[John Bradshaw]
This is It Is Written.
00:00:14.28\00:00:16.54
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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It's the first place in
the world to see the sun.
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The Chatham Islands--named
"Rekohu" or "Misty Sun" by
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the island's original
settlers. Population: 600.
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It's a part of New Zealand and
it's 840 km or about 500 miles
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east of Christchurch in
New Zealand's South Island.
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Today, the Chathams are home to
farmers and fishermen and some
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of the biggest crayfish
you're every likely to see.
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At 373 square miles
the Chatham Islands--
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an archipelago of ten islands--
is a quarter of the size
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of Rhode Island. Life
moves slowly here, kind of
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how you might wish the
rest of the world would be.
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It takes about a day to
get around the main island, but
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there's plenty to see
and even more to discover.
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The Chatham Islands are the
scene of one of the greatest
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environmental success stories
of the last hundred years.
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In 1980 there were five
Chatham Island Black Robins
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left in
existence. And among them,
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only one breeding female.
But through the hard work
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and genius of
government conservationists,
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led by a man named Don Merton,
the Chatham Islands Black Robin
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was pulled back from
the brink of extinction.
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Today there are around 250
Chatham Islands Black Robins
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alive, living out
there on Little Mangere
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and South East
Islands. But 200 years ago here
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on Chatham
Islands, it wasn't the birds
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facing extinction, but
the people who lived here.
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The most painful chapter in this
island's history shines a light
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on a remarkable stand taken
hundreds of years before by
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a leader here, and on the
convictions of a people who
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considered a sacred covenant
to be of far greater importance
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than even their own
physical well-being.
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Maui Solomon is the
grandson of Tommy Solomon,
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the last full-blooded Moriori,
and he's the chairperson of
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the Hokotehi Moriori Trust.
Maui is one of the driving
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forces behind the
revival of the Moriori culture.
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[Maui Solomon]
Moriori were the first
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to settle these
islands 700-800 years ago,
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and Rongomaiwhenua and his
younger brother Rongomaitere
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came from eastern Polynesia
and came directly to these
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islands. We have two threads
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of settlement, one
directly from eastern Polynesia
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and another from Aotearoa.
"Rekohu" literally means
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"to gaze at the
sun through the mist."
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When Moriori first arrived
on these islands, it would have
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been a shock, because they'd
come from tropical Polynesia
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to a very temperate
climate here on Rekohu.
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But they rapidly adapted to
this environment, and they used
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local materials, flax
and bull kelp and local trees
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to construct their
canoes, and their canoes were in
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a very similar model
were shaped to a European
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rowing boat. Over 600 years ago,
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Nunuku-whenua, the last in
this line of spiritual leaders,
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had witnessed from the mouth of
his cave two warring factions.
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He decreed that the people lay
down their arms and that from
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that time forward they live
in peace and share the resources
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of the land and the
sea. He laid down the curse,
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"The day you
disobey, may your bowels rot."
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And from that day forward,
there was no further killing.
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That worked for them in
these islands for centuries.
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And, of course, that experiment
was put to the ultimate test
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when Ngati Tama and
Ngati Mutunga invaded
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these islands in
November 1835. [John]
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In 1835, everything
changed for the peaceful
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Moriori society. To
call what happened here
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a tragedy would be to
under-represent the magnitude
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of what occurred.
This was a catastrophe.
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In fact, it was genocide.
And while a catastrophe can
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sometimes bring out the worst
in people, it can also bring
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out the best. And
this one did both.
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[Maui] Nine hundred
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men, women, and children
were brought in two boatloads
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from Wellington
in the Lord Rodney,
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an English sailing
vessel. When they arrived,
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they were very unwell;
it had been a rough journey.
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The people were
looked after by Moriori.
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They were fed, sheltered.
Not long after that, the newly
00:05:23.72\00:05:27.22
arrived Maori from New
Zealand began to "takahi"--
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walk the land-- and
killing and enslaving
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Moriori as they went.
And it was obvious what
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the intensions were,
was to wipe Moriori out.
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[distant rumble] [John]
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To understand the
magnitude of what happened here,
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you really need to keep in mind
the era in which it occurred.
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In 1835, invasion
meant subjugation,
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and it meant
slavery. Blood would be shed,
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lives would be
lost, it would be ugly.
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The practice of the
invaders was to cannibalize
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their enemies. So the
invasion of the Moriori
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here at Rekohu would
involve unspeakable horrors.
00:06:07.30\00:06:12.67
Now, at that same time the
musket wars were taking place
00:06:12.67\00:06:15.50
among the Maori tribes
on mainland New Zealand.
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So for the invaders,
the thought of coming
00:06:18.94\00:06:21.34
to an island, taking it,
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and killing the inhabitants
was nothing out of the ordinary.
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The Moriori held a council
at a place called Te Awapatiki
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to discuss what they should
do. Some of the young men urged
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that they should fight
back. After all, 2,000 Moriori
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and about 1,000 fighting
men against 900 invaders
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gave them a pretty
good shot at victory,
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even though they
weren't a fighting people.
00:06:44.63\00:06:47.20
Not to win? Well,
that would mean they'd be
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killed, eaten, enslaved,
and wiped out altogether.
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So, 2,000 against
900-- you'd think the outcome
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might be certain.
Except it wasn't that simple,
00:07:00.88\00:07:05.59
because of Nunuku's Law. [Maui]
00:07:05.59\00:07:10.29
The ancestors brought with them
the traditions and the customs
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from eastern Polynesia, so
they were a warrior people,
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a war-like people. They
also practiced cannibalism.
00:07:17.47\00:07:21.27
They came to the conclusion that
"if we keep killing one another,
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we'll wipe each other out.
" They recognized that there's
00:07:23.94\00:07:27.88
always going to be
conflict when you have humans.
00:07:27.88\00:07:29.84
So how do we
manage that conflict?
00:07:29.84\00:07:32.28
So they evolved their
own covenant of peace.
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Combat was
ritualized using a wooden staff.
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First blood
drawn, honor satisfied,
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fighting was to cease.
There shall be no killing.
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Thou shalt not kill. [John]
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About 500 years after
Nunuku lived in this very cave,
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the Moriori
discovered they had invaders in
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their backyard, and
their very existence
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was threatened. So
what would they do?
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They could honor Nunuku's Law,
which defined them as a people
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and ensured that life
was treated as sacred,
00:08:04.25\00:08:06.92
or they could defend themselves
and abandon a vital principle
00:08:06.92\00:08:11.55
of their society.
Whatever their decision
00:08:11.55\00:08:14.29
would be, it would
have enormous consequences.
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So what would they do?
We'll find out in just a moment.
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¤ [soft ethereal music] ¤
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World history has
taught us to associate the word
00:08:32.94\00:08:35.34
"surrender" with thoughts
of defeat, shame, and loss.
00:08:35.34\00:08:39.31
But what if it were the
road to ultimate victory?
00:08:39.31\00:08:42.52
What if surrender
meant letting go of your sin
00:08:42.52\00:08:44.49
or your dysfunction in exchange
for freedom and integrity?
00:08:44.49\00:08:48.86
What if your Conqueror
offered you healing, wholeness,
00:08:48.86\00:08:53.13
and power? When
you're used to being
00:08:53.13\00:08:55.43
in charge, surrender
to God may be a struggle.
00:08:55.43\00:08:58.57
But I guarantee you surrender
to God is the greatest victory
00:08:58.57\00:09:01.80
you'll ever win. If
you'd like to understand
00:09:01.80\00:09:04.21
more, request our free
booklet, "The War is Over."
00:09:04.21\00:09:07.91
Simply call 800-253-3000
and ask for your free copy
00:09:07.91\00:09:12.18
of "The War is
Over." If the line's busy,
00:09:12.18\00:09:15.28
please try again.
Or you can write to
00:09:15.28\00:09:17.89
It Is Written at P
O Box 6, Chattanooga,
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Tennessee, 37401.
We'll mail a free copy to
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your address in North America.
It Is Written is a faith-based
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ministry, and your
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to share God's good
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Your tax-deductible gift can
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screen, or through our
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Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:09:40.44\00:09:43.24
¤ [deep rumbling tones] ¤
00:09:43.24\00:09:47.22
[John Bradshaw]
This is It Is Written.
00:09:49.75\00:09:52.85
I'm John
Bradshaw. This is a rugged
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and often windswept
place: the Chatham Islands.
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Five hundred miles
east of New Zealand
00:10:00.16\00:10:02.10
in the southern Pacific
Ocean. Almost 200 years ago,
00:10:02.10\00:10:05.97
this was the scene of
an incredible tragedy,
00:10:05.97\00:10:08.94
one that very nearly
resulted in the extinction
00:10:08.94\00:10:11.67
of the people who lived here.
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.27
[Maui Solomon]
Nine-hundred Maori in total
00:10:15.84\00:10:18.55
arrived and landed at Port
Hutt. It was clear to the people
00:10:18.55\00:10:24.12
at that time that the invaders
intended to wipe them out,
00:10:24.12\00:10:30.26
to enslave them.
We're told that 1,000 men
00:10:30.26\00:10:35.86
met at Te Awapatiki to debate
over three or four days what
00:10:35.86\00:10:41.40
the response would be to
the invasion by Ngati Tama
00:10:41.40\00:10:44.81
and Ngati Mutunga.
So the young men urged
00:10:44.81\00:10:47.34
resistance, but the elders
forbade breaking their covenant
00:10:47.34\00:10:51.11
of peace, and said that
the covenant wasn't something
00:10:51.11\00:10:54.72
that could be varied to
suit the dictates of the time,
00:10:54.72\00:10:57.92
and it would be a
complete loss of "mana"
00:10:57.92\00:11:00.09
for them as a
people if they violated
00:11:00.09\00:11:02.89
that sacrosanct law. So
this covenant of peace was
00:11:02.89\00:11:06.80
so sacred to Moriori they
put their spiritual beliefs
00:11:06.80\00:11:11.27
above their
physical needs. [John]
00:11:11.27\00:11:15.20
The will of the elders won out.
Two chiefs, Torea and Tapata,
00:11:15.20\00:11:20.41
are quoted as having
said, "The law of Nunuku is not
00:11:20.41\00:11:24.88
a strategy for
survival, to be changed
00:11:24.88\00:11:28.05
as conditions vary. It
is a moral imperative."
00:11:28.05\00:11:32.85
Nunuku's Law was a
sacred covenant, and it would be
00:11:32.85\00:11:35.99
treated as such. The
consequences for the Moriori
00:11:35.99\00:11:39.89
were disastrous.
Initially, 226 were murdered.
00:11:39.89\00:11:44.70
Hundreds more
were taken as slaves.
00:11:44.70\00:11:47.10
Many of the slaves
were killed and eaten.
00:11:47.10\00:11:50.84
Some died from
despair, while many others died
00:11:50.84\00:11:54.08
as a result of diseases
introduced by the invaders.
00:11:54.08\00:11:58.58
In 30 years or so, the
Moriori population fell
00:11:58.58\00:12:02.95
to just 101. Ninety
percent of the Moriori
00:12:02.95\00:12:08.56
population had been killed.
00:12:08.56\00:12:12.93
Here in the Moriori
marae is a memorial to those
00:12:13.96\00:12:17.10
who perished. At the
Auckland Public Library,
00:12:17.10\00:12:20.57
the names of all the Moriori
who died during that time
00:12:20.57\00:12:23.84
are recorded. So
that while their lives
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.84
were lost, the
memory of them was not.
00:12:26.84\00:12:30.51
And on the memorial are carved
the names of those who died
00:12:30.51\00:12:34.72
during and
following the massacre.
00:12:34.72\00:12:38.99
Now here's a question:
Who would choose to lose
00:12:40.79\00:12:44.73
their life rather than to
fight trying to defend it?
00:12:44.73\00:12:50.73
What kind of person or people,
knowing the seriousness of the
00:12:50.73\00:12:55.10
consequences, would consider
a law so important, so utterly
00:12:55.10\00:13:00.78
inviolable, that they
would choose to honor that law
00:13:00.78\00:13:05.21
rather than preserve
their own life or, essentially,
00:13:05.21\00:13:10.62
their entire culture? Is
a law ever so important that
00:13:10.62\00:13:16.06
a person should die
rather than violate that law?
00:13:16.06\00:13:20.60
When we go to the Bible we find
again and again references to
00:13:20.60\00:13:24.47
people who chose to
put a greater cause above
00:13:24.47\00:13:27.30
their own welfare, and
even ahead of their own lives.
00:13:27.30\00:13:31.21
Let's look in Revelation
12. It's a discussion of God's
00:13:31.21\00:13:34.48
church, God's people
down through the ages from
00:13:34.48\00:13:38.11
the time of the birth of Jesus.
The church is depicted as a
00:13:38.11\00:13:42.22
woman--a figure God
often uses in the Bible to
00:13:42.22\00:13:45.75
represent the
church or His people.
00:13:45.75\00:13:48.12
She delivers a
child-- that's Jesus.
00:13:48.12\00:13:51.59
Then the devil is
represented as a red dragon.
00:13:51.59\00:13:54.96
He deceives a third
of the angels in heaven
00:13:54.96\00:13:58.27
and goes on the
attack against Jesus.
00:13:58.27\00:14:01.07
Jesus' ascension to heaven
is mentioned, and then a time
00:14:01.07\00:14:04.01
of difficulty for the church.
For 1,260 years--now, remember,
00:14:04.01\00:14:08.78
a day represents a
year in Bible prophecy--
00:14:08.78\00:14:11.45
for 1,260 years, the
church is in the wilderness.
00:14:11.45\00:14:16.12
But God's people are ultimately
triumphant, and there's
00:14:16.12\00:14:19.45
a description of at
least some of God's people
00:14:19.45\00:14:21.72
in Revelation 12:11. It
says, "And they overcame him
00:14:21.72\00:14:26.93
by the blood of the Lamb and
by the word of their testimony.
00:14:26.93\00:14:30.63
And they loved not
their lives unto the death."
00:14:30.63\00:14:34.64
"They loved not
their lives to the death."
00:14:34.64\00:14:40.58
Is a cause ever so great
that a person should be willing
00:14:40.58\00:14:44.65
to lay down his or
her life for that cause?
00:14:44.65\00:14:49.02
Here on the Chatham Islands,
back in the 1830s, the answer
00:14:49.02\00:14:53.22
given to that
question was 'yes.'
00:14:53.22\00:14:58.59
Throughout history there have
been accounts of people who've
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.06
given their lives for
others. During World War II,
00:15:01.06\00:15:05.47
a U.S. Army
transport ship, the Dorchester,
00:15:05.47\00:15:08.84
was carrying hundreds of
American troops to Europe.
00:15:08.84\00:15:12.37
This was a dangerous business.
And while the ship was traveling
00:15:12.37\00:15:15.71
to Greenland, it was torpedoed
and sunk by a German warship.
00:15:15.71\00:15:20.28
In the chaos, there weren't
enough lifejackets to go around.
00:15:20.28\00:15:25.02
But the four chaplains
on the ship--a Catholic,
00:15:25.02\00:15:28.56
two Protestants, and a
Jew-- encouraged the troops,
00:15:28.56\00:15:32.96
helped them off the ship,
and then gave their lifejackets
00:15:32.96\00:15:38.93
to the soldiers. They
went down with the ship
00:15:38.93\00:15:42.54
into the frigid water
singing and praying together,
00:15:42.54\00:15:47.61
and they died. A
43-year-old Gulf War veteran
00:15:47.61\00:15:53.75
retired from Fort Campbell,
Kentucky, and now he had
00:15:53.75\00:15:56.82
the kind of time he always
wanted to have for his wife
00:15:56.82\00:15:59.72
and their 5-year-old boy.
He'd been in the Gulf War;
00:15:59.72\00:16:03.32
he'd been involved in
the invasion of Afghanistan.
00:16:03.32\00:16:06.23
But now, with the rest of
his life stretching before him,
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.03
he decided that he'd take
care of some projects he'd been
00:16:09.03\00:16:11.63
wanting to get to for some time.
And one of them was to cut down
00:16:11.63\00:16:14.94
a tree in their backyard.
He and his 5-year-old son went
00:16:14.94\00:16:18.44
out in the backyard, and
they would clear that tree.
00:16:18.44\00:16:21.48
As the tree was falling to
the ground, the 5-year-old boy
00:16:21.48\00:16:26.25
walked out into the
path of the falling tree.
00:16:26.25\00:16:29.65
Now, this solider, this retired
soldier, knew what to do.
00:16:29.65\00:16:32.72
He'd been awarded
the Soldier's Medal
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.76
for bravery for rescuing
soldiers from a helicopter crash
00:16:34.76\00:16:38.13
in Haiti, and he would save
the life of his son as well.
00:16:38.13\00:16:42.40
He rushed into the path of the
falling tree and pushed his son
00:16:42.40\00:16:45.67
to safety. But
tragically, the tree fell
00:16:45.67\00:16:49.10
on him. They
airlifted him to Vanderbilt
00:16:49.10\00:16:51.51
University Medical Center,
but he was dead by the time
00:16:51.51\00:16:55.18
he arrived at the hospital.
That little boy would grow up
00:16:55.18\00:17:00.48
with only hazy
memories of his father.
00:17:00.48\00:17:04.09
But there'd be one thing
he'd always know about his dad:
00:17:04.09\00:17:07.72
he'd know forever that
his father loved him enough
00:17:07.72\00:17:11.83
to die so that he
would live. ¤ [music] ¤
00:17:11.83\00:17:22.60
Now, chaplains dying for men
under their spiritual care and
00:17:22.60\00:17:26.47
on their side during a war,
that's probably not altogether
00:17:26.47\00:17:30.51
surprising. A
father dying for his son
00:17:30.51\00:17:33.95
is incredible, it's
heroic, but that's something
00:17:33.95\00:17:37.32
we can understand.
Now, the Moriori of
00:17:37.32\00:17:39.95
New Zealand's Chatham
Islands died for an ideal.
00:17:39.95\00:17:42.79
And in Revelation 12,
people died for someone
00:17:42.79\00:17:45.16
that they had never
seen. What would drive a person
00:17:45.16\00:17:48.63
to do that? And
what would you do
00:17:48.63\00:17:51.50
if you ever found
yourself in a similar situation?
00:17:51.50\00:17:55.04
I'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:17:55.04\00:17:58.74
[Announcer] "Every
Word" is a one-minute
00:18:01.28\00:18:04.01
Bible-based daily
devotional presented by
00:18:04.01\00:18:06.55
Pastor John Bradshaw
and designed especially
00:18:06.55\00:18:08.88
for busy people like
you. Look for "Every Word"
00:18:08.88\00:18:12.35
on selected networks, or
watch it online every day
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.89
on our website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:18:14.89\00:18:19.13
¤ [upbeat music] ¤
00:18:19.13\00:18:23.03
[John Bradshaw]
Some verses of the Bible
00:18:24.37\00:18:26.20
cause you to
really stop and reflect.
00:18:26.20\00:18:28.64
If you were
honest with yourself,
00:18:28.64\00:18:30.64
what would you say is the
driving force of your life?
00:18:30.64\00:18:34.11
What is the thing that
you're most passionate about?
00:18:34.11\00:18:36.71
Paul wrote in Philippians
2:21, "For all seek their own,
00:18:36.71\00:18:40.28
not the things
which are Jesus Christ's."
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.88
Of course, you can't exist
in this world without being
00:18:42.88\00:18:44.85
involved in certain
things. You wouldn't be
00:18:44.85\00:18:46.92
a very interesting person
if you didn't have interests
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.96
and pursuits and so on.
But what is it that drives you?
00:18:48.96\00:18:52.86
What's really the most
important thing to you?
00:18:52.86\00:18:55.73
Paul wrote that the problem
people have--and interestingly,
00:18:55.73\00:18:58.27
he said all people-- is
that they put God's interests
00:18:58.27\00:19:01.90
behind their own.
Could it be that many people
00:19:01.90\00:19:05.07
need to adjust their priorities?
If you're one of those people,
00:19:05.07\00:19:08.54
ask God to help you
to put His things first.
00:19:08.54\00:19:11.88
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:19:11.88\00:19:14.02
Let's live today by every word.
00:19:14.02\00:19:16.48
¤ [music] ¤
00:19:16.82\00:19:26.13
What if surrender meant
letting go of your sin or
00:19:26.96\00:19:29.13
your dysfunction in exchange
for freedom and integrity?
00:19:29.13\00:19:33.20
If you'd like to understand
more, request our free
00:19:33.20\00:19:35.57
booklet, "The War is
Over." Simply call 800-253-3000
00:19:35.57\00:19:40.84
and ask for your free
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00:19:40.84\00:19:44.28
If the line's
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00:19:44.28\00:19:46.88
Or you can write
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00:19:48.62\00:19:53.49
We'll mail a free copy to
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00:19:53.49\00:19:56.89
It Is Written is a faith-based
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00:19:56.89\00:20:00.80
makes it possible for
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00:20:00.80\00:20:03.30
with the world. Your
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00:20:03.30\00:20:06.43
sent to the address on your
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00:20:06.43\00:20:09.54
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Thank you for your continued
00:20:09.54\00:20:12.47
prayerful support.
Again, our toll-free number is
00:20:12.47\00:20:15.98
800-253-3000, and
our web address is
00:20:15.98\00:20:20.15
ItIsWritten.com.
00:20:20.15\00:20:22.42
¤ [ominous
music] ¤ [John Bradshaw]
00:20:24.62\00:20:33.63
In 1835, a society was
attacked without provocation.
00:20:33.63\00:20:38.73
Many were brutally murdered, and
of those, many were cannibalized
00:20:38.73\00:20:42.50
and the survivors were enslaved.
Almost 200 years later,
00:20:42.50\00:20:48.11
that society no longer exists.
Remnants of that civilization
00:20:48.11\00:20:53.68
can still be seen.
Centuries-old carvings
00:20:53.68\00:20:57.35
made by the Moriori are still
visible on the trunks of trees,
00:20:57.35\00:21:02.22
ancient living
artifacts from another era.
00:21:02.22\00:21:07.93
¤ [melancholy piano
music] ¤ [Maui Solomon]
00:21:07.93\00:21:13.44
I don't judge the
ancestors for what they did
00:21:13.44\00:21:17.41
at the time they did
it. That was the right thing
00:21:17.41\00:21:19.41
for them to have done,
because that was their custom,
00:21:19.41\00:21:22.78
that was their tradition.
And by holding fast to those
00:21:22.78\00:21:26.68
traditions, they have passed
on to this present generation
00:21:26.68\00:21:30.49
of Moriori a
legacy of peace, of hope.
00:21:30.49\00:21:34.26
Making that sacrifice, they've
left a lesson for humanity.
00:21:34.26\00:21:38.66
They're not forgotten.
Their legacy of peace and hope
00:21:38.66\00:21:42.00
lives on.
00:21:42.00\00:21:45.20
¤ [chimes] ¤ [John]
00:21:50.31\00:21:53.94
Geographically, Chatham
Island is a stunning place
00:21:53.94\00:21:58.15
filled with incredible
features, including these basalt
00:21:58.15\00:22:01.88
columns reminiscent of the
Giant's Causeway in Ireland.
00:22:01.88\00:22:06.92
It was here in this stunning
place that a peaceful society
00:22:06.92\00:22:12.36
met a violent end, because
it chose to adhere to principles
00:22:12.36\00:22:16.97
that put values
even above life itself.
00:22:16.97\00:22:21.14
For the Moriori, it
was more important to do
00:22:21.14\00:22:24.21
the right thing than to dominate
or to conquer another people.
00:22:24.21\00:22:30.15
The Moriori would
choose the right path and make
00:22:30.15\00:22:33.92
a bold stand for
peace. Like God's people
00:22:33.92\00:22:37.95
in Revelation 12:11, they loved
not their lives unto the death.
00:22:37.95\00:22:45.09
What motivates a
person to live by that creedo?
00:22:45.09\00:22:50.07
A famous Revolutionary War
figure paid for his dedication
00:22:50.07\00:22:53.47
to his country with his life,
and is quoted as having said,
00:22:53.47\00:22:57.47
"My one regret is that I
only had one life to give
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.94
for my country."
Now, while that quote
00:23:01.94\00:23:04.51
is disputed by
some, that's patriotism.
00:23:04.51\00:23:09.35
The night before he died,
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
00:23:09.35\00:23:12.75
was speaking at Mason
Temple in Memphis, Tennessee,
00:23:12.75\00:23:15.62
on behalf of
striking sanitation workers.
00:23:15.62\00:23:18.46
There had been threats
made against his life; in fact,
00:23:18.46\00:23:20.73
the pilot of the plane
that carried Dr. King and others
00:23:20.73\00:23:24.20
to Memphis, Tennessee, told
the passengers on board that
00:23:24.20\00:23:27.24
plane that the plane had
been guarded the night before.
00:23:27.24\00:23:31.54
During that speech, Dr.
King said, "I don't know
00:23:31.54\00:23:35.44
what will happen with me now.
We've got some difficult days
00:23:35.44\00:23:38.68
ahead. But it
doesn't matter with me
00:23:38.68\00:23:41.12
now because I've
been to the mountaintop...
00:23:41.12\00:23:44.75
I just want to do God's will.
And He's allowed me to go up
00:23:44.75\00:23:47.82
to the mountain,
and I've looked over,
00:23:47.82\00:23:50.69
and I've seen the Promised Land.
I'm not fearing any man now.
00:23:50.69\00:23:56.40
Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord."
00:23:56.40\00:24:02.40
The next day, outside
room 306 of the Lorraine Motel,
00:24:02.40\00:24:07.98
the unthinkable happened.
Now, what is it that drives
00:24:07.98\00:24:12.11
a man to go to those lengths,
to consider a cause to be
00:24:12.11\00:24:15.92
more important even
than his own well-being,
00:24:15.92\00:24:18.69
even than his own
life? Well, for Dr. King,
00:24:18.69\00:24:22.39
it was justice;
it was human rights;
00:24:22.39\00:24:25.69
it was the plight of his
people. But let's consider Jesus
00:24:25.69\00:24:30.37
of Nazareth. The
Bible says of Jesus,
00:24:30.37\00:24:33.60
"While we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:24:33.60\00:24:37.24
Romans 5:8. And why?
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.11
John 3:16: "For God so
loved the world, that He gave
00:24:40.11\00:24:46.28
His only begotten Son."
00:24:46.28\00:24:48.45
Love, the great motivator.
Now, there's something important
00:24:49.95\00:24:54.22
to consider here. God had a law.
00:24:54.22\00:24:57.86
Human beings
had broken that law.
00:24:57.86\00:25:00.96
The only way for human
beings to be reconciled to God
00:25:00.96\00:25:04.00
was through the
death of His Son, Jesus,
00:25:04.00\00:25:07.17
although if God had simply
set aside His law, the death
00:25:07.17\00:25:13.51
of Jesus wouldn't be necessary.
That would have been the easy
00:25:13.51\00:25:16.75
way out for God, a way
out of a terrible situation
00:25:16.75\00:25:20.42
that no parent wants to
endure. But just as the Moriori
00:25:20.42\00:25:24.79
considered their law
too sacred to be set aside,
00:25:24.79\00:25:28.22
God considered His
law to be too important
00:25:28.22\00:25:31.36
to set aside also.
And as a consequence,
00:25:31.36\00:25:35.10
Jesus willingly went to
the cross for you and me,
00:25:35.10\00:25:40.60
because God so loved the world.
John 15:13 says, "Greater love
00:25:40.60\00:25:47.88
hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life
00:25:47.88\00:25:51.45
for his friends." I've
heard people say they don't
00:25:51.45\00:25:55.72
believe they have the
faith necessary to be a martyr.
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.59
Well, there are people in this
world paying the ultimate price
00:25:59.59\00:26:02.36
for their faith in God,
and the Bible does say that
00:26:02.36\00:26:05.36
there are challenging
times ahead for planet earth.
00:26:05.36\00:26:08.83
But the truth is,
God's not asking most of us
00:26:08.83\00:26:11.93
to die for Him.
Instead, He's asking us
00:26:11.93\00:26:16.04
to live for Him. And
that involves death--dying
00:26:16.04\00:26:20.11
to one's own self-interest,
dying to one's own self-will.
00:26:20.11\00:26:25.15
In holding to Nunuku's
Law, the Moriori gave more to
00:26:25.15\00:26:29.02
the world in their destruction
than many civilizations give
00:26:29.02\00:26:31.59
to the world in their existence.
An example of what it means to
00:26:31.59\00:26:35.36
be truly committed to a
worthy, to a noble cause.
00:26:35.36\00:26:39.53
An example of what it means to
consider something so important
00:26:39.53\00:26:43.03
that it's more
important than life itself.
00:26:43.03\00:26:46.40
That's how committed
Jesus was to you, so committed
00:26:46.40\00:26:49.94
that He gave His life
so that you might live.
00:26:49.94\00:26:54.08
What are you planning to
do with that gift Jesus died
00:26:54.08\00:26:56.78
to give you? Let's pray.
00:26:56.78\00:27:00.45
Father in heaven,
thank You today for Jesus,
00:27:00.45\00:27:03.12
Your gift to the
world. Salvation was purchased
00:27:03.12\00:27:06.62
at an infinite cost to Yourself.
When you could have spared
00:27:06.62\00:27:09.86
the life of Jesus,
Your Son, You didn't.
00:27:09.86\00:27:12.49
When Jesus could have
walked away from the cross,
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.06
He didn't. Today
as You offer that gift
00:27:15.06\00:27:18.17
to the world, I pray for
those hearing me right now.
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.77
In light of all You've
done, grant great grace to those
00:27:20.77\00:27:24.04
who need to respond to
Your mercy and goodness.
00:27:24.04\00:27:26.81
Grant that they would do so now.
Will you receive Jesus as your
00:27:26.81\00:27:30.75
Lord and Savior, friend?
Will you accept eternal life
00:27:30.75\00:27:33.62
right now? Lord,
thank You for the
00:27:33.62\00:27:36.15
certainty of a life of meaning,
an eternal life with You.
00:27:36.15\00:27:40.16
We accept it in
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:27:40.16\00:27:44.96
Thanks for joining me. I
look forward to seeing you
00:27:44.96\00:27:46.96
again next time.
Until then, remember:
00:27:46.96\00:27:50.20
"It is written,
'Man shall not live
00:27:50.20\00:27:52.83
by bread alone but by
every word that proceeds
00:27:52.83\00:27:57.04
from the mouth of
God.'" ¤ [majestic music] ¤
00:27:57.04\00:28:22.40