Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Christmas in perspective

It seems as if we have lost Christmas. It is almost sick to see the holiday that with celebrate the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ disappear into shopping and santa. If I hear "are you ready for Christmas" again I think my head will explode. "Ready for Christmas" means "did you buy all you presents yet?

Part of this familiar passage is on many Christmas cards.

Isaiah 9 (New American Standard Bible)
Isaiah 9
Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace 1But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. 3You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. 5For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

But if we read the end of chapter 8 it shows us that the coming Messiah is on the backdrop of a dark and fallen world.

Chapter 8 of Isaiah

19When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
21They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward.
22Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.

It seems as if shopping and wild gift giving is a kind of drug that helps people feel better about themselves and forget the Savior that born to save us from our sins.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Ark Encounter

A Dove’s-Eye View of the Ark Encounter
Posted on December 1, 2010 by admin
The Ark Encounter, to be located south of Cincinnati and in northern Kentucky, has nine main attractions and encompasses about 800 acres, which allows for both privacy and future expansion. The unique nature of the site with its scenic hills and ravines enables the design team to create a varied and dynamic guest experience. The Ark Encounter promises to be a unique and influential attraction for the world.

The historical experience is composed of nine major themed areas:
The Walled City: This 14-acre area depicts the lifestyle of the people of Noah’s day. It also serves as the entry point to the facility for all guests and becomes its central gathering point. This walled city includes period shops, restaurants, and venues that bring to life the city and times in which Noah lived, including his house. The city is the first themed area that guests will experience as it introduces the Ark and the Flood. It asks and answers the question, “Why the Ark?”
Noah’s Ark: A full-size Ark, built to biblical dimensions, will be located outside the walled city. Guests will be able to tour the Ark and be immersed in the times of the Bible through highly themed scenes and presentations. This walk-through of the Ark will enable each guest to gain an understanding of how it could have been built, and how Noah, his family, and all of the representative kinds of land animals were cared for, and then survived on board for 370 days of the Flood and its aftermath. The Ark sits at the north end of a large lake that will be the hub for a spectacular daily show featuring the “parade of animals” and the dramatic “eruption of the fountains of the great deep.”
Noah’s Animals: This fun area will provide Ark Encounter guests with the opportunity to learn more about some of the animal kinds that were on the Ark. This area will be similar to a petting zoo, complete with barns, a petting animal area, an open grazing area, a stage for daily live animal and bird shows, and lots of meet-and-greet areas for close-up encounters with unique animals and birds.
Children’s Play Area: This fun-filled area will be a unique setting next to the zoo and aviary, and will be highly themed with bridge nets, climbing areas, slides, and zip lines. It will also feature an indoor and outdoor discovery center. It is designed for family participation and will allow grandparents, parents, and children to both learn and have fun in this very creative area.
The Tower of Babel: Over 100 feet tall, this structure depicts how the tower may have looked after its completion. Guests enter a highly themed interior and weave along a path that introduces exhibits on the origination of languages and people groups (so-called “races”). The path ultimately leads to a 500-seat special effects theater.
Journey through Biblical History: Visitors take a journey through Old Testament times, with spectacular special effects to help share some of the experiences of the Israelites. Beginning after Noah’s Flood and the time of Abraham, the journey through ancient times depicts the formation of Israel, Moses and the ten plagues in Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea.
The First-Century Village: This area provides guests with the opportunity to experience a typical village that would have been found in the Middle East about 2,000 years ago. It is complete with period-costumed villagers, houses, a synagogue, a sheepfold, an olive press building, watchtowers, terraced farming, and a first-century dining facility where guests can reserve seats for a special first-century type of meal. The experience culminates with a visit to the Performing Arts Theater where a combined live and video-based show shares the summary of what guests have seen at the Ark Encounter.
Aviary: This will be a fascinating walk-through attraction with several viewing platforms inside three types of bird sanctuaries. Each sanctuary will allow guests to get close to the birds in a natural setting. A nearby butterfly emporium will be visually stunning as well.
Special Events Area: An area where large groups can have private outings away from the main guest areas will showcase some of the Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building techniques used to construct the Ark Encounter. These techniques feature LEED standards in the use of wind and solar power, renewable resources, and preservation of the land. This will attract many educational groups and be positioned outside of the actual walled area—allowing for large group meetings and private events.
This entry was posted in Announcement and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.