Mike "the Meteorologist" Middendorf Explains the Bible Bow-Tie

Summary

In this script, Mike Middendorf, impersonating a meteorologist, uses a 'bow tie diagram' to illustrate God's work throughout history. He discusses the fall from grace in Genesis, God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Jesus Christ, and the spread of Christianity. The diagram symbolizes God's plan to restore creation, culminating in Revelation's vision of a new heaven and earth. The message is one of hope, assuring believers of a future where they will live with God in eternal, beautiful weather.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker, Mike Middendorf, uses a weatherman impersonation to discuss God's work in the past, present, and future.
• 🌦️ The 'bow tie diagram' is introduced as a visual tool to explain the progression of God's plan from Genesis to Revelation.
• 🌈 Genesis chapter 1 represents the beginning of God's creation, where everything was perfect and in harmony.
• 🍂 The fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3 led to sin and the corruption of God's creation, introducing 'stormy weather' as a metaphor for the consequences of sin.
• 📜 The Old Testament narrows God's forecast for restoration through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelite tribe of Judah, culminating in King David.
• 🕍 God's promise to David in 2nd Samuel chapter 7 foretells the establishment of an everlasting kingdom through one of his descendants.
• 🌟 Jesus Christ is the central figure of the Scriptures, the fulfillment of God's forecast for salvation, as stated in John chapter 5.
• 📖 The New Testament, starting with Jesus' life and ministry, expands the message of salvation to all nations, as seen in Acts chapter 2 during Pentecost.
• 🌐 The Great Commission in the book of Acts mandates the spread of the Gospel to all people, symbolized by the broadening right side of the bow tie diagram.
• 🌅 Revelation chapter 21 provides a glimpse of God's ultimate forecast for the future, where a new heaven and a new earth will be established, and God will dwell with humanity.

Q & A

What does the speaker compare meteorologists' work to in the context of the script?

The speaker compares the work of meteorologists to describing God's work in the past, God's plan for the present, and God's forecast for the future, using a 'bow tie diagram' to illustrate this.

What is the significance of the 'bow tie diagram' mentioned in the script?

The 'bow tie diagram' is used as a visual aid to represent the progression of God's plan from the creation in Genesis to the fulfillment in Jesus Christ, and then the expansion of the Gospel to all nations.

What does the speaker say about the initial state of God's creation as described in Genesis?

The speaker describes the initial state of God's creation as being very good, with a perfect relationship between God and His people, and no sin or death, akin to 'wonderful weather all the time.'

How does the speaker link the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 to the concept of 'stormy weather'?

The speaker equates the fall of Adam and Eve, where they turned against God and fell into sin, to the onset of 'stormy weather,' symbolizing the corruption of God's perfect creation and the introduction of death and suffering.

What is the 'forecast' God made to remedy the situation after the fall of Adam and Eve, according to the speaker?

The speaker mentions that God made a forecast in Genesis 3:15, promising that an offspring of a woman would crush the serpent's head, referring to the coming of the Messiah who would defeat sin and death.

What role does the speaker assign to Abraham in God's forecast to restore the climate of His creation?

The speaker assigns Abraham a pivotal role as the one through whom God's promise to restore His creation would be fulfilled, with the promise narrowing down to Abraham's offspring.

How does the speaker describe the significance of Jesus Christ in the context of the 'bow tie diagram'?

The speaker describes Jesus Christ as the focal point of all of the Scriptures, the center of the 'bow tie diagram,' where God's Old Testament forecast is fulfilled through His life, death, and resurrection.

What does the speaker say about the expansion of the Gospel message after Jesus' resurrection?

The speaker explains that the Gospel message, starting from Jesus and His disciples, expanded to include Jews from all over the world and eventually Gentiles, fulfilling Jesus' mandate in the Great Commission.

What is the ultimate forecast for the future according to the speaker, as described in the book of Revelation?

The speaker outlines the ultimate forecast for the future as described in Revelation 21, where God will restore the climate of His creation,消除 all pain and suffering, and live with His people in a new heaven and a new earth.

How does the speaker conclude the analogy between meteorology and God's plan?

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that, like meteorologists who discuss past, present, and future weather, the 'bow tie diagram' illustrates God's saving work in the past, His plan for the present, and His future forecast for an everlasting future of 'beautiful weather' with Him.

Outlines

00:00

🌦️ Weathering the Storms of History

In this segment, the speaker, Mike Middendorf, introduces himself as a 'meteorologist' and uses the analogy of weather to discuss God's work throughout history. He starts by explaining the role of meteorologists in describing past climate conditions, current weather, and future forecasts. He then parallels this with God's actions in the past, present, and future. The speaker uses the 'bow tie diagram' to illustrate the narrative, beginning with God's creation in Genesis and the subsequent fall into sin by Adam and Eve. He discusses how God's promise to send a Savior, as mentioned in Genesis 3:15, is the central theme of the Old Testament. The narrative then narrows down to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelite tribes, culminating in the promise of a Messiah from the lineage of King David. The speaker emphasizes the importance of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's promise to restore the relationship with humanity and defeat sin and death.

05:03

🌤️ The Dawn of Salvation and the Spread of the Gospel

This paragraph delves into the continuation of God's plan through the lineage of David, emphasizing the reign of Solomon and the prophecy of an eternal king from David's line. It discusses the period of the Israelites' disobedience and the subsequent exile, highlighting God's unwavering commitment to His people as He promised through the prophets to return them to their land. The speaker then focuses on the pivotal role of Jesus Christ as the center of the bow tie diagram, illustrating how Jesus' life, death, and resurrection fulfill the Old Testament prophecies. The narrative shifts to the right side of the diagram, representing the expansion of the Gospel message to all nations. It mentions the selection of the twelve disciples, the events of Pentecost, and the spread of Christianity to non-Jews, or 'Gentiles,' as part of God's plan for salvation. The speaker concludes this section by emphasizing the global reach of Christianity and the significance of Jesus as the light of the world.

10:06

🌤️ The Eternal Forecast: A Glimpse of Heaven

In the final paragraph, the speaker discusses God's plan for the present and future, using the right side of the bow tie diagram to symbolize the ongoing spread of the Gospel and the hope it brings. Despite the challenges and 'bad weather' faced by humanity, the speaker assures that God's ultimate forecast is one of restoration and eternal life. Drawing from the book of Revelation, the speaker provides a vision of a new heaven and a new earth where God will dwell with humanity, and there will be no more suffering or death. This section encapsulates the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ and the hope of a future where God's creation is fully restored, concluding with an optimistic outlook on the 'weather' of human existence in the context of God's eternal plan.

Keywords

💡Meteorologist

A meteorologist is a scientist who studies the atmosphere and forecasts the weather. In the context of the video, Mike Middendorf uses the term to introduce himself and sets the stage for a weather-themed analogy to explain theological concepts. The script uses weather-related language to describe God's work, plan, and forecast, drawing parallels between meteorological phenomena and biblical narratives.

💡Bow Tie Diagram

The Bow Tie Diagram is a visual tool used in the script to illustrate the progression of God's plan throughout history. It starts with the creation in Genesis and moves towards the future as depicted in Revelation. The diagram is used to show how God's promises and actions in the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and how they extend to the salvation of all people in the New Testament.

💡Genesis

Genesis is the first book of the Bible, which tells the story of creation and the early history of humanity. In the video, Genesis is referenced to discuss the initial perfect state of creation and the fall of humanity into sin, as described in Genesis 3. This sets the stage for God's plan to restore his creation through the coming of Jesus Christ.

💡Salvation

Salvation refers to the process of being saved or delivered from sin and its consequences. In the script, salvation is central to God's plan, as it is through Jesus Christ that people can be saved. The video explains how Jesus' life, death, and resurrection fulfill the Old Testament prophecies and provide the means for salvation.

💡Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bible, containing the sacred scriptures of Judaism. In the video, the Old Testament is discussed as a collection of God's promises and prophecies that point towards the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is seen as a forecast of God's plan to restore his creation.

💡New Testament

The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible, focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Christian church. In the video, the New Testament is presented as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and the expansion of God's salvation to all nations, not just the Israelites.

💡Prophet

A prophet is a person who is believed to speak for God, often foretelling future events or delivering divine messages. In the script, prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah are mentioned as they foretold the return of God's people from exile and the coming of the Messiah, which are key elements in God's plan for salvation.

💡Exile

Exile refers to the forced displacement of a people from their homeland. In the video, the exile of the Israelites by the Assyrians and Babylonians is discussed as a period of suffering and separation from God's favor. However, it is also a part of God's plan, as he promised to bring his people back and restore them, which is fulfilled in the return of Cyrus the Great.

💡Messiah

The Messiah is a term used in Jewish and Christian traditions to refer to a savior or liberator, particularly the one prophesied in the Old Testament to restore Israel and bring salvation. In the video, Jesus Christ is identified as the Messiah, as he is the one through whom God's promises are fulfilled and salvation is made available to all.

💡Revelation

Revelation, or the Book of Revelation, is the last book of the New Testament and is often interpreted as a vision of the end times and the ultimate restoration of all things. In the video, Revelation is used to describe God's ultimate forecast for the future, where he will create a new heaven and a new earth, and all will be reconciled to him.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of meteorologists and their role in describing past climate, current conditions, and future forecasts.

The bow tie diagram as a metaphor for God's work, plan, and forecast.

Genesis chapter 1 as the starting point of God's creation and the initial perfect relationship with humanity.

Genesis chapter 3 and the fall of Adam and Eve, introducing sin and its consequences.

God's immediate forecast to remedy the situation through the promise in Genesis 3:15.

The Old Testament's focus on the Savior who would overcome sin, death, and Satan.

God's narrowing forecast through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 tribes of Israel.

The Exodus and God's special relationship with Israel as His chosen people.

The story of King David and God's promise of an everlasting dynasty through his lineage.

The importance of Jesus Christ as the focal point of all Scriptures and the fulfillment of God's forecast.

John 3:16 as the central message of God's love and the gift of His Son for eternal life.

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation.

The expansion of the Good News to all nations, symbolized by the right side of the bow tie diagram.

The role of the 12 disciples and the spread of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles.

The Great Commission and the mandate to disciple all nations.

God's ongoing plan for the present, spreading the message of Jesus to every race and nation.

Revelation's vision of the new heaven and earth as God's ultimate forecast for the future.

The assurance of everlasting future and beautiful weather in Jesus Christ, tying everything together.

Transcripts

Hi, how are you? How's the weather today?  I’m Mike, “the meteorologist” Middendorf.  

Today I want to do my weatherman impersonation.  What do meteorologists do? First, they describe  

what the climate has been in the past. For  example, how many inches of rainfall we have had  

so far this year? Second, they talk about the  present; they give the current conditions,  

the temperature, the humidity. Third,  they then predict the future by providing  

a forecast for tomorrow and the days to come. In this weather report, I want to talk about  

God’s work in the past, God’s plan for the  present, and God’s forecast for our future.  

To do that, I want to bring out an old fashion  statement and use a bow tie. You don't see many  

of these anymore, but the diagram behind  me is what I call the bow tie diagram. 

On the far left edge, you see the beginning in  Genesis chapter 1. God created the heavens and  

the earth. God’s people were in a beautiful  land he had made for them and in a perfect  

relationship with God and with each other. It was  all very good -- wonderful weather all the time! 

However, in Genesis chapter 3 Adam and Eve turned  against God and fell into sin. Romans chapter 5  

verse 12 reports: “As sin entered into the world  through one man and death through sin, in this way  

death spread through to all because all sinned.”  “For the wages of sin is death,” Romans chapter  

6 verse 23. As a result, God’s perfect creation  was corrupted and stormy weather soon followed! 

However, God immediately made a  forecast to remedy the situation.  

In Genesis 3:15 he told the serpent, the devil,  Satan, who led Adam and Eve astray, that an  

offspring of a woman would crush the serpent’s  head. The main purpose of the Old Testament  

is to get to the Savior who would destroy the  power of sin, death, and Satan over God’s people,  

but that’s getting ahead of our story. In Genesis chapter 12, God’s forecast  

to restore the climate of his creation  narrows down to a man named Abraham.  

God calls Abraham to, v God’s promise is  going to work itself out through Abraham’s  

offspring. Abraham and Sarah had a son named  Isaac; Isaac and Rebekah had Jacob. Jacob’s  

named was changed to Israel. His twelve  sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. 

They end up in Egypt, in slavery to Pharaoh.  But in the Exodus God sets them free and brings  

them safely through the Red Sea. Then, at Mount  Sinai, God makes Israel his very special people.  

Exodus Chapter 19 promises, “You yourselves have  seen what I did in Egypt and how I carried you  

on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. Now  if you listen to me fully and keep my covenant,  

then out of all the nations you  will be my treasured possession.” 

Through Joshua God brought his people into the  promised Land. They could have settled down  

there to enjoy the weather and all God provided.  But they turned away to other gods and suffered  

the thunder of God’s wrath. Various Judges came  to rescue Israel until the time of the kings. 

To review, on the left side of the bow-tie, you  see how God’s forecast, his promise to restore the  

climate of his creation, narrows down. It funnels  through the woman's offspring, the descendants of  

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now the Israelite tribe  of Judah and King David. David was a very godly  

king and he wanted to build God a house, that is,  a temple. But God said, “No your son will do that;  

instead, I, the Lord, am going to build  you a Royal house, a long-lasting dynasty.”  

2nd Samuel chapter 7 states, “The Lord himself  will establish a house for you, David. When your  

days are over and you rest with your fathers  I will raise up your offspring to succeed you,  

one who will come from your own body  and I will establish His Kingdom.  

He is the one Solomon, who will build a house  for my name, and I will establish the throne  

of his kingdom forever.” Solomon's reign only  lasted forty years, but God’s forecast also  

spoke of another descendant of David,  “and he shall reign forever and ever.” 

The kings after David weren't all so godly.  They also turned the people away to other gods.  

As a result God removed his favor from them, and a  hurricane of armies came and swept them away. 400  

years after David, the Assyrians and Babylonians  had removed a ruler from David’s throne, destroyed  

the Jerusalem temple, and taken God’s people from  their land. That was like a climate catastrophe!  

Yet God didn't abandon his people. His forecast  through Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah  

announced that God would bring the  remnant of Israel back home from exile,  

and that his blessing would rest upon them. As  always, God’s faithful forecast was accurate.  

500 years before Christ, Cyrus the Great  returned God’s people to their promised land. 

Finally, about 1,800 years after Abraham, 1400  years after the Exodus, a thousand years after  

king David, God’s OT forecast narrows all the  way down to the center point of the diagram.  

The Old Testament all leads up to the birth  of God’s Son into our world, Jesus Christ.  

He’s the focal point of all of the Scriptures.  

In John chapter 5 Jesus tells the Jews of his  day that they were searching the Old Testament  

Scriptures because they thought they would find  life there. They were right, Jesus said, because  

those scriptures testify to him who is the  way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).  

The top story the Bible broadcasts is the Good  News summarized in John 3:16: God so loved this  

world that had turned against him that he gave  His only Son to die on a cross, that whoever  

believes in Him will never perish but have eternal  life. That’s the headline and its central message. 

After Jesus’ resurrection he affirms  that the whole plan of salvation,  

God’s forecast to restore his creation,  was fulfilled in his life, ministry, death,  

and resurrection. In Luke chapter 24 Jesus tells  His disciples, “This is what I told you while I  

was still with you, everything must be fulfilled  that is written about me in the law of Moses  

and in the Prophets and in the Psalms. Then  He opened their minds so they could understand  

the Scriptures, he told them this is what  it's all about this is what is written:  

the Christ, the Messiah Jesus will suffer and rise  from the dead on the third day. And repentance and  

forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his  name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.” 

That brings us to the right side of the bow tie  diagram. It illustrates how the Good News of the  

risen and living Lord Jesus goes out to all  nations, like the sun coming up and shining  

brilliantly on a clear, sunny day. After  all, Jesus himself said, “I am the light  

of the world!” But that gets us ahead of our  story again. From Jesus at the center point,  

the right side of our diagram gradually  expands, like the sun coming up at dawn.  

The Old Testament had 12 tribes of Israel; Jesus  choose 12 disciples or apostles to follow him.  

Most of his 3-year ministry with them was  spent among fellow Jews in the land of Israel.  

In fact, when a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to  heal her daughter, Jesus responded that he was  

sent first and foremost to the  lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

Yet it's not long before the story begins to  broaden out. Acts chapter 2 gives us a weather  

report on Pentecost day. With the sound of rushing  wind, the ascended Lord Jesus pours out his Holy  

Spirit on 3,000 people, most of them Jews from  all over the Mediterranean world who had come to  

Jerusalem to celebrate their day of thanksgiving.  It becomes the birthday of the Christian church! 

The right side of the bow-tie  then broadens out further.  

If you continue reading the New Testament book  of Acts, Jesus’ forecast proves accurate. In him,  

repentance and forgiveness of sins goes out to all  nations. The term “Gentile,” refers to non-Jews,  

those who aren’t physical descendants of Abraham.  In Acts 15 Jesus’ disciple Peter reports,  

“Brothers you know that some time  ago God made a choice among you that  

the Gentiles might hear from my lips the  message of the gospel and believe.” Through  

missionary journeys like those of the Apostle  Paul, the beautiful message begins to spread  

out toward the ends of the earth, just as Jesus  mandated in the words of the Great Commission:  

“After going, disciple all the nations  by baptizing and teaching them.” 

Let’s review the diagram so far: We've  talked about God’s work in the past.  

His Old Testament forecast on the left side has  been fulfilled in the center by Jesus’ life,  

death, and resurrection. Then the right  side broadened out to His 12 disciples,  

the people of Israel, Jews from all over the  world, and finally Gentiles – Jesus is the  

light of the world for everyone who receives and  believes in him. And there are over 2 billion  

followers of Jesus all around the world today. Speaking of today, God’s plan for our present  

continues to unfold as the message  of Jesus shines forth to people of  

every race, nationality, tongue and tribe on  earth, as the sun does each and every day. 

Yes, there has also been some mighty bad weather  along the way, and more storms are sure to come.  

But what is God’s ultimate  forecast for our future?  

The last book in the New Testament, Revelation,  explains. On the left edge of the bowtie diagram,  

God’s creation was very good with wonderful  weather and a beautiful life for his people.  

The far right edge represents how he will  restore the climate of his creation for us.  

In Revelation chapter 21, the apostle John  gives us a glimpse of what this will be like:  

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the  first heaven and the first earth had passed away  

and there was no longer any sea. I  saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem,  

coming down out of heaven from God prepared as  a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  

And then I heard a voice from the throne saying  now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will  

live with them and they will be his people and God  himself will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  

There will be no more death, no more mourning,  no more crying, no more pain, for the old order  

of things has passed away. He who was seated on  the throne said, ‘I am making all things new!’” 

We meteorologists love to talk about the  weather --- past, present, and future. I hope  

you also remember the bow tie diagram and how  it illustrates God’s saving work in the past,  

God’s plan for our present, and God’s  future forecast to restore his creation  

so that we can live with him forever. I hope that  wherever you are today the weather is wonderful.  

But you can trust that in Jesus  Christ, who ties everything together,  

God’s faithful forecast for us is an  everlasting future of beautiful weather!