Word & the Wild

[00:00:00] This is Word and the Wild. It is a one year Bible adventure with friends. My name is Owen. I'm your host and your guide, and together we are on a 12 month journey as a podcast plus community where we read the Bible for our selves, but not. By ourselves, gang, here we are. It's week 25, nearing the halfway point in our journey, and this week an iconic cast of characters zoom in from absolute nowhere.

[00:00:38] We're talking about. Prophets, who are these people and why are they so extra? That's the conversation this week. So hello and welcome in. We are rolling through this journey together. We are not on some kind of a recap deal where we feed you a bite. Size bits of the Bible. Now, this is a freewheeling walk where we watch the story of the Bible unfold, like the epic movie that it is.

[00:01:06] So subscribe right here on your favorite podcast platform and share it with a friend while you're at it. And speaking of friends, wanna say a special welcome to our word and the Wild Plus community members. It's their support of this nonprofit endeavor that makes space for all of us here on this Bible Reading Adventure.

[00:01:26] As part of the community, they are enjoying access to our. Private safe online space where no honest question is a dumb question. There's weekly livestream, q and a, bonus content, articles, interactions, even livestream teaching get togethers, all with yours, truly. If any of that sounds like your cup of tea, you're gonna wanna become a member of the community yourself.

[00:01:51] Check out how to do it on the show notes. Below or get all the details over at Word and the wild.com. Now is a great time to jump in as a member. Again, check it out over at Word and the wild.com. Well, now we are drifting into a dangerous, confusing. Part of the timeline in our season here, in this epic adventure we're on, and there are some strange characters that emerge from the dark.

[00:02:23] Let's get into it now. We've seen a few of these guys before, scattered here and there in our story. we've seen Abraham fill the role at moments, and Joseph as well, and even Moses would be in the category of one of these guys along with, remember the guy Nathan. But in this season of our Epic movie.

[00:02:49] It's the one we're calling a house divided. These guys are starting to pop up everywhere. Of course, I'm talking about prophets. You can't miss 'em, right? Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jonah. I mean, these are iconic figures who pull some legendary stunts. I mean, we're talking fire from the sky, fingers in the face of powerful kings, floating ax heads, bear attacks, and even this week, mysterious predictions that look far into the foggy future.

[00:03:28] It's easy to spot where they are. You can't miss prophets, but why are they here? Well, that takes a little more thought. And since we are talking about prophets, we may as well take a page from their playbook and just be direct. Let's answer the question, why are these prophets popping up in our story? And the answer is that when leadership breaks down.

[00:03:54] Prophets arise. Prophets are God's way of directly injecting his voice and his values into dark places and desperate times. Now, to understand what I mean, we're gonna have to rewind this thing, rewind the story, and roll tape. All the way back to the first day we began to experience this story. I'm talking literally day one for us.

[00:04:23] Day six for the story, right? So here we go back. It was a time when things were quiet and peaceful. There were no. Pings of workman's hammers. No clash of swords, no shouts of battle, no cries of pain. Instead, it's the sounds of nature. Happy, thriving, fearless, alive. And then as we hit play on the story here, there's one other incredible sound.

[00:04:58] It's the sound that set all the other sounds in motion. It's the voice. We hear the voice of God as he speaks the very first human beings to life, and then speaks into their lives. God sets their value and sets them on their path. This is the moment where they receive their purpose. And all created people after them.

[00:05:29] Remember this Genesis chapter one? These are familiar words I think, but it's been a while since we've looked at 'em. Take a listen. It says, so, God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God, he created them, male and female. He created them. Then God blessed them and said, be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and govern it.

[00:05:58] Rain over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry on the ground. And then God said it continues. Look, I've given you every seed bearing. Plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food and I've given you every green plant is food for all the wild animals.

[00:06:18] The birds in the sky and the small animals is scurry along the ground. Everything that has life, and that's what happened. Then it continues. Then God looked over all he had made and he saw that it was very good. The evening passed. The morning came marking the sixth day, so it concludes the creation of the heavens and the earth, and everything in them was completed.

[00:06:50] That's Genesis chapter one, verse 27 through chapter two, verse one. All of that on page two of your Chrono Bible. Yeah. Page two. Talk about in the beginning, right. Well, this to me is the perfect moment. It's the moment. I wish we could just freeze and live inside of it forever. Everything that happened before this moment.

[00:07:16] Leads up to it. Everything that has happened since leads us back to it. This is the moment when everything was very good. It's the moment when God launches human beings into his creation. To lead it. And what does that leadership look like? To lead is for men and women to fill the earth as representatives of the creator God, and to extend God's loving leadership over all.

[00:07:49] His creation. To lead is to inhabit this earth, to walk it to tend it. To grab it with both hands and shape it into a place where no living creature exists without the existential essential experience of God's care. Comfort, correction, coaching to lead is to provide and protect an environment where everyone knows God and grows God's way.

[00:08:23] Well, we've come a long way since then, haven't we? I mean, nevermind the sorry, state of affairs in our own time. Let's fast forward in the story from Eden. Fast forward back to where we are now in this epic story of the Bible and where we are now in the story. Quality leaders aren't the norm. Can we say that?

[00:08:46] They're the exception leaders who simply do their duty. To walk God's way and embody his values, they shine like blazing stars against a black sky of their peers. In our story, in fact, God has, has split the Kingdom of Israel off from David's royal line and the Kingdom of Judah. He handed the keys of the 10 tribes of Israel off to Rebo.

[00:09:12] Remember that from last week? This was another fresh start in God's search for a king who will love him and lead his people well. Jeroboam no sooner gets the keys than he drives the car off the bridge and into the river, and Israel is sunk almost as soon as they begin. Judah on the other hand, has an occasional king who steers his people back toward the path of keeping their covenant relationship with God alive, but only just enough to keep them on life's support.

[00:09:44] And so here we are. Leadership has broken down, and when leadership breaks down, prophets arise. They are God's direct injection of his voice and his values into a place void of godly leaders. And so when you see the activity of prophets go up, it's because bad things are going down. All right, prophets do.

[00:10:12] What God intended Adam and Eve to do to represent him and extend his care to all of creation. But they do it in much less peaceful and appealing ways. Let's be honest. I mean, I can imagine, you know, Adam and Eve. As the first leaders of creation stepping softly in the Grassy Garden of Eden, pruning thornless rose bushes and scratching fluffy little lambs behind the ears while birds chirp and brooks babble.

[00:10:44] Right? While now we're at this place where we have rugged men like Elijah. I mean, they're wearing leather belts, hiding out in the wilderness, getting fed by ravens, pointing their bony fingers in the face of evil dictators. I mean, these are are men you could see and probably smell coming from miles away.

[00:11:05] And there's nothing subtle about these prophets, nothing subtle about their mission. They live in cluttered and confusing times, and their extreme words and behavior stand out as God shouts out his message through them with a shocking urgency. See with prophets, things get wild because God wants to get his people's attention.

[00:11:30] Their message is so essential, and their times are so chaotic that they have to speak up, they have to speak out. Subtlety won't cut through the noise, and they are essential because to survive, God's people must hear from God and they must heed God's words. And while the methods these prophets often employ would be incredibly out of place in the peaceful confines of Eden, I mean, imagine Elijah dropping into Eden, right?

[00:12:05] their message. However, the message of these prophets and their role. As leaders of God's people, they come straight from the beginning of this epic story. They do what? Every Godly leader who follows that commission there in the first verses of Genesis, they do what Godly leaders do. They carry God's presence.

[00:12:29] They present God's viewpoint and they predict a hopeful future for all who love God and walk in friendship with him, and all of that is empowered by God's spirit. Why? Well, because all along God has wanted his people to carry him and his heart into every corner of this earth, and so that's what we see prophets do.

[00:12:51] We see prophets confronting Ahab on Mount Carmel and calling the people back to God. We see prophets, comfort and care for forgotten widows. We see them bringing healing, justice, encouragement to those who have been abused and neglected, and, and we see them with, with strong words coming out to predict the future triumph of God's plans and the ongoing strength of God's promises.

[00:13:20] They speak words of comfort and reassurance to the faithful few. God's plan is on track. His promises stand firm and these same words are words of warning for all who rebel against God and walk their own path. Prophets bring news from God and for some it's good news and for others it's news of doom.

[00:13:49] You know, it occurs to me that we, we often long to see. Miracles in our day. Right. The kind of miracles a, a, a prophet would work, you know? And sometimes we do, especially in, in corners of the world where it, the, the miracles highlight and validate the message. The good news that the, that that is, is, is being presented to the world about Jesus especially, but these miracles, they aren't really a good thing.

[00:14:21] Honestly, I mean, sure, the, the miracle itself is amazing, don't get me wrong. But a miracle is nothing more than God's merciful relief in the middle of a broken down world. So I'd say, you know, think twice before you pray for a miracle, or focus on a miracle or, and think twice before you ask God to deliver some kind of special word or a message to you.

[00:14:49] Maybe instead spend some of those prayers on asking God for leaders who love and represent him in our world. And, pray to be that kind of leader yourself. So maybe we won't need quite as many miracles.

[00:15:06] Pray to become the kind of leader who acts like a prophet -- carrying God's presence to forgotten corners of this earth, presenting God's views and values in the dark places, and predicting and presenting good news and a hopeful future for those who are willing to live in friendship with God.

[00:15:32] And now my friend, you're ready to mix it up with these colorful characters we will be encountering this week. Man, I'm grateful for this time with you and to get to walk out this journey with you. If you're having fun with it, if it means something to you, let me know. And. Share it with someone you know.

[00:15:51] Make sure you subscribe to this and pass it along to your friends. All of you word in the wild plus community members, just wanna say a special thanks once again to you. Your financial support of this nonprofit endeavor is keeping us going. Thank you so much. I'll be seeing you in the wild this week.

[00:16:08] That's our private online community space. I'll look for you there. Everybody else find us on Facebook. We'll get into some interactions there as well.

[00:16:17] Word and the Wild is a LineHouse community. It's part of the LineHouse Community Network, a nonprofit organization with a mission to bring neighbors together to promote awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the Bible.

[00:16:31] Because friendship and God's word change lives and change cities, the word and the wild is presented by the Lumivoz Podcast network. Big thanks to Lumivoz. And with that my friend, we are out. Once again, I'm Owen, your host and your guide, and until next time, I'll be looking for you out there on the trail, in the word and the wild.

[00:16:57] Have a great week.