Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW019205A
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00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written.
00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. 00:22 Thanks for joining me. 00:23 This is part 3 of our series the "Prequel of the Bible," 00:28 and today we're going to be asking some questions. 00:33 ♪[soft piano music]♪ 00:40 Have you ever read the Bible? 00:41 >>Woman 1: Yes. 00:43 >>Woman 2: Yes. 00:45 >>Man 1: Uh, definitely parts, but not all the way through, 00:48 which I should but just...haven't. 00:53 >>Man 2: Yes. Cover to cover about probably 27 times. 00:58 >>John: Did you know there's a story in the Bible that predates 01:02 the Garden of Eden and yet is still impacting the world today? 01:06 >>Woman 1: Um, not so much. 01:09 >>Woman 2: No. 01:11 >>Man 1: I have heard it, 01:12 but I couldn't tell you the name of the story. 01:17 >>Man 2: Uh... [metal rattling in background] 01:21 Tell me about it. [laughs] 01:22 ♪[music]♪ 01:28 >>John: We're looking at this backstory, 01:30 this prequel that's hidden in the Bible. 01:33 Once you discover it, once you know it, 01:37 it'll broaden and deepen your understanding 01:40 of the entire Word of God. 01:41 And when I say it's hidden, well, 01:44 that's because it is. 01:45 You'll find part of it in Genesis, 01:48 and you'll find the rest of it scattered throughout the Bible 01:51 all the way down to the book of Revelation. 01:54 And it's written in nonlinear form. 01:56 That means, it's not written in order. 01:59 The beginning of the story 02:00 is found near the middle of the Bible; 02:02 the middle of the story is found back near 02:04 the beginning of the Bible. 02:06 When something is written in a nonlinear form, 02:08 presented in a nonlinear form, 02:11 you want to sit up and take notice 02:13 because important information is being conveyed. 02:16 For example, prophecy, such as the book of Revelation, 02:19 can be in nonlinear form. 02:22 Our study of the prequel of the Bible so far 02:25 has led to some big conclusions. 02:28 First, there's a battle going on right now 02:31 for control of the universe. 02:33 Second, that battle isn't one of weapons, 02:36 but it's one of ideas. 02:38 It's a political battle, if you will. 02:40 You could say it's a political campaign. 02:43 Each side has a platform for how the universe should be run. 02:47 On one side, God and His followers, 02:50 who say that the universe should be organized around a system 02:53 where everything gives to and supports everything else, 02:57 where each interaction results in blessing to each party. 03:01 It's a system that has lovingkindness 03:03 as its organizing principle. 03:05 Now, the competing system advanced by the other side, 03:09 by Satan and his followers, contends that the universe 03:13 should be organized around a system of taking. 03:16 A system where strength and aggression rule. 03:19 A system where interactions produce a winner and a loser. 03:23 This is a system that has selfishness 03:25 as its organizing principle. 03:28 This system was part of Satan's rebellion against God. 03:32 The two organizing principles reflect the characters 03:35 of their champions. 03:37 God is love, and in His system everything gives 03:41 to everything else, with God giving the most. 03:45 Satan is selfish, and his system is based on conflict and taking, 03:51 where power and force determine outcomes 03:53 and where domination is the ultimate goal. 03:57 The irony here is that Satan has claimed from the start 03:59 of his rebellion that God is, in fact, selfish at the core, 04:04 and that he, Satan, is revealing the real character of God. 04:09 And really, with that attempt to redefine reality, 04:12 sounds much like what we would see 04:14 in a modern political campaign. 04:16 What we found in our study of this story in the Bible 04:18 has been remarkable. 04:20 But it hasn't just been an historical study, 04:23 because this pitched political campaign between God and Satan 04:26 and their governing philosophies 04:29 is very real and is profoundly affecting our lives 04:33 every single day. 04:35 ♪[somber music]♪ 04:42 One of the most remarkable things you can learn 04:44 from this backstory of the Bible is this: 04:47 This earth originally created by God in perfection 04:51 has been twisted by the devil into a real-time demonstration 04:56 of how his system of selfishness works. 04:59 Now, we're going to look at some, some decisive battles 05:03 in this war of ideas between God and Satan, 05:06 battles that took place early in the life and ministry of Jesus. 05:10 The first one took place in a valley in the Middle East, 05:13 a valley through which the Jordan River flows. 05:17 I'll have that in just a moment. 05:19 ♪[music]♪ 05:28 >>John: Temptation is a fact of life, 05:31 but you can be successful in the face of temptation. 05:34 Be sure you get today's free offer, 05:36 "When the Lion Roars," 05:38 and find out how you can successfully defeat temptation 05:43 instead of being defeated by sin. 05:45 To get your free copy of "When the Lion Roars," 05:48 call us on 800-253-3000. 05:51 You can write to the address on your screen 05:53 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 06:02 [birds twittering] 06:04 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 06:06 Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. 06:10 When He was, His Father's voice was heard 06:12 proclaiming from heaven 06:14 that this was "my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." 06:18 The Holy Spirit rested upon Jesus in the form of a dove. 06:22 This was the beginning of Jesus' formal ministry. 06:26 What happened next 06:27 was essentially hand-to-hand combat with Satan. 06:30 Matthew 4:1 says that "Jesus was led...by the Spirit 06:34 into the wilderness," which in this case was the desert. 06:38 And He began to prepare for His conflict with Satan 06:41 by fasting for 40 days. 06:43 Now, that might seem like a strange thing to do; 06:46 that is, most people would prepare for battle 06:49 by doing everything they could to increase their strength. 06:52 Jesus, on the other hand, 06:55 gave up just about every last ounce of strength that He had. 07:00 In doing this, He was showing us that power to resist Satan 07:04 comes from not within ourselves, 07:07 but from a relationship with God and from the Word of God. 07:13 An ER doctor once said that the rule he uses 07:16 is the rule of threes. 07:18 Death comes after three minutes without oxygen, 07:22 three days without water, 07:24 or three weeks or up to 30 days without food. 07:28 Now, there are all sorts of conditions and caveats, 07:31 but basically 30 days without food takes a person 07:34 to the very edge of human endurance. 07:38 By the time Jesus had fasted for 40 days, 07:41 He was faint with weakness; His body was shutting down. 07:45 His energy reserves were depleted. 07:48 His body was a jumble of chemical imbalances 07:50 and shortages. 07:51 It was practically screaming at Him to do whatever 07:54 He possibly could to prolong life. 07:57 Now, in that condition it would have taken an enormous effort 08:00 simply to focus His mind, but it was in that state, 08:04 on the very edge of death, that He met Satan in decisive battle. 08:10 The picture is clearly painted for us 08:12 in the writings of both Matthew and Luke. 08:15 The battle was comprised of three skirmishes, 08:17 and like the entire conflict before it, 08:20 this was a political battle. 08:21 It was a battle of ideas. 08:24 Now, in the first encounter, 08:26 Satan came to Jesus with an idea, 08:28 which on the surface seemed to be straightforward. 08:31 He said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, 08:35 then command that these stones be made into bread." 08:39 ♪[soft somber music]♪ 08:47 So few words, so much going on. 08:50 There were layers and layers to Satan's challenge. 08:54 First was doubt. 08:56 He wanted Jesus to express doubt in His relationship with God 09:00 and in His own mission and ministry. 09:02 Notice what he said: "If You are the Son of God." 09:06 He was trying to open up a crack in Jesus' thinking 09:08 that he could then go and drive a wedge right into. 09:12 And secondly, he wanted Jesus to perform an act of selfishness 09:17 as a consequence of that doubt. 09:19 He wanted Jesus to act in harmony 09:21 with his system of selfishness. 09:24 Remember, Satan's original claim was that God 09:27 was fundamentally selfish. 09:30 He wanted to be justified in that. 09:32 He was desperate to prove to the universe that that was so. 09:43 And notice that the trap was baited with food, 09:48 which was exactly what Jesus desperately needed. 09:52 And yet Jesus didn't give in. 09:55 In Matthew 4:4 we read that He responded to Satan 09:58 with scripture: 09:59 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 10:03 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 10:11 Satan's initial foray failed, and so he became less subtle. 10:16 Matthew 4:5 says that Satan took Jesus and stood Him 10:21 on the highest point of the temple and said, 10:24 "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. 10:28 For it is written: 10:30 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' 10:33 and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, 10:36 lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" 10:40 Now, in the second temptation, 10:42 Satan again tries to play on any shred of doubt 10:45 that might be in Jesus' mind. 10:47 Again, he uses that word "if": 10:49 "If You are the Son of God." 10:51 Just prove it, and everything will be okay. 10:55 Now, for a dying man, the idea of having God help Him 10:58 in His time of need must have been a very attractive one. 11:01 It was a layered temptation, very clever. 11:04 Satan was trying to get Jesus to use selfishness 11:08 to His advantage. 11:10 But he failed when Jesus quoted scripture in response. 11:14 "It is also written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 11:20 Then came the third and most decisive skirmish. 11:23 There was no subtlety this time. 11:25 It was a head-on attack that went right to the core 11:28 of the conflict, character against character, 11:31 system of running the universe 11:33 against system of running the universe. 11:36 We pick up the narrative in Matthew 4, verse 8: 11:39 "Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, 11:42 and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 11:46 And he said to Him, 11:47 'All these things I will give You 11:49 if You will fall down and worship me.'" 11:54 Let's take this bit by bit, 11:55 make sure we understand what's going on here. 11:58 Satan takes Jesus to the top of the highest mountain 12:01 and shows Jesus in great detail the splendor of the world. 12:06 Now, remember Satan usurped the dominion God gave Adam and Eve 12:10 over the earth. 12:11 So he's the boss of the earth, as it were. 12:14 Jesus calls him "the prince of this world." 12:17 Here, Satan asserts that he has control over the earth 12:20 and that he's able to transfer ownership. 12:23 That's a point Jesus does not dispute. 12:27 Satan is essentially showing Jesus his accomplishments. 12:30 He's saying, "See what happens under my control, 12:33 under my system. 12:35 See how humanity advances rapidly under a system 12:38 of adversity and conflict. 12:40 See how conflict breeds innovation and technology. 12:43 See how selfishness and greed 12:44 give birth to great commercial empires. 12:47 See how cities grow and flourish as great men and women 12:51 build them and compete for control." 12:53 He's saying, "This is the way it should be done." 12:56 Satan is saying that his system of unbridled selfishness works. 13:02 He was making an offer, and it boiled down to this: 13:06 "We can end the war right here, 13:08 and You can have all the spoils of the earth I have built, 13:12 if You just admit that my way is better than Yours." 13:18 The offer to end the battle with a win was probably 13:22 very compelling to a man exhausted and at death's door. 13:26 But that would have been dishonest and selfish, 13:29 and Christ refused. 13:31 In Matthew 4:10 we read, 13:33 "Jesus said to him, 'Away with you, Satan! 13:36 For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, 13:40 and Him only you shall serve."'" 13:43 Matthew tells us that angels came and attended Him, 13:47 bringing Him back from the edge of death. 13:50 Now, speaking of death, 13:52 did Jesus really need to die on the cross? 13:56 I'll have that in just a moment. 13:58 ♪[music]♪ 14:08 >>John: Temptation is a fact of life, 14:10 but you can be successful in the face of temptation. 14:13 Be sure you get today's free offer, 14:16 "When the Lion Roars," 14:18 and find out how you can successfully defeat temptation 14:22 instead of being defeated by sin. 14:24 To get your free copy of "When the Lion Roars," 14:27 call us on 800-253-3000. 14:30 You can write to the address on your screen 14:32 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 14:38 ♪[ominous music]♪ 14:40 >>John: It's a place of mystery. 14:42 Northwest of Las Vegas in Nevada, 14:44 an area where people are convinced aliens roam 14:48 and visits from extraterrestrials 14:50 frequently occur. 14:51 Do UFOs visit America? 14:53 What do the locals say about what happens or doesn't happen 14:56 in their own backyard? 14:58 Don't miss "Area 51," [thunder rumbles] 15:00 part 3 of It Is Written series 15:02 "Conspiracy, More Than Just a Theory." 15:06 You'll visit Area 51 and hear from people 15:08 who say they've seen the evidence. 15:10 You'll learn what the Bible says about the conspiracy playing out 15:14 right before your eyes, 15:16 a conspiracy of eternal importance, 15:18 a conspiracy most people are missing. 15:20 Make sure you know about the greatest conspiracy of them all, 15:24 a global conspiracy that involves you and those you love. 15:28 Watch "Area 51" 15:30 from the series "Conspiracy, More Than Just a Theory" 15:34 on It Is Written TV. 15:39 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 15:42 When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, 15:45 he caused Jesus to see the splendor of the kingdoms 15:48 of the cities of the world. 15:50 But it wasn't the cities Jesus wanted. 15:52 Jesus came for the hearts of the people in the cities. 15:56 He didn't want them suffering in Satan's kingdom. 15:59 Instead, He wanted them living fulfilled, meaningful lives 16:03 in His kingdom. 16:04 Jesus does not want us to be content in rebellion 16:07 but instead to call our hearts and our lives out of rebellion. 16:12 ♪[ominous music]♪ 16:18 Satan left the battlefield not quite fully defeated. 16:22 Luke 4:13 says that the devil left Him 16:25 "until an opportune time." 16:27 And it's that opportune time 16:29 that we want to look at right now. 16:31 Turns out that Satan's strongest attacks against Jesus took place 16:34 at the beginning and at the end of Jesus' ministry. 16:38 His last and severest attack came as Jesus was about to die 16:44 on the cross. 16:45 So, did Jesus really need to die on the cross? 16:50 Well, let's ask. 16:52 ♪[music]♪ 16:57 Did Jesus really need to die on the cross? 17:00 Why or why not? 17:03 >>Woman 1: I believe yes, just 'cause He died on the cross 17:05 for us, and it just shows like how powerful He is 17:08 and just like how He's impacted all of us, 17:10 and we're here today because He died on the cross for us. 17:13 >>Woman 2: Yes. 17:14 Because there was sin in the world, and without someone, 17:18 um, as in Jesus, God's Son, that came so that we may have 17:22 the right to eternal life, 17:23 because of sin that man brought into the world. 17:27 And before sin, there was not a need, 17:28 but after sin, yes. 17:31 >>Man 1: Um, to pay for our sins? And, uh, yes. 17:38 >>Man 2: Yes, because without the shedding of blood 17:41 there's no remission of sins, 17:43 and He was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. 17:47 You know, His blood was shed on the cross, 17:50 and that's the only thing that God looks at 17:53 as the perfect sacrifice for sins. 17:56 He's "the Way, the Truth, and the Life," 17:58 and no one gets to the Father but through Him. 18:00 So...that's the only--there is no plan B. [Laughs] 18:06 ♪[music]♪ 18:09 >>John: There are a lot of opinions about Jesus 18:11 on the cross. 18:12 So let's view the cross 18:14 in the context of this prequel we are studying. 18:17 So here is the Christ at the end of His life. 18:19 Throughout His life He's preached and lived a message 18:21 that is simple, yet radical, that His is a kingdom of love 18:26 that is profoundly different from the world. 18:28 He's lived a completely unselfish life. 18:32 At the same time, 18:33 He's accumulated some very powerful enemies 18:36 by telling the religious leaders that they have turned 18:38 a message of love into a system of domination and profit 18:42 That they've taken something that was supposed 18:44 to reflect God's character, 18:46 and they've made it reflect Satan's character. 18:49 Accordingly, He called them "hypocrites." 18:52 He called them a "brood of vipers." 18:54 And they hated Him. 18:56 They wanted Him dead. 18:58 And now, He's hanging on the cross. 19:02 Some of His enemies are standing there, victorious. 19:05 They're watching Him die. 19:08 They weren't the only ones. 19:09 Satan was there, of course, 19:11 and it was a very, very tense moment for him. 19:14 Remember, Satan's whole campaign and purpose 19:17 was not about torturing or killing Jesus. 19:19 Of course, he was happy enough to do that. 19:22 His campaign, his war was about replacing God 19:26 as the ruler of the universe, 19:28 or at least revealing God as a fraud, 19:31 and to do that, he had to prove his charges against God. 19:35 He had to prove that God was selfish, a liar, 19:38 and was holding everyone back 19:39 and keeping the best for Himself. 19:42 He had to prove that God and, of course, Jesus, 19:44 were fundamentally selfish. 19:46 And he had to prove that God's law was unjust, 19:50 that law and mercy couldn't co-exist. 19:53 If he managed to do even part of that, 19:56 he would show that Christ's entire life had been a lie 20:00 and an exercise in hypocrisy. 20:03 As Jesus hangs on the cross, 20:06 the primary characters in this contest 20:08 for the control of the universe are thrown into sharp relief. 20:11 On the one side is Jesus--kind, caring, self-sacrificing, 20:17 with love and goodwill toward everyone. 20:20 His life demonstrates what selflessness looks like 20:24 as He substitutes Himself for us and takes the punishment 20:28 for our rebellion so that we could be restored to paradise. 20:32 On the other side is Satan-- 20:34 cruel, arrogant, selfish, grasping. 20:38 His objective is to prove that God is selfish 20:41 and then take over the administration of the universe. 20:45 And it's not just the characters who are clashing at the cross; 20:49 it's their systems. 20:50 Jesus hangs on the cross, 20:52 the ultimate reflection of His intentional giving 20:55 and lovingkindness to humanity. 20:58 At the same time, the fact He hangs on the cross 21:00 is the ultimate reflection of Satan's world of taking, 21:04 dominating, grasping for power and control. 21:08 Both systems meet where a truly innocent Man hangs dying. 21:14 And it's not as though Jesus confidently rushed to the cross. 21:18 In Matthew 26:39, where Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, 21:22 the night before He was crucified, 21:25 He pleads with God to provide some other way 21:28 of resolving the case of mankind. 21:31 He's a man; He doesn't want to die. 21:34 But unselfishly, Jesus goes through with it. 21:37 He suffered under the weight of the sins of humanity, 21:40 and He died. 21:42 And in doing so, He demonstrated that God's law 21:44 is both just and merciful. 21:47 Jesus' death simultaneously threw the characters 21:51 of God and Satan into sharp relief. 21:54 It cut through Satan's layers of deception, 21:57 and his rebellion was entirely discredited 22:01 in front of a watching universe. 22:03 So here's the question: 22:05 If Satan lost at the cross, 22:07 why didn't God destroy him right then and there? 22:11 Why has there been some 2,000 more years of the earth 22:14 persisting under Satan's system and under Satan's dominion? 22:20 Well, let's ask. 22:21 ♪[music]♪ 22:24 If Jesus won victory by dying on the cross, 22:27 why is there still sin on the earth? 22:30 >>Woman 1: Um, just because it's our society today. 22:32 We all have problems. We all deal with things. 22:35 I mean, it's just life. 22:37 >>Woman 2: So, with sin and His death, 22:39 that wasn't the end of it. 22:41 He's coming back and for those that are believers and those 22:44 that are living as He has instructed throughout the Bible; 22:48 then He's coming to take us home. 22:49 We were always meant to have eternal life. 22:53 >>Man 1: I don't know. I want to say, because of...Satan? 22:59 Hell, maybe? I don't know. 23:01 Why is it? That's a good question. 23:03 I've honestly never been asked like something like that 23:07 or thought about something like that. 23:09 So...what? Do you know? 23:12 >>Man 2: We're in a spiritual warfare. 23:15 We live in a fallen world, so, sin is rampant. 23:20 Pick up any paper or listen to any newscast-- 23:23 I mean, it's just everywhere, and we're going to be subjected 23:26 to a sinful world until Christ returns and changes it. 23:34 ♪[music]♪ 23:38 >>John: At the cross, most of Satan's charges were swept away. 23:42 Most, but not all. 23:44 And that's not good enough for God. 23:46 If He destroyed Satan then, 23:49 some of the accusations Satan made 23:51 would forever hang in the air. 23:53 There would always be a small doubt about God 23:55 and His character, and that small doubt could be enough 23:58 to build a rebellion on, and another Satan could arise. 24:02 No, God is seeing this through until the very end 24:05 so there'll never again be cause for doubt, 24:07 never again be a rationale for rebellion. 24:11 And that means, once we're done with Satan, 24:13 we will forever be done with rebellion against God-- 24:16 otherwise known as sin. 24:19 There's also another aspect. 24:22 By letting time go on, 24:24 the effects of Jesus' ministry also go on, 24:28 and millions more people are able to accept eternal life. 24:31 You and I are able to accept the gift of eternal life 24:33 because time has continued through our lives. 24:36 And so we go on, letting Satan's design for the earth play out 24:41 and letting the truth be self-evident. 24:42 Of course, Satan is in total political campaign mode, 24:46 so anything bad that happens, he blames on God. 24:49 But here's the thing. 24:50 A system designed around selfishness and taking 24:53 is a really, really bad operating system for the earth 24:57 and for human society. 24:59 This is because selfishness by its very nature 25:03 collapses in on itself. 25:05 The system Satan unleashed has resulted in death, 25:08 disease, conflict, and suffering. 25:12 But there's more to come as our physical earth and human society 25:17 not only continue to decline 25:19 but reach a tipping point and go into rapid decline. 25:23 Satan can't hide that fact, nor can he shift blame for it. 25:27 And as the effects of his system grow more apparent on earth, 25:31 Satan knows that he's rapidly running out of time. 25:35 In the next part of this series, 25:37 we'll look at the prophecies of Jesus 25:39 regarding the rapid decline of our earth and human society. 25:43 We'll look at how those prophecies are coming true 25:46 in real time right now. 25:48 We'll look at the current collapse of Satan's design 25:50 and what the Bible says will happen next 25:54 as this war for control of the universe 25:56 comes to its climactic end right before our eyes. 26:01 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 26:03 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 26:06 To support this international life-changing ministry, 26:10 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:14 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:15 to the address on your screen, 26:17 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:21 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:23 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 26:28 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:32 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 26:34 Our Father in heaven, 26:35 we are grateful that in this great battle 26:37 between good and evil, 26:39 in this competition of competing systems, 26:42 that we can know that 26:44 "greater is He that is in [us] 26:46 than he that is in the world." 26:48 We recognize that in a conflict of this magnitude, 26:50 we shall be swept away, 26:53 unless our hearts are surrendered to You fully. 26:56 Friend, let me ask you this question. 26:58 As this battle rages, where are you in relation to God? 27:02 Does He have your heart? 27:04 Beyond what we can see, 27:05 there is a tremendous conflict taking place. 27:09 Will you be swept away or, or gathered up with the saints 27:12 and saved when Jesus comes back? 27:14 It takes simply a decision. 27:16 Lord, take my heart; make it Yours. 27:20 Save me; turn me in Your direction; 27:23 live Your life in me. 27:25 Lord, we do that. 27:27 We thank You for doing it. 27:28 We thank You for having us as Your own. 27:31 We pray with John, who wrote the book of Revelation, and said, 27:33 "Even so, come, Lord Jesus," 27:36 and we pray in Jesus' name. 27:39 Amen. 27:40 Thank you so much for joining me. 27:42 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:44 Until then, remember: 27:45 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:49 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:54 ♪[theme music]♪ |
Revised 2019-11-26