The Bible Miniseries Episode 3 : To Lead or To Save?

Apologies that we are two weeks behind in our review of The Bible Miniseries as we have been away in Kuching conducting a creation-based youth camp. Still, we continue to find this miniseries a "discerning-stimulating" exercise for us. Movies have a way of bypassing our thinking "filter" and directly influencing one's worldview. This then is the challenge of training our thinking in a visually stimulating world today.

This particular episode is the turning point because it introduces the central focus of Scripture - the coming of the promised Messiah. Now, the presence (or absence) of the redemptive theme of sin, repentance, judgment and forgiveness becomes even more glaring.

So, let's apply the B.I.B.L.E framework for a Biblical worldview...      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
(B)lood of Christ
Quoting the narration leading up to the focus on Daniel - "...the Jewish nation needs a different kind of leader to survive in Babylon.." And in the narration leading to the period of the New Testament, the scene was set for a "new King David that will lead them to salvation" (describing Christ). Right throughout this whole miniseries, the focus has been on various situational leadership models, whereas according to Philippians 2:7, Jesus took on the form of a bond-servant. Instead of being the Savior of the World (John 3:17), Jesus is positioned as the someone driven by a purpose to "change the world".  

(I)ntegrity of Character
During the scene where Jesus was baptized by John, two conspicuous signs were missing - the voice of the Father from above and the Spirit of God descending as a dove (Matthew 3:16). Why was the Trinity not presented in its clear form as depicted in the Gospels?

When tempted by Satan in the final temptation, the Jesus in the miniseries had this to say - "Get away from me Satan, I shall worship the Lord my God and serve Him only." This is a contradictory misquote of Matthew 4:10 which states - "Begone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only". How can Jesus being the Son of God be worshiping the Lord? In fact, Matthew 22:41-46, Jesus highlighted an interesting parallel - how can the Christ be Lord if He is also the son of David? So, it is clear - Jesus is both Savior and Lord and He does not worship - He is to be worshiped.

(B)asis for Salvation
According this miniseries the prospect of salvation appears to rise and fall with the quality of leadership. When Jesus recruited Simon Peter by demonstrating His control over nature, the appeal was to "change the world" - be an agent of change! However, Luke 5:8 records that Simon Peter hardly felt like a "world changer" - in fact, it  witnessing the miracle of the supernatural fish catch, Peter stated - "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man..."

The basis for salvation is not leadership works, rather it is forgiveness obtained through the shedding of blood from a perfect, sinless person - Jesus Christ.

(L)aw of God
Daniel's three friends was depicted as being more righteous than he is - when confronted with the compromising choice of bowing down to the image of King Nebuchadnezzar. Whereas in Daniel 3:1-30, it is evident that Daniel was not around when this incident happened (perhaps he was away on official business). We have to remember that later on, this is the same Daniel that stood firm for his right to pray despite the threat to his life.

(E)nd Times/Prophetic Consistency 
Matthew 2:16 states that King Herod estimated that the age of the Messiah could not be more than two years old - based on the information given by the Magi (wise men). So, the visitation of the wise men was not at the manger - in fact, Matthew 2:11 shows that the visitation took place in "the house". Also, the escape to Egypt did not happen immediately after the birth of baby Jesus. Hence, the scene of so many people congregating at the manger looks more like a Christmas play rather than a reflection of reality.

We congratulate the producers of The Bible Miniseries for creating an engaging watch, yet there remains such a subtle shift of emphasis from the redemptive theme that it becomes nothing more than a series of leadership lessons. The scarlet thread of Christ's blood, the beautiful story of salvation woven into every book of the Bible, is missing in the miniseries. Jesus Christ came into the world not to improve our leadership skills or inspire us to change the world, rather to save us from our sins. 

The very first message Jesus preached was not "change the world" but "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).

--Joseph & Eliza.

The Bible Miniseries Episode 2: Sorry Leaders and Poor Choices

Bible study has never been more fun now that we have a visual research project to keep us occupied all the way up to Easter! The Bible Miniseries opens up for our family a whole new way to creatively appreciate the historicity of Scriptures. With the visually stunning depiction of major events in the Bible, we have to put in extra effort to look beyond the production into the theology of this series. This is what we fear - what is visually captivating has a way of forming our worldview without us even detecting it.

So, we are going to apply the B.I.B.L.E. worldview filter on two characters in this week's episode which focuses on Joshua, Rahab, Samson, Samuel, Saul, and David.

(B)lood of Christ
The Word of God - though made up of many events and lives, has a common scarlet thread which weaves through its pages and that is the redemptive plan of salvation which culminates with the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Central to the progressive revelation of God's salvation is the central role of the sacrificial system and the role of the priest in mediating the relationship between God and man. In the show, the only temple-related item highlighted is the Ark of the Covenant - but it is presented more as a personal "chat-room" with the Lord rather than an awesome place where God gives His orders. Speaking about scarlet threads, this episode shows Rahab tying it next to the doorpost whereas the Scriptural account states that it was at the window where the spies were let down (Joshua 2:21). Also, instead of showing Rahab as actively displaying faith in the God of Israel and her initiative in seeking for protection, it was the two spies who were more concerned for her.

(I)ntegrity of Character
Though both Saul and David sin, we do not see a fundamental difference in the way they repent. Thus, God may be depicted as playing favorites which He does not. "For God does not show favoritism" (Romans 2:11). We would have preferred David to have spent time quoting Psalms 51 in addition to Psalms 23. In fact, Saul was shown to be more "repentant" because in one scene, he was even asking God for forgiveness in his sleep and he was tormented by his guilt. David, on the other hand, when confronted by prophet Nathan for his adulterous and murderous act just resolutely remarked - "We shall see...." - This is hardly the Psalms 51 author which we know of in Scripture.

Although Scripture depicts Samson as rebellious, especially toward his parents, the miniseries places him in a different light. In the show, he gives in to his people's pleas for him to give himself up to the Philistines (there is no record of this event in the Bible), originally thinking it was the will of God. Hence, the character of Samson has been "toned-down" to portray him as a "purpose-driven" leader rather than a rebellious person who ended up being used by God despite his waywardness (now, in such a situation, who gets the glory? It is God - who through His amazing grace is able to use Samson in spite of his shortcomings).

(B)asis for Salvation
It is becoming quite clear that The Bible Miniseries is a collection of God-inspired leadership parables and I can foresee that these video clips will be a great resource for a leadership training class and group discussion. But when it comes to matters of sin, repentance and righteousness, it fails miserably. In fact, the narration leading to the introduction of Samson has this to say (when explaining why Israel was in a mess) - "....without great leaders to unite them...." Now, we know full well that the reason for Israel's predicament was their unfaithfulness to worship the one True God and their adulterous relationship with heathen gods - not because of a lack of leadership.

(L)aw of God
As mentioned earlier, the role of the priests should have been given more air time. One of the key titles of Jesus is that He is our High Priest. Instead, the focus of this week's episode was on the heroic, leadership exploits rather than on the constant need for the Israelites to follow God's Laws and the need for atonement.

(E)nd Times Consistency
Towards the end of the episode - we see the starting connection to the coming Messiah - when David is told by Nathan that his kingdom will last forever. This sets the stage even closer to the birth of Christ. And for this, we eagerly await the unveiling of the next episode.


--Joseph & Eliza.

The Bible Miniseries Episode 1: Ninja Angels and Visionary Leaders

With the screening of the inaugural episode of “The Bible” miniseries on the History Channel, we were all ready for this epic which states right in the beginning – “This program is an adaptation of Bible stories. It endeavors to stay true to the spirit of the book”. As we were watching, the scenes and portrayal was so engaging that we had to quickly grab our Bibles and keep asking ourselves the question – “Did this really happen?”

Here are the BIG QUESTIONS :

1. Should we watch this epic miniseries for historical accuracy or “spirit of the book” enjoyment? Could we fall into the tendency to nitpick by judging this series by the “letter of the law”?
2. What then about God’s character (the formal word is theology – the study of God)? Is this aspect portrayed clearly and accurately?

Here come the BIG ANSWERS :

1. It is clear that the emphasis of this series is on the major characters of the Bible (Noah, Abraham, Moses for episode one) – so, the point of identification with the viewers is exceptionally strong and appealing because as you view their struggles, you may be repeating to yourself – “Hey, I was like that once..” or “I would feel same way as well”. So, we enjoy watching it from this perspective because it is “personable”. Hence, we can infer that is in line with the "spirit of the book" emphasis of this miniseries.
   
   On the other hand, we may question the accuracy of certain portrayals: Children (instead of adult sons & daughters-in-law) on Noah's ark, Angels that act like Ninjas, the omission of any reference to the sin of homosexuality in Sodom, and a Lamb stuck in the thicket instead of a Ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Should we excuse all these details since "The Bible" miniseries is an adaptation rather than a verse-by-verse retelling? Or should these questionable details be a cause for concern? With the written Word of God as our reference point, we as discerning believers ought to be aware of inconsistencies. However, we do need to avoid the other extreme of legalistic, unsubstantiated nitpicking.
   
   
2. We enjoyed watching “The Bible” – no doubt about it. Great entertainment value and overall, it brings to life many aspects of Scripture that many (especially non-believers) would not have read on their own. Hopefully, this miniseries will create enough curiosity for viewer to go on to the “real stuff” which is the words of Scripture itself.
   
   Addressing the question of theology, how is God involved in this miniseries? References in episode one to "Abraham's dream", "Abraham's covenant with God", etc appear to give center stage to a man-centric leadership. Often, God is portrayed as the Originator of the vision but the man is the one who casts and implements the vision. Certain phrases - "Trust in God", "God is with us" - are constantly repeated as an affirmation to the man's leadership. While we do not disagree with the overall message of these phrases, we have to bear in mind that God is the Author and Finisher of His Covenant with His people. Fundamentally, it is man's obedience, not his leadership which makes all the difference.
   
   While there is obviously the creative license in producing the cinematic flow, we were thinking – What sort of filter should we have when watching? Shouldn't we be on guard against “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”? What should be the framework to “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”? (2 Corinthians 10:5)
   
   How do we as believers who desiring “strong meat” exercise our senses to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14) and be like the Bereans who search the Scriptures when Paul preached (Acts 17:10-11). So, here’s a helpful handle to help you “bereanize” your thinking and "bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" while watching “The Bible” miniseries :

• B lood of Christ – The redemptive link throughout history.
• I ntegrity of Character – The right depiction of God’s consistent character.
• B asis for Salvation – The obtaining of it by grace through faith, not of works.
• L aw of God – The reality of sin and its serious consequences.
• E nd Times Consistency – The fulfilment of prophecies and signs.

We will be using the above B.I.B.L.E. worldview to help us dissect the upcoming episodes of "The Bible" miniseries. Stay tuned....


--Joseph & Eliza.

Atoms & Archaeopteryx

Source : http://www.kairos-malaysia.org/index.cfm?menuid=69

Here are a few statements extracted from an article (written by a Christian geology professor) - "Geology, Age of the Earth and Evolution" coupled with a few BIG QUESTIONS :

1. "It comes as a surprise to many that I, a born-again Christian, can believe in creation and yet teach evolution". Is there be a "middle-path" between creation and evolution?
2. "The fact is that missing links do exist. For instance, Archaeopteryx ..." If missing links do exist, then evolution is no longer a theory, but a fact, right?
3. "The Bible need not be literal to be true". So, the Bible holds value for its spiritual content, and where there is a contradiction between Science and Scripture, the Bible must be reinterpreted to fit in with the evidences. Why then should we trust the authenticity of an out-dated Bible?

Here come the BIG ANSWERS :

1. Yes, it does come as a BIG surprise to me that creation and evolution can be reconciled and taught so as to reinforce each other. The main deciding factor is our response to the Biblical account of the creation of Adam and Eve. Luke 3:38 states clearly Adam is the progenitor of all mankind - a special creation of God. When Adam was created, there was no sin, no death, no suffering and yet the fossil record (according to evolution) seemingly bear "evidences" of death and suffering millions of years before Adam. You cannot have the right theology of sin and death if you allow millions of years of death and suffering to creep into the Genesis text. The Bible clearly teaches that death, particularly the physical and spiritual death of man, entered the world only after the first man, Adam, sinned. In Romans 5:12 the apostle Paul wrote: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Click here for 20 reasons why Genesis and Evolution do not mix.
   
   
2. As an icon for the "missing link", the Archaeopteryx has been hailed as an intermediary species between reptiles and birds. Yet, its feathers are fully formed - non which is intermediary between scales and feathers. For a list of six features which places the Archaeopteryx uniquely as a bird, check out this reference. In fact, we have prepared a special YouTube video to address this issue as well. Evolution (as in the case of changing from one kind of animal to another kind) is an interpretation of the facts, not the fact itself.
   
   
3. Hebrew uses special grammatical structures for historical narrative and Genesis 1-11 uses those structures. It is the same form as Gen 12 and Exodus, Joshua, Judges, etc. It is not poetry or allegory. The strongest structural parallel of Genesis 1 is Numbers 7:10-84. Both are structured accounts, both contain the Hebrew word for day (yom) with a numeric - indeed both are numbered sequences of days. Furthermore, there are over 100 quotations from or allusions to Genesis 1-11 in the New Testament, none of which hint at Genesis begin anything but history. Jesus genealogy (Luke 3) goes back to Adam, not to that of an ape-like creature! Exodus 20:11 seals it when it states plainly - "For in six days, the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them..." Many church leaders today do not accept the creation days as ordinary earth-rotation days. However, when their reasons are investigated, we find that influences from outside of Scripture (particularly belief in billions-of-years-old universe) are the ultimate cause. Where the Bible speaks literally, it must be taken as such - else you are subjecting it to an even higher authority. Check out this well-researched article on why Genesis should be taken literally.
   
   

--Joseph & Eliza.