The master story-writier M. Shyamalan uses the paranormal to uncover the core of our humanity. These ghostly or science fiction elements provide a foundation to explore our relationships between faith and doubt, destiny and free will, grief, and the existence of higher powers. It is these thematic tensions, coupled with his artful construction of taut suspense and emotional melodrama, that establish him as a filmmaker of deep feeling.
Try skipping through just a few minutes here and there of a M. Shyamalan movie and see if it makes any sense whatsoever.
Now apply the same cohesion, consistency and complexity to God’s word instead of haphazardly hop, skipping and jumping through verses in the Bible.
- Creation: “by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
- Noah’s Flood: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
- Current world: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come…in the night.
By remaining consistent with the meaning of “night” especially in this context, we understand that the day of the Lord will happen in reaction to an era of massive forces of destruction by the Adversary. We can’t understand the ending in Revelation without having deciphered the clues given in Genesis!
God’s covenant of dominion over the earth is by definition a battle against the forces of destruction. If you haven’t picked up that primary plot line you haven’t read much of the Bible. The problem is that churches water down the message of the Bible to make it palatable and inviting for people to come back.
Noah’s ark IS NOT a picture of God’s Chosen People being raptured out of tribulation.
“We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)
Let’s discard our Sunday School coloring pages and cutesy children’s bedroom decorations and acknowledge that living conditions in an enclosed and cramped space with animals frantically screaming and thrashing about for 40 days, the overpowering smell of vomit, urine, and excrement, the suffering from the massive waves hurling the ark up and crashing back down, and certainly the agony of sleep deprivation. When I had to endure just 6 hours of 3 small dogs barking incessantly at the sounds of hammering by roofers during a rainstorm I thought I would lose my mind.
Even after being rescued by the ark, the occupants were still in a war zone.
What is not recorded in the Bible but can be deduced from the human condition is the panicked babbling, sobbing and screaming by eight people with severe Acute Traumatic Stress Disorder leaving the ark, shocked at the view of a devastated and utterly alien mud-desert world still racked by raging storms, lightening crashes, volcanic explosions and earthquakes which continued spasmodically during the geological aftermath.
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be?” (II Peter 3:5-11)
And the correct answer is known from previous scripture. Humanity has a refuge and anchor of hope in God’s promise, proven by the salvation of his people through horrific circumstances on Noah’s ark!
- “I have made a covenant with my chosen…
- My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him…
- My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips…the LORD is gracious and full of compassion…
- he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath shewed his people the power of his works…verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever…
- He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever.” ((Psalm 89:34, 111)
Any covenant, because of the power inherent, requires acknowledging and accepting the oversight, and therefore worship, of the god(s) of each party.
Therefore it is impossible for a monotheistic family / nation to make any covenants with a polytheistic nation. No mutual defense treaties, no trade agreements, no marriage alliances to secure national boundaries. The truly monotheistic nation is utterly dependent on their Single God only. Having his status lowered to equate with that of minor gods is anathema to YHVH, the God of gods.
Notice that although Laban had gone native and had his own gods, he only covenanted with Jacob by The One True God of their ancestors going back to Abraham and Abraham’s brother Nahor, Laban’s grandfather.
“And Laban said to Jacob… It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad…Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob…let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
And Jacob…said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
And Laban said to Jacob…I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear [of retribution from the God] of his father Isaac.
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.” (Genesis 31:20-54)
What does this tell us about the outcome of a nation that claims “In God We Trust” yet makes covenants with ungodly nations?
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:16-32)
The most foolish imagination is thinking that becoming a free spirit independent of the Creator is A Good Thing. But as Sellar and Yeatman allude so subtly in their historic text 1066 And All That, this may not in fact be such a good thing.
Who wants to be free when the Titanic is sinking?
“And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.” Job 42:7)
“Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! [As a sure testimony in the day of judgment.] That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! [As was Cyrus the Great’s last words.] For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God [resurrection]: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me…Then Job answered the LORD and said…I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent...” (Job 19:23-27)
“the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be…?” (II Peter 3:10-11)
Someone who identifies with, connects with, carries out the LORD God of Creation’s mandate according to his instructions.
Kingdom Come 