Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW019203S
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00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written.
00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:25 There are few things more beautiful, 00:28 more peaceful, or more relaxing than a place like this. 00:34 ♪[soft music]♪ 00:35 Botanical gardens are a feature of many major cities, 00:38 and if you've ever visited somewhere like Butchart Gardens 00:41 on Vancouver Island in British Columbia 00:43 or the remarkable 300-acre Kew Gardens near Richmond 00:47 in southwest London in England, 00:49 you know how spectacular they can be. 00:52 And gardens like these are typically kept immaculate. 00:55 They're orderly, everything in its place, 00:58 manicured. 00:59 But look closely and you'll see 01:02 that things are not as they appear. 01:04 It's not all beauty. 01:06 Things certainly aren't orderly, 01:09 and they're definitely not peaceful, 01:12 at least not on a biological level. 01:14 Let me show you what I mean. 01:16 ♪[ominous music]♪ 01:17 Take a closer look and you'll see a life-and-death drama 01:20 playing out. 01:21 Bugs or insects are going about their rather ruthless business, 01:24 hunting, preying on other insects or spiders. 01:28 Wasps attacking spiders. 01:30 Ants hauling away other bugs or insects. 01:33 And often these little things are locked in a battle, 01:36 the outcome of which isn't always sure. 01:38 And it isn't pretty. 01:40 These aren't sanitized battles that are taking place. 01:43 You've got little creatures injecting venom, 01:46 paralyzing their victims, and then taking the victim, 01:49 still alive, heart still beating, but unable to move, 01:53 back to its nest where it might even lay eggs in the victim. 01:57 In some cases, the eggs hatch, 01:59 and the paralyzed victim becomes a living food source. 02:04 To advance its own interests, 02:07 one little creature takes the life of another. 02:13 Look at a rosebush and you'll often see aphids, 02:17 which make their living by piercing the tender young bark 02:20 of the plant and drinking the rich sap. 02:25 These aphids are, in turn, hunted by a voracious creature 02:28 that we've somewhat romanticized: the ladybug. 02:32 A ladybug can eat dozens of aphids in a day. 02:36 It can actually bite humans. 02:38 It doesn't feel like much more than a little pinch for us, 02:41 but for aphids, different story. 02:44 A ladybug is an aphid-eating machine. 02:48 Basically, she takes their lives 02:50 in order to advance and further her own life. 02:54 That's how she, or he, for that matter, 02:56 goes about his or her business. 03:00 And there's no peace in the soil underneath the beautiful bushes. 03:04 The soil is alive. 03:06 In a handful of soil are billions of microorganisms. 03:10 And they're at war with each other. 03:12 Opposing armies of different types of microorganisms 03:16 are almost continually at battle, 03:18 and the winner eats the loser. 03:22 The opposing sides employ some pretty sophisticated strategies 03:26 and counter-strategies, including mimicry, 03:29 camouflage, and chemical warfare. 03:33 Let's call it what it is. 03:35 In a handful of soil, there plays out a hellish scenario 03:39 of war, strife, and death. 03:43 ♪[ominous music]♪ 03:44 And what's happening in the soil under our feet 03:47 is not so different from what's happening in the grass 03:50 and the bushes and the trees and the water all around us. 03:54 In fact, from the bottom of the oceans 03:56 to the tops of the mountains, 03:57 we see the same pattern repeated throughout nature, 04:01 where creatures survive by taking the lives 04:04 or the resources of other creatures. 04:07 By taking. 04:09 Selfishness is a fundamental part 04:12 of the planet's operating system. 04:14 In fact, the organizing principle 04:15 of much of the natural world is selfishness. 04:19 And that principle isn't confined 04:21 only to the natural world. 04:23 Selfishness is the organizing principle 04:25 for most human endeavors, our global society, our industry, 04:30 and our economy. 04:31 Economists will tell you that Wall Street can't really operate 04:34 without it. 04:35 In fact, pretty much the entire world, 04:38 from all of nature to most everything humanity does, 04:42 operates on a selfishness paradigm. 04:45 Or, in other words, on a selfishness-based system. 04:50 And for Christians, that's a real problem. 04:55 In fact, it's a huge problem. 04:58 But at the same time, it's a fitting way for us 05:00 to start to talk about the prequel of the Bible. 05:03 Now, like any prequel, the prequel of the Bible 05:06 is the back story, 05:08 the story behind the stories that you know. 05:10 But once you know the prequel, 05:12 it makes everything else you know fuller and deeper 05:17 and more meaningful. 05:18 And in our case, 05:20 it helps explain a world based on selfishness. 05:24 ♪[soft music]♪ 05:25 So, back to the question of the selfishness paradigm 05:28 and the way nature and human society operate. 05:32 Here's the problem for Christians: 05:33 The Bible says that God created the world. 05:37 More than that, in the book of Genesis, 05:39 the Bible gives a detailed account of God's creation, 05:42 of how He systematically built up the fundamental systems 05:46 of the world--our atmosphere, our, our hydrosphere, 05:49 our soil system-- 05:51 and how God added life forms to populate each completed system-- 05:55 birds, fish, plants, and animals. 06:01 And then when all the systems were complete, 06:03 He added humans. 06:05 The Bible describes creation as a very intentional 06:09 and systematic process undertaken by God. 06:12 It also says He was pleased with each component system 06:15 as He finished creating it. 06:17 And that He was very pleased with the final result, 06:20 where all systems and life forms worked together 06:23 in one flawless, balanced, intermeshed whole. 06:28 But what kind of world would God create? 06:31 What kind of world did He create? 06:34 I'll have more in just a moment. 06:36 ♪[music]♪ 06:45 >>John: Now, here's a question: Can God be trusted? 06:49 Either you've asked that question yourself, 06:51 or you know somebody who has, and I've got an answer for you. 06:55 I'd like you to get today's free offer, 06:57 "Can God Be Trusted?" 06:59 To receive it, call 800-253-3000, 07:02 write to the address on your screen, 07:04 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 07:08 "Can God Be Trusted?" 07:09 I have an answer for you, 800-253-3000, 07:12 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 07:16 [fire crackling, crickets chirping] 07:18 [coyote barking] 07:20 ♪[ominous music]♪ 07:26 [insects chirping] 07:28 [camera rattling] 07:30 [wind blowing, insects buzzing, feet crunching grass] 07:34 [indistinct voices] 07:35 [wind blowing] 07:40 [night insects buzzing] 07:42 ♪[music]♪ 07:49 [dramatic sounds, heart thumping, creaking] 07:59 ♪[dramatic music]♪ 08:01 [Crowd cheering] 08:10 ♪[soft music]♪ 08:25 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 08:26 on It Is Written. 08:27 I'm John Bradshaw. 08:28 Now, the Bible says that God is love. 08:32 He is the very definition, the very distillation of love. 08:36 He's also a lot of other things. 08:38 He's nurturing; He's caring; He's generous; He's kind; 08:42 He's supportive; He's creative. 08:44 But God is love. 08:47 Now, thinking about this logically, 08:50 if God is love, then those things that He creates 08:55 wouldn't be--in fact, I would say couldn't be-- 08:58 in opposition to His character. 09:01 But just by observing the world around us, 09:04 it's obvious the organizing principle of the world 09:07 is not love, but selfishness. 09:10 That is, the organizing principle of the world 09:14 is the exact opposite of what God says He is. 09:19 Now, a God who would make a world based on selfishness, 09:22 where the things He made would torture and kill one another, 09:26 is not a God of love but is a monster 09:29 and isn't a God that is worthy of our worship. 09:31 Let me say that again: 09:33 A God who would intentionally create a world 09:36 so that what He made was designed to torture and to kill 09:39 one another, that God is not worthy of our worship. 09:44 So this question: Who is God? 09:47 This other question: What did He make? 09:50 They are very important. 09:54 ♪[soft music]♪ 09:56 As we look at who and what God is 09:58 and grapple with the difference between who God says He is 10:02 and what we see in the world around us, 10:04 we can run through several possible reasons 10:07 for what really is a massive disparity. 10:09 And I can think of four. 10:11 One: Maybe who God says He is and what we see in the world 10:15 are different because the Bible is false, 10:18 and God is actually a monster 10:20 who tortures the things He creates. 10:22 Number two: Maybe there's no God. 10:25 Maybe the Bible's just a book of fables. 10:26 That would explain it. 10:27 Number three: Perhaps the Bible is true, 10:29 and God is who He says He is, 10:32 but something happened to change the world 10:34 from the way He created it into what it is today. 10:37 And maybe there's a fourth reason: 10:39 Maybe God created the world it actually is right now, 10:42 but we simply don't understand it or Him. 10:45 Now, each one of these four possibilities touches directly 10:47 on the character and the existence of God. 10:50 As we start talking about the state of the world, 10:54 we're also thinking about and talking about 10:56 the character of God. 10:59 So we have four possible reasons for the disparity 11:03 between who God says He is 11:06 and what we see in the world around us. 11:08 God says that He is love. 11:11 But the world around us isn't based on love, 11:13 but selfishness. 11:15 So let's look at those four possible reasons 11:17 and see if we can narrow down that list. 11:20 What was our first reason? 11:21 Maybe God actually is a monster 11:23 who tortures the things He creates. 11:26 Well, the entire Bible says otherwise. 11:29 "God is love," 1 John 4, verse 8. 11:32 "I have loved you with an everlasting love," 11:34 Jeremiah 31:3. 11:36 "The thoughts I have towards you are thoughts of peace 11:39 and not of evil." 11:40 Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 11. 11:42 "God so loved the world that He gave..." 11:45 John 3:16. 11:47 So we can reject that first proposition. 11:50 Now, what was our second reason? 11:52 There's no God, and the Bible is a book of fables. 11:55 Well, this is It Is Written, 11:57 and not "It Is Proposed" or "It Is Speculated." 12:00 So we'll scratch that one off the list. 12:03 Now, let's look at the fourth reason. 12:05 God created the world just like we see it, 12:08 but we simply don't understand it or that or Him. 12:11 Well, undoubtedly, there's a lot that we don't understand, 12:14 but God gave the Bible so we could understand it. 12:17 Jeremiah wrote, "And you will seek me and find me, 12:20 when you search for me with all [of] your heart." 12:22 God wants us to know Him. 12:24 So, no. 12:26 Now, that leaves one more possibility 12:28 to explain the disparity between who God says He is 12:32 and what we see in the world: 12:34 The world changed after God created it. 12:40 The book of Job helps us with this, 12:41 especially Job chapter 38. 12:44 There's a conversation going on between God and Job 12:47 where God says to Job, 12:49 "Where were you when I [created the world]? ... 12:52 When the morning stars sang... 12:54 and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" 12:57 Now, there's a lot going on between Job and God 13:00 in this passage, but what God said was very important 13:04 in relation to the question that we're pursuing. 13:06 Did the earth change after God created it? 13:09 Those morning stars God talks about are angels. 13:13 When God created the earth, it was so special, so beautiful, 13:18 so amazing that the angels sang and shouted for joy. 13:24 If God had created a world that was contrary to His character, 13:28 if it was a world where the natural 13:29 and the biological systems didn't operate on love, 13:33 on universal giving and nurturing, 13:35 the angels would have responded with shock and confusion. 13:39 But they sang, and they celebrated, 13:42 indicating that the world as it was originally created 13:45 was really different from what we see around us now, 13:48 and it was completely consistent with the character of God. 13:52 Its organizing principle was love. 13:57 So can we be sure about that? 13:58 Well, yes, we can. 14:00 In the first part of Isaiah chapter 11 Jesus is foretold, 14:04 including His character and His ministry. 14:07 And then, a few characteristics of His restored kingdom 14:10 are described, including that a lion will lay down with a lamb 14:15 and that snakes will not be a threat, even to children. 14:19 In verse 9, Christ is quoted in the first person 14:22 and says of the re-created earth, 14:24 "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." 14:29 Which means the re-created earth will be very different 14:33 from the one in which we live. 14:34 It'll be so different, in so many ways, 14:37 that it will require a different organizing principle. 14:41 Its entire system of operating will be different. 14:46 How does this assure us that God didn't create the world 14:49 the way it is now? 14:50 [lions snarl] 14:52 Two things. 14:53 First, in that same chapter, Isaiah 11, it says in verse 7, 14:58 "The cow and the bear shall graze; 15:01 their young ones shall lie down together; 15:04 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." 15:07 ♪[soft music]♪ 15:10 So bears will graze like cows, and lions will eat straw. 15:15 This is so different from the reality we now see around us. 15:19 We know that the world just doesn't work that way, 15:21 at least not right now. 15:23 What the Bible describes is foreign to us; 15:26 it's almost unbelievable. 15:28 But let's go back to the book of Genesis, 15:32 towards the end of the first chapter of this amazing book. 15:35 God is giving instructions for His newly created earth. 15:40 There's a passage describing what humans and animals 15:43 are supposed to eat. 15:44 And in verses 29 and 30, the Bible says this: 15:48 "And God said, 'See, I have given you every herb 15:52 that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, 15:56 and every tree whose fruit yields seed; 16:00 to you it shall be for food. 16:03 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, 16:07 and to everything that creeps on the earth, 16:09 in which there is life, 16:11 I have given every green herb for food.'" 16:14 What the Bible is saying is that everything God created, 16:17 humans and animals, ate plants. 16:21 They didn't kill other creatures to survive. 16:24 Now, that kind of world would require 16:26 an entirely different system of operating 16:28 from what we see around us today. 16:30 But then that's exactly what the Bible says existed. 16:33 When God created the world, it was profoundly different 16:37 from what we see around us today. 16:40 And here's the thing; 16:41 God will return the world to His original model 16:44 when the earth is made new. 16:46 And something that wasn't changed 16:48 doesn't need to be restored. 16:50 Now, we can go even further with this. 16:52 In Revelation 11:18, where John writes 16:55 about the very end of days and the condition of the earth, 16:58 God says that He will "destroy those who destroy the earth." 17:03 So not only is the earth fundamentally changed, 17:06 not only did God not change it, He's unhappy about it, 17:11 and He will bring to justice those who did the changing. 17:14 He will destroy those who did it. 17:18 So, based on what the Bible says, 17:20 we can be sure that the earth was changed dramatically, 17:23 fundamentally from the way God created it. 17:26 We can also be sure that it will be restored to what it once was. 17:31 Now, in a moment, I will introduce you to a friend. 17:36 Well, not a friend exactly, 17:40 but a scorpion is a good example of just what I'm talking about. 17:44 Back with more in just a moment. 17:47 ♪[music]♪ 17:56 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 17:58 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 18:02 To support this international life-changing ministry, 18:05 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 18:09 You can send your tax-deductible gift 18:10 to the address on your screen, 18:12 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 18:16 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 18:19 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 18:23 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 18:27 >>John: The experts say he's living in our midst. 18:30 Many people claim to have sighted him. 18:32 A famous film shot in the 1960s seems to show he exists. 18:36 But does he? 18:38 Does Bigfoot visit campsites in towns and forests 18:41 across North America? 18:43 Don't miss "Bigfoot," part 1 of It Is Written series 18:48 "Conspiracy, More Than Just a Theory." 18:51 You'll visit a museum dedicated to Bigfoot and hear from a man 18:55 who claims to have sighted a Sasquatch twice. 18:59 And you'll learn what the Bible says about the conspiracy 19:01 playing out right before your eyes, 19:04 a conspiracy of eternal importance, 19:07 a conspiracy most people are missing. 19:10 Make sure you know about the greatest conspiracy of them all, 19:14 a global conspiracy involving you and those you love. 19:18 Watch "Bigfoot" from the series 19:21 "Conspiracy, More Than Just a Theory" 19:23 on It Is Written TV. 19:28 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 19:31 Now, here's a major question that we really need to answer. 19:33 It baffles a lot of people. 19:35 How did the earth get changed from what it was 19:39 to what it now is? 19:40 What happened to God's earth, the earth He specially created, 19:44 the earth that reflected His character, 19:46 the earth that dazzled the angels? 19:49 This is the question that the prequel of the Bible answers, 19:52 and we'll find that both the question and the answer 19:56 are incredibly important. 20:01 Now, think of the implications of what we're talking about. 20:04 This is God we are discussing. 20:06 He is the distillation of loving-kindness. 20:09 How did the world, the world made by God, 20:11 become something that does not reflect His character? 20:15 Think through some of these questions: 20:17 Can anything happen that's contrary to the will of God? 20:21 How could it, if God is all-powerful? 20:24 And if it did happen, then how did it happen? 20:27 And think about Jesus and His life and ministry. 20:30 How does Jesus play into all of this? 20:33 We've answered some important questions, 20:35 but a critical question remains. 20:38 How did the earth become something that operates 20:40 according to principles that are inconsistent 20:43 with the character of God? 20:45 ♪[ominous music]♪ 20:55 [scorpion skitters over gravel] 21:14 Now, let's think for a moment about the scorpion. 21:18 You can find them right here in the desert. 21:22 They're plentiful, actually. 21:24 You can find them very easily. 21:26 ♪[fast percussion]♪ 21:28 The scorpion is an intimidating creature. 21:31 Look at that stinger on its tail. 21:33 They're dangerous things. 21:35 But even apart from the stinger, its claws are imposing as well, 21:39 and it uses its stinger and claws together to deadly effect. 21:43 It's a predator that grabs other small creatures and injects them 21:47 with excruciating poison, 21:49 a venom specifically designed to overwhelm the nervous system. 21:55 Now, the venom works in a couple of different ways. 21:57 The prey is overwhelmed with excruciating pain. 22:01 Before long, it cannot coordinate its movements, 22:04 and it's incapacitated. 22:06 And then the scorpion will eat its prey, 22:10 whether it's dead or alive. 22:13 And female scorpions will, at times, 22:16 actually eat male scorpions during or after mating. 22:24 Some scorpions, not this one, fortunately, 22:27 can actually kill people with their sting, 22:29 scorpions such as the deathstalker. 22:32 That's one that you'd find in the Middle East. 22:35 Now, this one wouldn't kill me if it stung me, 22:36 but it would hurt, 22:38 something like a bee sting, maybe a little more. 22:41 So I would treat this one with a great deal of caution 22:43 and respect. 22:45 Altogether, the scorpion was cunningly, 22:47 it was brilliantly designed for its purpose 22:50 and for its environment. 22:51 But the question the scorpion raises is this: 22:55 Does it reflect the character of God, 22:57 that is, as we know it now? 22:59 And if it doesn't, how did it come to be this way? 23:03 ♪[somber music]♪ 23:07 The prequel of the Bible answers this question, 23:10 and the prequel takes the form of a hidden story in the Bible, 23:14 an intentionally hidden story, actually. 23:16 And it takes some real diligence to track it down. 23:19 It's scattered across books of the Bible that were written 23:21 over a period of some 1,500 years. 23:24 And it's non-linear. 23:26 By that, I mean it doesn't appear in order in the Bible. 23:30 One writer has part of the middle of the story, let's say, 23:33 while another writer hundreds of years later 23:35 fills in part of the beginning of the story. 23:37 The fact that it's non-linear is actually quite important 23:41 because the Bible treats some key material this way, 23:44 as in the book of Revelation. 23:46 As non-linear Bible stories go, 23:48 what we're going to look at next is probably the prime example. 23:53 And when we unlock the story, 23:55 you might find it profoundly alters your understanding 23:58 of why there is death, disease, suffering, 24:01 and injustice in the world. 24:03 It also explains why this creature exists. 24:06 So what do we know about God? 24:08 We know that God is love. 24:10 John wrote those words twice in nine verses 24:13 in the book of 1 John. 24:16 Here's what we know. 24:17 Out of this chaos, God is going to create something phenomenal. 24:22 ♪[soft music]♪ 24:23 Revelation 21:4 says that "God shall wipe away all tears... 24:29 and there shall be no more death, 24:31 neither sorrow, nor crying, 24:34 neither shall there be any more pain: 24:36 for the former things are passed away." 24:40 In Isaiah 65:17, God says, 24:43 "I create new heavens and a new earth: 24:46 and the former shall not be remembered 24:48 nor come into mind." 24:50 John wrote in Revelation 21:1, 24:52 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: 24:56 for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." 25:00 One day, no more bugs paralyzing other bugs. 25:05 No more toxic venom. 25:07 Better yet, no more crime, no more murder, no more injustice. 25:14 You know, Peter noticed what we notice. 25:16 He noticed a dysfunctional world coming apart. 25:20 He noticed the world filled with death and hate and pain, 25:23 and he wrote in 2 Peter 3 in verse 13, 25:27 "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, 25:30 look for new heavens and a new earth 25:33 in which righteousness dwells." 25:37 And we do. We look for that. 25:40 Are you looking for that? 25:41 If you are, I can tell you where you can find it. 25:44 You can find it in Jesus Christ, 25:47 who left heaven and came to this earth gone astray 25:50 to show you that in spite of what you see, 25:52 in spite of what you don't understand, 25:55 that God is love, 25:57 and that the God who is love 25:59 loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him. 26:07 Next time on It Is Written, 26:09 we'll delve deeper into the prequel of the Bible. 26:12 We'll find out how it came to be that the earth 26:14 was so radically changed from what it was 26:17 to what it has become. 26:19 And we'll begin to answer some of the most important questions 26:23 that have ever been posed. 26:27 >>John: Now, here's a question: Can God be trusted? 26:31 Either you've asked that question yourself, 26:33 or you know somebody who has, and I've got an answer for you. 26:36 I'd like you to get today's free offer, 26:38 "Can God Be Trusted?" 26:40 To receive it, call 800-253-3000, 26:44 write to the address on your screen, 26:46 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 26:49 "Can God Be Trusted?" 26:51 I have an answer for you, 800-253-3000, 26:54 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 26:58 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 26:59 Our Father in heaven, we thank You today 27:02 that in spite of the confusion and the chaos and the carnage 27:05 that we see in the world today, 27:07 that high above the circle of the earth 27:09 there is a God who is love, 27:11 a God whose Son Jesus will one soon day come to this earth 27:15 and take us home to a place of absolute perfection. 27:19 We pray that that day would come soon, 27:21 but until it does, give us faith in You. 27:24 Help us to trust in You, to believe in You. 27:27 We thank You; we praise You; we love You. 27:29 This is Your world. 27:31 We look forward to Your kingdom to come, 27:33 in Jesus' name. 27:35 Amen. 27:36 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:37 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:39 Until then, remember: 27:41 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:45 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:51 ♪[theme music]♪ |
Revised 2022-08-19