars. 00:44 Maybe we should call that one "the Greatest War." 00:47 And to dig into it, 00:48 we're going to learn some lessons from the past today 00:51 that will help us better understand our future. 00:55 Now, some things get started in some odd places. 00:59 And this surely seems like an odd place 01:02 for a global conflict to kick off in. 01:06 But kick off it did, right here. 01:09 ♪[Music]♪ 01:11 This is Sarajevo. 01:13 It was once a part of the Ottoman Empire, 01:16 or the Turkish Empire, 01:17 which stretched through the Balkans 01:19 into Greece and Turkey, 01:21 the Middle East and North Africa, 01:23 and which ruled for hundreds of years. 01:26 After the Ottoman Empire, 01:27 Sarajevo was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 01:31 For the better part of the 20th century 01:33 it was part of Yugoslavia, communist for half a century. 01:37 And since 1992 it's been the capital 01:40 of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 01:43 It's a city with an especially painful past, 01:47 [gunfire sound effect] 01:48 littered with war and conflict and bloodshed and loss of life. 01:52 A rose in Sarajevo means something different 01:55 to what it means where you live. 01:58 I'll explain later. 02:00 The Winter Olympics coming here in 1984 02:03 suggested this was a city with a bold, bright future. 02:07 Instead, less than a decade after Sarajevo hosted 02:11 the Winter Olympics, 02:13 the city was plunged into chaos. 02:16 And the conflicts that have marked the history 02:18 of this beautiful city speak of a bigger, 02:21 bloodier conflict that threatens the world today. 02:27 The key event that led to the start of World War I 02:31 happened here, in Sarajevo. 02:33 The war to end all wars began here. 02:36 In fact, right there. 02:40 It was 1914, and Bosnia and Herzegovina was under 02:44 the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 02:48 The Austro-Hungarian Empire existed for about 50 years, 02:52 and it controlled not only Austria and Hungary, 02:55 but what today we'd call the Czech Republic, 02:57 Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, parts of Poland, 03:01 Romania and the Ukraine, part of Italy, and the north of Serbia. 03:07 Many people who were getting tired 03:09 of being ruled by outsiders. 03:11 Feelings of nationalism were heating up all across Europe. 03:14 Ethnic minorities were struggling 03:16 to forge their own unique identities. 03:19 Democracy was rising In the early 20th century, 03:23 but Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia 03:25 were controlled, basically, by generals and officials 03:29 around the monarch. 03:30 No democracy there. 03:33 Europe was basically divided into two factions: 03:36 Austria-Hungary and Germany on one side, 03:39 with Great Britain, France, and Russia on the other. 03:45 Industrialization had pressed society forward, 03:48 but a lot of people who worked long hours 03:50 and lived in deplorable conditions 03:53 didn't see much advantage. 03:55 Conditions were ripe for revolution. 03:58 And on June the 28th, 1914, the revolution began. 04:05 It's interesting when you consider 04:06 how a war can get started. 04:08 But there's another war we're going to take a look at 04:10 that has a far more surprising start, 04:13 and a much more far-reaching influence. 04:15 ♪[Music]♪ 04:16 Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne 04:20 of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 04:22 He'd been invited by the governor 04:24 of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 04:25 which at that time was a province in the empire, 04:28 to come to Sarajevo and spend three days 04:31 watching troops on maneuvers. 04:33 When the procession in which the archduke was traveling 04:36 passed the main Sarajevo police station, 04:38 a would-be assassin threw a grenade at the car 04:41 in which he was traveling. 04:43 Two men in the car were seriously wounded. 04:46 After attending a reception at City Hall, 04:48 the archduke requested that he be taken to the hospital 04:51 to visit the two wounded men. 04:53 The governor decided the archduke should not travel 04:56 through the center of the city for the sake of his safety, 05:00 and he decided that he should instead go another route. 05:04 But somebody forgot to tell the driver. 05:08 When they were crossing the Miljacka River 05:10 on the Latin Bridge, 05:12 the governor then realized they were going the wrong way. 05:15 He asked the driver to turn around. 05:17 So the driver put the vehicle in reverse and started to back up. 05:21 He was therefore traveling very slowly, 05:23 and it was then that a 19-year-old Serbian 05:27 with a pistol and a grudge against the empire 05:30 stepped out of the crowd and fired two shots, 05:34 hitting the archduke's wife, Sophia, 05:36 and the archduke himself. 05:39 Both were dead within an hour. 05:41 ♪[Music]♪ 05:46 A month later, 05:47 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. 05:52 Less than a week later, Germany, Austria-Hungary's close ally, 05:56 declared war on Russia, 05:58 which had begun to mobilize its troops. 06:01 Germany invaded Luxembourg and declared war on France, 06:04 which it wanted to invade. 06:06 Germany invaded Belgium. 06:08 Britain declared war on Germany. 06:11 Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia. 06:14 Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary. 06:17 And before you knew it, there were, 06:19 depending on how you count, 06:21 40 or so countries involved in World War I. 06:24 Great Britain, Russia, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, 06:28 as well as Panama, 06:31 Cuba, Siam (that's today's Thailand), 06:35 Nepal, New Zealand, Australia, 06:38 Rhodesia (that's today's Zimbabwe), South Africa. 06:43 War has a habit of affecting an awful lot of people. 06:49 The United States joined World War I in 1917 06:53 and sent 2 million men and women overseas. 06:56 New York sent 368,000. 06:59 Pennsylvania, 298,000. 07:02 Illinois, a quarter of a million. 07:04 Ohio, 200,000. 07:07 One hundred thousand went from both Iowa and Minnesota; 07:10 75,000 each from Kentucky and Tennessee. 07:14 And there were many more. 07:16 One hundred and sixteen thousand Americans died, 07:19 more than half due to disease. 07:22 Three-and-a-half million prisoners of war were held 07:25 during World War I. 07:27 It's estimated 5 million civilians perished 07:30 as a result of the war. 07:33 About 65 million soldiers fought and over 9 million of them died. 07:39 One in three French men between the ages of 18 and 30 07:44 had died by 1917. 07:48 That's a lot of death. 07:51 Almost 40 years before, 07:53 General Sherman had made his famous statement when he said, 07:56 “War is hell.” 07:58 Now, soldiers were finding that out for themselves. 08:03 Most of the men who went off to war 08:04 thought that they were in for a glorious adventure. 08:07 They thought the conflict be short 08:09 and that they'd be home by Christmas. 08:11 Well, it wasn't, and they weren't. 08:15 And it all began here in Sarajevo, 08:18 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country with a population today 08:22 of around three-and-a-half million people, 08:24 smaller than West Virginia. 08:26 An unlikely place for a war to start. 08:29 But wars can begin in unlikely places. 08:32 And the greatest war of all began in the one place 08:36 that you would never expect. 08:38 It involves everyone in the world, 08:41 and whether you like it or not, you're involved too. 08:44 I'll tell you more in just a moment. 08:47 ♪[Music]♪ 08:57 >>Announcer: In Old Testament times, ancient Babylon fell. 09:00 The book of Revelation says Babylon is going to fall again. 09:04 ♪[Music]♪ 09:05 Understand the fall of Babylon in earth's last days. 09:08 Receive “The Fall of Babylon” 09:10 absolutely free. 09:12 Call us at 800-253-3000. 09:16 That's 800-253-3000. 09:20 You could write to the address on your screen, 09:22 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 09:26 >>John: I'm in the Bahamas. 09:28 It's a slice of paradise, really. 09:30 And as beautiful as it is, it's a place with a colorful past. 09:35 Once upon a time, the Bahamas was a haven for pirates. 09:40 Blackbeard sailed these waters. 09:42 Pirates lived, or live, outside the law. 09:46 They are lawless. 09:48 And the fact is, they were thieves, murders. 09:52 This isn't a game. 09:54 We still see lawlessness today. 09:58 The battle is real. 10:00 Undoubtedly you've experienced it. 10:02 You might be caught in the middle of it now. 10:05 Can you see yourself in that picture, 10:07 doing the things that you know you should not? 10:10 See yourself in that picture? 10:12 You want a way out of lawlessness? 10:14 You want a way out of slavery to the old life? 10:17 Jesus is that way. 10:20 “Lawless.” 10:21 Watch now on It Is Written TV. 10:26 [Light traffic noise] ♪[Music]♪ 10:29 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 10:30 on It Is Written. 10:32 I'm in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 10:35 This is where World War I began. 10:37 World War I ended in 1918. 10:40 But that did not mean peace would come to Bosnia. 10:44 Far from it. 10:46 War is waged ostensibly to bring about 10:48 or to restore peace and order. 10:51 But that doesn't always happen. 10:52 In fact, sometimes war brings about more war. 10:57 After World War I ended, 10:59 Europe inherited Communism, Nazism, and fascism. 11:03 And 21 years later, World War II. 11:07 So where did all this begin? 11:10 Where did human beings develop their penchant, 11:12 their inclination for war? 11:16 The most surprising of places. 11:19 You read about it in Revelation 12, verse 7: 11:22 “And there was war in heaven: 11:25 Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; 11:28 and the dragon fought and his angels.” 11:31 War began in heaven. 11:33 From heaven it came to the earth. 11:35 And on earth, it continues. 11:39 So why did it begin? 11:40 Well, let's ask ourselves, why did World War I begin? 11:44 Well, Gavrilo Princep shot the archduke, right? 11:49 Well, yes, but it goes deeper. 11:51 People didn't want to be ruled over, 11:53 especially by outsiders. 11:55 Why should Bosnians or Serbs be ruled by 11:58 Austrians and Hungarians? 12:00 And why should Austrians and Hungarians presume 12:03 to want to rule over Bosnians and Croats and Serbs 12:06 and Romanians and Czechs? 12:08 Now we can understand a little better why war began in heaven. 12:12 Long ago, Satan said in his heart, 12:15 “I will be like the Most High.” That's Isaiah 14:14. 12:21 A desire to sit in God's place. 12:24 At once, a refusal to submit to just leadership, 12:28 and a desire to set himself up as a ruler over others. 12:31 Before long, Satan had deceived a third of the angels in heaven. 12:35 You see that in Revelation 12, verse 4: 12:38 And he came to the earth to get the worship 12:40 he wasn't able to get in heaven. 12:43 But peace doesn't come following a war 12:46 unless someone is willing to do something decisive. 12:49 ♪[Music]♪ 12:50 The Great War didn't end war, 12:52 because it couldn't fix the broken human heart. 12:57 After World War I, 12:59 Bosnia and Herzegovina was pressed into Yugoslavia, 13:02 along with Slovenia, Serbia, 13:04 Croatia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. 13:07 But when Communism collapsed in the early 1990s, 13:10 the fight was on for who would control what, 13:13 and who would control who, in the form of Yugoslavia. 13:17 Bosnians wanted to control their own affairs. 13:21 But not everyone saw it that way. 13:23 There was a push to create a Bosnian Serb state. 13:27 Some planned to have Bosnia and Herzegovina 13:30 split between Serbia and Croatia. 13:33 Sarajevo was under siege by Serbs for four years, 13:38 the longest any capital city has ever been under siege. 13:42 The horrors of the Bosnian War were horrible. 13:47 Many people were killed. 13:49 War crimes were committed. 13:51 Ratko Mladic became known as the Butcher of Bosnia 13:55 for his role in the Bosnian War. 13:58 Mass murder. 14:00 Torture. 14:01 Mutilation. 14:03 Rape. 14:04 It was after the Bosnian War that mass rape 14:07 was acknowledged as a war crime. 14:09 The group Doctors Without Borders says, 14:12 “Systematic rape was used as part of the strategy 14:16 of ethnic cleansing” 14:18 by Serbian troops during the Bosnian War. 14:21 Eight thousand men and boys were massacred over three days 14:26 in the town of Srebrenica, 14:28 less than a hundred miles from here. 14:30 Mladic is currently serving a lifetime prison sentence 14:34 in the Hague in the Netherlands. 14:36 Radovan Karadzic was sentenced to 40 years. 14:40 Slobodan Milosevic attempted to orchestrate the creation 14:43 of a greater Serbia, and Bosnia would have fallen 14:47 victim to Milosevic's plans had they succeeded. 14:50 Milosevic died in prison. 14:56 Today there are still divisions along ethnic 14:59 and religious lines in Bosnia. 15:02 Some of the scars of war here 15:04 can still be seen in the buildings. 15:07 The Sarajevo rose I mentioned earlier? 15:10 Sarajevo roses don't grow on bushes. 15:12 The Sarajevo rose is a mark left in concrete 15:17 by an exploded mortar shell 15:19 that has since been filled with red resin, 15:22 as a reminder of what has taken place here. 15:27 You didn't want to be here during the siege of Sarajevo. 15:31 Dangerous, dangerous place. 15:35 Planet Earth is currently under siege. 15:37 According to the Bible, we're all involved in a war. 15:42 And it's serious. 15:44 That verse we looked at a moment ago, 15:46 Revelation 12:7: 15:48 “And there was war in heaven: 15:50 Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; 15:53 and the dragon fought and his angels.” 15:55 Verse 8: 15:56 “And prevailed not; 15:58 neither was their place found any more in heaven.” 16:01 And now verse 9: 16:03 “And the great dragon was cast out, 16:06 that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, 16:09 which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, 16:14 and his angels were cast out with him.” 16:18 The focus of the war in heaven 16:20 has become the war here on earth. 16:22 And we see its effects everywhere. 16:25 Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve 16:28 yielded to the temptations of Satan. 16:31 And sin brought death and pain and sorrow and injustice 16:34 and cruelty and war and ethnic cleansing. 16:38 And so it goes. 16:40 In God is life. 16:42 Separated from God, there is no life. 16:46 And because God has given everybody freedom of choice, 16:50 it's up to each person to decide individually 16:53 what side he or she wishes to be on. 16:57 But in a war, you can choose to be on the right side 17:02 and still get wounded. 17:04 Imagine being here in Sarajevo during the war, 17:08 and having to duck down or hide as you move about 17:12 from place to place, 17:14 to make yourself less of a target for a sniper. 17:17 Because being on the right side doesn't guarantee your safety. 17:23 During World War I, German U-boats sank the Lusitania, 17:27 a passenger ship with almost 2,000 people on board; 17:32 1,200 died. 17:35 The Germans said that because she was carrying hundreds 17:37 of tons of munitions, she was a legitimate target. 17:39 The people on the ship thought they were safe 17:43 and wouldn't be targeted. 17:45 They were innocent, but, during war, 17:48 innocent people often suffer. 17:53 And that's why people suffer today. 17:56 Innocent people: a child, a follower of Jesus. 18:00 People suffer because there's a spiritual war raging. 18:05 And there's an enemy looking to cause casualties. 18:09 The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, 18:11 “Be sober, be vigilant; 18:13 because your adversary the devil, 18:15 as a roaring lion, walketh about, 18:18 seeking whom he may devour.” 18:21 Now, that's serious. 18:22 There's an enemy who's actively looking to take lives. 18:26 He's trying to ruin, well, you and me. 18:30 So what are you doing, proactively, 18:33 to keep yourself safe in this war? 18:36 What are you doing intentionally to safeguard your soul? 18:39 How can a person be safe? 18:41 What can you do to make sure you experience victory in this war? 18:47 Let's talk about that in just a moment. 18:50 ♪[Music]♪ 18:59 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 19:01 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 19:04 To support this international life-changing ministry, 19:07 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 19:12 You can send your tax-deductible gift 19:13 to the address on your screen, 19:15 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 19:18 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 19:21 Our number again is 800-253-3000. 19:25 Or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 19:29 ♪[Music]♪ 19:31 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 19:32 on It Is Written. 19:34 The city of Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina 19:37 was where World War I was born. 19:40 A Serb named Gavrilo Princip shot and killed the heir 19:44 to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 19:47 as well as the heir's wife, 19:49 setting the wheels in motion that would result in millions 19:52 of deaths and untold horror. 19:55 [Bell ringing] 19:57 This same city was under siege for four years by Serbians 20:01 who were trying to take the territory and divide it 20:04 between themselves and Croatians. 20:06 Four years of shelling and sniper attacks. 20:09 More than 100,000 deaths, a city devastated, 20:14 and a long hard recovery process which is far from over. 20:18 [Bell ringing] 20:21 [Traffic noise] 20:27 About 50 miles in a straight line from here 20:30 is the town of Mostar. 20:32 Mostar is famous for its old bridge, 20:35 the Stari Most. 20:37 Except, the old bridge in Mostar today isn't old. 20:41 It's really very new. 20:43 The original was completed in 1576 or thereabouts, 20:46 and it stood for 427 years, 20:48 until it was destroyed by Croat forces in the Bosnian War. 20:54 Now, the bridge wasn't of any strategic importance at all, 20:58 so it seems the destruction of the bridge 21:00 was simply an attempt to wipe out traces of Bosnian culture. 21:05 Now, keep this in mind about the Bosnian War. 21:08 Bosnia is a majority Muslim country. 21:11 The Croats are largely Catholic, 21:14 while the Serbians are basically Orthodox, 21:17 which is pretty much Catholic. 21:19 So while this war was about territory, 21:22 it was also about religion. 21:25 The new bridge was completed in 2004. 21:28 No, it's not the original, but it is still regarded today 21:31 as one of the most iconic bridges in all of the world. 21:36 Now, speaking of destroyed, in 1984, 21:41 Sarajevo was the host city for the XIV Winter Olympics. 21:46 ♪[Music]♪ 21:59 The bobsled track hasn't been used in years. 22:02 It was left to go to ruin, really, 22:05 a fitting symbol for what happened 22:07 to the city of Sarajevo. 22:08 The other Olympics Games facilities were either neglected 22:12 or destroyed in the war, 22:14 a war that came to Bosnia just eight years after 22:18 the Olympic Games. 22:20 The Bosnian War has pretty well been forgotten by the world, 22:23 and it's a lot like that with the Great War. 22:26 Here's what we know. 22:28 An angel named Lucifer rebelled in heaven. 22:31 Unhappy with his place, he wanted worship. 22:35 Cast out of heaven, he came to the newly created earth, 22:39 and led Adam and Eve into sin. 22:42 God then had a rogue planet on His hands. 22:46 What would He do? 22:48 John 3:16 says that 22:49 “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 22:54 that whoever believes in Him should not perish 22:57 but have everlasting life.” 23:00 When the planet rebelled and sin entered the world, 23:02 God could have simply decided He was done with it. 23:06 But He didn't. 23:07 A couple of reasons why. 23:08 One, the angels didn't understand all the issues. 23:12 If God destroyed Lucifer when rebellion occurred, 23:15 heaven would then have been filled with fear and not love. 23:19 The universe would have been plunged 23:20 into disarray and confusion. 23:23 Beyond that, God had a plan. 23:26 He said, I'll show the world that I'm good. 23:28 I'll let them see that God is love, 23:30 and offer everyone who wants it the gift of everlasting life. 23:35 When the saved get to heaven, nobody's going to say, 23:37 if only God had destroyed Lucifer. 23:40 Everyone's going to say, we are glad He waited for us. 23:45 And think about, think about who paid the most for sin. 23:50 Sin cost God far more than anybody else. 23:53 He paid a gigantic price. 23:55 Jesus, the divine Son of God, would bear the sin of the world. 24:01 There's no other belief system in the world 24:04 that offers you what God offers you in Jesus Christ. 24:08 The Great War continues, but victory is now guaranteed. 24:13 Back in the Garden of Eden, 24:16 God told Satan that while the serpent 24:18 would bruise Jesus' heel, 24:20 Jesus would bruise the head of the serpent. 24:24 Satan would be defeated. 24:26 At Calvary, the outcome of the Great War was decided. 24:32 So the war rages on, 24:33 as a defeated fallen angel tries to do as much damage 24:36 as possible and keep as many people 24:39 as possible away from faith in God. 24:42 How's it working out for him? 24:44 Well, look around the world. 24:46 You'd have to think he's doing pretty well. 24:48 But how's it going for you? 24:50 You know, there are two sides in this war: Christ and Satan. 24:53 Satan has been defeated. 24:56 So when you choose Jesus, you're choosing the side of victory. 25:02 So whose side would you say you're on today? 25:05 To be on God's side, it's simple. 25:09 You just surrender your life to Jesus. 25:13 You know how it goes in war. 25:15 Often, victory is only decided when somebody 25:17 decides to surrender. 25:19 They say, we are not going to fight anymore. 25:23 That's where we find ourselves. 25:24 When we're not surrendered to God, 25:26 we are fighting against God. 25:28 We want our will done rather than His. 25:31 So if it's time to do so, 25:34 do it now. 25:35 Raise the white flag and say, that's it, God. 25:39 I don't want to fight You anymore. 25:41 I surrender. 25:42 I want Jesus to live His life in me. 25:45 I want You to come into my heart and just take over 25:49 and let Your will be done. 25:52 And when you do that, when you surrender your life to God, 25:55 that's when you know the peace of God. 25:58 And that's when you face a certain future. 26:03 >>Announcer: In Old Testament times, ancient Babylon fell. 26:07 The book of Revelation says Babylon is going to fall again. 26:12 Understand the fall of Babylon in Earth's last days. 26:15 Receive “The Fall of Babylon” 26:17 absolutely free. 26:19 Call us at 800-253-3000. 26:22 That's 800-253-3000. 26:26 You could write to the address on your screen, 26:28 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 26:34 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 26:35 Our Father in heaven, 26:36 we come to You in the name of Jesus, 26:39 the Prince of Peace. 26:41 And we are grateful that even though we live in a world 26:45 that is troubled by warfare and disputes and unrest, 26:51 that there is victory, 26:53 there is triumph, 26:54 and there is peace in You, 26:57 the God of heaven. 26:59 Then, Lord, we consider what's going on in our own hearts: 27:04 trouble, 27:05 discouragement, 27:07 trials, 27:08 worry. 27:10 And so I pray that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, 27:13 will move into every heart and bring with Him 27:16 the peace of heaven. 27:18 Friend, is it peace you want? Is it peace you need? 27:20 You can have it now in Jesus. 27:22 Would you lift your heart up to God and say, 27:25 Lord, give me peace. 27:26 Give me Jesus. 27:28 Give me the presence of the God of heaven. 27:30 Lord, that's our prayer. 27:32 We believe it. 27:34 We believe that as we reach out to You, 27:36 You've reached out to us already, 27:38 and You give us heaven's perfect peace and assurance in Jesus. 27:44 We pray with grateful thanks, in Jesus' name. 27:49 Amen. 27:50 Thanks so much for joining me today. 27:52 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:54 Until then, remember: 27:56 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, 28:01 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” 28:06 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
Revised 2021-01-26