Word & the Wild

[00:00:00] This is Word and the Wild. It's a one year Bible adventure with friends. My name is Owen. I'm your host and your guide. Together, we are on this 12 month journey as a podcast plus community where we read the Bible for ourselves, but not by ourselves. Here we are, my friend. It's week 26. We officially crossed the halfway point in our journey this week, and it's like the continental divide in many ways as we encounter some major news storylines that stretch to the end of the Bible itself and beyond.

[00:00:44] God's prophets stir up a storm this week, so let's get into it. Hello and welcome in. When I say a special welcome to our word and the Wild Plus community members. It is their support of this nonprofit endeavor that makes space for all of us here on this Bible Reading Adventure as part of the Word and the Wild Plus tribe.

[00:01:07] They enjoy access to our private, safe online space where no honest question is a dumb question along with weekly livestream q and a's, bonus content, like articles, interactions, occasional meetups. And even some livestream teaching gatherings with yours truly. So if any of that sounds like your jam or you just wanna support the cause and keep us rolling.

[00:01:29] Check out how to become a member for yourself. You can get all the details in the show notes or over at Word and the wild.com. Again, that's word and the wild.com. It's a great time to jump in as we are in the middle of this incredible adventure. Now with that, let's turn our attention to what's happening this week.

[00:01:55] And, uh, all we can say is there's big trouble and big hope ahead. There's a storm brewing and we wanna get ready for it. So here we go.

[00:02:12] Big trouble, big hope.

[00:02:16] This week God's prophets deliver his message to his people. And as we read this week, that message includes a view of the future. That stretches from the immediate time and place of their audience all the way to the very end of time. Seriously.

[00:02:37] Every good story needs foreshadowing, right?

[00:02:41] And this week we are getting it with an emphasis on shadow. Because in our epic adventure, the skies grow dark this week. But, there is a powerful shining light, blasting behind the gathering storm.

[00:03:00] Big things are happening in our story. Uh, they're shocking things, surprising things shocking to us.

[00:03:07] Surprising to us. And shocking and surprising to the original audience, the, the Israelites that we've been following on this journey for so long. In fact, the things that are happening, they're, they're so big, they're so, uh, unprecedented that, uh, we're gonna have to use our imagination to try to get a handle on what's happening, okay?

[00:03:31] So let's do that. We're gonna slow down right here. Um, you know, if you're driving or jogging, don't close your eyes. But if you're sitting in a comfortable chair like I am, got your coffee here next to you like I do, then go ahead. Why not? Close your eyes and, and let's drift in to using our imagination.

[00:04:01] All right. Imagine that you've been asleep and you slept really well. You feel great, but you don't know where you are exactly. You smell salty, air heavy with moisture. You can feel the moisture if you kind of rub your fingers together. And you hear what you think might be seagulls?

[00:04:23] You open your eyes and it's dark, and you realize that you're lying on a, a cot of some kind.

[00:04:30] Okay? And you sit up and swing your feet to the floor. Sand. You feel sand between your toes. Sand, salt air, seagulls. Uh, your eyes have adjusted a little bit and you can now see that you're in a large, round, canvas tent. It's mostly dark, but there's a row of tiny windows near where the walls and the roof of the tent meet. Pink light gently pushes through the windows and into your tent.

[00:05:05] You can tell it's sunrise, it's peaceful. You hear waves. It's subtle, but it's there and, and then there are the birds and the salt air and the sand, and you figure you must be near the water. It must be the beach. And other than sitting in this strange tent, overall it's pleasant and you sit like this for quite a while, but then something strange happens.

[00:05:33] Uh, outta nowhere, something pops against the side of the tent behind you. You turn, and now there's a little dime sized hole in the canvas wall about six feet away from you. A small but strong beam of light hits your eyes. You walk to the hole. And if you tiptoe and squint, you can look through it like a keyhole.

[00:06:00] What you see confirms your guess. You're on the beach not far from the water. And through the tiny hole. You even see a few sailboats out on the water. Then... pop. Another hole in the tent on the opposite side. When you look through that hole, you can see there's more beach and more ocean on that side too.

[00:06:20] You're, you're on a, a very small tropical island. Beyond it, more ocean, more sailboats and maybe what looks like a few other little small islands way out there. Pop. Pop. Pop. More holes, and now there's more light in the tent. Then kind of in a sudden move, one side of the tent kinda rips open and you get a wider view of the whole scene.

[00:06:48] There's a storm picking up and the wind from the storm is sending the sides of the tear in your tent flapping and snapping. And there you can see there are lots of tiny islands out in the water. Many of them are much like yours and some are far away. Some are close enough that you can see other people on them and other tents like yours.

[00:07:14] Then, looking around more, you, you see something? There's a tall watchtower in the middle of your island. It's kind of like they used to spot forest fires, right? If you climb it, you'll get a better view. So you do. You climb up, up, up, up. It's hard work. You're out of breath, but the view is worth it. There's a sweeping 360 degree view up there, and you can see for miles.

[00:07:44] Is your initial impression that you were on a peaceful beach far from the cares of the world? Well, that just isn't correct. The view you see now is an ocean dotted with islands. Some of them are like yours. Others are quite large with villages and even harbors and boats crisscross a busy waterway. It even looks like some of the larger islands are sending ships with soldiers to the smaller ones to attack them.

[00:08:14] And all that worries you. But what worries you even more is what you see out on the horizon. Thick black clouds build with a frightening speed. The wind picks up and blows in your face. Palm trees start to bend and sway. It's a cold wind and it's picking up speed even more. The waves start to churn and you look at the ground below where your tent was.

[00:08:44] Your tent falls into a heap and and tumbles toward the water like a broken toy. A storm is coming. You can see it, you can feel it, and you can't do a thing about it.

[00:09:00] And you realize that you better find shelter and hope your shelter holds until the storm blows over.

[00:09:13] There are others. They aren't friendly. And we all live on the shores of an angry stormy sea. This is where we are in the epic story of the Bible, right now. God's people have been living in a small tent on the beach, and we've been right along with them. And we've always known there are others out there, other islands, other people groups.

[00:09:43] But we've been staying in this little tent. It hasn't been all vacation. It's been wild at times, but it's been mostly safe and cozy. At least dry and predictable. Shelter from the wind. Um, but, but here recently, someone's been poking holes in our cozy little tent.

[00:10:03] It's God's messengers. The prophets. And through those holes we begin to see there's a big world out there, and the Israelites are just one tiny island in a vast, busy, stormy ocean.

[00:10:20] But, we're also beginning to see there's a future after the storm. Beyond the threatening neighbors and the storm building on the horizon, there is hope. But right now, things are getting scary. Listen, for example, to these words from God's prophet Amos. They came at here recently in our adventure, and they hit with force.

[00:10:45] It feels like it... they, they rip a huge hole in the side of our little tent. Listen to these words. It says the Lord.

[00:10:53] "The Lord of heaven's. Armies touches the land and it melts, and all its people mourn. The ground rises like the Nile River at flood time, and then sinks again. The Lord's home reaches up to the heavens while its foundation is on the earth.

[00:11:09] He draws off water from the ocean and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is his name." It says mighty God. And then listen to what the Lord says as Amos continues.

[00:11:25] "Are you Israelites more important to me than the Ethiopians asks the Lord. I brought Israel out of Egypt, but I also brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir.

[00:11:39] I, the sovereign Lord, am watching the sinful nation of Israel. I will destroy it from the face of the earth, but I will never completely destroy the family of Israel, says the Lord. For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations, as grain is shaken in a sieve. Yet not one true kernel will be lost, but all the sinners will die by the sword.

[00:12:06] All those who say. 'Nothing bad will happen to us.'"

[00:12:12] That's Amos chapter nine verses five through 10.

[00:12:18] Like a flood, like an earthquake. The judgment of the all powerful creator God is on its way. Back to our little imagination experiment. Uh, we're not alone. There are neighboring islands, and those other nations and people out there, those other islands, well, not all of them are friendly.

[00:12:38] Uh, like Amos mentioned up here, Philistines. Arameans. These people groups have been Israel's enemies for centuries. But now we learn that they weren't obstacles in God's plans for the world. It's a shocking idea, but they've been part of his plan all along. He's been guiding their path through history in the same way he's been guiding the Israelites path through history, and all of them...

[00:13:04] Philistines, Areameans, Ethiopians, Israelites, all of them loved and cared for by God.

[00:13:12] If you are the Israelites, this is a really concerning thought. I mean, after all, aren't, aren't we Israelites God's chosen people? Um, but, but that's not even the biggest worry because the real worry is that there's a storm.

[00:13:29] Brewing. God is stirring up the waves and the wind. It's a hurricane and God's the one who's sending it, and it is gonna be a doozy, and no one is safe. The nation of Israel will be destroyed. However, there's a little bit of hope. The people of Israel will survive if only a few. Only the real ones.

[00:13:50] And that's another unsettling thought we're getting this week.

[00:13:54] Who are these real ones? The ones that Amos calls the true kernels sifted like grains separated out from all the chaff. Well, that's a disturbing thought. You could be one of, of the Israelites and not be one of of the people of Israel. One of the real ones. Well, these are the questions God's messengers are here to help answer. And so prophets like Amos, Micah, Isaiah, they are sounding off this week like storm sirens. They are blaring loud, unsettling, but they're just the messengers.

[00:14:31] I mean, you can silence your notifications, but that won't stop what's happening. That won't stop the storm. So it's best to listen. Hunker down, but at the same time, hold on to hope.

[00:14:45] Things might get bad. Things might get dark. But this storm will not end this story.

[00:14:53] See, in the middle of all this dark and gloomy forecasting that we're getting here, we're also finding some of the most incredible statements of hope ever uttered, I think. Some of the shining moments in all of the story of the Bible, I mean these, it's incredible.

[00:15:14] Take for example, these inspiring words of hope that we see from Isaiah this week. Look at this. It's ahead for us on the trail. Look at it and let these words, man, warm your heart and strengthen those knocking knees as we see the storm gathering on the horizon.

[00:15:35] Listen to these words from Isaiah.

[00:15:38] "Look to God's instructions and teachings"

[00:15:41] Isaiah says. "People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another weary and hungry. And because they're hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven, look down at the earth, but wherever they look, there'll be trouble

[00:16:03] and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness. Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever" Isaiah continues. "There will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the Sea will be filled with glory.

[00:16:37] The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors, dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders."

[00:17:10] Oh, and listen to this from Isaiah.

[00:17:14] "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us, the government will rest. On his shoulders. He will be called Wonderful counselor. Mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor, David, for all eternity.

[00:17:45] That's Isaiah chapter eight, verse 20 through chapter nine, verse seven.

[00:17:53] "Nevertheless."

[00:17:54] Has there ever been a more beautiful word? Dark, despair, anger, hunger, rebellion, rage. A world completely engulfed by anguish. "Nevertheless." Things won't stay this way. Into that hungry, dark, wounded world, a light will shine.

[00:18:26] And how will that light arrive?

[00:18:29] A little baby will be born and he will take on the weight of leadership for our festering, frustrated world.

[00:18:38] He will sit on the throne of David and nothing will dislodge him. He will be king for all of us, for all eternity.

[00:18:50] This week. Be warned. Be careful. Be shocked. And be on the lookout. Because beyond the storms, far out beyond the horizon, there is hope.

[00:19:07] Yeah, there's big trouble, but there is big hope.

[00:19:24] All right, my friend. Just like that. We are ready to hit the trail word and the wild. It's a one year Bible adventure with friends. Delighted that you're part of this. I'm loving it. I hope you are too. All you word in the wild plus community members. Hey, I'll be seeing you out in the wild this week. That's our private online community space.

[00:19:45] Everyone else, hey, don't be a stranger. Subscribe to this podcast right here on your favorite podcast platform and follow word in the wild on Facebook. We get into some interaction there as well. Word and the Wild is a Line House community. It's part of the Lion House Community Network. That's a nonprofit organization with a mission to bring neighbors together to promote awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the Bible.

[00:20:12] Because friendship and God's word, change lives and change cities Word and the Wild is presented by the Luma V Podcast Network. As always, so thankful for our friends at Luma V. You are the best. And with that, we're out. I'm Owen, your host and your guide. Until next time, my friend, I'll be looking for you out there on the trail, in the word and the wild.

[00:20:39] You have a great week.