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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ001122A
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00:27 The Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe, a home to some of the most 00:31 majestic granite scenery in the world. The hills here provide a 00:36 stunning and other-worldly landscape of balancing rocks 00:39 known as kopis, giant boulders awkwardly teetering on top of 00:45 one another. The massive rock formations are awesome in their 00:51 grandeur and create a unique atmosphere. These great boulders 00:55 have weathered in place to create tremendous rock 01:00 sculptures that balance precariously on top of one 01:03 another in defiance of gravity. This is a place that has awed 01:07 and inspired humans since the dawn of history. The San 01:13 bushmen left their paintings here in the caves and rock 01:16 cliffs 2000 years ago and when the Ngubani people came here 01:21 they believed that there were spiritual messages associated 01:25 with these great rocks. When you see this magnificent, powerful 01:31 and mysterious landscape, it's easy to understand why Matobo 01:35 is considered the spiritual home of Zimbabwe and these great 01:40 rocks really do carry a message and tell a story that reaches 01:45 far beyond this country. It's a story that reaches to the ends 01:50 of the earth. It's a story that even reaches to your heart and 01:55 mine. So stay with us and join me on a journey to explore 02:00 Matobo Hills, this world of rock wonders and hear a story 02:06 that carries a message that could inspire you and change 02:10 your life forever. 02:12 ♪ ♪ 02:37 There can be fewer finer examples of beauty and mystery 02:41 of the natural world than in Zimbabwe's Matobo Hills. Here 02:46 you find some of the most beautiful rock formations in the 02:50 world with giant boulders precariously balancing on top of 02:54 each other that defy belief that they can manage to keep holding 02:59 on to their amazing position. The Matobo Hills are composed 03:04 entirely of granite and have an average height of 1500 meters 03:09 and together cover an area of over 3000 sq/km. Right across 03:15 this area there's a range of domes, spires and balancing rock 03:20 formations that have been sculpted out of the solid 03:23 granite plateau through thousands of years of erosion 03:27 and weathering. People have interacted with and been 03:34 inspired by these dramatic rock formations for thousands of 03:39 years. The San bushmen, a tribe of hunter-gatherers lived among 03:44 the huge boulders in these hills about 2000 years ago and left a 03:49 rich heritage of rock paintings. Hidden away in the caves and 03:54 rock shelters of the Matobo Hills are over 3000 rock art 03:59 sites giving it the greatest density of ancient painted sites 04:04 anywhere in the world. Most of the art was painted here about 04:09 1600 years ago. This superb collection of rock art includes 04:16 beautiful freezes of elephants, giraffes, kudu and other wild 04:21 animals that inhabited the area. These are symbols and 04:25 illustrations of the bushmen's deepest religious feelings and 04:30 understanding of the reality of life around them. The bushmen's 04:37 simple art style and techniques have endured the centuries and 04:42 withstood the rigors of time. The paintings provide an insight 04:46 into the lifestyle and activities of these foraging 04:51 societies that lived among the rock formations centuries ago. 04:56 ♪ ♪ 05:13 Later the hills and balancing rocks were considered sacred by 05:18 the Ngubani people. They were a Bartu speaking nation 05:22 historically known as the Matebele. They traveled north 05:26 Zululand in South Africa and settled here under the 05:30 leadership of their warrior chief Mzilikazi. When Chief 05:35 Mzilikazi first saw the amazing granite boulders here he likened 05:40 the bald rocks to the bald heads of his senior counselors and 05:45 renamed the hills Matobo which derives from the Matabele word 05:50 for bald-headed. In colonial times Matobo Hills became the 05:56 favored location of businessman, politician and imperialist 06:00 empire-builder Cecil Rhodes. In fact, he loved the place so 06:06 much that he chose this as his final resting place. His grave, 06:11 carved from the rock is marked by a brass plaque at the aptly 06:16 named World's View, a vantage point high up on the rocks. 06:24 ♪ ♪ 06:29 The boulders, hills and valleys provide a variety of habitats 06:33 for wildlife and plenty of game is found throughout the Matobo 06:37 Hills. Many of the animals depicted in the rock art of the 06:40 bushmen are still found roaming the area. There are, however, no 06:45 lions or elephants, which means that you can walk freely amongst 06:49 the hills and explore them on your own and view the wild 06:53 animals as well. There are plenty of elegant impala here. 06:59 They are one of the most common and most graceful antelope in 07:03 the African bushveld. They've got a white belly and the black 07:07 stripe that extends from the top of the rump down the back of 07:11 each thigh. Only the rams have horns which are shaped like a 07:16 lyre. The impala is preyed upon by most of the large carnivore 07:21 and so they are on constant alert. Should one of them spot 07:26 Danger, it will snort an alarm and the whole herd will scatter. 07:32 They're renowned for their spectacular leaps over shrubs and 07:34 bushes when they're alarmed or frightened. And it's one of the 07:38 treats offered by nature to see this antelope perform their 07:42 incredible three meter high and 12 meter long leaps. The tallest 07:50 animal on earth is also found in the Matobo area. Giraffe grow 07:55 to between five and six meters tall. That's taller than three 08:01 humans. Their long legs and necks help them to eat leaves 08:04 at the top of tall trees that other animals can't reach. They 08:09 have long tongues that can grow to a whopping 53 cm and no teeth 08:15 at the front of their top jaw which allows them to rip leaves 08:20 from branches. These gentle giants of the African bushveld 08:24 may look slow and ungainly, however, when they need to they 08:29 can reach up to 50 km/hr over short distances. The valleys and 08:38 grasslands between the hills are home to herds of zebra. These 08:42 black and white beauties are social creatures and live 08:45 together in large herds and will sometimes team up with other 08:49 grazers such as antelope and wildebeest. They spend most of 08:54 their day eating grass and are constantly on the move looking 08:58 for fresh grass to eat and water to drink. And their most famous 09:04 feature, their brilliant black and white striped coat, of 09:07 course. So, why do zebras have stripes? Well we're not entirely 09:13 sure but some believe they dazzle and confuse predators and 09:16 biting insects, or they control the animal's body heat. Because 09:22 each individual's stripes are unique, their stripes may also 09:26 have a social purpose helping zebras to recognize one another. 09:33 Matobo contains Zimbabwe's highest concentration of rhino, 09:41 both black and white species. These fabulous creatures are 09:46 known for their awesome giant horns that grow from their 09:50 snouts and that's where their name comes from. Rhinoceros 09:53 means nose horn. Rhinos are some of the biggest animals in the 10:00 world. The 10:02 white rhino can grow to nearly 2 m tall and weight a massive 10:06 2500 kg. That's the weight of about 30 men. But despite their 10:13 huge size and strength, these bulky beasts don't prey on other 10:18 animals for food. They're herbivores and instead like to 10:22 munch on lots of grass and plants. During the heat of the 10:27 day they like to wallow in muddy pools or rest under shady trees 10:32 to cool off. They usually cover themselves in mud to protect 10:37 their skin from the strong sun and ward of biting bugs too. 10:43 Sadly the rhinos very existence is threatened today. They're in 10:47 danger of becoming extinct in the wild. It's estimated that 10:53 there are only around 29,000 rhinos left in the wild today 10:57 compared to half a million at the beginning of the 20th 11:02 century. The main threat to these magnificent animals is 11:07 poaching or illegal hunting largely because their horns are 11:12 used in traditional folk medicine particularly in Asia. 11:16 Today their horns are more valuable than gold and so 11:20 poachers kill them for their horns. Wild animals and rock art 11:31 are wonderful attractions in the Matobo area. However, the most 11:36 notable thing about Matobo are the amazing rock formations and 11:42 the hills. These hills have provided shelter and refuge for 11:47 people during troubled times. They provided security and 11:52 sustenance and have been a haven for humans for thousands of 11:55 years. The grandeur and peacefulness of these hills is 12:03 immense and has contributed to their hallowed reputation. They 12:08 are a reminder that hills and grand rocks have awed and 12:13 inspired humans through the ages And this is certainly true of 12:17 David, Israel's greatest and most loved king. David was the 12:24 lowly shepherd boy who defeated Goliath, became king, formed 12:29 Israel into a nation, established Jerusalem 12:33 as its capital and ushered in Israel's golden age. No wonder 12:39 he's Israel's greatest and most loved king and his name is 12:43 mentioned more than any other name in the Bible. But it's not 12:47 as a great warrior or mighty king that David won the 12:52 everlasting love of his people and indeed of people around the 12:57 world. Rather he did it as the author of the book of Psalms, 13:00 the sweetest poetry of Israel. He wrote dozens of psalms, some 13:06 of the most touching and beautiful poetry ever written. 13:11 And that's why people love and remember David. Throughout the 13:16 ages his poetry, the book of psalms, has served as a 13:20 boundless source of inspiration, courage and hope. And David 13:25 wrote about the hills and grand rocks. For example, here's what 13:30 he wrote in Psalm 121 verses 1 and 2: 13:44 Did you notice what David did when he needed help. He looked 13:49 up. He looked up to the Lord who made heaven and earth. 13:53 He's saying 13:55 the almighty God of creation is a sure thing, powerful, 13:58 dependable. I see his power displayed in the hills and in 14:02 the world around me. I know that I can trust him. Now let's face 14:09 it. There are times when we all need help. When we wake up 14:14 feeling burdened, anxious, thoughts swirling wondering how 14:19 we're going to cope with the challenges of life. Ever been 14:24 there? Do you need help? I know I do. Where do you look for help 14:29 Let me share something personal with you. I've been through some 14:34 tough times recently, really challenging, soul destroying. 14:39 Even though I believe the truth and know that God's in control, 14:44 there was a real battle in my heart and in my mind. I started 14:47 to worry and doubt. Fear crept in. I started looking all around 14:52 in my desperate search for help. I lost focus because I got 14:58 distracted by all the things that can never really give us 15:01 strength and hope anyway. I found that people won't ever be 15:05 able to answer for every need we have. Money and success can't 15:10 satisfy our deepest needs. I also realized that this world 15:15 will never be free of all conflict. It's even found in the 15:19 most unexpected places. And there's only one source of true 15:24 help when we're really in need. I read this psalm again, read it 15:29 like never before and instead of looking all around, I looked up. 15:34 Psalm 121 is one of the Bible passages that gave me hope and 15:40 got me through. And so, I want to share it with you today 15:45 because I can assure you from personal experience that 15:49 whatever problems you're facing, whatever challenge may appear 15:53 about to overwhelm you, whatever mistakes you've made, there is 15:58 hope, there is help. Notice Psalm 121 again: 16:15 You can count on God. He's reliable. He's the creator who 16:21 made heaven and earth. He's all powerful. His power is displayed 16:26 in the world around us and he's with us always. We know that we 16:31 can trust him. Notice as we read further in Psalm 121, verses 3-4 16:52 Sometimes we may find ourselves on slippery slopes or the path 16:57 we're walking on seems to be full of potholes and obstacles. 17:01 We may be in danger of losing our sure footing. We may stumble 17:06 but as long as our eyes are fixed on him God keeps us from 17:11 falling. He keeps our footsteps firm, for he watches over us as 17:17 our sleeplessness guardian and never loses sight of us. Now we 17:21 come to verses 5 and 6: 17:36 God is our keeper, our protector and provider. He keeps 17:40 us safe in his care. He protects us like the shade protects from 17:45 the heat of the day. No matter how the trials of the day may 17:48 heat up, no matter what catastrophes might befall us, 17:53 God gives us the strength to keep going. And here's this 17:57 Psalm's final promise: 18:15 God protects us from all evil, both external and internal. Evil 18:21 doesn't have to have the final say in our lives. God watches 18:26 over us constantly. His eyes are on us. He cannot look away from 18:32 those he loves. He watches our coming and our going and all in 18:37 between. He watches over our family and our children. He's 18:42 our keeper. So when you need hope for your day, when you're 18:46 discouraged, struggling or weary here's hope from the psalms, 18:50 hope from the Almighty God who made the hills and the rocks. 18:56 ♪ ♪ 19:11 David didn't only write about the hills. He also often directs 19:15 our attention to the rocks and in particular to the Mighty Rock 19:19 the Rock of Ages. Throughout the psalms David refers to God as 19:25 his rock. Notice what he says here is Psalm chapter 18 and 19:30 verse 2: 19:46 ♪ ♪ 19:55 David says God is my Rock. He is a solid foundation, he is 20:00 immovable, unshakeable, faithful and reliable. In times of 20:06 trouble God is our source of strength, he is our refuge where 20:12 we can find peace and safety from harm. When you hold a rock 20:16 in your hand and squeeze it hard what happens? Does it squish or 20:22 change? No, it stays strong and doesn't change and that's how 20:29 God is. Because he's so strong he can keep us safe. There are 20:38 challenges, some storms of life, that we just can't hide from. 20:43 You know the kind. The sudden illness, the financial mess, the 20:49 unexpected loss of a loved one, the heartbreaking betrayal of a 20:54 friend. These storms can sweep into our lives quickly and 20:59 suddenly or build up over time until their raging all around us 21:06 When they come they threaten to shake us to the core and 21:10 there is nowhere we can hide from them. Or is there? David 21:15 talks about a rock in whom we can take refuge. This rock is 21:20 strong, so impenetrable that it's protection ensures we 21:25 cannot be shaken even by the fiercest storm. God is our Rock. 21:31 The powerful God who created this world and everything that 21:36 exists, who has power even over death itself is the Rock we can 21:41 run to when the storms of life blow all around us. Here's what 21:46 David wrote in Psalm 62 verses 7 and 8: 22:06 We know we can trust God's power to protect because he has 22:11 proven his love. The same love that moved him to give his Son 22:16 in our place on the cross, moves him to use his power to guard 22:21 and protect us in our lives now. So when the storms blow in, and 22:26 you know they will, find your security in the Mighty Rock, the 22:32 Rock of Ages. Hide yourself in the loving and all powerful arms 22:37 of God. Trust him to keep you safe and not be shaken. Always 22:42 remember that your God loves and cares about you and your family 22:47 and all that you're going through every minute. Never 22:50 forget that your God is with you in the good days and the 22:54 difficult days. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Why 22:59 not call to him today as we pray and allow him to be your rock 23:03 and your refuge. 23:05 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your reminders that you are 23:10 with us. Thank for watching over our coming and going and you 23:15 neither slumber nor sleep. Thank you for your constant care, that 23:20 you are our help and strength in the daily battles that we face. 23:24 Thank you that you are our protector and defender against 23:28 the schemes of the enemy and the evil that tries to overtake us. 23:33 We are safe with you, our Rock, the Rock of Ages. We choose 23:39 today to keep our eyes off our problems and fixed solely on you 23:45 We choose to look up for you alone are our hope. Please bless 23:51 us now. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 23:56 The Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe are home to some of the most 24:04 majestic granite scenery in the world. The hills here provide a 24:09 stunning landscape of balancing rocks awkwardly teetering on top 24:13 of one another. These great rocks have provided a place of 24:18 refuge and have awed and inspired humans through the ages 24:22 and they carry a message that reaches to the ends of the earth 24:28 that even reaches to your heart and mine. These rocks remind us 24:33 that we need a rock, a place of refuge where we can find true 24:38 peace and safety in times of stress and danger. We too need 24:44 a rock that's strong, reliable and enduring. If you're battling 24:49 the challenges of life and are looking for a rock that you can 24:53 depend on, a rock that will always protect you and never let 24:57 you down, then I'd like to recommend a free gift we have 25:01 for all our viewers today. It's the booklet called The Best 25:06 Insurance Policy in the World. This book is our gift to you and 25:11 is absolutely free. There are no costs or obligations 25:15 whatsoever. Thousands have been blessed and inspired by this 25:20 book, The Best Insurance Policy in the World. So please don't 25:24 miss the wonderful opportunity to receive the gift we have for 25:28 you today. Here's the information you need: 25:32 Phone or text us at 0436333555 or visit our website www.tij.tv 25:43 to request today's free offer and we'll see that you receive 25:47 this totally free of charge and with no obligation. So don't 25:51 delay. Call or text 0436333555 in Australia or 0204222042 in 26:02 New Zealand or visit our website www.tij.tv to request today's 26:11 offer. Write to us at: 26:30 Don't delay. Phone or text 0436333555 in Australia or 26:37 0204222042 in New Zealand or visit our website www.tij.tv to 26:49 request today's free offer. Call or text us now. 26:58 If you've enjoyed today's journey to the Matobo Hills and 27:01 the great balancing rocks of Zimbabwe and our reflections on 27:05 the Rock of Ages, be sure to join us again next week when we 27:09 will share another of life's journeys together and experience 27:13 another new and thought provoking perspective on the 27:17 peace, insight, understanding and hope that only the Bible can 27:21 give us. The Incredible Journey truly is television that changes 27:27 lives. Until next week remember the ultimate destination of 27:32 life's journey. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth. And God 27:38 will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no 27:42 more death nor sorrow nor crying There shall be no more pain for 27:47 the former things have passed away. 27:50 ♪ ♪ |
Revised 2020-09-23