Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1102 | Jase & Al Are Haunted by the Childhood Trauma of Racing Thru Beast-Infested Darkness

Episode Date: June 2, 2025

Jase gets bumped from the annual family beach trip and replaced by someone close to him. Al and Jase recall a creepy feature of their childhood: sprinting through their yard in pitch-black darkness, terrified of what might be hiding in the shadows. The guys dive into John 8, where Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.” The guys explore what Jesus really meant by that, and why the contrast between light and darkness remains one of the most powerful visuals in all of Scripture. In this episode: Romans 8, verse 1; John 8, verses 12–59; John 9, verses 1–5; Isaiah 2, verses 2–5; Isaiah 42, verses 1–7; Isaiah 49, verses 1–6; Isaiah 60, verses 1–3, 14; Psalm 27, verses 1–4; Matthew 5, verses 14–16; Acts 2, verse 24 — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unashamed Nation, hey, this is Zach here. Just wanted to give you guys an update. Obviously, we recorded these podcasts, the one you're going to hear today before Phil's passing. So just keep that in mind. We're going to be back on our normal schedule, hopefully the next few episodes. But I wanted to tell you thank you for all your prayers, all your thoughts, all the messages. You guys, I'm telling you, the family has heard from you and has been so encouraging just to hear about how Phil's impact of your life. So we love you guys.

Thank you for being a part of this family here at Unashamed Nation. and I want to just give you that encouragement and thank you guys for all that you've done. I am unashamed. What about you? Welcome back to Unashamed. It feels like only minutes ago when we finished our last podcast,

but we're still in our respective places. I'm on the Gulf Coast, Saxon, North Carolina. Jase is at home at our new studio. Is it still new? Can we still say new? I guess it's when it's on a few months. It's new-ish.

Actually, I'm going to be in town in a couple weeks, fellows, so we're going. I'm excited. I won't be there and you will be, which will be very weird, that you'll be in my chair. Instead of my house. You're always welcome. I think the new creation can only be the only thing described as new every morning. Isn't that a moment? His mercies are new every morning?

Daily renewal, 1 Corinthians 4. come on. So we had an interesting week down here. This is normally, Jay's, I don't know if you realize this or not, this may have slipped by you, that this would normally be the week that you and your lovely wife, Missy, and others from the Robertson family would be down here. This was our normal vacation week for many years. How many years have y'all done that? 30.

Oh, at least 30. The first year, we kind of had a little lament. And by the way, that was Second Corinthians for, although outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we're being renewed day by day. So I guess this could be a new. If we're talking about renewal daily. Because it happens.

In a place that's no longer new, we're actually given the spirit of renewal in a place that's falling apart, which sounds about like our. human existence. We are wasting away. That's why in 30 years we didn't go. But, I mean, there was, there's a lot going on. Our parents are struggling.

Yeah, it's just, and it kind of had already begun to get to this place because we're so big now. I mean, part of it's just, we're so huge. Willing Corey's family have been doing their own thing for a bit, but we still try to keep some semblance of it going. Mom and A&N can't come anymore. And so it was kind of ironic. J's because the only people still vacate.

Of course, we have a house here. So I feel like my life is either, I'd either never start working or I'm always on vacation, whichever you want to pick. But your son and your grandchildren are here this week with some friends from their area. And so they kept the traditional live. I guess they already had the time set aside.

But they actually came by and visited us. And we loved it on their way in for their vacation. And stopped by and saw the house. showed them around. We went out and ran our crab traps, what you have out on the dock, and your grandson loved it. It was really funny because I thought immediately back to you telling the story about it taking him a long time to warm up to you. When he got here, so I went, I just walked up to them as a family, and I was like, hey, and then I was like, hey, David, and he just burst into a blood-curdling scream. He was afraid of you.

Totally afraid. And I'm guessing because now that I've gotten thinner, I must be a sleeker version of J's, so he must have somehow... No, it's not that out. You got more going on. There's toddlers go out. But you need to embrace that out. Well, because it's an authority. I believe that's the way God designed us.

There's a little healthy respect there that you start off with, and that's okay. And then you ease your way in. We had three episodes that they were here about three hours. We had three episodes early. and then by about an hour and a half into it, he didn't cry anymore. And then finally, he didn't, like, come up to me and, like, cuddle me.

But he would, like, come over. And I'd say, come over here, David. Look at these crabs in the trap. And he would walk over. And so in three hours, we had a detente. So your family was there, Jace. You just didn't go. Is that what I was?

No, we just just one. I had to go down this road. We actually tried to go with them, but they had their friends already going. And so we got the, you know, they got a house full. There's no room in the end.

Get a place close. And that did. Can I tell you what? I could tell you how you solved that problem and how you always get invited. How's that? You pay for the trip. If you pay for the trip,

you always get, I'm telling you. That came up. That came up. I actually made that offer, but there was still no room. So I thought, well, I get to be like Jesus. No, when I heard the setup, I was glad to sit them on down to their house, Jace,

because they have six adults, so it's three families, six adults, and nine children under four years old. That was going to be my next five. There's a thin line between a vacation and an all-out war. Yeah, I think you may have dodged a bullet on that one. I said, Reed. You know what I said? We love me, Ree.

We'll see you. I hate that it didn't work out, but we'll revisit this. And then I mumble when the kids get a little older. There you go. Yeah, when you're outnumbered, it's hard to. It's hard to do it. And they're little virus carriers. I mean, we've had a few.

The kids are all younger like that. We'd all pop up in a house together, and it was just like somebody gets strep throat. Everybody's getting sick. It's like, what are we paying? We're paying thousands of dollars. to live in hell for a week. And dashers are notorious. They're like petri dishes for everything that's out there.

Dasher's? Dasher's. Your family. So you and your siblings will draw in every disease. Willie and Corey should start a pharmaceutical company for whatever they're culturing in that house. I mean, they are always. That is true.

I can't argue. It's somewhere that sometimes Zach acts like he's not part of this family. I think the tree fort and you're part of the tree. It's like James he's floating above the family tree and casting dispersions from. I received your review there. Well, I did think of something that I was supposed to tell our audience about this and I forgot. But this actually ties in perfectly to something that I was going to tell them about. because it has to,

you guys don't even know about this, but it has to do about vacations. So we're actually doing a $500 giveaway for our audience at Unashamed and all you got to do, this is for your vacation, it's for travel.

All you got to do is go set up a free account at hayjack.com. And you can purchase travel in there, hotels and all that kind of stuff in there. It's actually a substantial saving when you do. But you get, so we're going to pick somebody out of there.

If you sign up at hayjack.com, we're going to pick a winner and give a $500 exclusive giveaway. We didn't know the details. I guess the we that Zach is referring to is him, himself, and you guys are pitching in $150 a piece, and I'm going to. So, yeah, but that'd be great. So we came down and this also, because it's this week, Jay, so I don't know if you remember this or not, but there used to be this big music event called Music Fest and all these big pop culture acts. Well, Morgan Wallin, the country singer, has bought that. And so now it's called Sand in My Boots. Oh, come.

And it was, and so he was here, Post Malone was here, kicks and done were here and a bunch of other people. and I saw a picture last time of the beach course I can literally hear it like I'm probably four or five miles away but there's a lot of water between me and where they are down there on the beach but I saw a picture of it last night we're talking about thousands and thousands of people standing on the beach for three here oh could I hear it is like I was at the concert I mean it's I'd just go down sit on the dock if you want to and every night is it kicks and done or is it Brooks and done oh I don't know.

Brooks and Dunn. Brooks and Dunn. Don't mess that one up. That's one of the greatest do those in the history of country. Well, Kicks and Dunn, aren't they from Tech? Didn't they go to Louisiana? I don't know about a Kicks and Dunn.

Oh, I don't know. Well, there's Kicks and Brooks. Oh, that's what I was thinking. That's what I was thinking. Kicks and Ronny Dunn. But it's Brooks and Dunn. My bad. My bad.

My bad. Brooks and Dunn. So they were here. But it was all these people are walking back and forth. There's buses all over the place getting people down there. There was a huge fishing tournament here, but it was kind of overshadow, but Lisa and I spoke at a veterans event that was here about four days ago. And it's really cool because they bring in about 150 veterans and their families from 40 different states around the U.S. And so Lisa and I got to speak at it this year.

They kick it off of the banquet. They take them fishing the next day. And so 90 out of the 150 had never been fishing before. And so it was just really great. It's very patriotic. I mean, we kind of, you know, we talked a little bit about our connection to the military with Si and Jay and others. And even my grandma and grandpa, because, you know, Paul served in the Navy during World War II.

And Granny was a Riveter. She was a Rosie, the Riveter, worked in an airplane factory. And it was just a neat way to be able to honor people. But then I kind of put in some of spiritual warfare stuff. And I was reminded of, you know, getting to talk about Jesus in any and every setting. but it was very well received. And I was glad they asked us to come do that. There were probably seven or 800 people at the event

and all these veterans were there. And so it's just a neat thing to get to honor people. So I was super excited about that. They called American Heroes on the Gulf. So it was cool a bit. Yeah, a lot of good stuff going on. So you already talk, John? Where John 8?

I mean, I feel like we're, I mean, it's John 8 stuff. You get into the New Exodus language, Moses keeps coming up, the law keeps coming up, Abraham is on the scene. You begin to think, are we in the Old Testament or the New Testament? So, and we, in the last podcast act, we had finally kind of told the story that we'd kind of been alluding to in John 7, 53 through 8, 11, which was the woman called an adultery. And we sort of painted that picture of the context of why that was the way it was and the idea about condemnation. And that Jesus really was the only one that could condemn, but he didn't come to condemn as J.S. read in Romans 8 and I read as well in John 3.

And so who is he? Because now we're fixing to hit into verse 12 of John 8. and for the whole rest of this chapter, it's kind of a who am I, I am, is what I call it, a text that Jesus gets into. And here's something interesting, Jay's. I don't know if you noticed this when you read this text and studied it. There are, by my count, at least in the NIV, 10 different I am statements that Jesus makes just in this context alone.

that's not like the drop the mic I am that's the last one before Abraham was born I am in verse 58 but he says I am the light of the world I am one who testifies for myself I am going away I am from above I am not of this world I'm the one I claim to be these are all in this chapter I am telling what I have seen in the father's presence I am not possessed by a demon because they said he was demon possessed and I am not seeking glory for myself. And then the last one was before Abraham was born, I am. And so it's funny interesting.

There was 10 different times. So if you had to theme this whole text, it would have to be that, like, who I am, you know, or who am I? And then he also, I don't know, Jason, does this count as one of the ongoing questions? There's actually two of them together in verse 46 of chapter 8. This could be number eight, but you're the one just making the distinction. Oh, this is a deasy. He says, can any of you prove me guilty of sin?

If I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me? It's kind of a two-part question, but I think that characterizes as number eight in our list. Oh, it's a good one. Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? Just think, is that a question that any adult could utter? No. Or would even try? I'm sure people have tried.

because we tend to look at it like, well, just, I didn't do it unless you can prove it, which gets into this kind of trial theme that John continually breaks out into, his testimony and who's telling the truth. The evil one, he said that right after, he said the evil one is the father of all lies. Right.

I mean, he turned it into a, it went from Israelites having a conversation, slash argument to who's telling the truth. And he's picturing this as you have on one side someone who represents truth and one side you have a spirit that represents lies. But Jesus says that, can any of you prove me guilty of saying?

I think it's one of the greatest evidences of who Jesus is, just that question. Yeah. Who says that? Right. And then the follow, he asks his own follow-up question, And you know what?

If you can't, then why don't you believe me? Yeah. I mean, that's like the ultimate convicting question. If you can't prove me guilty of sin, then why don't you believe what I'm telling you? Which is very, very powerful. Which makes that Hebrew 6, you know, pop in your head when it's like these two unchangeable things of which God, it is impossible for him to lie. Now we're getting something that will carry you through the day. Yeah, exactly.

Because when you think in our culture of fake news and lies and trying to figure things out, if you have a being that we call God and he becomes a man and he's like, I will never lie. Well, that's somebody you could trust. Yeah. And, I mean, there's a foundation. That question is, what are you going to do about that question in your life? If you kind of take these out of context and just, can you prove?

I mean, here's these four letters that all. depict Jesus' life, his character, the subtle things he says, and it's been poured over for a couple thousand years. And even people that don't believe, you at least have to walk away saying, yeah, this guy's a pretty good guy. Yeah. I mean, because he can't lie.

And everything about him is good. I mean, it's just, I think, awesome. And it's interesting, Jay's because you're right. it doesn't fit in the human narrative. You remember there was a Jim Carrey movie from years ago. I think it was called Liar, Liar, where something, you know, movies go, something happens that he can't lie.

He's an attorney. Yeah, it's another spiritual, which is all the best movies. I thought it's just called Liar, liar, liar. Liar, that's the name of it. Lair, liar. But have you noticed that the best Hollywood movies are all when they have to borrow

God's supernatural power. power. Right. And there's a new mission impossible coming out, which I think it's the last one, which is a weird thing to even say. I mean, if the first one was impossible, how'd you do it? Yeah. It's a lie.

It's named Mission Impossible. Then he does it. And I'm going to go out of my limb here. I haven't seen it. I haven't seen it, Judge Jays, but I bet they're going to accomplish this one, too. I bet it's going to end with the mission possible. If they would do one that you don't accomplish, then I think it would make the show,

the whole series better. Like, you know, Rocky would lose on occasion. Yeah. So you don't really, because it's kind of like the Walking Dead. They'll kill off a main character. Yeah. Do I mean,

so you got to have, I kind of like if they'd maybe lose one, but I guess if it's the nice one. But then they'll also bring him back because resurrection comes into play when it's talking about a movie. I mean, how many time when they used to do the horror flicks,

I don't know if they still do. but the guy always comes back. You're like, no, he's dead. No, no, there's a rule in Hollywood. You have to detach the head from the body. Yeah. No, there's a greater rule, Jays. You have to not make money on the movie.

That's the way you kill him off. Yeah, but he falls over, you know, shoots him eight times at close rain. That'll do it. And then he's like, oh. Yeah, well, the Marvel movies, they, that's what you really get back. up because then they had the finality of like death. Half of them died, right. Half of them died.

And so what their fix was, which I, by the way, I called it. I mean, I told Max, my son, which he denies that I said this, he thinks he claimed it. But I said, no, I watched Ant Man. And when I saw that Ant Man could travel into the quantum realm, I said, here's what they're going to do. They have to. They're going to employ quantum mechanics, and they're going to have time travel. that they're going to have to have someone who can manipulate time

and then they're going to go back and rectify everything which they did but but my my position is once you do that then basically all things are possible and I don't like that in it well that's why they don't do it that's why that's why they all have a weakness you know too it's like yeah got to have some way but when you think about Jesus we don't have one

and the time travel stuff is in here too well because we got with with God, all things are possible. That's why the whole story makes sense. But when you think about coming off of this interaction with the Pharisees and the woman caught in the act of adultery, whether that's Scripture or not, we made the case, it's probably not. Scripture in the original version at least, but the story still kind of remains. And you enter into this declaration that Jesus is making to the Pharisees where he says, I am the light of the world, which is really good. kind of interesting, but I was trying to consider, like, what, how would they have heard that phrase?

Like, and I looked up, I didn't write them all down, but I have a couple here that we can mention that a Pharisee, they may have understood this, and I hope they did, because it was certainly, I think, what Jesus meant is that he is the character that was prophesied about in, like, prophecies like from Isaiah. There's one in Isaiah 42-6 that says this. Well, I wanted to read them all. Do you have them too?

Do you have a list? Yeah, I've got them all. I have a list. I mean, we didn't even talk. We didn't talk, but that's where I went because it's a tough statement, which did you read the verse where he says that? Which I wanted to give one little clarification

on Zach's comment when it said all things are possible. But that Hebrew, rules except two things, lying and dying. Yeah. It's God can't die and he can't lie. Yeah. Which is a great question. If you really want to stump somebody, you ask the question, can God do anything?

And they're going to say yes. And then you say false. And they're going to think that you're committing some type of heretical thing. But the Bible is clear that God cannot do anything. Because he says he cannot lie and he cannot die. Or stay dead. I mean, they said, well, Jesus died. He was the son of God.

But then, which interesting enough, when Peter preach, have you ever noticed the wording of that? He said in Acts 2, I think this is just absolutely fascinating. Is Acts 2, 24, when it says, God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death. And then there's a little phrase here, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

That's good impossible. Why don't we do a movie about that mission impossible? And there's also another mission impossible about us in Hebrews 11 before you give your point out. Okay. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. That's a mission impossible that you don't want to visit, right? without faith it is impossible. So I would conclude,

might not have to conjure up whatever faith is because you can't please God without it. You know, it's funny because you said that because we had the Cubby Fink, Rebecca St. James' husband on it. I love his definition of faith, and it reminded me of that text you read. He said, in his book he was talking about something,

he said, faith is on the corner of feels right and feels risky. I mean, that was such a good line because that's exactly what it is. It feels right, but it feels risky. Well, when you get into these limitations on God, I think a better way to say it is that he can't do, he can't sin and he can't die and he can't lie. And it's not because he lacks the power. It's because this is a violation of his own nature. The way that you could understand it would be in the same way that it's impossible to have a married bachelor, right?

Because if I'm married, then I'm not a bachelor, or it's impossible to have a round square because those two things, they contradict each other. So what happens in language sometimes is we can use language to say something and construct a sentence that's grammatically correct, but is actually logically incoherent. And so it's actually incoherent to say that God can sin or that God can die. It's just, you're using language in a way that sounds like you're saying something, but it's really no different than just making a bunch of sounds. It has no meaning to it whatsoever. I want to mention this because I definitely want to pursue, we all sound like we all took the same rabbit trail to Isaiah,

and there's some great text in there with a larger implication of what we're talking about. But before we do, I want to mention something I found was interesting. in verse 20 of John 8, John gives us a little nugget that someone that I've been reading, Chuck Wendahl made an interesting point about. In verse 20, it says he spoke these words, which started with I am the lie of the world. That's where we're fixing to take off on, while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. And, you know, that's just him doing a little description, but this I didn't know until this study.

So this was the temple treasury, and it was located at this era in the temple in a place called the court of women. And so they had 13 bronze trumpet-shaped receptacles for giving. So he says, Swindal says, you can imagine like you've got these huge big round things. They look like trumpets, but they're made out of bronze. And so when you're putting money in, there's the clink, clink, clink of, you know, the temple treasury being filled. but right outside of these so they could get money anytime day or night outside of these giving receptacles there were these four giant lamp stands that are huge and so they lit up the whole area because you know when it comes to giving and this is something that's through the all annals of human time you want to make it as convenient as possible for people to give

and so this thing stayed lit up all the time and so I I thought it was interesting that I never knew that. But when you think about Jesus being in that setting, it may be easy for him to look at those lampstands, which would have been lit and look at that and say, you know, I am the light of the world. I mean, you can look at everything that's on earth, but none of it compares to who I am and what I've come here to do.

And so that may or may not be true. That may not be why he said this in this moment, but it could have been. And it made it interesting to me to look at that and see. So let me read this first part, and then I want to go back and like, and maybe Jays or Zach, one of y'all has the Isaiah readings. I've got Isaiah 42, 6, 49, 6, and then also 61 and verse 3. And then Psalm 27.1. Okay, that's another good one.

So here's what he said. Jesus spoke to the people. And again, by the way, you could fit that right into the end of verse 52 without that story being there in John 8. So which seems like what we talked about before, this, you know, it just picks up there. He speaks again to the people and says, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. And we know what he's talking about because we've already kind of read some of those passages, what comes to us.

And so the Pharisees instant response to this amazing statement when you think about it is here you are appearing as your own witness, your testimony is not valid. And so again, they go back to law in their version of it and try to say, well, here you go. You got to have at least two or three witnesses to claim something. And here you are saying these things and you have nobody to claim it. And then he says in verse 14, even if I testify on behalf, my testimony is valid. For I know where I came from and where I'm going. but you have no idea where I came from or where I'm going. You judge by human standards. I pass judgment on no one,

which kind of goes back to that context before with a woman. But if I do judge, my decisions are right because I'm not alone. I stand with the father who sent me. In your own law, it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. So he goes back to their own point. and now he's going to, you know, put him in a quandary with their own idea and logic.

I am one who testifies for myself. My other witness is the father who sent me. So he's saying, I do have two witnesses. And then they asked him, well, where is your father? You do not know me or my father. If you knew me, you would also know my father. And then, of course, he says in verse 20, as I read earlier, he spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place

where the offerings are put, yet no one seized him because his time had not yet come. So this kind of initial part of this entire context that he's going to talk to, and he starts it out with, I am the light of the world. Well, he also said in that 21, which is a weird phrase for this conversation, I think, which is, I think, an indication of where he's fixed to get to. When he says, once more, Jesus said, I'm going away, and you will love. look for me and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.

This made the Jews ask, will he kill himself? Is that why he says where I go, you cannot come? Which was pretty clever of them to realize that he had something to do with death. I think because he threw in that you'll die in your sin. And then he continued, you are from below. I am from above, which now we're going to. going back to this, he said that 10 times in John 6, remember with the bread, I came from heaven, you're of this world.

I'm not of this world, which is another thing, he says, a bunch. I told you that you would die in your sins if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. That's the third time he said it. Who are you, they asked. Just what I've been claiming all along, Jesus replied. have much to say in judgment of you, but he who sent me is reliable or faithful, and what I have heard from him, I tell the world.

They did not understand what he was telling them about his father. So Jesus said, when you have lifted up the son of man, which is another reference to when he would die, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the father has taught me, who sent me is with me he has not left me alone for always do what pleases him

even as he spoke many put their faith in him which is I think encouraging because it seems like this is fixed to go off the rails so there's a lot to kind of unpack there but he started off I am the light of the world and I want to just say before we kind of go down this rabbit hole

when we get through this chapter and go to John 9 and in vain of this when he's saying you'll die in your sins. You know, in John 9 when he comes up and there's a man who's blind from birth, this is verse 1. His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind? Of course, Jesus said neither this man nor his parents sin, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

But verse 4 is kind of strange. the reason I'm bringing this up, because he uses this exact line. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, and he says it again, I am the light of the world. So he starts this conversation in verse 12 saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light.

of light. Before we go down the rabbit, I just thought, is something, you know, what a thing to say. Because you're looking at a human saying, I am the light of the world. And I think you have to immediately just kind of take a time out before you say, what does that mean? And think by what he said, when he said, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. So I immediately thought every time I've ever tried to walk

or run when it was completely dark, number one, I didn't feel very good about it. And number two, bad things happen. Most of the times I fell, tripped,

or, you know, you remember this when we were raised our parents' house, you know, back then, there was no outside lights. You know, now everybody has lights everywhere and cameras.

But if you wanted to walk that, how far was it? 40 yards. About 40 yards, down a hill, down a sidewalk that had roots underneath it. So it was coming up in various places. Yeah. And when I was a kid, I was naturally scared of the dark, as all kids are. So I thought by running that if there was anything, there to get me.

Maybe I'd make it in time, you know. But there was so many obstacles. Because we've never been manicured yard people. No. It's just all kind of obstacles. And I bet I fail a dozen times during that run. Why'd you fall? Because I would trip over something I couldn't see.

Yeah. And why were you scared? Because you couldn't see what was out there. Because I couldn't see what was out there. It's all, it just, I mean, immediately. when I read these verses, I go back to that and just think how many times it was completely dark and I'm waving my hands aimlessly in a room

or out in the woods. And I'm, you know, trying to... It's one of the most miserable things you could do as a human to be in just complete... Oh, it's the word. And what's funny is, Jay, the things that were in the light of day, like Granny and Paul had a little flower bed that ran along the length of their house.

But to mark the flower bed, they had taken bricks and put them in sideways, so they're like little edges of the brick. Well, in the light of day, that's not very dangerous. But when you're falling into them in the dark, everything there caused scratches and torn nails and cuts and bruises. I just remember we were beat up all the time because of just what Jason is describing. Y'all were like feral cats out there, you know. We were.

And despite, yeah, all the falls that I had, I continued to run. And I think the older I got, the more creatures that you would see sometimes in our yard, I remember the only coral snake we ever saw. Do you remember that out? One coral snake in my life, because they say we have four poisonous snakes, but we only see the rattlesnakes, the copperheads, and, obviously the cossack. We have them on every tree route.

But they had a cross tie right next to the little sidewalk. And they moved it. And there was a coral snake under. Well, that just only enhanced my, you know, when it's dark, now that I've seen that there's actually, if there's one, there's probably more. So that's why I kept running, kept falling, because I figured a skinned knee, a busted head is better than, you know, being attacked by a coral snake when I can't see, you know.

So I think I gave the picture, but... But where does the snake hide? The snake hides in the unseen part, which, you know, I think about, I may have told this before, I used this analogy because it's so true of like the times, there's been times in my life where I have felt overwhelmingly disoriented and fearful. and it's always when I wake up in the middle of the night

in a location that's not my home and it's completely dark. A lot of times it's like a hotel room and I'm like, and it was in such a deep sleep when I wake up. I'm like, and everything is dark because it's so dark in the room because I pull those curtains shut.

And I get up and I'm like, I'm kind of like trying to feel my way to just something. And the only thing that gives me comfort is finally when you finally see that, little sliver of light under the door that's coming from the hallway that you can actually orient yourself. So I think that's the picture of blindness, though, is to not have anything that you can touch to orient yourself to whatever the context is that you're in.

And not only do you not have orientation, there's overwhelming fear that comes from what is unseen that you don't know where the threats could possibly come from. No, I agree. And so the rabbit hole I'll win. I mean, of course, you immediately go back to the beginning in Genesis 1. I mean, where it all starts, you had, I mean, it sounds great. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. But then it's like, oh, wait, the earth was formless, empty, and empty.

Darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. but if you believe in the new creation, you know, you go back to the beginning, which John did in John, chapter one, which we read, but he doesn't go very long before he starts bringing up this concept of light. And I think understanding why this is written the way it is,

is very enlightening, no pun intended, because he says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, he was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were created without him nothing was created. In him was life and that life was the light of men

which he uses this phrase now later and then it says the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it or it gives an alternate yeah has not overcome it so and then you brought up last podcast out John 3 you know this right after the most famous

verse in the Bible for God to love the world then he's like this is the verdict verse 19 light has come into the world but men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. So that's when you start saying, well, how come everybody just doesn't come to the light and experience God's love? Because that's another quality. God is love.

So there's some things because of that that he's not going to do. Same as Zach's illustration before. He is love. He is light. He is life. So he then says everyone who does evil, hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. So he's kind of giving you, when we think light, we think, well, we got a bunch of lights on in here.

But there's some kind of illuminating light that he's representing that's not only light, but light inside your, I would say, your brain, your soul, your heart, all the... Your essence, yeah. Yeah, because Zach brought up about being spiritually blind, which is all... also true. Because when you think about light, if you just look up the scientific definition of it, it first enters your eyes, then it goes to the brain where it gets processed. So you can get the picture and no longer be in the dark.

So that's why I think when he says in John 3 earlier, when he said no one can see the kingdom unless he's born again. you know when you tie this in with light and how that process works i mean there is a lot of verses too about no i has seen or no here here has heard that's why he said they didn't understand it so when i go back to jesus one well think about creation when he went back and then new creation because he says the earth was formless empty and dark but the think about your life when you fast forward to new creation. Without Christ, are we not formless, empty, and dark?

You know what I mean? I mean, you can't make this stuff up. It's like, think about the passage in Galatians where he says, I think it's four, where he's like, my whole hope is that you'll grow up so that Christ will be formed in you. And think about how often that the New Testament talks about being, filled or having Christ fill everything in every way. So as in contrast to empty, then you have darkness, which in contrast to light. But then it says, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters, which is one of my favorite verses, because I'm an expert on things hovering over

the waters. And God said, let there be light. So he said, said, he communicated, yeah, word, words, let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from darkness. And you fast forward to the end, you know, when he hands over the kingdom, what happens on this spiritual side of new creation? Pretty much the light is separated from the darkness in the new creation. So I think it's just fascinating. But I think also when you go to Isaiah, I really think that's the, we all, because we all went there. And I just wanted to read a few passages and you all jump in as I read them.

So the first one I have was actually Isaiah 2, verse 2. In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as Tuesday. among the mountains. It will be raised above the hills and all nations will stream to it. Many people will come and say, come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may walk in his past. The temple on the hill. It's kind of the... Oh, I see where I'm going. Yeah. Temple, which is like the garden language. Right.

But watch where he goes from this. Verse four, he will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people's they will beat their swords into plow shares so it's not like a you know we're not going to fight with like physical swords but turn them turn it turn the metal into something that's plow shares that were produced seeds and fruit the very um it's the the utensils that we use as instruments of war are actually going to be then used as instruments of of cultivation, which is bringing back the original plan of the garb, which to cultivate the earth. It's bringing all that back. Oh, see, you said that way better.

That's why I went here, because watch where he goes on to say, as Isaiah 2. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O House of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. I mean, this has so many spiritual war connotations, which is where exactly Jesus is going in John 8, talking about the evil one. You know, the father of lies, he was a murder from the beginning. What does it mean?

He's all about death, mayhem, destruction, evil, and it's kind of those of the camps that he's laying out. So there's Isaiah 2, which I think is a good one to read. And then he's going to go, let's see, where's the next Isaiah passage? Well, I've got one. 42. Yeah, 42. And start in verse 5, Jace, because I started in verse 6, but now that you've done what you just did, start with verse 5 because that hits exactly what you just went to.

I actually had verse 1 for some reason. 42.1. Here's my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one, and whom I delight. I will put my spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. Well, obviously, pointing to Jesus is why I had that. And then verse 5. Yeah, read verse 5 through 7. This is what God the Lord says,

He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, which is why I just read Genesis 1-1-13. Who gives breath to its people. Well, how is the Holy Spirit going to be depicted in the new creation? Remember, think John 20 when we get there. Yep, breath of life. Jesus breathed on them.

the spirit, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it, I the Lord have called you in righteousness, I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon, those who sit in darkness. Oh, that's so good. And even verse 8 says, I am the Lord, that is my name. I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

And so you have this, because that works in the kingdom of darkness too. Sin, idolatry, the evil one. All right, so then I have 49-1. I mean, I think this is going to make more sense on why he's saying this. Listen to me, you islands, this is 49-1 of Isaiah. hear this you distant nations before i was born the lord called me from my birth he has made mention of my name uh let's see 491 and then verse 6 says he says it is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of jacob and bring back those of israel i have kept i will also make you a light

for the Gentiles, that may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth. This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation to the servant of rulers. And then, chapter 60. And then, of course, you skipped over it because it's the whole chapter, but in between, of course, is chapter 53, 1 through 12, which the whole picture is Jesus. coming suffering died. That's why I read these verses about the servant,

which is a picture of Jesus. So 60 verse 1 says arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Read verse 3 too. Well, even 2 says, see darkness covers the earth. He goes back to Genesis 1

and thick darkness is over the peoples but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes. There's the eyes part and look about you. And then verse 14 of this, I have that.

The sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you. All who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the city of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. The reason I'm reading that is because think, Matthew 5. Just listen to how this works. Can I read one more?

5.14. Well, just the reason I read 60 in verse 14 where it says, you will bow down at your feet and will call you the city of the Lord. But just immediately, let me read this, and then you read yours. So verse 14, remember the sermon on the mount?

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. That's why he made that connection. It's Isaiah 60. Yeah. Exactly. Right. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bow.

Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. Go ahead, Zach. All right. Zach, read that last one. Then we're out of time. Oh, gosh. We'll pick up discussion.

We're out of time. We just now got the Isaiah passage. We can't make a lot of time. application. I'll read, just good, you need to go read the very end

of the Bible, Revelation 22, 5, which gets the picture of this fulfilled. Well, you need to read that. I have it on the list.

Go ahead and read. There'll be no more night. There will be no need for light. No light of lamp or sun. For the Lord God will be their light and they will reign

forever and ever. And where is Jesus at when he's making this claim that he is the light of the world? Where is he going back and forth. The temple? Yes.

Well, that's why I was going to read Psalm 27. Let me just, well, it's too. Read the first four verses of Psalm 27. Well, that's where we'll pick up. Yeah, we'll pick up there on the next podcast. So there's this pace.

We ought to have this figured out by the time he actually comes back. Hang in there with us. This is so good. We can't leave any of it out. We'll get back into the. this next time on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast.

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