Throughout the LEM book series we’ll be considering many scriptural, natural, and cultural revelations of Christ which reveal the workings of Providence in providing symbols to help make certain concepts more clear. The following is an explanation of these basic concepts to provide a deeper and richer scripture study experience, while avoiding many pitfalls that people often fall into.
Keeping a copy of the Bible handy as you study the books in this series can help you find deeper meaning and create anchor points for understanding. A printed Bible provides a more tangible experience and aids in forming a cognitive map for recalling and connecting points. Research supports the value of reading printed books. A printed Bible also has a certain vintage appeal, reflective of its timeless message.
For those unfamiliar with the Bible may find it challenging to read. The combination of frankness and factuality within it doesn’t gloss over the mistakes of its main characters, in contrast to contemporary writings of the times. Add to that God’s patience with human weakness and the time gap since it was written, and not every story is pleasant. But these factors help validate the Bible’s authenticity and provide assurance of God’s patience with humanity.
Some might feel about reading the Bible like the grandson in The Princess Bride felt about his grandfather’s book. At first, it may seem boring, but once you understand how it reveals Christ, the swashbuckling narrative becomes quite riveting. The grandfather’s book that was passed down through generations is like the Bible. It shares similar themes to this movie, which can be seen as a cultural revelation of Christ.
By the workings of providence, it would seem, cultural examples such as this provide glimpses of how interesting and beautiful the Bible’s stories are. Because it is the source of all knowledge and all mysteries, we find its truths reflected in a myriad of ways throughout nature and culture. Ecclesiastes 3:11, NIV, hints at this phenomenon when it says, “He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” The book entitled “Eternity in their Hearts” by Don Richardson expounds on this concept in more detail, discussing how God has put an innate sense of eternal truth within us and how stories and symbols that connect to biblical truths may be found in every culture.
Many are the ways God is reaching out to his children. He has traced his story on the canvas of Heaven and Earth. It’s written in the stars, on the continents, and in the ocean depths. It’s conveyed through media and artwork and shown through living and historical examples. When the Master storyteller that kept lakeside crowds spell-bound for hours returned to Heaven, his story telling hadn’t ended. It had only just begun.
I’m not recommending unfiltered acceptance of movies and mythology, to be sure, yet I believe there is value in recognizing how some may reflect biblical concepts. Though in seeking to avoid desensitizing my mind, I’ve always tried to limit my media exposure, I’ve discovered spiritual parallels in themes from many classic films. Some of these provide deep insights which we’ll be referring to throughout this book series.
Yet it’s still wise to be cautious about media exposure, especially for children. The introduction of pagan or mythical concepts can lead to reduced interest in biblical truths (2 Timothy 4:3, 4). Verses like Proverbs 4:23 are among the reasons I also prefer to view movie scene clips on a smaller screen with lowered volume: “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
It's not just every movie that shows evidence of Providential influence in cultural depictions of Christ. What we're looking for is what God has done rather than what man has done. Just making a movie with spiritual or biblical themes, even if it contains bits and pieces of truth, is not necessarily useful to spiritual study.
Taking the fact that some movies do seem to have providentially guided scriptural themes as an excuse to embrace movies as a general form of entertainment is also not the point. Many, and perhaps most, Hollywood-like productions are not spiritually uplifting and don't inspire to holiness or lead to greater understandings of scripture.
Some types of movies, especially those with occult themes, even if they seem to have great controversy themes, are not useful to scriptural analogies and may have more negative influence than anything else, overall. A few I can think of that top that list would include Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis Narnia, Harry Potter, etc. Even if occult-themed movies seem to have scriptural themes, they can be deceptive.
Again, we're looking for what God has done, not what people make to seem spiritual or scriptural. The only way to know the difference between fools gold and real gold is to spend time studying scripture, and learn to hear God's voice and recognize how his Spirit works. Then you will not be deceived by look alike similarities to truth.
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