- Reading, it's
something that you and I
00:00:01.03\00:00:02.56
kind of take for granted
00:00:02.56\00:00:03.83
because we're
well, just so used to it.
00:00:03.83\00:00:06.20
And because it's such a
common everyday basic skill
00:00:06.20\00:00:09.74
it can be easy to forget
how crippling it would be
00:00:09.74\00:00:12.47
If you couldn't read,
00:00:12.47\00:00:13.98
we just kinda
take it for granted.
00:00:13.98\00:00:16.88
But the printed word is
nothing short of revolutionary.
00:00:16.88\00:00:20.98
So here's what I
wanna look at today.
00:00:20.98\00:00:22.75
Literacy is such
an important part
00:00:22.75\00:00:24.85
of what it means to live
in a authentic human life
00:00:24.85\00:00:26.99
that I'm
convinced that you and I,
00:00:26.99\00:00:28.79
well, we were actually
designed to read and write.
00:00:28.79\00:00:32.46
Stick around I'll
show you what I mean.
00:00:32.46\00:00:34.83
[upbeat music]
00:00:34.83\00:00:37.37
In the pages of
the New Testament.
00:00:55.78\00:00:57.49
We have copies of
these ancient letters
00:00:57.49\00:01:00.92
and some of them are
written to entire church groups,
00:01:00.92\00:01:03.66
others were written
to specific individuals.
00:01:03.66\00:01:07.50
And in one of the
two letters that we have
00:01:07.50\00:01:09.56
from Paul to Timothy.
00:01:09.56\00:01:11.77
There's one brief statement
that has always made me
00:01:11.77\00:01:15.07
well, pretty happy.
00:01:15.07\00:01:17.17
It's almost a
throwaway, a sidebar,
00:01:17.17\00:01:19.74
something that doesn't
even add to the core subject
00:01:19.74\00:01:22.61
of Paul's letter.
00:01:22.61\00:01:24.11
And it's this it's found
in 2 Timothy chapter four,
00:01:24.11\00:01:27.65
and this was written
while Paul was in prison
00:01:27.65\00:01:30.32
waiting for the end of his life.
00:01:30.32\00:01:31.95
Here's what it says
beginning in verse 11.
00:01:31.95\00:01:34.06
Only Luke is with me,
00:01:35.46\00:01:37.29
so we can see
Paul is by himself.
00:01:37.29\00:01:39.79
Get Mark and bring him with you
00:01:39.79\00:01:41.90
for he is useful
to me for ministry.
00:01:41.90\00:01:44.80
And Tychicus I
have sent to Ephesus.
00:01:44.80\00:01:48.17
So we can see that even
though Paul was a prisoner
00:01:48.17\00:01:50.74
and his life is almost over
00:01:50.74\00:01:52.27
he's still completely occupied
with his work as an apostle.
00:01:52.27\00:01:56.61
Verse 13, bring the cloak
00:01:56.61\00:01:59.85
that I left with
Carpus at Troas when you come,
00:01:59.85\00:02:02.72
probably getting cold.
00:02:03.59\00:02:04.79
Now here comes the
part that I really love.
00:02:04.79\00:02:06.45
He says, and the books,
especially the parchments.
00:02:06.45\00:02:11.46
Now I don't know about you,
but that really rings my bell.
00:02:12.89\00:02:17.40
That there have been these
times when I've been overseas
00:02:18.80\00:02:20.34
in a country where I
don't really speak the language.
00:02:20.34\00:02:23.81
And after a few weeks, I
run out of stuff to read.
00:02:23.81\00:02:28.28
And of course, I'm
going back in history here.
00:02:28.28\00:02:29.94
And I'm talking about a
time before eBooks and Kindles.
00:02:29.94\00:02:33.05
When you couldn't
bring a thousand titles along
00:02:33.05\00:02:35.68
in your pocket.
00:02:35.68\00:02:37.35
Those last few weeks
of having nothing to read.
00:02:37.35\00:02:41.69
Well it drives me nuts.
00:02:41.69\00:02:43.16
Reading is my life.
00:02:43.16\00:02:45.86
So I can identify with Paul
00:02:45.86\00:02:48.43
a man who loves to study and
00:02:48.43\00:02:50.93
wishes he had some
of his favorite books.
00:02:50.93\00:02:53.87
And the fact that his
life is about to end is
00:02:53.87\00:02:56.81
really really
interesting to me because.
00:02:56.81\00:02:59.47
Why in the world would
you bother enriching your mind
00:03:01.54\00:03:05.31
and learning stuff?
00:03:05.31\00:03:07.15
When it's just about lights
out, it doesn't make sense
00:03:07.15\00:03:11.65
unless you happen to believe
there's more to human existence
00:03:11.65\00:03:15.79
than the few short years
we get from cradle to grave.
00:03:15.79\00:03:19.83
So here's what I want
you to think about today.
00:03:21.20\00:03:23.33
Why is it that we have a
love for things like reading
00:03:24.73\00:03:28.00
and learning where in the world
did that impulse come from?
00:03:28.00\00:03:32.91
I mean, if we
choose to believe the story
00:03:32.91\00:03:35.38
of human origins that
we were taught in school.
00:03:35.38\00:03:39.18
This drive to learn doesn't
really make a lot of sense.
00:03:39.18\00:03:43.82
I mean, they say that way
back when we didn't have tools
00:03:43.82\00:03:47.62
and we had to discover them.
00:03:47.62\00:03:49.42
As if one day some
primates suddenly realized
00:03:49.42\00:03:52.93
you can pry open a
clam shell twice as fast
00:03:52.93\00:03:55.33
if you use a stick.
00:03:55.33\00:03:57.47
And then another primate
00:03:57.47\00:03:58.97
hundreds of thousands of
years later suddenly discovers.
00:03:58.97\00:04:01.60
You can kill
another monkey much faster.
00:04:01.60\00:04:04.51
If you use a rock
instead of your fist.
00:04:04.51\00:04:07.84
They also say
that once upon a time
00:04:07.84\00:04:10.35
we didn't have any
real language ability.
00:04:10.35\00:04:13.78
And we had to communicate
like animals, by grunting,
00:04:13.78\00:04:16.99
shoving, and pushing.
00:04:16.99\00:04:19.19
Maybe eventually by
using clicks and whistles
00:04:19.19\00:04:21.66
and assembling
a crude vocabulary
00:04:21.66\00:04:23.99
of just a couple
of hundred sounds.
00:04:23.99\00:04:26.16
But what if that's not true?
00:04:27.86\00:04:30.67
What if the human
race came into existence
00:04:30.67\00:04:33.20
already bearing all
the marks of intelligence?
00:04:33.20\00:04:36.94
I mean, as far as
you can call human beings
00:04:36.94\00:04:39.37
intelligent that is.
00:04:39.37\00:04:40.98
Now I know that
what I'm gonna say
00:04:40.98\00:04:43.01
isn't what you learned in
your high school biology book.
00:04:43.01\00:04:45.58
But I want you to think
about this for a moment.
00:04:45.58\00:04:48.85
And if I'm wrong, I'm wrong.
00:04:48.85\00:04:51.39
But if you and
I are just animals
00:04:51.39\00:04:53.86
and we happen to
evolve by accident,
00:04:53.86\00:04:55.86
then why in the
world would we ever
00:04:55.86\00:04:58.49
develop things like
intellectual curiosity?
00:04:58.49\00:05:02.16
I mean, it makes perfect
sense that we might develop
00:05:02.16\00:05:04.53
key survival skills
like hunting, farming,
00:05:04.53\00:05:08.30
or simple shelter building.
00:05:08.30\00:05:10.71
But why would we
develop things like
00:05:10.71\00:05:13.31
aesthetically
pleasing architecture,
00:05:13.31\00:05:15.74
or the
symphonies of Gustav Mahler
00:05:15.74\00:05:17.91
or a curiosity about why
we're here, why we exist?
00:05:17.91\00:05:22.92
Why do you and I
have a love for thinking,
00:05:24.09\00:05:25.75
why do we find technical
manuals kind of boring?
00:05:26.96\00:05:30.63
But at the same time
00:05:30.63\00:05:31.89
we relish the words
of a really great writer,
00:05:31.89\00:05:35.70
a person who has the ability
00:05:35.70\00:05:37.77
to paint mental pictures,
using the sounds of language.
00:05:37.77\00:05:42.77
Why did things like
poetry and drama matter so much
00:05:44.21\00:05:46.88
to the ancient
classical civilizations?
00:05:46.88\00:05:50.05
What sense does it make
00:05:50.05\00:05:52.71
to develop a love
for beautiful things?
00:05:52.71\00:05:56.28
Would that really be
an accident of biology
00:05:56.28\00:06:00.22
or is it possible that
the human race was designed
00:06:00.22\00:06:02.96
on purpose with a
much higher calling
00:06:02.96\00:06:06.63
than basic animal existence?
00:06:06.63\00:06:09.86
Did somebody make us this way.
00:06:09.86\00:06:13.13
Now in the
interest of full disclosure
00:06:14.30\00:06:16.94
just so you know what
my personal preferences
00:06:16.94\00:06:19.44
and biases are.
00:06:19.44\00:06:21.14
I happen to love books.
00:06:21.14\00:06:23.18
And over the last few decades
00:06:23.18\00:06:24.98
I've quite literally
collected thousands of them.
00:06:24.98\00:06:27.25
Just ask my wife.
00:06:27.25\00:06:28.52
They are
scattered all over the house
00:06:28.52\00:06:31.32
and to make things worse.
00:06:31.32\00:06:32.25
My wife has the same affliction.
00:06:32.25\00:06:34.36
There's probably not a single
room in our house anymore.
00:06:34.36\00:06:37.36
That doesn't have stacks of
books scattered all over it.
00:06:37.36\00:06:40.33
Including well, that little room
00:06:40.33\00:06:42.03
where you only read
for a few minutes at a time
00:06:42.03\00:06:43.83
if you get my drift.
00:06:43.83\00:06:45.30
We have books everywhere.
00:06:45.30\00:06:47.27
So I'm coming at this subject
00:06:48.50\00:06:50.07
for my own little
book, permeated bubble.
00:06:50.07\00:06:53.01
That's my bias.
00:06:53.01\00:06:54.51
And it occurs to me
that there must be a reason
00:06:54.51\00:06:58.71
I love all those books.
00:06:58.71\00:07:00.58
There must be a reason
that you love them too.
00:07:00.58\00:07:03.05
I mean, where did
you get that impulse?
00:07:03.05\00:07:07.39
Now, I know that some
people might explain this
00:07:07.39\00:07:11.03
as a product of your
childhood environment.
00:07:11.03\00:07:14.00
I mean, this is something
that my parents engraved
00:07:14.00\00:07:16.77
in my heart and
mind, and I've got to admit
00:07:16.77\00:07:19.20
that's a big part of
what's going on in my life.
00:07:19.20\00:07:21.54
I really did grow up
in a house full of books.
00:07:21.54\00:07:24.71
And if you were born
in the Western world,
00:07:24.71\00:07:26.94
I'm pretty sure that you
were encouraged to read too.
00:07:26.94\00:07:29.41
Because, well that's what most
parents want for their kids.
00:07:29.41\00:07:33.52
It almost starts the
day that you're born.
00:07:33.52\00:07:37.19
You get alphabet
books, and books that feature,
00:07:37.19\00:07:40.69
one single letter per page
like this, Dr. Seuss's classic
00:07:40.69\00:07:44.86
about the alphabet.
00:07:44.86\00:07:46.06
Maybe you had
this book as a kid.
00:07:46.06\00:07:48.30
I know I, I did.
00:07:48.30\00:07:50.03
And then you watch TV
shows like Sesame Street,
00:07:51.43\00:07:53.97
where the letters come to life
00:07:53.97\00:07:55.64
with the support
of Kermit and Grover
00:07:55.64\00:07:57.77
and they help you
pronounce the sounds
00:07:57.77\00:07:59.91
that letters make,
00:07:59.91\00:08:00.78
and help you slowly put
00:08:00.78\00:08:02.31
two parts of a word together
until they become one word.
00:08:02.31\00:08:05.55
You remember this
one at hat c, at, cat.
00:08:05.55\00:08:08.82
You remember this.
00:08:08.82\00:08:09.98
Most of us are completely
immersed in the world of reading
00:08:11.35\00:08:14.96
and writing from about the
time we draw our first breath.
00:08:14.96\00:08:19.96
So yes, it's possible
00:08:20.70\00:08:22.26
that the drive to
read is a learned habit
00:08:22.26\00:08:24.17
but I still suspect
there's something more to this.
00:08:24.17\00:08:26.70
That reading and writing
00:08:26.70\00:08:27.77
weren't just
evolutionary accidents,
00:08:27.77\00:08:29.90
but a key part of what it means
00:08:29.90\00:08:31.84
to be an authentic human being.
00:08:31.84\00:08:34.21
If you just hang
in there for a moment
00:08:34.21\00:08:36.18
while we take a break
and share some great stuff
00:08:36.18\00:08:38.58
from the good people
at the Voice of Prophecy,
00:08:38.58\00:08:40.98
I'll come right
back to tell you why.
00:08:40.98\00:08:43.05
- [First Narrator] Here
at the voice of prophecy
00:08:44.62\00:08:46.09
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:08:46.09\00:08:48.56
for the whole family.
00:08:48.56\00:08:50.06
Like our audio adventure
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00:08:50.06\00:08:53.19
Discovery Mountain
is a Bible based program
00:08:53.19\00:08:55.63
for kids of all
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00:08:55.63\00:08:57.97
Your family will enjoy
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With 24 seasonal
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00:09:08.24\00:09:11.41
- [Second Narrator] Are
you searching for answers
00:09:16.05\00:09:17.29
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00:09:17.29\00:09:18.92
Like where is
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00:09:18.92\00:09:21.19
Can I find real happiness?
00:09:21.19\00:09:22.99
Or is there any hope
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00:09:22.99\00:09:26.16
The Discover Bible guides
00:09:26.16\00:09:27.60
will help you find the
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00:09:27.60\00:09:29.90
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00:09:32.47\00:09:36.71
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00:09:48.65\00:09:51.79
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00:09:51.79\00:09:53.19
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00:09:53.19\00:09:55.46
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00:09:55.46\00:09:57.59
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00:09:57.59\00:09:59.96
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00:09:59.96\00:10:02.56
Visit BibleStudies.com
00:10:02.56\00:10:04.77
and begin your journey
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00:10:04.77\00:10:08.04
to life's deepest questions.
00:10:08.04\00:10:10.51
- There's just something
about this whole phenomenon
00:10:16.81\00:10:19.31
of reading and writing
that intrigues me deeply.
00:10:19.31\00:10:22.12
This human
impulse that we have to
00:10:22.12\00:10:24.52
seek out knowledge and
grow our body of knowledge
00:10:24.52\00:10:27.79
and then
preserve that knowledge.
00:10:27.79\00:10:30.09
Well, I can't stop
thinking about this.
00:10:30.09\00:10:32.49
Where in the world
did we get this impulse?
00:10:32.49\00:10:36.36
Now I know there were
still some non-literate cultures
00:10:36.36\00:10:38.87
in this world who
resort to an oral tradition.
00:10:38.87\00:10:41.70
And I don't wanna discount that
00:10:41.70\00:10:43.14
because while people
immersed in oral traditions
00:10:43.14\00:10:45.67
frankly have better
memories than we do.
00:10:45.67\00:10:48.24
Because while they have to,
they pass down their stories
00:10:48.24\00:10:51.88
and knowledge,
usually the same thing.
00:10:51.88\00:10:54.35
They pass them down
from generation to generation
00:10:54.35\00:10:56.72
by memorizing them.
00:10:56.72\00:10:58.82
Some scholars
believe that an oral culture
00:10:58.82\00:11:01.06
keeps your brain
a little healthier.
00:11:01.06\00:11:02.89
Because you can't rely
on some exterior implement
00:11:02.89\00:11:05.83
to help you remember things.
00:11:05.83\00:11:07.76
You and I aren't that
good at memorizing anymore.
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.13
Especially now
that we can just go
00:11:10.13\00:11:12.00
and Google
anything we need to know.
00:11:12.00\00:11:14.60
We don't memorize.
00:11:14.60\00:11:16.81
Let's get back
to literate cultures
00:11:16.81\00:11:18.34
which have dominated the world
now for thousands of years.
00:11:18.34\00:11:21.61
In the beginning was the word.
00:11:22.54\00:11:24.21
The gospel of John tells us
00:11:24.21\00:11:25.68
in one of the most breathtaking
passages in the Bible.
00:11:25.68\00:11:28.62
And the word was with God.
00:11:28.62\00:11:30.89
And the word was God.
00:11:30.89\00:11:32.95
Now to be honest, our
English version of that sentence
00:11:32.95\00:11:35.59
is probably a bad translation
of the original Greek,
00:11:35.59\00:11:39.36
where the word
for word is logos.
00:11:39.36\00:11:43.20
And it might be a
better translation to say
00:11:43.20\00:11:45.87
in the beginning was the wisdom,
00:11:45.87\00:11:47.74
or in the beginning was
the principle that holds
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.91
the universe together
or something like that.
00:11:50.91\00:11:54.11
The idea behind this passage
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.21
is a recognition that
the universe we inhabit
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.21
is a logical organized place.
00:11:58.21\00:12:01.22
Somebody made this universe
on purpose and it has order,
00:12:01.22\00:12:04.45
and logic, and a huge
degree of predictability.
00:12:04.45\00:12:08.16
In fact, this Greek word logos
00:12:08.16\00:12:10.86
is where we get
our English word logic.
00:12:10.86\00:12:14.36
Now, the reason it says
word in the English translation
00:12:14.36\00:12:18.37
is because back
in the fourth century
00:12:18.37\00:12:20.80
a church father
by the name of Jerome
00:12:20.80\00:12:22.94
decided to translate the
Bible from Greek and Hebrew
00:12:22.94\00:12:26.17
which are the
original biblical languages,
00:12:26.17\00:12:29.08
into Latin the official
language of the Roman church.
00:12:29.08\00:12:33.08
And when he
translated this word logos
00:12:33.08\00:12:35.52
in the gospel of John,
he used the Latin verbum,
00:12:35.52\00:12:39.85
where you and I get
words like verbal and verbose.
00:12:39.85\00:12:43.26
It simply means word.
00:12:43.26\00:12:45.49
But by choosing
this Latin word verbum
00:12:45.49\00:12:48.53
Jerome kind of
strip the original Greek
00:12:48.53\00:12:50.83
of a lot of impact,
which is unfortunate
00:12:50.83\00:12:52.87
because logos has
many layers of meaning.
00:12:52.87\00:12:57.04
Now, apart from that
00:12:57.04\00:12:58.41
this is still a
pretty good translation.
00:12:58.41\00:13:00.61
So let me read it again.
00:13:00.61\00:13:02.48
This time in context,
00:13:02.48\00:13:04.71
this is John chapter
one starting in verse one.
00:13:04.71\00:13:07.62
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:13:08.85\00:13:10.82
"and the Word was with God,
00:13:10.82\00:13:12.15
"and the Word was God.
00:13:12.15\00:13:13.86
"He was in the
beginning with God.
00:13:13.86\00:13:16.46
"All things
were made through Him
00:13:16.46\00:13:17.89
"and without Him
nothing was made that was made.
00:13:17.89\00:13:20.53
"In him was life,
00:13:20.53\00:13:22.13
"and the life was
the light of men."
00:13:22.13\00:13:25.10
Now, we could probably
spend a couple of hours
00:13:25.10\00:13:27.54
unpacking what we just read
00:13:27.54\00:13:29.14
because there's a
lot of information there
00:13:29.14\00:13:31.11
but let me just point out
a couple of important ideas.
00:13:31.11\00:13:34.41
First of all, this is
obviously talking about
00:13:34.41\00:13:37.48
the act of creation
00:13:37.48\00:13:38.91
because it mentions a
person who made everything.
00:13:38.91\00:13:41.32
And it says that
person is also God.
00:13:41.32\00:13:44.75
And there is nothing in
existence that God didn't make.
00:13:44.75\00:13:48.46
Then secondly, I
want you to notice
00:13:49.62\00:13:52.69
that this opening
passage in John's gospel
00:13:52.69\00:13:55.10
clearly echoes one of the most
famous passages in the Bible
00:13:55.10\00:13:57.97
which comes from
Genesis chapter one.
00:13:57.97\00:14:00.37
So now let's go
back and read that
00:14:00.37\00:14:02.60
for the sake of comparison,
because I have little doubt
00:14:02.60\00:14:05.57
that John was
deliberately steering us here.
00:14:05.57\00:14:09.04
So here we go now.
00:14:09.04\00:14:10.08
Genesis chapter one,
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.58
and I really want you to
pay attention to the parallels
00:14:11.58\00:14:13.62
verse one.
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.08
"In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.
00:14:15.08\00:14:19.69
"The earth was
without form and void;
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.49
"and darkness was on
the face of the deep.
00:14:21.49\00:14:23.86
"And the spirit
of God was hovering
00:14:23.86\00:14:25.53
"over the face of the waters.
00:14:25.53\00:14:26.76
"Then God said,
'let there be light'
00:14:26.76\00:14:30.03
"and there was light."
00:14:30.03\00:14:32.37
So we have the same event.
00:14:32.37\00:14:34.04
The creation of the
world recorded in two different
00:14:34.04\00:14:37.77
places. And in
one of those places
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.27
it tells us that the word
the logos created the universe.
00:14:39.27\00:14:43.45
In the other place it tells us
00:14:43.45\00:14:44.98
God spoke the
universe into existence.
00:14:44.98\00:14:47.72
So in other words, the
creator is somebody who speaks
00:14:47.72\00:14:51.72
I know that seems self-evident,
but this is important.
00:14:51.72\00:14:54.69
What you have throughout
the story of the Bible
00:14:54.69\00:14:57.06
is not some
abstract, impersonal deity
00:14:57.06\00:15:00.66
a cosmic energy field like
the force out of Star Wars.
00:15:00.66\00:15:04.67
What you have is
it distinctive God
00:15:04.67\00:15:07.50
with a detectable personality
00:15:07.50\00:15:09.90
and he speaks his
creation into existence.
00:15:09.90\00:15:12.51
And then he goes on
speaking to his creation.
00:15:12.51\00:15:16.24
To borrow the words of
the late Francis Schaffer.
00:15:16.24\00:15:18.91
God is there and
he is not silent.
00:15:18.91\00:15:22.52
So what we have in this
book is a God who communicates.
00:15:23.95\00:15:28.39
And then in Genesis
one, verse 26, it says this
00:15:29.56\00:15:32.83
"Then God said, let
us make man in our image
00:15:32.83\00:15:35.86
"according to our likeness,
00:15:35.86\00:15:37.47
"let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:15:37.47\00:15:39.33
"over the birds of the air
00:15:39.33\00:15:40.54
"and over the
cattle, over all the earth
00:15:40.54\00:15:42.70
"and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth.
00:15:42.70\00:15:46.04
"So God created
man in his own image,
00:15:46.04\00:15:48.24
"in the image of God he
created him, male and female.
00:15:48.24\00:15:51.58
"He created them."
00:15:51.58\00:15:53.65
So according to this account,
00:15:53.65\00:15:55.45
you and I were
made in the image of God
00:15:55.45\00:15:57.79
and people have been
wrestling with what that means
00:15:57.79\00:16:00.09
being made in the image of
God for thousands of years.
00:16:00.09\00:16:03.43
It might in part
00:16:03.43\00:16:04.89
be pointing to our
love for creativity.
00:16:04.89\00:16:07.23
Or more likely it
might be pointing to the fact
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.60
that you and I
have been given things
00:16:10.60\00:16:12.17
like moral choice
and freedom of thought
00:16:12.17\00:16:15.64
which is a
reflection of what God is like.
00:16:15.64\00:16:18.87
Today though I'm
gonna add one more thought
00:16:18.87\00:16:20.71
to the realm of possibility.
00:16:20.71\00:16:22.24
One more way that you and
I are made in God's image.
00:16:22.24\00:16:26.18
If God is somebody
who loves to communicate,
00:16:26.18\00:16:29.08
who loves to speak, then
it's probably we not an accident
00:16:29.08\00:16:32.59
that human beings
love to communicate too.
00:16:32.59\00:16:35.12
Because we were
made in his image.
00:16:35.12\00:16:36.73
We are not God,
but we are like Him.
00:16:36.73\00:16:40.40
And I realized that I'm
opening a big can of worms here
00:16:40.40\00:16:43.73
and there's not a
chance I can unpack
00:16:43.73\00:16:46.13
what I'm gonna talk
about in the time we have left.
00:16:46.13\00:16:48.20
But one of the points
of this program is frankly
00:16:48.20\00:16:50.94
to leave you with something
to think about and explore.
00:16:50.94\00:16:53.48
So maybe that's all
I'm gonna get done today.
00:16:53.48\00:16:57.01
Let me show you
something really interesting
00:16:57.01\00:16:59.91
in the opening
pages of the Bible.
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.42
Again from the book of Genesis,
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.05
which is the
Bible's book of origins.
00:17:03.05\00:17:05.45
So it's a pretty foundational
part of the scriptures.
00:17:05.45\00:17:09.22
In Genesis chapter
four, we have Cain and Abel,
00:17:09.22\00:17:12.29
the children of Adam and Eve.
00:17:12.29\00:17:13.60
And it tells us Cain
was a vegetable farmer
00:17:13.60\00:17:15.63
and Abel raised sheep.
00:17:15.63\00:17:17.47
So we have a record of
the beginnings of agriculture
00:17:17.47\00:17:21.47
and animal husbandry.
00:17:21.47\00:17:22.97
I can see why we continue
to live the way we do today.
00:17:22.97\00:17:26.51
Then after that we have
an account of urbanization.
00:17:26.51\00:17:30.51
You have cain building a
city in Genesis chapter four,
00:17:30.51\00:17:33.08
and then Nimrod.
00:17:33.08\00:17:34.02
I know it's a funny name, but
00:17:34.02\00:17:35.88
Nimrod who is the
biblical Gilgamesh.
00:17:35.88\00:17:38.49
He goes out and builds
a whole bunch of cities
00:17:38.49\00:17:40.99
in the land of Shinar.
00:17:40.99\00:17:42.22
Which is roughly
where modern day Iraq is.
00:17:42.22\00:17:45.76
And among those early cities
00:17:45.76\00:17:47.13
we have a few well-known
centers of influence like babel
00:17:47.13\00:17:49.83
which becomes
Babylon and Nineveh
00:17:49.83\00:17:52.07
which becomes the
capital of the Assyrian empire.
00:17:52.07\00:17:54.97
And interestingly enough,
00:17:54.97\00:17:56.40
there's another city mentioned
here called [indistinct]
00:17:56.40\00:17:59.87
which is probably where the name
00:17:59.87\00:18:01.34
for modern day Iraq comes from.
00:18:01.34\00:18:03.61
So what we have is the
beginning of urbanization.
00:18:03.61\00:18:06.68
Then in the second half
of Genesis chapter four,
00:18:06.68\00:18:10.49
we get the story
of Cain's descendants
00:18:10.49\00:18:12.22
and it tells us about
some of their accomplishments.
00:18:12.22\00:18:14.69
So here it is beginning
in Genesis four and verse 16,
00:18:14.69\00:18:18.73
and we'll read quite
a bit of this verse 16.
00:18:18.73\00:18:22.43
"Then Cain went out
from the presence of the Lord
00:18:22.43\00:18:24.63
"and dwelt in the land
of Nod on the East of Eden."
00:18:24.63\00:18:28.37
Now we should probably come back
00:18:28.37\00:18:29.40
and look at that again someday
00:18:29.40\00:18:30.91
because there's some really
profound information there
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.61
but let's just go on verse 17.
00:18:32.61\00:18:35.38
"And Cain knew his wife and
she conceived and bore Enoch
00:18:35.38\00:18:38.88
"and he built a city."
00:18:38.88\00:18:40.32
So we have the
first mention of a city
00:18:40.32\00:18:41.78
and it's not a good
thing, not according to this.
00:18:41.78\00:18:44.35
"And called the name of the city
00:18:44.35\00:18:46.35
"after the name
of his son Enoch"
00:18:46.35\00:18:48.89
Then we get a
bunch of genealogy.
00:18:48.89\00:18:50.43
So let's just
jump down to verse 20.
00:18:50.43\00:18:51.99
Not that the genealogy
is not important, it is
00:18:51.99\00:18:54.10
but let's get on to verse 20.
00:18:54.10\00:18:56.10
"And Adah bore Jabal.
00:18:57.00\00:18:59.27
"He was the father of
those who dwell in tents
00:18:59.27\00:19:01.37
"and have livestock.
00:19:01.37\00:19:02.70
So we have the first nomads.
00:19:02.70\00:19:04.17
You can still find
their descendants today.
00:19:04.17\00:19:06.17
Well, the Bedouins in
the middle East verse 21.
00:19:06.17\00:19:08.81
"His brother's name was Jubal.
00:19:09.78\00:19:12.15
"He was the father of all those
00:19:12.15\00:19:13.45
"who play the harp and flute."
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.75
Birth of music verse 22.
00:19:15.75\00:19:17.99
"And as for Zillah,
she also bore Tubal-Cain
00:19:17.99\00:19:21.29
an instructor of every
craftsmen in bronze and iron.
00:19:21.29\00:19:24.29
Now we get metalworking and
then it finishes by saying this.
00:19:24.29\00:19:27.76
"And the sister of
Tubal-Cain was Naamah."
00:19:27.76\00:19:31.50
Traditionally,
according to legend,
00:19:31.50\00:19:32.90
Naamah is Noah's wife.
00:19:32.90\00:19:35.10
Here we have
the birth of cities,
00:19:36.04\00:19:38.24
and the birth of agriculture,
and keeping livestock,
00:19:38.24\00:19:40.78
and the birth of the arts,
and the birth of metalworking.
00:19:40.78\00:19:43.18
And all of these are obviously
important stepping stones
00:19:43.18\00:19:46.82
in the development
of human civilization.
00:19:46.82\00:19:48.88
But notice what's missing.
00:19:50.79\00:19:53.25
It's the birth of writing
now is such a profound develop.
00:19:53.25\00:19:56.66
You think somebody
would take the time
00:19:56.66\00:19:59.43
to explain how we got
it, but it's not in here.
00:19:59.43\00:20:02.83
We don't get the name of
the first person to write
00:20:02.83\00:20:05.57
or the person who
invented the alphabet.
00:20:05.57\00:20:07.84
It's not in here.
00:20:07.84\00:20:09.60
And I've got to wonder why?
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.84
It's almost like the
ability to read and write
00:20:14.21\00:20:16.78
to communicate with organized
languages is just assumed.
00:20:16.78\00:20:21.42
Now, when you and I
look back over history
00:20:21.42\00:20:23.12
we can see the obvious
development of the art of
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.79
writing, from the pictographs
of the cave dwellers,
00:20:25.79\00:20:28.72
to the hieroglyphs of Egypt
and the pictographs of China
00:20:28.72\00:20:32.53
and the early Phoenicians
and the Greeks and the Hebrews.
00:20:32.53\00:20:36.00
There's a definite progression
00:20:36.00\00:20:37.70
to how people learn to
preserve their important ideas,
00:20:37.70\00:20:41.37
clay, stone, paper.
00:20:41.37\00:20:44.01
But the Bible doesn't mention.
00:20:45.37\00:20:47.88
So why is that important?
00:20:47.88\00:20:49.41
We'll I'll be
right back to tell you.
00:20:49.41\00:20:51.31
- [Third Narrator]
Life can throw a lot at us.
00:20:53.52\00:20:55.92
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers.
00:20:55.92\00:20:59.32
But that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:20:59.32\00:21:01.69
It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:21:01.69\00:21:04.79
Here at the Voice of Prophecy,
00:21:04.79\00:21:06.36
we've created the
Discover Bible guides
00:21:06.36\00:21:08.46
to be your guide to the Bible.
00:21:08.46\00:21:10.07
They're designed to be simple,
00:21:10.07\00:21:11.57
easy to use,
00:21:11.57\00:21:13.07
and provide answers to many
of life's toughest questions,
00:21:13.07\00:21:15.57
and they're absolutely free.
00:21:15.57\00:21:17.61
So jump online now
00:21:17.61\00:21:19.11
or give us a call and
start your journey of discovery.
00:21:19.11\00:21:22.14
- A world without writing
would be a tough place to live
00:21:23.55\00:21:25.88
because we wouldn't be
able to transmit our ideas
00:21:25.88\00:21:28.22
across time and space.
00:21:28.22\00:21:31.55
Writing is easily one of
the most important developments
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.49
we've ever had.
00:21:34.49\00:21:35.42
And yet this book of origins
00:21:35.42\00:21:37.33
doesn't explain
where it comes from.
00:21:37.33\00:21:39.36
In fact, in the
very opening scenes
00:21:39.36\00:21:41.33
you have God
just talking to Adam
00:21:41.33\00:21:43.47
apparently without
any need for education.
00:21:43.47\00:21:46.20
And you have
Adam naming animals,
00:21:46.20\00:21:48.77
a task that requires,
considerable linguistic ability.
00:21:48.77\00:21:52.54
You've got the story
of the tower of Babel
00:21:52.54\00:21:54.44
which provides an explanation
for the diversity of language.
00:21:54.44\00:21:58.08
But even then
everybody's already
00:21:58.08\00:22:00.12
speaking a
perfectly formed language.
00:22:00.12\00:22:02.95
The Bible just assumes that
language has always been there.
00:22:02.95\00:22:07.12
So what if that's true?
00:22:07.12\00:22:09.39
That's not to say that
language doesn't change.
00:22:09.39\00:22:11.46
It obviously does.
00:22:11.46\00:22:12.89
And the minute a
language stops changing
00:22:12.89\00:22:14.86
it dies like Latin.
00:22:14.86\00:22:17.27
Historically, we can see
how a language changes or grows
00:22:18.73\00:22:21.74
but try to explain where it
started and the trail runs cold.
00:22:21.74\00:22:26.17
And of course,
00:22:26.17\00:22:27.71
if you're trying to tell
the story of how we communicate
00:22:27.71\00:22:29.38
and you go back to a time
before we started writing,
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.38
well, that trail runs cold.
00:22:31.38\00:22:33.28
It would be a tough job anyway.
00:22:33.28\00:22:35.05
Look, I don't wanna be
too dogmatic about this
00:22:36.22\00:22:38.62
because I only ever took
rudimentary linguistic classes.
00:22:38.62\00:22:41.92
And I know there are people
who have devoted their lives
00:22:41.92\00:22:44.43
to explaining language from
a naturalistic point of view.
00:22:44.43\00:22:47.60
And some of you who
did that are cringing
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.90
and probably busy
writing me letters
00:22:49.90\00:22:51.80
which is kind of ironic.
00:22:51.80\00:22:54.57
The idea that language
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.10
the way people use it as
an accident of evolution.
00:22:56.10\00:22:59.11
I find that
unsatisfactorily because
00:22:59.11\00:23:02.68
you and I obviously
use language in ways that
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.58
now have very little to do
with survival of the fittest.
00:23:05.58\00:23:08.85
I'm not convinced
that language just evolved.
00:23:08.85\00:23:12.55
It would mean that
human consciousness
00:23:12.55\00:23:14.42
just somehow
accidentally emerged
00:23:14.42\00:23:16.62
out of a bunch of dead
matter in the universe.
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.63
You and I use
language to inspire each other,
00:23:19.63\00:23:22.43
to generate emotions.
00:23:22.43\00:23:24.57
We use language to manipulate
people, and to motivate,
00:23:24.57\00:23:27.60
and even to help us
perfect the art of romance.
00:23:27.60\00:23:30.87
I mean, thank you Lord Byron
for helping me land a wife.
00:23:30.87\00:23:35.84
We'd love to read
books that are well-written
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.51
just for the sake
of beautiful writing.
00:23:38.51\00:23:40.98
And I have a bunch
of those in my library.
00:23:40.98\00:23:43.39
It suggests that
language isn't about survival,
00:23:43.39\00:23:45.89
it's a gift from a God
who loves to communicate.
00:23:45.89\00:23:49.22
It's a tool we were
given to help us satisfy
00:23:49.22\00:23:51.39
intellectual curiosity
00:23:51.39\00:23:53.03
so that we could
explore where we come from,
00:23:53.03\00:23:56.03
and think about
where we're going.
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.07
And most importantly contemplate
00:23:58.07\00:23:59.93
the meaning of our existence.
00:23:59.93\00:24:02.84
It's as if somebody
deliberately equipped us
00:24:02.84\00:24:05.41
for more than just survival.
00:24:05.41\00:24:08.68
Consider the fact that
writing has taken many forms
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.51
across many cultures,
but the most efficient ones
00:24:11.51\00:24:13.98
the ones that have
been used most consistently
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.69
are rooted in the
story of the Bible.
00:24:16.69\00:24:18.82
The Egyptians had pictographs
00:24:18.82\00:24:20.52
and the Chinese had
masterful calligraphy.
00:24:20.52\00:24:22.96
But back in those days
00:24:22.96\00:24:24.49
literacy was the
privilege of very few people
00:24:24.49\00:24:26.83
because learning to read
was expensive and complicated.
00:24:26.83\00:24:31.20
Then somebody
invented the alphabet
00:24:31.20\00:24:33.13
were individual
letters represent sounds
00:24:33.13\00:24:35.67
instead of concepts.
00:24:35.67\00:24:37.14
And now you can actually
record millions of concepts
00:24:37.14\00:24:40.04
with just a handful of
symbols that anybody can learn.
00:24:40.04\00:24:43.41
We called it the alphabet.
00:24:43.41\00:24:45.81
And the alphabet
was probably invented
00:24:45.81\00:24:47.85
by the same people who
gave us this book because.
00:24:47.85\00:24:50.25
Well, the word
Alphabet's a compound word,
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.15
it's alph and bet.
00:24:52.15\00:24:54.29
The first two letters
of the Hebrew alphabet
00:24:54.29\00:24:56.69
or to be more precise, it's
actually the first two letters
00:24:56.69\00:24:58.96
of the Greek
alphabet, alpha and beta.
00:24:58.96\00:25:01.80
But we're gonna give
credit to the Hebrews
00:25:01.80\00:25:03.30
because the
Greeks got it from them.
00:25:03.30\00:25:06.37
So the gift of writing
00:25:06.37\00:25:08.00
was essentially a
[indistinct] invention.
00:25:08.00\00:25:10.47
An efficient
system of communication
00:25:10.47\00:25:12.27
that was used by Hebrews,
and Phoenicians, and Canaanites.
00:25:12.27\00:25:15.48
And they passed it down to us.
00:25:15.48\00:25:17.45
Now I got to take one
last break, but don't you go
00:25:17.45\00:25:20.52
anywhere. - [Fourth Narrator]
Dragons, beasts, cryptic
00:25:22.82\00:25:27.09
statues. Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:25:27.09\00:25:31.69
If you've ever read
Daniel or revelation
00:25:31.69\00:25:33.86
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:25:33.86\00:25:36.90
Our free Focus on
Prophecy guides are designed
00:25:36.90\00:25:39.80
to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
00:25:39.80\00:25:42.07
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:25:42.07\00:25:44.51
for you and our world.
00:25:44.51\00:25:46.14
Study online or
request them by mail
00:25:46.14\00:25:48.61
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:25:48.61\00:25:52.11
when you read the
Bible from cover to cover,
00:25:52.11\00:25:53.92
you quickly discover
00:25:53.92\00:25:55.18
as Rabbi Jonathan
Sacks once pointed out.
00:25:55.18\00:25:58.25
It's not the story of
people talking about God.
00:25:58.25\00:26:00.72
It's actually the story
of people talking to God.
00:26:00.72\00:26:04.73
And at the same time
00:26:04.73\00:26:05.93
it's the story of
God talking to people.
00:26:05.93\00:26:08.00
This is not just a database,
a collection of information.
00:26:08.00\00:26:11.23
The authors who wrote this book
said it was the word of God.
00:26:11.23\00:26:14.90
And these words
represent an effort by God
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.41
to communicate with us.
00:26:17.41\00:26:20.08
Consider the fact that no
pack of dogs, no herd of pigs,
00:26:20.08\00:26:23.28
no flock of sparrows, has ever
done what you and I just did.
00:26:23.28\00:26:26.92
We communicated about the past,
the present and the future.
00:26:26.92\00:26:30.09
We took abstract ideas
and put them into words
00:26:30.09\00:26:33.92
and we transmitted
those words over thousands
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.99
of miles so that you and
I can understand each other.
00:26:36.99\00:26:41.20
Something has been driving us
00:26:41.20\00:26:43.47
since day one to
converse with each other,
00:26:43.47\00:26:47.10
just for the
sake of sharing ideas,
00:26:47.10\00:26:50.07
just for the sake of talking.
00:26:50.07\00:26:53.58
And today I submit to you
00:26:53.58\00:26:55.08
that the reason we do this
is because we were put here
00:26:55.08\00:26:59.41
by a God who thinks and
communicates and speaks.
00:26:59.41\00:27:04.05
And the reason God speaks
00:27:04.05\00:27:06.76
is because he's a
God of relationships.
00:27:06.76\00:27:09.46
And he hardwired you
and me to be just like him
00:27:09.46\00:27:13.76
made in his image.
00:27:13.76\00:27:16.33
Pick up a book,
read through the words.
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.87
Think about what you're seeing
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.07
and think about the phenomenon.
00:27:20.07\00:27:21.44
Where did we
pick up this desire?
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.84
Is it really an accident
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.87
that we love to
think and communicate?
00:27:25.87\00:27:28.94
I'm Shawn Boonstra and
this has been Authentic.
00:27:28.94\00:27:33.88
[upbeat music]
00:27:33.88\00:27:36.45