Tag Archives: Christianity

Apr 16 2014

The Prodigal Son, Part 1 – (Luke 15)

Just about everyone has heard of the “parable of the prodigal son.” And many of us have heard several different sermons preached about that parable. There seems to be something different to take away from it from many perspectives. Today, we will look at the story from the viewpoint of what happened to the younger son.

The prodigal son departs

The prodigal son departs

 

It begins with the younger of two sons asking for his father to give him his share of the inheritance that he was to receive. So the father, though he had no requirement to do so, divided their property then and gave him his share. The older son, according to custom, would receive a double portion.

The younger one took his belongings, and traveled to a far off country; and he wasted his inheritance in what the scripture terms “reckless living.” After a famine occurred in the country, he had to go to work feeding pigs; and his situation became so desperate that even the pods that he was feeding the pigs began to look good to him. These pods were from the carob tree. It is only the husks that were actually edible. The seeds inside are too hard to be edible. The husks can be ground into a type of flour that has a quality like chocolate, and in fact, carob is used by many today as a substitute for chocolate. But they were usually only eaten by the poor when times were most desperate – or for feeding pigs, of course.

carob_pods_270314This younger son at this point realized how much better off he would be back at his father’s home – even by offering himself as a servant, rather than a family member. He resolved to go back and beg his father to allow him to come back under just those conditions; and he even rehearsed how he would ask for this. He realized that his circumstances were entirely his fault, and that his father had no obligation even to give him a place to stay (much less feed him) as a servant.

The younger son realized something that may not occur to us when we stray. As sinners, if we have no repentance in our hearts and our lives, God has no obligation to even hear our prayers. He may choose to do so. But he has made no promise in that respect. What a dreadful situation to be separated from God, and unable to present our petitions to Him because of the condition of our hearts. But it is evident that the results of his sin have caused a change in his heart.

Next, we’ll look a little closer at what happened when he goes to his father with this change of heart, and what that means to the elder brother.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 15 2014

His Sheep – (Luke 15)

sheep_270314All through the Bible, and especially in the New Testament, the analogy is made to people as sheep. Jesus told His disciples that He is the “Good Shepeherd” (John 10:1-21). He told Peter to “feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Paul charged the elders of the church at Ephesus to pay attention to the flock and to the wolves that would come to devour them (Acts 20:28-31). And Peter charged the elders to “shepherd the flock among you” (1 Peter 5:1-5). And of course, everyone has at least heard of the 23rd Psalm.

shepherd_270314The Israelites had long been a pastoral people. Sheep could be bred in large numbers, and provided meat, milk, and wool, making them an excellent choice for such people to raise. But sheep are not generally known for their intelligence. For example, a sheep will continue to graze and if allowed to, will wander far away from the herd without realizing it is getting lost.

Before the poor animal knows what has happened, it can fall prey to predators because of the lack of numbers or a shepherd to protect it. Or it may simply not be able to find its way, and wander aimlessly. The sheep and their shepherd become very close, and the sheep are wholly dependent on him. There is a bond that forms, and the sheep will absolutely respond to the mere voice of the shepherd because it trusts him.

It is this type of care for God’s people that Jesus assumed when he became flesh. And it is the same care that He expected His apostles to assume and to establish in His church. As His children, we are dependent on Him for our salvation. But it is easy for us to lose our way, and to fall prey to those who wish to harm His church. Those who assume such a role in His church should be respected and always encouraged by the rest of us. It is an awesome responsibility to care for His sheep.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 14 2014

Into the Streets and Lanes – (Luke 15)

Jesus continued to draw large crowds as His ministry continued. Now more than ever before, it seems the tax collectors and sinners drew nearer to Him to hear what He had to say. This of course raised the hackles on the Pharisees, who grumbled about such a scandalous thing – a supposed man of God consorting openly with those who were known to be living contrary to God’s word.

The Lost Drachma

The Lost Drachma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus acknowledged their sentiment toward the subject, but did not validate it. Instead he offers the parables of the lost sheep and of the lost coin. He asks if any of them who had 100 sheep would not leave the 99 in search of one that was lost. And he spoke of the joy the woman would have over finding the lost coin.  He tells them that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than for 99 righteous people who “need no repentance.”

It was no accident that everywhere Jesus went, He attracted such people because that was what He intended to do. In Matthew 18:14, Jesus made it clear, speaking of children , that “it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” But he said it in the context of the parable of the lost sheep in that passage. In the last chapter, Jesus told the parable of the man who gave the great banquet, and eventually sent his servant out “into the streets and the lanes,” bringing those that others have excluded to the banquet (Luke 14:21).

Jesus was doing just that. The tax collectors and the sinners that the Pharisees disdained here are the people who have been excluded in their own way. God wanted Jesus to find and save those people, and bring them to the feast. We do well to remember that Jesus said many times that he had “not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). These are people that we too are supposed to love enough to want to help them to be saved.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 13 2014

The Great Commitment

 

Creator of Abor Day, Julius Sterling Morton in...

Creator of Abor Day, Julius Sterling Morton in 1858. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the last two verses of Luke chapter 14, Jesus talks about salt that has lost its flavor. Numerous explanations have been given us for how salt can lose its flavor, and some sound pretty close to accurate, while others do not (IMHO). So I am going to offer my own. Julius Sterling Morton was a philanthropist and early settler of Nebraska. Deciding that it was much too flat, he began the business of planting enormous amounts of trees there. He eventually created a 400 acre arboretum, which has grown into a 1700 acre wonder of living trees, bushes, etc. Grover Cleveland made him the 3rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and a notable addition to his accomplishments was the founding of Arbor Day.

In 1911, one of his sons, Joy Morton, turned the business he had bought into the incorporated Morton Salt Company. The slogan “when it rains, it pours” was adapted from an old proverb. The little girl holding the umbrella in the rain was created with the slogan. The company had begun adding magnesium chloride to prevent caking when it became humid. It worked very well, but in a shaker you will still sometimes see that people have put a few grains of rice in to absorb moisture and prevent clumping, as it is out of the box and it sits for a long time.

The salt we buy these days with that little girl and the umbrella (or a more generic brand, if you prefer) can be bought for about 50 cents a box today. It is refined salt, which removes many natural minerals, and various companies add different chemicals for various reasons. But the salt that was around in Jesus’ day was unrefined salt – just the way God made it. You can buy unrefined salt today, but the same amount of unrefined salt as what you get in that round box will set you back anywhere from $6 -$15. But many of us believe it is much healthier for you.

Salt farmers harvesting salt, Pak Thale, Ban L...

Salt farmers harvesting salt, Pak Thale, Ban Laem, Phetchaburi, Thailand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This unrefined salt contains many minerals (some would call “impurities,” which is a bogus assessment). In those times, if the salt became moist and started to dissolve over a long period of time, it would eventually become bland in taste, as the ratio of sodium chloride to mineral content began to become smaller.

So what has that to do with us? The context in which Jesus was talking about this was all about “counting the cost” of what it takes before becoming a Christian. And in these last two verses, he said “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away.”

When we first become Christians – assuming we are truly committed – we are full of zeal and enthusiasm. But as time goes by and the cares of this life begin taking their toll, some of that zeal and enthusiasm can easily be lost. It is easy for us to begin the race and then slow down over time – or even veer off the path. If we are not careful, we can lose our way, and our faith can become in vain – useless to anyone who might otherwise be positively influenced by our example.

The best way to keep the “moisture” of life’s troubles and temptations from leaching away our “saltiness” is by keeping the light of God’s word in our lives and nurturing our relationships and love with other Christians. We need a daily dose of reading God’s word, and fellowship that not only gives us encouragement, but also accountability.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.

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Apr 11 2014

David Organizes the Sanctuary – (1 Chronicles 24-25)

In these two chapters, David is organizing the priests and the musicians. It might not sound like such a big deal to us, but it was a monumental task. There were many thousands of Levites at this time, and casting lots as he had them to do was the best way to determine the order in which they would serve. The lines came from the sons of Aaron, which would only include Eleazar and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu had died without any children (Leviticus 10:1-3). It was from the line of Abijah (24:10) that Zechariah, John the baptist’s father, came (Luke 1:5).

 

English: Nadab and Abihu consumed by fire from...

English: Nadab and Abihu consumed by fire from the Lord; illustration from “Figures de la Bible”, illustrated by Gerard Hoet (1648-1733), and others, and published by P. de Hondt in The Hague in 1728; image courtesy Bizzell Bible Collection, University of Oklahoma Libraries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Since the Book of Chronicles is written for the benefit of the returning exiles, it was again important to document the lines carefully in these two chapters. In chapter 25, David and the Levite leaders organized the musicians for the temple under the lines of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. Asaph is credited (at least in the superscripts) with having written Psalm 50 and Psalms 73-83. Heman is probably the same Heman the Ezrahite that is credited in the superscript of Psalm 88. Jeduthun is mentioned in Psalms 39, 62, and 77.

 

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

 

/Bob’s boy

 

___________________

 

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

 

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

 

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Apr 10 2014

Bearing One’s Cross – (Luke 14)

Dante's Vision of Rachel and Leah Dante Gabrie...

Dante’s Vision of Rachel and Leah Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1899 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In verse 25, Jesus is no longer at the house of the Pharisee, and “great crowds” were with Him. Then he turned to them and said “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Now obviously, Jesus is not teaching hate for our loved ones, and we all know that He is saying that our love for Him must take priority over everything and everyone else. So why not just say it that way? It was simply the way that the sentiment was expressed among the Jews of those and earlier times. It was used, for example, with relation to Jacob’s feelings for Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29:30-31),

And then Jesus says “whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” We sometimes hear others speak of some difficulty they have in their lives and refer to it as “the cross I bear.” But consider the people who Jesus was talking to here. For them, crucifixion was not simply some bizarre and barbaric practice one reads about in a book of history. It was the normal method of execution used in that day, and the punishment did not come after years and years of appeals and waiting. It came swiftly, and often.

English: Engraving of Jesus Christ on Golgotha.

English: Engraving of Jesus Christ on Golgotha. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The language would have been plain to His disciples. He was telling them that truly being committed as a disciple of Christ could result in one’s death for that commitment. He gives them the example of someone who would begin building a tower. Such an undertaking would not be so easy as building house, for example. The time it took would be considerable, and the labor would be intensive. Most likely, one would have to enlist the help of many others in order to complete it. And the amount of materials required would be costly, possibly requiring a great deal of it to be transported from far away.

The second example he gave was of a king, preparing an army to do battle with another army. Careful consideration would have to be made about the probabilities of the outcome, the commitment required to prevail, etc. Both examples demonstrate the careful consideration that would have to be given before making such commitments – counting the costs beforehand. Many do not realize that this is the kind of commitment Jesus expects even today from those who would be His disciples.

It is not a decision to take so lightly that it becomes simply a Sunday morning ritual. Being a Christian must mean making a genuine and profound change in one’s entire life. The Lord expects no less than that. Why would we expect that years after first making that commitment it would be acceptable to Him for us to simply “go through the motions” once a week? It it takes much work and focus to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1).

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 9 2014

The Great Banquet – (Luke 14)

Verses 12-24 contain the “Parable of the Great Banquet.” Jesus begins addressing the man who invited him. He tells him that whenever he gives a dinner or a banquet, he should not invite his friends, family, or rich neighbors, but instead he should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. The former group of people will be likely to return his graciousness by inviting him to a feast of their own, whereas the latter will be unable to do so.

feasting_200314But He tells the man that he will blessed because he will be repaid at the “resurrection of the just.” Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8), so the point was well taken.  The more often we read God’s word, the clearer it becomes how important it is to God that we treat very well those who are poor or physically disadvantaged. God makes the point over and over again through the prophets in the Old Testament; and Jesus does so time and again by His words and His actions.  Generosity and kindness to others in those situations truly matters.

But Jesus is not finished with the lesson. When one of those at table commented “blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God,” Jesus began the parable. A man planned a “great banquet,” and had invited a great many people. When the time came for it to be held, he sent his servant around to remind everyone that the time had arrived. But he received one excuse after another from people who were too busy with the affairs of this life to attend. So the man became angry, and instead he filled his house with the poor, the crippled, the blind, and finally with anyone his servant met that would come. And the man declared that none of those who had originally been invited would be allowed to attend, should they change their mind.

It is not hard to figure out the meaning of the parable. The man giving the banquet represents God and the banquet represents the kingdom. Those invited first were God’s chosen people, and their excuses were the rejection of the Christ. And of course, the last group brought in represents the Gentiles – all who will come.

Did any of those who were “reclining at table” really understand this? Perhaps some did. It took Peter and the other apostles a while to truly get it (Acts 10, Acts 15:6-11), but God made sure that they did.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 8 2014

The Chief Seats – (Luke 14)

Jesus told another parable beginning in verse while at the dinner at the Pharisee’s house. The scripture says that this parable of the wedding feast was prompted by the way He saw that the guests had chosen the “places of honor.” Some versions call these seats “the chief seats,” while others call them simply the “best seats.” We cannot be sure which these were, but a good assumption might be that the very best seats would be those closest to the host.

What Jesus makes the analogy to is being invited to a wedding feast and choosing one of those places of honor, only to get “bumped down” to a more lowly seat when someone “more distinguished” shows up. It would be better to choose the lowly seats, and then the host might move you to a better seat, bringing you honor instead of embarrassment. This is certainly sound advice, and would definitely make you seem less presumptuous and more polite anyway.

English: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating...

English: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Matthew 25:14-30 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But beyond the practical advice for everyday life that this parable involves, it resounds with the way that Jesus has taught all along. He tells them that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” He taught this at the sermon on the mount. And he drives this point home to His apostles (Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16 , Luke 13:30). The teaching was very relevant for these Pharisees, many of whom had a high opinion of their own importance.

And of course, its relevance to us today is the same as in the passages just mentioned. It is the same mindset that is commanded to us in Matthew 6:3-4, when Jesus tells us to do good for others in secret, so that the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing. Christians should not be about the business of making themselves feel important. Humbleness and humility are valued by God, and we will be rewarded by Him for the good that we do. That is enough.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 7 2014

Against Man’s Will – (Luke 14)

It was on the Sabbath, and Jesus had gone to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees to dine. Verse 2 says that there was a man there who had “dropsy.”  The condition that he had was probably edema, which can be caused from congestive heart failure, kidney, or liver failure. If it was pulmonary edema, it could have been severe enough for breathing to be an issue. At any rate, it seems the condition was obvious by his appearance and manner.

 

Deutsch: Christus im Hause des Pharisäers, Jac...

Deutsch: Christus im Hause des Pharisäers, Jacopo Tintoretto, Escorial (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The last part of verse one says that the Pharisees were watching Jesus carefully even before the man was mentioned. This suggests that although the presence of other people at these dinners was not unusual, this man may have been brought there by the Pharisees in order to trap Jesus. Verse 3 appears to bear that out as well for it says that Jesus “responded” to the lawyers and Pharisees.  He asked them if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not. They remained silent at this question. That itself is noteworthy, because they certainly had plenty to say on the subject on other occasions.

 

Jesus healed the man, of course, and sent him on his way. When Jesus asked which of them would not pull their son or their ox out of a well on the Sabbath if they fell in, they had no answer. Of course, none of them would leave either until the next day. Someone they valued, or a valuable possession would be important enough to them to go against their “law.” But everyone is important to God, and He would not want the suffering of anyone to continue needlessly because of such a law. This itself was further proof that these rabbinical laws were not God’s will.

 

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

 

/Bob’s boy

 

___________________

 

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

 

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

 

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Apr 6 2014

The Movie “Noah” – Assaulting God’s Children For Fun and Profit

English: A photo I personally took of Darren A...

English: A photo I personally took of Darren Aronofsky when he visited San Diego to talk about his upcoming movie “The Wrestler.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is official. We live in a world where “tolerance” for just about anything is heralded like it is the national motto. Almost everyone goes out of their way to be careful not to offend anyone about anything. That is, unless the group of people you are offending is Christians. Christians, it seems, are fair game for any sort of denigration, disrespect, ridicule – whatever suits you. Darren Aronofsky (director and co-writer) and company are shamelessly making a fortune at the expense of the sensibilities of Christians of today, and of Christians of days gone by. If he had made a comedy about all of the Christians that were murdered and even made into human torches in the time of the great persecution of the first century, I suppose that would have been worse. But not by much.

Never before can I remember being conscious of frowning so much during a movie. Never before can I remember becoming so angry at the makers of a film while watching it. I wanted to leave before it ended many times. But I forced myself to stay until the closing credits.

I wanted to like this film – truly I did. From the day when I first saw the previews, I had high hopes that at last a film was being made that might do justice to the story of the second biggest event since creation. Don’t get me wrong, I knew that it probably wouldn’t be true to God’s word. But I was willing to overlook a lot of that in hopes of seeing something besides a small fishing boat with a giraffe’s head poking out of  the top. What I got instead was about two hours of disregard for the truth, disrespect for God, and ridicule for believers of His word. It is unimaginable to me that Aronofsky’s intention was not to offend me, my brothers, and my sisters.

English: God's conversation with Noah. Series ...

English: God’s conversation with Noah. Series History of Noah. Français : Conversation de Dieu avec Noë. Série Histoire de Noë. Polski: Rozmowa Boga Ojca z Noem. Seria Dzieje Noego. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In fairness, there are some things that they did get right, whether by accident or just for the sake of good film segments. I would give them a “B-” on the animals making their way to the ark. There were far too many that appeared to be the same “kind,” in my opinion. But their appearance and entrance to the ark was spectacular. I would give a “C+” also on the size of the ark. Estimates are from the measurements in the bible that it was equal in volume to about 520 railroad cars. This one seemed much smaller, but it was quite massive nonetheless.

I would have to give them an “A” on many aspects of the flood, including an attempt at portraying the opening of the “fountains of the great deep” (Genesis 7:11). In fact, that was one of the things that had attracted me to the movie in the previews. And they get extra points for recognizing the flood as a global event (something that some of our own brethren cannot get right, believe it or not).

I perhaps could have gotten past the Nephilim. There is so much misunderstanding of this term (largely because of the bad translation of the King James version) that I suppose getting that part right would have been too much to ask in any case. But these guys appeared to be the product of J.R.R. Tolkien. At several points, I really thought the Hobbits might make an appearance.

For 120 years, Noah built the great ark, as God had commanded. Noah was an example of obedience (Genesis 6:14-22).

For 120 years, Noah built the great ark, as God had commanded. Noah was an example of obedience (Genesis 6:14-22).

Unfortunately, those creatures are not the worst of the errors and distortions of this movie. “The Creator” uses the big bang to create everything, and man’s presence is explained with the unscriptural viewpoint that we know as “theistic evolution.” But is the movie “Noah” as bad on the level of distortion and blasphemy as “The DaVinci Code?” Absolutely. God (who is only referred to as “the Creator” throughout the film) is depicted as being cruel and viscous.

And He doesn’t even give Noah the instructions he needs about what he is supposed to do or how he is supposed to do it.  Instead, Noah has to rely on his grandfather (Methuselah), who is represented as some sort of sorcerer (as if God would allow a practice He condemns to be used in such a purpose). And incredibly, the serpent’s shed skin is kept by Adam and Eve, and handed down through the generations as some sort of magic juju that they use to “bless” their families.

Noah is depicted as a murderous psychopath even at the beginning of the film, and it got worse (Genesis 6:9 says that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God“). And he purposely allows a girl who may have otherwise become his daughter-in-law to be brutally murdered. Noah himself comes very close to murdering his own infant grandchildren in their mother’s arms while on the ark. When he stops himself at the last minute, he declares that he has failed “the Creator” by not completing the task.

You see, Noah had figured out that “the Creator” was destroying man because of what they had done to the earth (not because of sin), and that he intended for the innocents (the animals) to be the only ones to ultimately survive. He and his family were to die off without reproducing. In the end, Noah decides to further “defy” the Creator, and it is his idea to tell his family to “be fruitful and replenish the earth.” The only time Noah prays is when he decides that he must murder his unborn grandchild if it is a girl. But who can blame him? Every time he looks up into the heavens asking “the Creator” what he is supposed to do, he gets no help at all.

After the flood ended Noah sent out a raven, then a dove, to search for dry land (Genesis 8:6-12).

After the flood ended Noah sent out a raven, then a dove, to search for dry land (Genesis 8:6-12).

There is much more that I could say about the distortion of scripture and the blasphemous nature of this film. In the end, one might say “what is the harm? It’s only a movie.” There is much harm. Anyone who does not know the truth, as well as those who have always thought of the Bible as a book of fairy tales, will from this Tolkien-esque abomination, see nothing but reinforcement of that opinion. Those Christians who themselves have never been taught the reality of the great flood will have every reason to have doubt cast on the scripture’s account, in light of this depiction.

I am not advocating a boycott of the film. For one thing, as is the case with most boycotts, it would be ineffective. But should a Christian go ahead and see this movie simply for its entertainment value? I do not believe so, and must recommend against doing so. We are expected to be “a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9) – not conformed to this world (Romans 12:2). I cannot see any justification for throwing financial support for something that openly contradicts God’s word and even His righteousness itself. There are better ways to entertain one’s self. And as far as Noah is concerned, I recommend the book. It’s much better.

I also recommend a secular book for anyone interested in some good analysis of the ark itself and the time Noah and his family spent with it – “Noah’s Ark: A Feasibility Study” by John Woodmorappe.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy
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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.

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