¤[Theme music]¤ 00:00:10.37\00:00:17.45 [Sound of train] 00:00:20.02\00:00:23.89 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:00:23.92\00:00:25.49 I'm John Bradshaw. 00:00:25.52\00:00:26.89 Thanks for joining me. 00:00:26.92\00:00:29.19 Seems like a strange sort of a name for a war: 00:00:29.22\00:00:33.06 the Great War. 00:00:33.09\00:00:34.73 They said it would be the war that would end all wars. 00:00:34.73\00:00:38.37 And, of course, it wasn't. 00:00:38.40\00:00:40.64 Now, there is a war that will end all wars. 00:00:40.67\00:00:44.51 Maybe we should call that one "the Greatest War." 00:00:44.54\00:00:47.21 And to dig into it, 00:00:47.24\00:00:48.68 we're going to learn some lessons from the past today 00:00:48.71\00:00:51.61 that will help us better understand our future. 00:00:51.65\00:00:55.95 Now, some things get started in some odd places. 00:00:55.98\00:00:59.19 And this surely seems like an odd place 00:00:59.22\00:01:02.79 for a global conflict to kick off in. 00:01:02.82\00:01:06.09 But kick off it did, right here. 00:01:06.13\00:01:09.93 ¤[Music]¤ 00:01:09.96\00:01:11.60 This is Sarajevo. 00:01:11.63\00:01:13.80 It was once a part of the Ottoman Empire, 00:01:13.84\00:01:16.27 or the Turkish Empire, 00:01:16.30\00:01:17.84 which stretched through the Balkans 00:01:17.87\00:01:19.61 into Greece and Turkey, 00:01:19.64\00:01:21.08 the Middle East and North Africa, 00:01:21.11\00:01:23.24 and which ruled for hundreds of years. 00:01:23.28\00:01:26.35 After the Ottoman Empire, 00:01:26.38\00:01:27.52 Sarajevo was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 00:01:27.55\00:01:31.42 For the better part of the 20th century 00:01:31.45\00:01:33.15 it was part of Yugoslavia, communist for half a century. 00:01:33.19\00:01:37.33 And since 1992 it's been the capital 00:01:37.36\00:01:40.76 of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 00:01:40.80\00:01:43.83 It's a city with an especially painful past, 00:01:43.87\00:01:47.00 [gunfire sound effect] 00:01:47.10\00:01:48.34 littered with war and conflict and bloodshed and loss of life. 00:01:48.37\00:01:52.64 A rose in Sarajevo means something different 00:01:52.67\00:01:55.94 to what it means where you live. 00:01:55.98\00:01:58.18 I'll explain later. 00:01:58.21\00:02:00.48 The Winter Olympics coming here in 1984 00:02:00.52\00:02:03.39 suggested this was a city with a bold, bright future. 00:02:03.42\00:02:07.89 Instead, less than a decade after Sarajevo hosted 00:02:07.92\00:02:11.63 the Winter Olympics, 00:02:11.66\00:02:13.23 the city was plunged into chaos. 00:02:13.26\00:02:16.23 And the conflicts that have marked the history 00:02:16.26\00:02:18.73 of this beautiful city speak of a bigger, 00:02:18.77\00:02:21.74 bloodier conflict that threatens the world today. 00:02:21.77\00:02:26.44 The key event that led to the start of World War I 00:02:27.44\00:02:31.01 happened here, in Sarajevo. 00:02:31.05\00:02:33.68 The war to end all wars began here. 00:02:33.72\00:02:36.95 In fact, right there. 00:02:36.99\00:02:40.62 It was 1914, and Bosnia and Herzegovina was under 00:02:40.66\00:02:44.93 the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 00:02:44.96\00:02:48.23 The Austro-Hungarian Empire existed for about 50 years, 00:02:48.26\00:02:51.97 and it controlled not only Austria and Hungary, 00:02:52.00\00:02:55.40 but what today we'd call the Czech Republic, 00:02:55.44\00:02:57.81 Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, parts of Poland, 00:02:57.84\00:03:01.74 Romania and the Ukraine, part of Italy, and the north of Serbia. 00:03:01.78\00:03:07.92 Many people who were getting tired 00:03:07.95\00:03:09.35 of being ruled by outsiders. 00:03:09.38\00:03:11.52 Feelings of nationalism were heating up all across Europe. 00:03:11.55\00:03:14.92 Ethnic minorities were struggling 00:03:14.96\00:03:16.66 to forge their own unique identities. 00:03:16.69\00:03:19.76 Democracy was rising In the early 20th century, 00:03:19.79\00:03:23.20 but Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia 00:03:23.23\00:03:25.70 were controlled, basically, by generals and officials 00:03:25.73\00:03:29.17 around the monarch. 00:03:29.20\00:03:30.91 No democracy there. 00:03:30.94\00:03:33.21 Europe was basically divided into two factions: 00:03:33.24\00:03:36.68 Austria-Hungary and Germany on one side, 00:03:36.71\00:03:39.65 with Great Britain, France, and Russia on the other. 00:03:39.68\00:03:45.45 Industrialization had pressed society forward, 00:03:45.49\00:03:48.82 but a lot of people who worked long hours 00:03:48.86\00:03:50.86 and lived in deplorable conditions 00:03:50.89\00:03:53.23 didn't see much advantage. 00:03:53.26\00:03:55.40 Conditions were ripe for revolution. 00:03:55.43\00:03:58.60 And on June the 28th, 1914, the revolution began. 00:03:58.63\00:04:05.01 It's interesting when you consider 00:04:05.04\00:04:06.51 how a war can get started. 00:04:06.54\00:04:08.28 But there's another war we're going to take a look at 00:04:08.31\00:04:10.31 that has a far more surprising start, 00:04:10.35\00:04:13.42 and a much more far-reaching influence. 00:04:13.45\00:04:15.32 ¤[Music]¤ 00:04:15.35\00:04:16.38 Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne 00:04:16.42\00:04:20.09 of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 00:04:20.12\00:04:22.89 He'd been invited by the governor 00:04:22.92\00:04:24.33 of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 00:04:24.36\00:04:25.76 which at that time was a province in the empire, 00:04:25.79\00:04:28.66 to come to Sarajevo and spend three days 00:04:28.70\00:04:31.17 watching troops on maneuvers. 00:04:31.20\00:04:33.50 When the procession in which the archduke was traveling 00:04:33.54\00:04:36.00 passed the main Sarajevo police station, 00:04:36.04\00:04:38.87 a would-be assassin threw a grenade at the car 00:04:38.91\00:04:41.71 in which he was traveling. 00:04:41.74\00:04:43.31 Two men in the car were seriously wounded. 00:04:43.35\00:04:46.18 After attending a reception at City Hall, 00:04:46.21\00:04:48.52 the archduke requested that he be taken to the hospital 00:04:48.55\00:04:51.19 to visit the two wounded men. 00:04:51.22\00:04:53.46 The governor decided the archduke should not travel 00:04:53.49\00:04:56.66 through the center of the city for the sake of his safety, 00:04:56.69\00:05:00.23 and he decided that he should instead go another route. 00:05:00.26\00:05:04.23 But somebody forgot to tell the driver. 00:05:04.27\00:05:08.14 When they were crossing the Miljacka River 00:05:08.17\00:05:10.01 on the Latin Bridge, 00:05:10.04\00:05:11.97 the governor then realized they were going the wrong way. 00:05:12.01\00:05:14.98 He asked the driver to turn around. 00:05:15.01\00:05:17.71 So the driver put the vehicle in reverse and started to back up. 00:05:17.75\00:05:21.25 He was therefore traveling very slowly, 00:05:21.28\00:05:23.52 and it was then that a 19-year-old Serbian 00:05:23.55\00:05:27.52 with a pistol and a grudge against the empire 00:05:27.56\00:05:30.83 stepped out of the crowd and fired two shots, 00:05:30.86\00:05:34.00 hitting the archduke's wife, Sophia, 00:05:34.00\00:05:36.53 and the archduke himself. 00:05:36.56\00:05:39.07 Both were dead within an hour. 00:05:39.10\00:05:41.50 ¤[Music]¤ 00:05:41.54\00:05:46.47 A month later, 00:05:46.51\00:05:47.94 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. 00:05:47.98\00:05:52.11 Less than a week later, Germany, Austria-Hungary's close ally, 00:05:52.15\00:05:56.32 declared war on Russia, 00:05:56.35\00:05:58.45 which had begun to mobilize its troops. 00:05:58.49\00:06:01.32 Germany invaded Luxembourg and declared war on France, 00:06:01.36\00:06:04.76 which it wanted to invade. 00:06:04.79\00:06:06.93 Germany invaded Belgium. 00:06:06.96\00:06:08.76 Britain declared war on Germany. 00:06:08.80\00:06:11.63 Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia. 00:06:11.67\00:06:14.34 Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary. 00:06:14.37\00:06:17.34 And before you knew it, there were, 00:06:17.37\00:06:19.11 depending on how you count, 00:06:19.14\00:06:21.28 40 or so countries involved in World War I. 00:06:21.31\00:06:24.78 Great Britain, Russia, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, 00:06:24.81\00:06:28.75 as well as Panama, 00:06:28.78\00:06:31.79 Cuba, Siam (that's today's Thailand), 00:06:31.82\00:06:35.39 Nepal, New Zealand, Australia, 00:06:35.42\00:06:38.63 Rhodesia (that's today's Zimbabwe), South Africa. 00:06:38.66\00:06:43.63 War has a habit of affecting an awful lot of people. 00:06:43.67\00:06:48.60 The United States joined World War I in 1917 00:06:49.60\00:06:53.01 and sent 2 million men and women overseas. 00:06:53.04\00:06:56.34 New York sent 368,000. 00:06:56.38\00:06:59.65 Pennsylvania, 298,000. 00:06:59.68\00:07:02.78 Illinois, a quarter of a million. 00:07:02.82\00:07:04.52 Ohio, 200,000. 00:07:04.55\00:07:07.06 One hundred thousand went from both Iowa and Minnesota; 00:07:07.09\00:07:10.83 75,000 each from Kentucky and Tennessee. 00:07:10.86\00:07:14.83 And there were many more. 00:07:14.83\00:07:16.53 One hundred and sixteen thousand Americans died, 00:07:16.56\00:07:19.70 more than half due to disease. 00:07:19.73\00:07:22.67 Three-and-a-half million prisoners of war were held 00:07:22.70\00:07:25.54 during World War I. 00:07:25.57\00:07:27.74 It's estimated 5 million civilians perished 00:07:27.78\00:07:30.78 as a result of the war. 00:07:30.81\00:07:33.01 About 65 million soldiers fought and over 9 million of them died. 00:07:33.05\00:07:39.62 One in three French men between the ages of 18 and 30 00:07:39.65\00:07:44.53 had died by 1917. 00:07:44.56\00:07:48.40 That's a lot of death. 00:07:48.43\00:07:51.40 Almost 40 years before, 00:07:51.43\00:07:53.13 General Sherman had made his famous statement when he said, 00:07:53.17\00:07:56.57 “War is hell.” 00:07:56.60\00:07:58.61 Now, soldiers were finding that out for themselves. 00:07:58.64\00:08:03.01 Most of the men who went off to war 00:08:03.04\00:08:04.81 thought that they were in for a glorious adventure. 00:08:04.85\00:08:07.05 They thought the conflict be short 00:08:07.08\00:08:09.58 and that they'd be home by Christmas. 00:08:09.62\00:08:11.72 Well, it wasn't, and they weren't. 00:08:11.75\00:08:15.22 And it all began here in Sarajevo, 00:08:15.26\00:08:18.46 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country with a population today 00:08:18.49\00:08:22.36 of around three-and-a-half million people, 00:08:22.40\00:08:24.53 smaller than West Virginia. 00:08:24.57\00:08:26.60 An unlikely place for a war to start. 00:08:26.63\00:08:29.50 But wars can begin in unlikely places. 00:08:29.54\00:08:32.87 And the greatest war of all began in the one place 00:08:32.91\00:08:36.31 that you would never expect. 00:08:36.34\00:08:38.71 It involves everyone in the world, 00:08:38.75\00:08:41.05 and whether you like it or not, you're involved too. 00:08:41.08\00:08:44.59 I'll tell you more in just a moment. 00:08:44.62\00:08:47.36 ¤[Music]¤ 00:08:47.39\00:08:55.53 >>Announcer: In Old Testament times, ancient Babylon fell. 00:08:57.00\00:09:00.70 The book of Revelation says Babylon is going to fall again. 00:09:00.74\00:09:04.07 ¤[Music]¤ 00:09:04.11\00:09:05.41 Understand the fall of Babylon in earth's last days. 00:09:05.44\00:09:08.58 Receive “The Fall of Babylon” 00:09:08.61\00:09:10.71 absolutely free. 00:09:10.75\00:09:12.35 Call us at 800-253-3000. 00:09:12.38\00:09:16.22 That's 800-253-3000. 00:09:16.25\00:09:20.09 You could write to the address on your screen, 00:09:20.12\00:09:22.06 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 00:09:22.09\00:09:25.99 >>John: I'm in the Bahamas. 00:09:26.59\00:09:28.00 It's a slice of paradise, really. 00:09:28.03\00:09:30.33 And as beautiful as it is, it's a place with a colorful past. 00:09:30.37\00:09:35.30 Once upon a time, the Bahamas was a haven for pirates. 00:09:35.34\00:09:39.97 Blackbeard sailed these waters. 00:09:40.01\00:09:42.44 Pirates lived, or live, outside the law. 00:09:42.48\00:09:46.31 They are lawless. 00:09:46.35\00:09:48.52 And the fact is, they were thieves, murders. 00:09:48.55\00:09:52.69 This isn't a game. 00:09:52.72\00:09:54.36 We still see lawlessness today. 00:09:54.39\00:09:58.76 The battle is real. 00:09:58.79\00:10:00.63 Undoubtedly you've experienced it. 00:10:00.66\00:10:02.60 You might be caught in the middle of it now. 00:10:02.63\00:10:05.30 Can you see yourself in that picture, 00:10:05.33\00:10:07.44 doing the things that you know you should not? 00:10:07.47\00:10:10.17 See yourself in that picture? 00:10:10.21\00:10:12.14 You want a way out of lawlessness? 00:10:12.17\00:10:14.21 You want a way out of slavery to the old life? 00:10:14.24\00:10:17.71 Jesus is that way. 00:10:17.75\00:10:19.78 “Lawless.” 00:10:20.78\00:10:21.82 Watch now on It Is Written TV. 00:10:21.85\00:10:25.05 [Light traffic noise] ¤[Music]¤ 00:10:26.52\00:10:29.02 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 00:10:29.06\00:10:30.36 on It Is Written. 00:10:30.39\00:10:32.03 I'm in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 00:10:32.06\00:10:35.16 This is where World War I began. 00:10:35.20\00:10:37.73 World War I ended in 1918. 00:10:37.77\00:10:40.10 But that did not mean peace would come to Bosnia. 00:10:40.14\00:10:44.37 Far from it. 00:10:44.41\00:10:46.27 War is waged ostensibly to bring about 00:10:46.31\00:10:48.51 or to restore peace and order. 00:10:48.54\00:10:51.35 But that doesn't always happen. 00:10:51.38\00:10:52.35 In fact, sometimes war brings about more war. 00:10:52.38\00:10:57.69 After World War I ended, 00:10:57.72\00:10:59.85 Europe inherited Communism, Nazism, and fascism. 00:10:59.89\00:11:03.53 And 21 years later, World War II. 00:11:03.56\00:11:07.86 So where did all this begin? 00:11:07.86\00:11:10.20 Where did human beings develop their penchant, 00:11:10.23\00:11:12.83 their inclination for war? 00:11:12.87\00:11:16.40 The most surprising of places. 00:11:16.44\00:11:19.44 You read about it in Revelation 12, verse 7: 00:11:19.47\00:11:22.74 “And there was war in heaven: 00:11:22.78\00:11:25.05 Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; 00:11:25.08\00:11:28.62 and the dragon fought and his angels.” 00:11:28.65\00:11:31.55 War began in heaven. 00:11:31.59\00:11:33.12 From heaven it came to the earth. 00:11:33.15\00:11:35.92 And on earth, it continues. 00:11:35.96\00:11:38.99 So why did it begin? 00:11:39.03\00:11:40.46 Well, let's ask ourselves, why did World War I begin? 00:11:40.50\00:11:44.80 Well, Gavrilo Princep shot the archduke, right? 00:11:44.83\00:11:49.27 Well, yes, but it goes deeper. 00:11:49.30\00:11:51.47 People didn't want to be ruled over, 00:11:51.51\00:11:53.21 especially by outsiders. 00:11:53.24\00:11:55.48 Why should Bosnians or Serbs be ruled by 00:11:55.51\00:11:58.15 Austrians and Hungarians? 00:11:58.18\00:12:00.58 And why should Austrians and Hungarians presume 00:12:00.62\00:12:03.02 to want to rule over Bosnians and Croats and Serbs 00:12:03.05\00:12:06.09 and Romanians and Czechs? 00:12:06.12\00:12:08.02 Now we can understand a little better why war began in heaven. 00:12:08.06\00:12:12.59 Long ago, Satan said in his heart, 00:12:12.63\00:12:15.80 “I will be like the Most High.” That's Isaiah 14:14. 00:12:15.83\00:12:21.00 A desire to sit in God's place. 00:12:21.04\00:12:24.51 At once, a refusal to submit to just leadership, 00:12:24.54\00:12:28.04 and a desire to set himself up as a ruler over others. 00:12:28.08\00:12:31.75 Before long, Satan had deceived a third of the angels in heaven. 00:12:31.78\00:12:35.45 You see that in Revelation 12, verse 4: 00:12:35.48\00:12:38.15 And he came to the earth to get the worship 00:12:38.19\00:12:40.69 he wasn't able to get in heaven. 00:12:40.72\00:12:43.49 But peace doesn't come following a war 00:12:43.53\00:12:46.63 unless someone is willing to do something decisive. 00:12:46.66\00:12:49.60 ¤[Music]¤ 00:12:49.63\00:12:50.57 The Great War didn't end war, 00:12:50.60\00:12:52.93 because it couldn't fix the broken human heart. 00:12:52.97\00:12:57.54 After World War I, 00:12:57.57\00:12:58.97 Bosnia and Herzegovina was pressed into Yugoslavia, 00:12:59.01\00:13:02.74 along with Slovenia, Serbia, 00:13:02.78\00:13:04.61 Croatia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. 00:13:04.65\00:13:07.88 But when Communism collapsed in the early 1990s, 00:13:07.92\00:13:10.59 the fight was on for who would control what, 00:13:10.62\00:13:13.42 and who would control who, in the form of Yugoslavia. 00:13:13.46\00:13:17.96 Bosnians wanted to control their own affairs. 00:13:17.99\00:13:21.13 But not everyone saw it that way. 00:13:21.16\00:13:23.77 There was a push to create a Bosnian Serb state. 00:13:23.80\00:13:27.94 Some planned to have Bosnia and Herzegovina 00:13:27.97\00:13:30.67 split between Serbia and Croatia. 00:13:30.71\00:13:33.91 Sarajevo was under siege by Serbs for four years, 00:13:33.94\00:13:38.08 the longest any capital city has ever been under siege. 00:13:38.11\00:13:42.88 The horrors of the Bosnian War were horrible. 00:13:42.92\00:13:47.72 Many people were killed. 00:13:47.76\00:13:49.89 War crimes were committed. 00:13:49.92\00:13:51.96 Ratko Mladic became known as the Butcher of Bosnia 00:13:51.99\00:13:55.56 for his role in the Bosnian War. 00:13:55.60\00:13:58.43 Mass murder. 00:13:58.47\00:14:00.07 Torture. 00:14:00.10\00:14:01.30 Mutilation. 00:14:01.34\00:14:03.00 Rape. 00:14:03.04\00:14:04.54 It was after the Bosnian War that mass rape 00:14:04.57\00:14:07.18 was acknowledged as a war crime. 00:14:07.21\00:14:09.68 The group Doctors Without Borders says, 00:14:09.71\00:14:12.78 “Systematic rape was used as part of the strategy 00:14:12.81\00:14:16.42 of ethnic cleansing” 00:14:16.45\00:14:18.29 by Serbian troops during the Bosnian War. 00:14:18.32\00:14:21.76 Eight thousand men and boys were massacred over three days 00:14:21.79\00:14:26.16 in the town of Srebrenica, 00:14:26.19\00:14:28.20 less than a hundred miles from here. 00:14:28.23\00:14:30.50 Mladic is currently serving a lifetime prison sentence 00:14:30.53\00:14:34.30 in the Hague in the Netherlands. 00:14:34.34\00:14:36.81 Radovan Karadzic was sentenced to 40 years. 00:14:36.84\00:14:40.71 Slobodan Milosevic attempted to orchestrate the creation 00:14:40.74\00:14:43.68 of a greater Serbia, and Bosnia would have fallen 00:14:43.71\00:14:46.98 victim to Milosevic's plans had they succeeded. 00:14:47.02\00:14:50.52 Milosevic died in prison. 00:14:50.55\00:14:52.55 Today there are still divisions along ethnic 00:14:56.86\00:14:59.66 and religious lines in Bosnia. 00:14:59.69\00:15:02.26 Some of the scars of war here 00:15:02.30\00:15:04.37 can still be seen in the buildings. 00:15:04.40\00:15:07.47 The Sarajevo rose I mentioned earlier? 00:15:07.50\00:15:10.54 Sarajevo roses don't grow on bushes. 00:15:10.57\00:15:12.74 The Sarajevo rose is a mark left in concrete 00:15:12.77\00:15:17.08 by an exploded mortar shell 00:15:17.11\00:15:19.01 that has since been filled with red resin, 00:15:19.05\00:15:22.45 as a reminder of what has taken place here. 00:15:22.48\00:15:25.52 You didn't want to be here during the siege of Sarajevo. 00:15:27.86\00:15:31.79 Dangerous, dangerous place. 00:15:31.83\00:15:35.30 Planet Earth is currently under siege. 00:15:35.33\00:15:37.77 According to the Bible, we're all involved in a war. 00:15:37.80\00:15:42.40 And it's serious. 00:15:42.44\00:15:44.64 That verse we looked at a moment ago, 00:15:44.67\00:15:46.37 Revelation 12:7: 00:15:46.41\00:15:48.54 “And there was war in heaven: 00:15:48.58\00:15:50.55 Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; 00:15:50.58\00:15:53.82 and the dragon fought and his angels.” 00:15:53.85\00:15:55.52 Verse 8: 00:15:55.55\00:15:56.92 “And prevailed not; 00:15:56.95\00:15:58.62 neither was their place found any more in heaven.” 00:15:58.65\00:16:01.89 And now verse 9: 00:16:01.92\00:16:03.73 “And the great dragon was cast out, 00:16:03.76\00:16:06.43 that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, 00:16:06.46\00:16:09.30 which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, 00:16:09.33\00:16:14.60 and his angels were cast out with him.” 00:16:14.64\00:16:17.97 The focus of the war in heaven 00:16:18.01\00:16:20.51 has become the war here on earth. 00:16:20.54\00:16:22.64 And we see its effects everywhere. 00:16:22.68\00:16:25.81 Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve 00:16:25.85\00:16:28.02 yielded to the temptations of Satan. 00:16:28.05\00:16:31.05 And sin brought death and pain and sorrow and injustice 00:16:31.09\00:16:34.66 and cruelty and war and ethnic cleansing. 00:16:34.69\00:16:38.36 And so it goes. 00:16:38.39\00:16:40.40 In God is life. 00:16:40.43\00:16:42.56 Separated from God, there is no life. 00:16:42.60\00:16:46.70 And because God has given everybody freedom of choice, 00:16:46.74\00:16:50.64 it's up to each person to decide individually 00:16:50.67\00:16:53.68 what side he or she wishes to be on. 00:16:53.71\00:16:57.68 But in a war, you can choose to be on the right side 00:16:57.71\00:17:02.58 and still get wounded. 00:17:02.62\00:17:04.75 Imagine being here in Sarajevo during the war, 00:17:04.79\00:17:08.42 and having to duck down or hide as you move about 00:17:08.46\00:17:12.39 from place to place, 00:17:12.43\00:17:14.10 to make yourself less of a target for a sniper. 00:17:14.10\00:17:17.80 Because being on the right side doesn't guarantee your safety. 00:17:17.83\00:17:23.00 During World War I, German U-boats sank the Lusitania, 00:17:23.04\00:17:27.74 a passenger ship with almost 2,000 people on board; 00:17:27.78\00:17:32.81 1,200 died. 00:17:32.85\00:17:35.12 The Germans said that because she was carrying hundreds 00:17:35.15\00:17:37.42 of tons of munitions, she was a legitimate target. 00:17:37.45\00:17:39.89 The people on the ship thought they were safe 00:17:39.92\00:17:43.06 and wouldn't be targeted. 00:17:43.09\00:17:45.09 They were innocent, but, during war, 00:17:45.13\00:17:48.70 innocent people often suffer. 00:17:48.73\00:17:50.87 And that's why people suffer today. 00:17:53.94\00:17:56.07 Innocent people: a child, a follower of Jesus. 00:17:56.10\00:18:00.64 People suffer because there's a spiritual war raging. 00:18:00.68\00:18:05.51 And there's an enemy looking to cause casualties. 00:18:05.55\00:18:09.05 The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, 00:18:09.08\00:18:11.69 “Be sober, be vigilant; 00:18:11.72\00:18:13.76 because your adversary the devil, 00:18:13.79\00:18:15.46 as a roaring lion, walketh about, 00:18:15.49\00:18:18.63 seeking whom he may devour.” 00:18:18.66\00:18:21.60 Now, that's serious. 00:18:21.63\00:18:22.93 There's an enemy who's actively looking to take lives. 00:18:22.96\00:18:26.00 He's trying to ruin, well, you and me. 00:18:26.03\00:18:30.91 So what are you doing, proactively, 00:18:30.94\00:18:33.44 to keep yourself safe in this war? 00:18:33.48\00:18:36.01 What are you doing intentionally to safeguard your soul? 00:18:36.04\00:18:39.35 How can a person be safe? 00:18:39.38\00:18:41.55 What can you do to make sure you experience victory in this war? 00:18:41.58\00:18:47.92 Let's talk about that in just a moment. 00:18:47.96\00:18:50.23 ¤[Music]¤ 00:18:50.26\00:18:58.20 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 00:18:59.23\00:19:01.17 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 00:19:01.27\00:19:04.44 To support this international life-changing ministry, 00:19:04.54\00:19:07.81 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 00:19:07.91\00:19:11.95 You can send your tax-deductible gift 00:19:12.05\00:19:13.58 to the address on your screen, 00:19:13.68\00:19:15.05 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 00:19:15.15\00:19:18.82 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 00:19:18.92\00:19:21.62 Our number again is 800-253-3000. 00:19:21.72\00:19:25.59 Or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 00:19:25.69\00:19:28.73 ¤[Music]¤ 00:19:29.63\00:19:31.63 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 00:19:31.67\00:19:32.93 on It Is Written. 00:19:32.97\00:19:34.87 The city of Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina 00:19:34.90\00:19:37.67 was where World War I was born. 00:19:37.71\00:19:40.44 A Serb named Gavrilo Princip shot and killed the heir 00:19:40.48\00:19:44.35 to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 00:19:44.38\00:19:47.55 as well as the heir's wife, 00:19:47.58\00:19:49.55 setting the wheels in motion that would result in millions 00:19:49.58\00:19:52.75 of deaths and untold horror. 00:19:52.79\00:19:55.96 [Bell ringing] 00:19:55.99\00:19:57.09 This same city was under siege for four years by Serbians 00:19:57.13\00:20:01.20 who were trying to take the territory and divide it 00:20:01.23\00:20:04.07 between themselves and Croatians. 00:20:04.10\00:20:06.57 Four years of shelling and sniper attacks. 00:20:06.60\00:20:09.84 More than 100,000 deaths, a city devastated, 00:20:09.87\00:20:14.01 and a long hard recovery process which is far from over. 00:20:14.04\00:20:18.81 [Bell ringing] 00:20:18.85\00:20:21.52 [Traffic noise] 00:20:21.55\00:20:27.89 About 50 miles in a straight line from here 00:20:27.92\00:20:30.69 is the town of Mostar. 00:20:30.73\00:20:32.86 Mostar is famous for its old bridge, 00:20:32.89\00:20:35.33 the Stari Most. 00:20:35.36\00:20:37.27 Except, the old bridge in Mostar today isn't old. 00:20:37.30\00:20:41.00 It's really very new. 00:20:41.04\00:20:43.24 The original was completed in 1576 or thereabouts, 00:20:43.27\00:20:46.41 and it stood for 427 years, 00:20:46.44\00:20:48.81 until it was destroyed by Croat forces in the Bosnian War. 00:20:48.84\00:20:53.98 Now, the bridge wasn't of any strategic importance at all, 00:20:54.02\00:20:58.09 so it seems the destruction of the bridge 00:20:58.12\00:21:00.96 was simply an attempt to wipe out traces of Bosnian culture. 00:21:00.99\00:21:05.86 Now, keep this in mind about the Bosnian War. 00:21:05.89\00:21:08.80 Bosnia is a majority Muslim country. 00:21:08.83\00:21:11.83 The Croats are largely Catholic, 00:21:11.87\00:21:14.14 while the Serbians are basically Orthodox, 00:21:14.17\00:21:17.21 which is pretty much Catholic. 00:21:17.24\00:21:19.31 So while this war was about territory, 00:21:19.34\00:21:22.41 it was also about religion. 00:21:22.44\00:21:25.95 The new bridge was completed in 2004. 00:21:25.98\00:21:28.52 No, it's not the original, but it is still regarded today 00:21:28.55\00:21:31.72 as one of the most iconic bridges in all of the world. 00:21:31.75\00:21:36.96 Now, speaking of destroyed, in 1984, 00:21:36.99\00:21:41.70 Sarajevo was the host city for the XIV Winter Olympics. 00:21:41.73\00:21:46.74 ¤[Music]¤ 00:21:46.77\00:21:59.11 The bobsled track hasn't been used in years. 00:21:59.15\00:22:02.52 It was left to go to ruin, really, 00:22:02.55\00:22:05.45 a fitting symbol for what happened 00:22:05.49\00:22:07.12 to the city of Sarajevo. 00:22:07.16\00:22:08.96 The other Olympics Games facilities were either neglected 00:22:08.99\00:22:12.63 or destroyed in the war, 00:22:12.66\00:22:14.46 a war that came to Bosnia just eight years after 00:22:14.46\00:22:18.10 the Olympic Games. 00:22:18.13\00:22:20.17 The Bosnian War has pretty well been forgotten by the world, 00:22:20.20\00:22:23.54 and it's a lot like that with the Great War. 00:22:23.57\00:22:26.74 Here's what we know. 00:22:26.78\00:22:27.98 An angel named Lucifer rebelled in heaven. 00:22:28.01\00:22:31.75 Unhappy with his place, he wanted worship. 00:22:31.78\00:22:35.88 Cast out of heaven, he came to the newly created earth, 00:22:35.92\00:22:39.25 and led Adam and Eve into sin. 00:22:39.29\00:22:42.72 God then had a rogue planet on His hands. 00:22:42.76\00:22:46.49 What would He do? 00:22:46.53\00:22:48.13 John 3:16 says that 00:22:48.16\00:22:49.86 “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 00:22:49.90\00:22:54.87 that whoever believes in Him should not perish 00:22:54.90\00:22:57.81 but have everlasting life.” 00:22:57.84\00:23:00.31 When the planet rebelled and sin entered the world, 00:23:00.34\00:23:02.84 God could have simply decided He was done with it. 00:23:02.88\00:23:06.01 But He didn't. 00:23:06.05\00:23:07.05 A couple of reasons why. 00:23:07.08\00:23:08.88 One, the angels didn't understand all the issues. 00:23:08.92\00:23:12.29 If God destroyed Lucifer when rebellion occurred, 00:23:12.32\00:23:15.59 heaven would then have been filled with fear and not love. 00:23:15.62\00:23:19.29 The universe would have been plunged 00:23:19.33\00:23:20.83 into disarray and confusion. 00:23:20.86\00:23:23.16 Beyond that, God had a plan. 00:23:23.20\00:23:26.63 He said, I'll show the world that I'm good. 00:23:26.67\00:23:28.50 I'll let them see that God is love, 00:23:28.54\00:23:30.21 and offer everyone who wants it the gift of everlasting life. 00:23:30.24\00:23:35.94 When the saved get to heaven, nobody's going to say, 00:23:35.98\00:23:37.91 if only God had destroyed Lucifer. 00:23:37.95\00:23:40.72 Everyone's going to say, we are glad He waited for us. 00:23:40.75\00:23:45.52 And think about, think about who paid the most for sin. 00:23:45.55\00:23:49.99 Sin cost God far more than anybody else. 00:23:50.03\00:23:53.53 He paid a gigantic price. 00:23:53.56\00:23:55.83 Jesus, the divine Son of God, would bear the sin of the world. 00:23:55.86\00:24:01.67 There's no other belief system in the world 00:24:01.70\00:24:04.17 that offers you what God offers you in Jesus Christ. 00:24:04.21\00:24:08.21 The Great War continues, but victory is now guaranteed. 00:24:08.24\00:24:13.85 Back in the Garden of Eden, 00:24:13.88\00:24:16.02 God told Satan that while the serpent 00:24:16.05\00:24:18.12 would bruise Jesus' heel, 00:24:18.15\00:24:20.89 Jesus would bruise the head of the serpent. 00:24:20.92\00:24:24.33 Satan would be defeated. 00:24:24.36\00:24:26.39 At Calvary, the outcome of the Great War was decided. 00:24:26.43\00:24:32.00 So the war rages on, 00:24:32.03\00:24:33.70 as a defeated fallen angel tries to do as much damage 00:24:33.74\00:24:36.84 as possible and keep as many people 00:24:36.87\00:24:39.14 as possible away from faith in God. 00:24:39.17\00:24:42.44 How's it working out for him? 00:24:42.48\00:24:44.08 Well, look around the world. 00:24:44.11\00:24:46.21 You'd have to think he's doing pretty well. 00:24:46.25\00:24:48.72 But how's it going for you? 00:24:48.75\00:24:50.39 You know, there are two sides in this war: Christ and Satan. 00:24:50.42\00:24:53.86 Satan has been defeated. 00:24:53.89\00:24:56.66 So when you choose Jesus, you're choosing the side of victory. 00:24:56.69\00:25:02.46 So whose side would you say you're on today? 00:25:02.50\00:25:05.20 To be on God's side, it's simple. 00:25:05.23\00:25:09.64 You just surrender your life to Jesus. 00:25:09.67\00:25:13.11 You know how it goes in war. 00:25:13.14\00:25:15.08 Often, victory is only decided when somebody 00:25:15.11\00:25:17.81 decides to surrender. 00:25:17.85\00:25:19.18 They say, we are not going to fight anymore. 00:25:19.21\00:25:22.98 That's where we find ourselves. 00:25:23.02\00:25:24.35 When we're not surrendered to God, 00:25:24.39\00:25:26.05 we are fighting against God. 00:25:26.09\00:25:28.42 We want our will done rather than His. 00:25:28.46\00:25:31.89 So if it's time to do so, 00:25:31.93\00:25:34.30 do it now. 00:25:34.30\00:25:35.40 Raise the white flag and say, that's it, God. 00:25:35.43\00:25:39.10 I don't want to fight You anymore. 00:25:39.13\00:25:41.20 I surrender. 00:25:41.24\00:25:42.74 I want Jesus to live His life in me. 00:25:42.77\00:25:45.91 I want You to come into my heart and just take over 00:25:45.94\00:25:49.68 and let Your will be done. 00:25:49.71\00:25:52.25 And when you do that, when you surrender your life to God, 00:25:52.28\00:25:55.58 that's when you know the peace of God. 00:25:55.62\00:25:58.22 And that's when you face a certain future. 00:25:58.25\00:26:02.36 >>Announcer: In Old Testament times, ancient Babylon fell. 00:26:03.36\00:26:07.13 The book of Revelation says Babylon is going to fall again. 00:26:07.46\00:26:11.27 Understand the fall of Babylon in Earth's last days. 00:26:12.17\00:26:15.27 Receive “The Fall of Babylon” 00:26:15.37\00:26:17.54 absolutely free. 00:26:17.64\00:26:19.11 Call us at 800-253-3000. 00:26:19.21\00:26:22.84 That's 800-253-3000. 00:26:22.94\00:26:26.58 You could write to the address on your screen, 00:26:26.68\00:26:28.78 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 00:26:28.88\00:26:33.22 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 00:26:34.12\00:26:35.92 Our Father in heaven, 00:26:35.96\00:26:36.96 we come to You in the name of Jesus, 00:26:36.99\00:26:39.39 the Prince of Peace. 00:26:39.43\00:26:41.60 And we are grateful that even though we live in a world 00:26:41.63\00:26:45.33 that is troubled by warfare and disputes and unrest, 00:26:45.37\00:26:51.37 that there is victory, 00:26:51.41\00:26:53.44 there is triumph, 00:26:53.48\00:26:54.74 and there is peace in You, 00:26:54.78\00:26:57.55 the God of heaven. 00:26:57.58\00:26:59.81 Then, Lord, we consider what's going on in our own hearts: 00:26:59.85\00:27:04.25 trouble, 00:27:04.29\00:27:05.92 discouragement, 00:27:05.95\00:27:07.66 trials, 00:27:07.69\00:27:08.96 worry. 00:27:08.99\00:27:10.56 And so I pray that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, 00:27:10.59\00:27:13.09 will move into every heart and bring with Him 00:27:13.13\00:27:16.30 the peace of heaven. 00:27:16.33\00:27:18.20 Friend, is it peace you want? Is it peace you need? 00:27:18.23\00:27:20.67 You can have it now in Jesus. 00:27:20.70\00:27:22.84 Would you lift your heart up to God and say, 00:27:22.87\00:27:25.47 Lord, give me peace. 00:27:25.51\00:27:26.61 Give me Jesus. 00:27:26.64\00:27:28.81 Give me the presence of the God of heaven. 00:27:28.84\00:27:30.65 Lord, that's our prayer. 00:27:30.68\00:27:32.61 We believe it. 00:27:32.65\00:27:34.18 We believe that as we reach out to You, 00:27:34.22\00:27:36.12 You've reached out to us already, 00:27:36.15\00:27:38.59 and You give us heaven's perfect peace and assurance in Jesus. 00:27:38.62\00:27:44.53 We pray with grateful thanks, in Jesus' name. 00:27:44.56\00:27:49.20 Amen. 00:27:49.23\00:27:50.60 Thanks so much for joining me today. 00:27:50.63\00:27:52.10 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 00:27:52.13\00:27:54.84 Until then, remember: 00:27:54.87\00:27:56.67 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, 00:27:56.71\00:28:01.64 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” 00:28:01.68\00:28:06.15 ¤[Theme music]¤ 00:28:06.18\00:28:14.99