Noah - movie review

The movie Noah caused quite a stir, not to mention drawing criticism from the more conservative religious elements. However, if they'd step back and realize that Hollywood film makers take liberties with just about every story they adapt to film, and look at the adaptation for what it is, they might find there are many elements to admire.

What are they? Well, let's start with the supernatural element. The touches all over all in this film. Angels falling to Earth wanting to 'help' mankind. Noah dreaming about the planet drowning in water. Grandfather blessing Shem's barren wife and final blessing on the grandchildren at the end by the relic that glows.

The wickedness of mankind. Graphically illustrated in several scenes. The barren planet since it had been used up. Humans thinking they are equal with God and could do with the world and its creatures as they please. It showed why God would have cleansed the Earth to begin with.

It's talks about the great cities of man and the technology the angels brought with them. It shows the genetic manipulation of animals, which the Bible does talk about. Yes, the reference is in there. Double check the story. It speaks of the impure animals.

Ultimately, it is a story of redemption. How one man and his family found favor in God's eyes and survived. They obediently built the ark and survived.

Interesting thing, the story of the flood is in just about every culture. Mankind did remember. They changed the details to fit their mythology, but they do remember. Even science has recently found evidence to support it.

So, take a second look at Noah. It's a good film and an attempt at telling a Biblical story with all sorts of surprises mixed in.

End Dayers Theorists

This week's guest on Sid Roth is yet another 'End Days' theorist. His speculations are similar to the UFO chasers and their theories that Area 51 is being used to test alien technology. Some of the early pictures in magazines that are no longer printed actually showed pictures of the bomber that won the first Gulf war, yet they swore it was an alien spacecraft.

Unfortunately, it seems the Christian world must also have its conspiracy theorists and all of it falls under 'end days' prophecy. The odd thing is, even in Paul's day, they thought they lived in the end times. It is all through the New Testament writings.

Unfortunately, there have been too many guests on Sid Roth spouting pretty much the same things. World bankers will, by 2018, have introduced a one world currency. The US was founded on pagan not Biblical principles. The Free Masons were all part of it and intended to build a New Atlantis.
These ideas are all similar to the teachings of Edgar Cayce (sp), an occult leader of many years back and deserve about as much credibility. 

The Bible clearly says we do not the day or the time. Only to redeem the days for they are evil.

Not to mention that each of these so called 'experts' keep quoting, ...as in the days of Noah...yet they never actually complete the entire verse. They go off on these wild goose chasers claiming that there will be human/animal half breeds or that UFOs will land, filled with demons, and interbreed with the human race.

However, the rest of the verse simply says that as in the days of Noah, life will pretty much be normal with people marrying like they do all the time.

Sorry, but these speculations are wild fantasy and deserve about as much credit as those folks who chase ghosts or UFOs, which don't actually exist either.

A Different Perspective on 'As the days Noah were'

There is a popular thinking among a few last dayers that the days shall be like Noah's and that the 'sons of heaven' shall once again come to Earth, bring many secrets with them and the whole world shall be deceived.

However, Matthew 24: 37-39 (KJV) it says:
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Notice what Jesus said. He didn't say the 'sons of heaven' shall return and do what they did before. In fact, those particular demons are locked away until the day of judgement.

2 Peter 2: 4-5 (KJV)
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement;
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. 

Notice those particular angels, the ones who interbreed with humanity, were cast down into hell and chained up until the day of judgement. They will not be free to do what they did before.

What it really looks like is that life will seem normal. People will be going on with their daily lives and then, bam! Christ returns for his church.

Genetic manipulation in Genesis?

I was watching Sid Roth one evening and two of his guests suggested that not only did the 'sons of God' mate with human females, but there was also genetic manipulation of animals.

In Genesis 7:2 (KJV) God commands Noah -

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female; and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

The word clean is tahor. It means pure in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense. Related to taher - implied to be pure, physical-sound, clear, unadulterated. Levit. uncontaminated. morally - innocent or holy. clean, purge, purify.

Most importantly here, it must be noted that in the time of Noah, the Law did not yet exist, so no animals were considered unclean.

So why then did God command Noah to take clean beasts by sevens and unclean beasts only by twos? A bigger question is if the world, the evil of it, caused God to want to destroy it, why would He even allow the unclean beasts to survive? Wouldn't it have been better to allow the creatures altered from the way they were created to die and keep only those that were clean or unchanged?

All very interesting questions to which we have no real answers.

 

Review : The Bible Miniseries - Part 1

It was with great anticipation that I watched the first installment of The Bible on the History Channel. The story of Adam & Eve and Noah were briefly touched upon. The scenes with the ark plunging through the waves was impressive. Abraham, Sarah and the angle with Hagar was covered in great depth, the near sacrifice of Issac, the emphasis being on the promise of Abram's descendents being numerous as the stars. Sodom's fiery destruction was well done and so was the scene with the two battling angels. It was an unexpected bit of spice, complete with armor and swords with one black angel and one Oriental.

Next up was the story of Moses and his rivalry with the Egyptian pharaoh. The burning bush was impressive but I found it disappointing they made no mention of Moses' wife. Up next was the ten plagues, hurried through and the final release of God's people after the death of the ruler's first born. Stopping at the edge of the Red Sea, the army in pursuit, the parting of the waters was impressive. However, I questions the fact they got wet at all since the Bible says they cross on dry land and there was tons of spray in the air. On the other side, the waters drowned their captor's army and pharaoh was left beaten.

The story left off with the passing of power to Joshua and the two spies sneaking into Jericho and the introduction of Rahab.

Although not the way I personally would have presented the stories, this version is a wonderful attempt to make the Bible available to the masses and I praise the producers, Roma Downey and her husband.