- All of us have this nagging
feeling that the human race
00:00:01.16\00:00:02.96
is supposed to mean something
that we're here for a reason.
00:00:02.96\00:00:07.60
We're not just some
accident of the universe.
00:00:07.60\00:00:10.44
So, today on Authentic,
00:00:10.44\00:00:12.07
we're gonna go digging
in the very ancient past
00:00:12.07\00:00:14.84
and listen to what our
ancestors claimed they knew
00:00:14.84\00:00:18.08
about the reason
that you and I are here.
00:00:18.08\00:00:20.75
[bright upbeat music]
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I think perhaps one of
the most intriguing questions
00:00:42.04\00:00:44.87
we could deal with is
the matter of who we are,
00:00:44.87\00:00:48.28
or maybe to be more accurate
what we're supposed to be,
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because I think we
all have this sense
00:00:52.45\00:00:54.85
that something
is not quite right
00:00:54.85\00:00:57.02
with the way we're
doing life right now.
00:00:57.02\00:00:59.19
And we appear to be
pushing toward something better.
00:00:59.19\00:01:03.12
A few years into our childhood,
00:01:03.12\00:01:04.63
we begin to discover
that life is rather imperfect
00:01:04.63\00:01:07.60
or even painful.
00:01:07.60\00:01:08.80
And something deep
in our core tells us
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it's not
supposed to be like this.
00:01:11.63\00:01:14.50
So if you and I
are just an accident,
00:01:14.50\00:01:17.14
the product of particles
smashing into each other
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over billions of years,
then where do we get this idea
00:01:19.64\00:01:22.84
that life could be better?
00:01:22.84\00:01:25.11
I mean, what if
this existence is it?
00:01:25.11\00:01:27.92
What if you and I are
always going to be at war
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with a universe that
doesn't really care about us?
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A universe that just
accidentally coughed us up on
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the edge of an
insignificant spiral galaxy.
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It's kind of a
depressing thought,
00:01:39.39\00:01:41.90
but then you
have to ask yourself,
00:01:41.90\00:01:43.26
why is that thought depressing?
00:01:43.26\00:01:45.30
Why is it that we
seem to have a sense
00:01:45.30\00:01:47.34
that something is
wrong with this world?
00:01:47.34\00:01:50.91
I know that our
generation tends to think
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of anything more
than a couple of centuries
00:01:53.44\00:01:55.24
old is archaic and out of touch
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is if our
ancestors were incapable
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of pondering these
kinds of deep questions
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in any meaningful
or constructive way.
00:02:02.08\00:02:05.02
But if you take
the time to poke around
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in the writings of people who
lived thousands of years ago,
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you'll notice
philosophically speaking
00:02:09.49\00:02:12.83
that very little has changed.
00:02:12.83\00:02:15.33
For example, you
and I have this tendency
00:02:15.33\00:02:17.63
to dismiss the myths of
the ancient Greeks or Egyptians
00:02:17.63\00:02:21.20
as the product of simple
minds that didn't have access
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to our current
heightened state of knowledge.
00:02:24.11\00:02:27.21
So, those ancient people
just wrote silly little stories
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to explain the
world and what amounts
00:02:30.31\00:02:32.11
to the language
and understanding of a
00:02:32.11\00:02:35.68
kindergartner. I mean, how
else do you explain a people
00:02:35.68\00:02:38.45
that believed the world was flat
00:02:38.45\00:02:40.19
and actually rested on
the shoulders of a giant named
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Atlas? Except they
didn't believe that.
00:02:44.26\00:02:46.43
The idea that our ancestors
believed the world was flat
00:02:46.43\00:02:49.23
is actually one of
our modern day myths.
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Back some 500
years Before Christ,
00:02:51.90\00:02:54.10
the Greeks had
already figured out
00:02:54.10\00:02:55.57
that the earth is a sphere.
00:02:55.57\00:02:57.14
As you can see from Plato's
contemplation on the meaning
00:02:57.14\00:03:00.54
and the reason for creation.
00:03:00.54\00:03:03.55
The fact that the
ancient Greeks realized
00:03:03.55\00:03:05.68
that the universe must be
here for some kind of purpose
00:03:05.68\00:03:08.55
is a story in and of itself.
00:03:08.55\00:03:09.98
But that would
likely be a diversion
00:03:09.98\00:03:11.92
from where we need to go
today in the time that we have.
00:03:11.92\00:03:14.46
So, for right now,
00:03:14.46\00:03:15.96
let me just show you Plato's
conception of planet earth
00:03:15.96\00:03:18.96
which comes from
his Timaeus dialogue.
00:03:18.96\00:03:21.93
Here's what he
says, "For this reason,
00:03:21.93\00:03:24.77
"and by this
reasoning, he that's God
00:03:24.77\00:03:27.00
"made this world
one complete whole,
00:03:27.00\00:03:29.90
"consisting of
parts that are all wholes,
00:03:29.90\00:03:31.94
"and subject neither
to age nor to disease."
00:03:31.94\00:03:35.91
That by the way
just happens to agree
00:03:35.91\00:03:37.68
with the account you
find in the book of Genesis,
00:03:37.68\00:03:39.75
which tells us that
this world we live in
00:03:39.75\00:03:42.35
used to be a
much different place.
00:03:42.35\00:03:44.35
And if we have time,
00:03:44.35\00:03:45.79
we'll come back to that
thought in just a little bit.
00:03:45.79\00:03:47.99
Here comes the
important part for now.
00:03:47.99\00:03:50.03
This is Plato again.
00:03:50.03\00:03:51.79
"The shape he gave it," that's
God giving the earth a shape.
00:03:51.79\00:03:55.36
"The shape he gave it was
suitable and akin to its nature.
00:03:55.36\00:03:59.43
"A suitable shape
for a living being
00:03:59.43\00:04:01.70
"that was to contain
within itself all living beings
00:04:01.70\00:04:05.31
"would be a figure that contains
00:04:05.31\00:04:06.78
"all possible
figures within itself.
00:04:06.78\00:04:09.54
"Therefore he
turned it the earth
00:04:09.54\00:04:12.45
"into a rounded spherical shape
00:04:12.45\00:04:15.15
"with the extremes equidistant
00:04:15.15\00:04:17.22
"in all
directions from the center."
00:04:17.22\00:04:20.72
Now what's
important to understand here,
00:04:20.72\00:04:23.49
is that the ancient
Greeks dabbled in something
00:04:23.49\00:04:25.86
they knew as sacred geometry,
00:04:25.86\00:04:28.73
which apparently they picked up
00:04:28.73\00:04:30.33
from the ancient
Egyptians before them.
00:04:30.33\00:04:32.90
Sacred geometry teaches
that shapes and measurements
00:04:32.90\00:04:37.11
mean something they've
revealed something profound
00:04:37.11\00:04:40.41
about the universe.
00:04:40.41\00:04:42.08
That's why Pythagoras is famous
00:04:42.08\00:04:44.38
for more than just his
observations on the right
00:04:44.38\00:04:47.92
triangle. He was studying the
shapes you find in the universe,
00:04:47.92\00:04:50.72
like the five pointed star
that Venus draws in the sky
00:04:50.72\00:04:54.62
over the course of eight years.
00:04:54.62\00:04:57.43
He tried to attach those
shapes to some kind of meaning.
00:04:57.43\00:05:01.96
Venus of course, was
the planet of desire.
00:05:01.96\00:05:05.33
And that's at
least part of the reason
00:05:05.33\00:05:07.50
the Medieval Church
came to the conclusion
00:05:07.50\00:05:09.64
that the forbidden fruit of
Eden must have been an apple
00:05:09.64\00:05:13.48
it's because the
center of an apple
00:05:13.48\00:05:15.74
when you cut it in half
also has a five pointed star
00:05:15.74\00:05:19.15
just like the path of Venus.
00:05:19.15\00:05:21.55
So, what Plato is saying
is that it only makes sense
00:05:21.55\00:05:25.02
at least to him, that
the earth would be a sphere,
00:05:25.02\00:05:27.96
because every other shape
can fit neatly inside a globe,
00:05:27.96\00:05:31.86
much like the much
revered dodecahedron,
00:05:31.86\00:05:35.53
a shape you create by
putting 12 pentagons together,
00:05:35.53\00:05:39.10
the Greeks worship
this shape practically.
00:05:39.10\00:05:41.74
It gives you a 12 sided object
00:05:41.74\00:05:43.74
that fits nicely
inside of a sphere.
00:05:43.74\00:05:46.84
But the real
point we need to make
00:05:48.01\00:05:49.68
is not what the Greeks thought
00:05:49.68\00:05:50.68
about all those geometric shapes
00:05:50.68\00:05:52.31
and what they might reveal about
the nature of the universe.
00:05:52.31\00:05:56.55
What we really
need to understand
00:05:56.55\00:05:58.82
is that the Greeks were
not making up silly fairytales
00:05:58.82\00:06:01.29
because they were
such simple people
00:06:01.29\00:06:02.96
that those
stories were all they had.
00:06:02.96\00:06:06.13
What they were doing
was searching for meaning
00:06:06.13\00:06:08.36
in the universe,
just like we did.
00:06:08.36\00:06:10.23
And the myths they told were
actually complicated metaphors
00:06:10.23\00:06:13.67
designed to convey the meanings
00:06:13.67\00:06:15.30
they thought they
discovered behind the universe.
00:06:15.30\00:06:18.57
So, when they said
the world was resting
00:06:18.57\00:06:20.91
on the shoulders of Atlas,
00:06:20.91\00:06:22.18
it wasn't because they
were recovering cavemen
00:06:22.18\00:06:25.18
in need of a
superstitious story.
00:06:25.18\00:06:27.65
They were creating a metaphor
00:06:27.65\00:06:29.78
that explained
what they considered
00:06:29.78\00:06:31.59
to be the meaning
of human existence
00:06:31.59\00:06:33.19
and the meaning of
the universe at large.
00:06:33.19\00:06:36.59
And of course you'll notice
that they didn't for one minute,
00:06:36.59\00:06:39.63
believe that the
earth was actually flat.
00:06:39.63\00:06:42.80
I know that some
people think our ancestors
00:06:42.80\00:06:44.63
believed that idea,
but it's just not true.
00:06:44.63\00:06:46.90
They knew full
well it was a sphere.
00:06:46.90\00:06:49.44
And as early as 240 BC,
00:06:49.44\00:06:52.11
they actually knew exactly
how large that sphere was.
00:06:52.11\00:06:56.51
It was a Greek mathematician
by the name of Eratosthenes
00:06:56.51\00:06:59.85
who put a stick in
the ground at 12 noon
00:06:59.85\00:07:02.12
on the summer solstice
in the city of Alexandria.
00:07:02.12\00:07:05.32
And he did it
because further south
00:07:05.32\00:07:06.86
in the Egyptian city of Syene,
00:07:06.86\00:07:08.79
he noticed that the
sun was directly overhead
00:07:08.79\00:07:12.39
at 12 noon on the solstice
00:07:12.39\00:07:14.00
because when he looked down
a well at that precise moment,
00:07:14.00\00:07:17.50
his head completely blocked
the reflection of the sun.
00:07:17.50\00:07:20.97
He also knew that
Alexandria was 5,000 stadia
00:07:20.97\00:07:25.91
to the north
for about 570 miles.
00:07:25.91\00:07:28.84
And when he put that stick
in the ground at 12 noon there,
00:07:28.84\00:07:32.25
it cast a shadow that reached
seven degrees in 12 minutes
00:07:32.25\00:07:35.38
from the top of the stick.
00:07:35.38\00:07:37.29
Seven degrees and 12 minutes
is roughly 150th of a circle.
00:07:37.29\00:07:41.56
So he multiplied
5,000 stadia by 50,
00:07:41.56\00:07:45.36
and he got the
circumference of the planet.
00:07:45.36\00:07:47.20
And he was accurate
to within 100 miles.
00:07:47.20\00:07:52.17
So, this idea that our ancestors
00:07:53.03\00:07:55.64
were unsophisticated bumpkins
00:07:55.64\00:07:57.34
who told unsophisticated stories
00:07:57.34\00:07:59.31
because they didn't know better,
00:07:59.31\00:08:01.41
well it might just
be that we're the ones
00:08:01.41\00:08:03.11
who are busy telling fairytales.
00:08:03.11\00:08:05.18
I mean, it's very tempting
to think that human knowledge
00:08:05.18\00:08:07.65
is always tracking upwards,
00:08:07.65\00:08:09.95
that it's improving because
our species is always improving.
00:08:09.95\00:08:14.19
And in some regards, that
might be a little bit true.
00:08:14.19\00:08:16.36
We really have
advanced in terms of technology,
00:08:16.36\00:08:20.53
but when it
comes to contemplating
00:08:20.53\00:08:22.10
the nature of human existence
and the reason we're here,
00:08:22.10\00:08:25.47
we might have to concede
the point that our ancestors
00:08:25.47\00:08:28.27
were hardly less
sophisticated than we are.
00:08:28.27\00:08:31.07
In fact in some ways,
we might be the simpletons,
00:08:31.07\00:08:35.01
which brings me to
another ancient record,
00:08:35.01\00:08:37.78
that again, many people dismiss
as nothing but a fairytale.
00:08:37.78\00:08:41.15
Another so-called
unsophisticated record of human
00:08:41.15\00:08:45.35
origins that
doesn't make sense anymore
00:08:45.35\00:08:46.99
in a scientifically
enlightened world.
00:08:46.99\00:08:49.56
And of course, I'm
talking about the Bible,
00:08:49.56\00:08:52.93
a body of ancient
literature that has helped shape
00:08:52.93\00:08:55.36
the pillars of
Western civilization.
00:08:55.36\00:08:58.07
If you want to
weigh the relative impact
00:08:58.07\00:09:00.47
of the Greeks and the
Hebrews on our civilization,
00:09:00.47\00:09:04.31
I'd have to
argue that the Hebrews
00:09:04.31\00:09:06.04
are at least half of
the picture, if not more.
00:09:06.04\00:09:10.05
So here's what we're
going to do right now.
00:09:10.05\00:09:11.68
We're gonna take
a really quick break
00:09:11.68\00:09:13.35
because that's how
things work around here.
00:09:13.35\00:09:15.65
And then you might
wanna grab a pen and paper
00:09:15.65\00:09:17.42
while I'm on break,
00:09:17.42\00:09:18.62
because you're about
to see an amazing offer
00:09:18.62\00:09:21.59
from the good people
at the Voice of Prophecy.
00:09:21.59\00:09:24.06
Then I'll be right back to
examine what this old book says
00:09:24.06\00:09:27.20
about the nature
of your existence.
00:09:27.20\00:09:29.70
- [Announcer] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues,
00:09:31.97\00:09:36.27
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:09:36.27\00:09:40.84
If you've ever read
Daniel and Revelation
00:09:40.84\00:09:43.04
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:09:43.04\00:09:46.08
Our free "Focus on Prophecy
Guides" are designed to help you
00:09:46.08\00:09:49.55
unlock the
mysteries of the Bible
00:09:49.55\00:09:51.25
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:09:51.25\00:09:53.72
for you and our world.
00:09:53.72\00:09:55.32
Study online, or
request them by mail
00:09:55.32\00:09:57.79
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:09:57.79\00:10:00.70
- [Announcer] Are
you searching for answers
00:10:03.23\00:10:04.47
to life's toughest questions?
00:10:04.47\00:10:06.10
Like where is
God when we suffer?
00:10:06.10\00:10:08.37
Can I find real happiness?
00:10:08.37\00:10:10.17
Or is there any hope
for our chaotic world?
00:10:10.17\00:10:13.34
The "Discover Bible Guides"
will help you find the answers
00:10:13.34\00:10:15.74
you're looking for.
00:10:15.74\00:10:17.15
Visit us at biblestudies.com
or give us a call
00:10:17.15\00:10:20.85
at 888-456-7933 for your
free "Discover Bible Guides."
00:10:20.85\00:10:25.85
Study online on
our secure website,
00:10:27.52\00:10:30.63
or have the free guides
mailed right to your home.
00:10:30.63\00:10:33.23
There is never a
cost or obligation.
00:10:33.23\00:10:35.83
The "Discover Bible
Guides" are our free gift to you
00:10:35.83\00:10:39.00
find answers and guides like,
00:10:39.00\00:10:40.40
"Does My Life
Really Matter to God?"
00:10:40.40\00:10:42.67
And, "A Second Chance at Life."
00:10:42.67\00:10:44.81
You'll find answers to the
things that matter most to you
00:10:44.81\00:10:47.18
in each of the 26
discover Bible guides,
00:10:47.18\00:10:49.81
visit Biblestudies.com
and begin your journey today
00:10:49.81\00:10:53.95
to discover answers to
life's deepest questions.
00:10:53.95\00:10:57.72
- One man, one woman, a
tree, and a talking serpent.
00:11:02.36\00:11:06.03
It all seems kind
of silly to some people
00:11:06.03\00:11:08.33
with our 21st century mindset
00:11:08.33\00:11:10.90
until you start
reading the story itself
00:11:10.90\00:11:13.50
and you see what it
says about who we are.
00:11:13.50\00:11:17.77
What I thought I would do today
00:11:17.77\00:11:19.37
is just touch down on
a number of highlights
00:11:19.37\00:11:21.58
from the first
three chapters of Genesis.
00:11:21.58\00:11:23.71
And you see if
they don't make sense,
00:11:23.71\00:11:26.11
but before we get started,
00:11:26.11\00:11:27.35
I want to point out
just one important detail.
00:11:27.35\00:11:30.29
Even though people today
tend to lump this story in
00:11:30.29\00:11:33.62
with the myths of
Greece, Rome, and Egypt,
00:11:33.62\00:11:36.39
we should probably notice that
it doesn't read like a myth.
00:11:36.39\00:11:40.10
It has this factual, no
nonsense tone to the narrative
00:11:40.10\00:11:43.70
that makes it
seem well more real.
00:11:43.70\00:11:46.94
In fact, the rest of the Bible
00:11:46.94\00:11:48.64
provides blow by
blow genealogies of people
00:11:48.64\00:11:51.14
we know for sure
we're absolutely real.
00:11:51.14\00:11:54.38
And they can be
traced all the way back
00:11:54.38\00:11:56.75
without missing a beat to
the story of the Garden of Eden.
00:11:56.75\00:12:00.22
So if we're gonna treat Eden
00:12:00.22\00:12:01.72
as nothing but an
unsophisticated myth,
00:12:01.72\00:12:03.89
we've got a bit of a problem.
00:12:03.89\00:12:05.82
You have to look at those
lists of very real people.
00:12:05.82\00:12:08.66
Like the one you find in Luke 3.
00:12:08.66\00:12:10.26
And if you insist that
Adam was nothing but a myth,
00:12:11.66\00:12:14.66
you're gonna have to draw a
line somewhere in that genealogy
00:12:14.66\00:12:17.77
and say, on this side of
the line the people are real,
00:12:17.77\00:12:20.80
but on that side, well
they're all fictitious.
00:12:20.80\00:12:23.94
So, I'll leave that
for you to think about,
00:12:25.07\00:12:27.01
but what's really
important for our study today,
00:12:27.01\00:12:30.28
is that we notice
the tone of Genesis
00:12:30.28\00:12:32.41
is radically
different than the stories
00:12:32.41\00:12:34.45
that come from Mount Olympus.
00:12:34.45\00:12:36.52
This is not a Pantheon
of capricious arbitrary gods
00:12:36.52\00:12:39.62
amusing themselves by
toying with the human race.
00:12:39.62\00:12:43.22
It's a simple story,
00:12:43.22\00:12:44.76
the story of a divine creator
and the world that he made,
00:12:44.76\00:12:47.83
this story is just
qualitatively different.
00:12:47.83\00:12:51.97
So, what kinds of
things can we learn
00:12:51.97\00:12:54.40
from the story of Genesis?
00:12:54.40\00:12:55.97
What does it say about
the nature of human existence?
00:12:55.97\00:12:59.11
Well, the first
thing we discover
00:12:59.11\00:13:00.71
is that human beings
were made in the image of God.
00:13:00.71\00:13:03.51
Here's what it says.
00:13:03.51\00:13:04.75
"Then God said, let
us make man in our image,
00:13:05.95\00:13:08.38
"according to our likeness,
00:13:08.38\00:13:10.22
"let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.39
"over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle
00:13:12.39\00:13:14.99
"over all the earth and
over every creeping thing
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.53
"that creeps on the earth.
00:13:17.53\00:13:19.39
"So God created
man in his own image,
00:13:19.39\00:13:21.66
"in the image of
God he created him,
00:13:21.66\00:13:23.83
"male and
female He created them.
00:13:23.83\00:13:26.47
"Then God blessed
them and God said to them,
00:13:26.47\00:13:28.37
"be fruitful and multiply,
fill the earth and subdue it.
00:13:28.37\00:13:32.61
"Have dominion over
the fish of the sea,
00:13:32.61\00:13:34.51
"over the birds of the air,
00:13:34.51\00:13:36.01
"and over every living
thing that moves on the earth."
00:13:36.01\00:13:40.22
Now, to be honest there is
no way in the time that we have
00:13:40.22\00:13:43.69
that we could
unpack what it really means
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.89
to be created in God's image.
00:13:45.89\00:13:48.69
That's
something that theologians
00:13:48.69\00:13:50.33
have been discussing
for hundreds of years.
00:13:50.33\00:13:52.73
And I could
probably do a mini series
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.93
on the
conversations that they've had.
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.20
So for now, let's
just consider a few things
00:13:57.20\00:13:59.40
that are obvious
from the story itself.
00:13:59.40\00:14:02.50
First of all, human
thinkers have long suspected
00:14:04.01\00:14:07.01
that somehow this planet we
live on exists for our sake.
00:14:07.01\00:14:11.41
Now I know that's an
idea that drives people crazy
00:14:11.41\00:14:13.95
in the 21st century,
00:14:13.95\00:14:15.48
where a lot of people
hate the idea that human beings
00:14:15.48\00:14:17.95
might be in
charge of this planet.
00:14:17.95\00:14:20.46
They criticize that idea
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.02
because of the way
we treat the planet
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.16
like it's some kind
of disposable resource.
00:14:24.16\00:14:27.03
And to some
extent, I'd have to agree.
00:14:27.03\00:14:29.73
The planet really
has paid a terrible price
00:14:29.73\00:14:32.30
for what amounts
to human selfishness.
00:14:32.30\00:14:34.50
We pollute the air,
we pollute the water,
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.81
we strip the
earth of its resources
00:14:36.81\00:14:38.57
without any real
consideration for the future.
00:14:38.57\00:14:41.44
And of course we're littering
the beaches with our plastic.
00:14:41.44\00:14:45.21
Our domination of this planet
has been very problematic.
00:14:45.21\00:14:49.32
And the Bible
actually this and describes it
00:14:49.32\00:14:52.22
as a perversion of
the original order.
00:14:52.22\00:14:55.56
The book of Genesis
says we were given dominion
00:14:55.56\00:14:57.76
over the planet,
00:14:57.76\00:14:59.03
but then the rest
of the Bible describes
00:14:59.03\00:15:00.76
how we twisted our dominion
into something terrible.
00:15:00.76\00:15:05.00
The fact remains however,
00:15:05.00\00:15:06.60
that we have
always had this sense
00:15:06.60\00:15:08.40
that the world
was put here for us.
00:15:08.40\00:15:10.37
And Peter aside,
we've also had this sense,
00:15:10.37\00:15:13.94
that you and I are
somehow qualitatively different
00:15:13.94\00:15:17.11
from the other beings
who live on this planet.
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.58
I mean, it's hard to deny
00:15:19.58\00:15:20.85
that people are
different than animals.
00:15:20.85\00:15:24.55
The way the Bible describes it,
00:15:25.49\00:15:26.99
is that we were
made in the image of God.
00:15:26.99\00:15:29.36
And I understand that some
of you might not believe in God,
00:15:29.36\00:15:31.96
but here's what I
want you to consider.
00:15:31.96\00:15:34.20
All of us have a
sense that we're supposed
00:15:34.20\00:15:36.06
to be better
than the way we are.
00:15:36.06\00:15:38.63
We realize
there's something wrong
00:15:38.63\00:15:40.50
when people use each
other to their own advantage.
00:15:40.50\00:15:43.37
We know there's something wrong
00:15:43.37\00:15:44.64
when people oppress other people
00:15:44.64\00:15:46.14
and do a thousand
other terrible things.
00:15:46.14\00:15:48.88
So you've got to
wonder why it is that we think
00:15:48.88\00:15:51.35
we're supposed to
be better than we are.
00:15:51.35\00:15:53.98
I mean, if we
really are just the product
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.22
of accidental organic
material producing life,
00:15:56.22\00:15:59.52
then why should we
care about being better?
00:15:59.52\00:16:02.42
Why not just be happy with
a tooth and claw existence?
00:16:02.42\00:16:05.23
I mean, it is what it is, right?
00:16:05.23\00:16:07.03
Survival of the fittest.
00:16:07.03\00:16:09.23
Except that at a fundamental
level that bothers us,
00:16:09.23\00:16:13.20
the idea of a few powerful
people dominating everybody else
00:16:13.20\00:16:17.04
just seems wrong
00:16:17.04\00:16:18.91
because we
understand that human beings
00:16:18.91\00:16:20.61
aren't supposed to be this way,
00:16:20.61\00:16:22.71
the way that
Genesis describes it,
00:16:22.71\00:16:24.75
we were made in
the image of God.
00:16:24.75\00:16:26.98
We were created to reflect
something greater, and bigger,
00:16:26.98\00:16:30.55
and higher and better
than our current state.
00:16:30.55\00:16:34.32
Somehow we're supposed to
transcend this current existence
00:16:34.32\00:16:37.93
and become something more.
00:16:37.93\00:16:41.10
So again, you might
not believe that this story
00:16:41.10\00:16:44.10
is literally true.
00:16:44.10\00:16:45.43
I happen to think it is,
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.47
but you'd still have
to admit that the concepts
00:16:47.47\00:16:50.01
you find in this
narrative run deeper
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.77
than primitive superstition.
00:16:51.77\00:16:53.61
Whoever wrote this book, knew
something about human nature.
00:16:53.61\00:16:58.01
So now let's look at
another key passage this time
00:16:58.01\00:17:00.92
from Genesis 2, where it says,
00:17:00.92\00:17:03.99
"Then the Lord, God took the man
00:17:03.99\00:17:06.65
"and put him in the garden
of Eden to tend and keep it."
00:17:06.65\00:17:11.09
What I want you to
notice is that this account
00:17:11.09\00:17:13.60
doesn't end by
explaining how we got here.
00:17:13.60\00:17:16.20
It also reveals what
we were created to do.
00:17:16.20\00:17:18.70
We were made to tend to the
creation, to do creative work,
00:17:18.70\00:17:23.07
which is also a big
part of what it means
00:17:23.07\00:17:25.01
to be made in
the creator's image.
00:17:25.01\00:17:27.28
You know, one of the
most intriguing video games
00:17:28.68\00:17:30.01
ever created is Minecraft
00:17:30.01\00:17:32.35
because it gives
you an entire planet
00:17:32.35\00:17:34.92
of block shape wilderness,
00:17:34.92\00:17:36.52
and then invite you
to mold and shape it
00:17:36.52\00:17:38.75
into something a
little more organized.
00:17:38.75\00:17:41.29
You can build houses, dig
for minerals, cut down trees,
00:17:41.29\00:17:44.66
put up fences and gardens
and even build working machines.
00:17:44.66\00:17:49.10
And I think one of
the reasons that Minecraft
00:17:49.10\00:17:51.37
has been so successful
00:17:51.37\00:17:53.74
is the fact that it taps
into a basic human impulse,
00:17:53.74\00:17:57.31
this
irresistible instinct we have
00:17:57.31\00:18:00.08
to tame the world around us.
00:18:00.08\00:18:03.04
I mean, just
take a bunch of kids,
00:18:03.04\00:18:04.75
put them in a sandbox
and watch what happens.
00:18:04.75\00:18:07.18
Before too long,
00:18:07.18\00:18:08.42
they're making roads
and houses and mountains,
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.49
give a kid a pile of Lego,
and you're gonna get a car,
00:18:10.49\00:18:13.42
or a house or
something creative.
00:18:13.42\00:18:16.46
Human beings are not
bottom feeders on this planet.
00:18:16.46\00:18:19.56
Happy to slurp up a little
nutrition from the Hughes.
00:18:19.56\00:18:22.66
We appear to
have higher instincts
00:18:22.66\00:18:25.07
and an
irresistible urge to create.
00:18:25.07\00:18:27.90
We don't just want
shelter, we want a house,
00:18:27.90\00:18:30.91
a home, with a yard or a garden.
00:18:30.91\00:18:33.14
And we love to make
our own little corner
00:18:33.14\00:18:35.51
of the planet seem
well, more orderly.
00:18:35.51\00:18:39.51
So whoever wrote
this biblical account
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.52
was obviously aware of our
most basic emotional instincts.
00:18:41.52\00:18:45.49
And we'd be foolish to
dismiss this story too quickly.
00:18:45.49\00:18:48.52
This is not a fairy tale.
00:18:48.52\00:18:50.63
It's a perceptive
account of who we are,
00:18:50.63\00:18:53.83
and there's so much more,
00:18:53.83\00:18:55.73
but right now I'm up against
another break so don't go away.
00:18:55.73\00:18:58.70
I'm just getting warmed
up and I'll be right back
00:18:58.70\00:19:01.20
to create something else.
00:19:01.20\00:19:03.24
- [Woman] Here at
the Voice of Prophecy,
00:19:05.21\00:19:06.68
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:19:06.68\00:19:09.01
for the whole family.
00:19:09.01\00:19:10.48
Like our audio adventure
series "Discovery Mountain."
00:19:10.48\00:19:13.58
"Discovery Mountain"
is a Bible based program
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.12
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:19:16.12\00:19:18.45
Your family will enjoy
the faith building stories
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.26
from this small
mountain summer camp, Penn town,
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.09
with 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:19:24.09\00:19:26.63
and fresh content every week.
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.70
There's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:19:28.70\00:19:31.90
- Let me show you a
little part of the Genesis story
00:19:35.84\00:19:37.81
that I find
absolutely fascinating
00:19:37.81\00:19:39.54
because it's such a good
description of who we are.
00:19:39.54\00:19:43.91
This comes from Genesis 3 now
00:19:43.91\00:19:46.45
where the first humans have
broken their agreement with God
00:19:46.45\00:19:49.72
and they have compromised
the original created order,
00:19:49.72\00:19:52.82
which led to the
mess we live in today.
00:19:52.82\00:19:55.19
Now God asks them what they've
done and why they did it.
00:19:55.19\00:19:59.36
Here's what it's says.
00:19:59.36\00:20:00.90
"Then the Lord, God
called to Adam and said to him,
00:20:00.90\00:20:03.77
"where are you?"
00:20:03.77\00:20:05.37
So he said, "I heard
your voice in the garden
00:20:05.37\00:20:07.60
"and I was afraid because I
was naked and I hid myself."
00:20:07.60\00:20:11.91
So here we find the
concepts of shame and guilt,
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.58
which wouldn't
make sense in a world
00:20:14.58\00:20:15.94
that happened by accident.
00:20:15.94\00:20:17.45
If you and I are
nothing but biological machines,
00:20:17.45\00:20:19.88
then why ever feel guilty?
00:20:19.88\00:20:22.08
I mean, if someone's
standing in your way, kill them.
00:20:22.08\00:20:25.32
If someone has
something you want, take it,
00:20:25.32\00:20:28.32
except for some reason we know
00:20:28.32\00:20:30.29
there's a right
and wrong way to live.
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.86
And when we do
things the wrong way,
00:20:31.86\00:20:34.00
we find ourselves
compelled to cover our tracks.
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.93
I remember talking to
a guy who spent some time
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.17
in a Nazi labor camp and
he somehow managed to escape.
00:20:40.17\00:20:43.77
And when you asked
him how he escaped,
00:20:43.77\00:20:46.21
he would suddenly fall quiet.
00:20:46.21\00:20:47.94
He would tear up and he
would refuse to talk about it.
00:20:47.94\00:20:51.11
Rumor was that
he and his friends
00:20:51.11\00:20:52.95
actually killed a Nazi
guard in order to escape.
00:20:52.95\00:20:56.55
And that was
something that haunted him
00:20:56.55\00:20:58.05
the rest of his life
even though it seemed
00:20:58.05\00:21:00.09
perfectly justified
given the circumstances.
00:21:00.09\00:21:03.76
So you got to ask
yourself this question.
00:21:03.76\00:21:05.56
Why does something like the
death of a stranger bother us?
00:21:05.56\00:21:09.30
When we see a video
of some horrific crime
00:21:09.30\00:21:11.40
circulating on social media,
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.90
like those young
girls who stole a car in DC
00:21:12.90\00:21:15.84
and ended up killing the driver,
00:21:15.84\00:21:17.81
why does that
make our stomach churn?
00:21:17.81\00:21:20.51
How is it that we have a
moral sense of right and wrong?
00:21:20.51\00:21:24.11
And why do we
struggle with guilt
00:21:24.11\00:21:25.91
when we do the wrong thing?
00:21:25.91\00:21:27.98
Again, you might
not believe the Bible,
00:21:27.98\00:21:30.15
but I still want you to
notice that the opening chapters
00:21:30.15\00:21:32.79
deal with the
reality of human existence
00:21:32.79\00:21:35.02
in a very compelling way.
00:21:35.02\00:21:37.43
Now in chapter three, verse 11,
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.66
God suddenly asked
Adam why he was hiding.
00:21:39.66\00:21:42.63
And I want you to
notice what happens.
00:21:42.63\00:21:44.93
"And he said, who told
you that you were naked?
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.87
"Have you eaten from the tree
00:21:47.87\00:21:49.24
"which I commanded
that you should not eat?
00:21:49.24\00:21:51.57
"Then the man said, the woman
whom you gave to be with me,
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.91
"she gave me of
the tree and I ate.
00:21:54.91\00:21:57.51
"And the Lord God
said to the woman,
00:21:57.51\00:21:59.08
"what is this you have done?
00:21:59.08\00:22:01.12
"The woman said the
serpent deceived me and I ate."
00:22:01.12\00:22:05.49
So, what we have here is
the first recorded instance
00:22:05.49\00:22:08.36
of passing the buck.
00:22:08.36\00:22:10.36
When God asks Adam, what he did,
00:22:10.36\00:22:12.09
he does something that
almost every parent is seen.
00:22:12.09\00:22:14.60
He blames somebody else.
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.46
"It's really this
woman who did this,
00:22:16.46\00:22:19.37
"it's not me", says Adam.
00:22:19.37\00:22:21.60
But then he also says, "It's
this woman you gave me God."
00:22:21.60\00:22:25.07
So in other words,
00:22:25.07\00:22:26.27
absolutely
everybody else is to blame
00:22:26.27\00:22:27.84
for what happened including God.
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.85
And that gives us a
couple of really good insights
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.38
into the way that
human beings are wired.
00:22:33.38\00:22:35.68
First of all, we
know there's a right
00:22:35.68\00:22:37.92
and a wrong way to live.
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.62
And when we do the wrong thing,
00:22:39.62\00:22:41.16
we know instinctively
that something has to be done.
00:22:41.16\00:22:43.49
There has to be
some kind of justice.
00:22:43.49\00:22:46.49
It's not good enough to
say what happened was bad.
00:22:46.49\00:22:49.56
We also understand that it
has to somehow be made right.
00:22:49.56\00:22:53.23
And of course we don't wanna
be the ones to pay the price
00:22:53.23\00:22:56.37
so we point to somebody else.
00:22:56.37\00:22:58.11
We blame the government,
we blame our neighbors,
00:22:58.11\00:23:00.54
we blame another
country, or another culture,
00:23:00.54\00:23:03.11
or another people group.
00:23:03.11\00:23:04.45
We even blame God in an attempt
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.08
to shift the
spotlight off of self.
00:23:07.08\00:23:09.75
And you have to wonder where
in the world that comes from,
00:23:09.75\00:23:12.42
why do we seem to
have so much trouble
00:23:12.42\00:23:14.96
owning what we've done?
00:23:14.96\00:23:16.79
And why do we have millions
of pages of philosophers
00:23:16.79\00:23:20.26
wrestling with
the concept of justice
00:23:20.26\00:23:23.03
and why we seem to have
such a hard time finding it?
00:23:23.03\00:23:26.40
It's pretty
obvious that the Bible
00:23:26.40\00:23:28.47
is not the work of
simpletons who needed a story
00:23:28.47\00:23:30.97
to fill the gaps in
their scientific knowledge.
00:23:30.97\00:23:34.08
They were wrestling
with the same questions
00:23:34.08\00:23:36.41
that bother us to this day.
00:23:36.41\00:23:39.15
And the fact that
Adam blames God for this,
00:23:39.15\00:23:42.45
well that might just
uncover the biggest question
00:23:42.45\00:23:44.85
in the universe.
00:23:44.85\00:23:46.49
If there is a God,
00:23:46.49\00:23:48.22
why in the world would he allow
so much pain and suffering?
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.53
Every time you and I see
something we think is wrong,
00:23:51.53\00:23:53.83
and we say that
shouldn't happen.
00:23:53.83\00:23:56.03
We're dipping into
this overwhelming belief
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.80
that some kind of
moral order has been violated
00:23:58.80\00:24:02.50
or we're dipping into the belief
00:24:02.50\00:24:03.97
like the early
Christian Gnostics,
00:24:03.97\00:24:06.31
that whoever made this place
must have made a huge mistake.
00:24:06.31\00:24:09.68
And maybe the
creator isn't perfect.
00:24:09.68\00:24:12.65
Here in Genesis you
find that same question
00:24:13.78\00:24:15.88
laid out as plain as day.
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.72
And you can see that God
00:24:17.72\00:24:19.52
didn't violate the
covenant with humanity.
00:24:19.52\00:24:21.82
We violated that covenant.
00:24:21.82\00:24:24.23
God warned us not to do this.
00:24:24.23\00:24:25.99
He told us what
would happen if we did it
00:24:25.99\00:24:28.10
and we did it anyway,
and then we blame God.
00:24:28.10\00:24:31.73
And for the next 926 chapters,
00:24:31.73\00:24:34.57
the authors of the
Bible unpack that concept
00:24:34.57\00:24:37.41
in painstaking detail.
00:24:37.41\00:24:39.21
If God really is
good, then why do we suffer?
00:24:39.21\00:24:44.08
Which of course leads us to
the ultimate question of death.
00:24:44.08\00:24:48.55
I'll be right back after this.
00:24:48.55\00:24:50.85
- [Woman] Life
can throw a lot at us.
00:24:52.55\00:24:54.96
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers,
00:24:54.96\00:24:57.79
but that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:24:57.79\00:25:00.40
It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:25:00.40\00:25:03.50
Here at the Voice of Prophecy,
00:25:03.50\00:25:05.40
we've created the
"Discover Bible Guides"
00:25:05.40\00:25:07.50
to be your guide to the Bible.
00:25:07.50\00:25:09.14
They're designed to
be simple, easy to use,
00:25:09.14\00:25:11.61
and provide answers to many
of life's toughest questions.
00:25:11.61\00:25:14.64
And they're absolutely free.
00:25:14.64\00:25:16.64
So jump online now,
00:25:16.64\00:25:18.15
or give us a call and
start your journey of discovery.
00:25:18.15\00:25:21.25
- I think of all the
issues that bother us the most
00:25:22.65\00:25:24.42
death is quite handily
at the top of the list.
00:25:24.42\00:25:27.69
And even though the thinkers,
00:25:27.69\00:25:29.22
the philosophers of the 19th
century wanted us to believe
00:25:29.22\00:25:31.69
that life is
pretty much meaningless
00:25:31.69\00:25:33.86
and that death is just
a natural part of life,
00:25:33.86\00:25:36.90
there's something
in the human psyche
00:25:36.90\00:25:38.43
that refuses to let
us just accept that idea.
00:25:38.43\00:25:43.00
We logically know that
we're gonna die, we all will.
00:25:43.00\00:25:46.31
But somehow that
seems unacceptable
00:25:46.31\00:25:48.44
and you've got to
wonder why is it unacceptable?
00:25:48.44\00:25:51.31
What you find in
the pages of the Bible
00:25:51.31\00:25:53.18
is not some part answer,
00:25:53.18\00:25:55.25
but a careful and
detailed explanation
00:25:55.25\00:25:57.49
for why death
bothers us so much.
00:25:57.49\00:25:59.79
And I know we're
basically out of time this week,
00:25:59.79\00:26:02.69
and all I've
really managed to do
00:26:02.69\00:26:04.19
is raise a whole
bunch of questions
00:26:04.19\00:26:06.23
that we're not gonna be able
to explore easily or quickly.
00:26:06.23\00:26:09.80
Questions like,
why does the human race
00:26:09.80\00:26:12.33
feel like it's special?
00:26:12.33\00:26:13.54
What sense does that
make before an accident?
00:26:13.54\00:26:16.00
Why do we feel like we
should be morally better
00:26:16.00\00:26:18.57
than we currently are?
00:26:18.57\00:26:20.41
Why do we, on
the one hand struggle
00:26:20.41\00:26:22.68
with the concept of justice,
00:26:22.68\00:26:24.91
and then refuse
justice when everybody else
00:26:24.91\00:26:27.52
wants to apply it to us?
00:26:27.52\00:26:29.85
Why does life
have to be so painful?
00:26:29.85\00:26:32.92
And why does the
idea of dying bother us
00:26:32.92\00:26:36.83
at a really core level?
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.79
I mean, why would that bother us
00:26:38.79\00:26:40.50
if we're really
just another animal?
00:26:40.50\00:26:43.30
Believe me, that's
just the tip of the iceberg.
00:26:44.50\00:26:47.10
When it comes to the questions,
00:26:47.10\00:26:48.67
the real questions
that the Bible deals with.
00:26:48.67\00:26:51.81
And I guess what I
wanna do today is this.
00:26:51.81\00:26:53.94
I mean, I would love to
unpack those in greater detail.
00:26:53.94\00:26:56.68
We could spend hours and
hours on those questions,
00:26:56.68\00:26:59.45
but what I want you to do
00:26:59.45\00:27:01.12
is discover the
answers for yourself.
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.92
I wanna dare you
to read this book.
00:27:02.92\00:27:05.89
I know people make
fun of the Bible today.
00:27:05.89\00:27:08.22
I know you've been told
it's a myth, it's a fairy tale,
00:27:08.22\00:27:10.63
it belongs on Mount Olympus,
00:27:10.63\00:27:13.06
but maybe just maybe it's time
to have a look for yourself.
00:27:13.06\00:27:15.80
Why would you let the naysayers
00:27:15.80\00:27:17.23
who have never read this book,
00:27:17.23\00:27:19.07
cheat you from what might
be one of the most profound
00:27:19.07\00:27:21.60
experiences of your life?
00:27:21.60\00:27:23.34
Pick up a Bible.
00:27:23.34\00:27:24.74
I think you're
gonna be blown away
00:27:24.74\00:27:26.71
by what you find is in here.
00:27:26.71\00:27:28.61
Thanks for joining me again
this week, I'm Sean Boonstra,
00:27:28.61\00:27:31.35
you've been watching authentic.
00:27:31.35\00:27:34.02
[bright upbeat music]
00:27:34.02\00:27:37.19