Was the Bible Left Behind?
The movement often called "dispensationalism" originated in the 1800s in Great Britain with John Nelson Darby. This Protestant perspective on the Bible has a number of features, including the division of human history into "dispensations," a literalist reading of biblical prophecies, and the understanding that nearly all of the book of Revelation was written solely with regard to the last seven years of earth’s history. The aspect of dispensationalism that is featured in the movie Left Behind is Darby’s idea of a secret rapture, seven years before the close of earth’s history, Christ would come secretly and snatch up all Christian believers, leaving 144,000 Jews as God’s representatives on earth to prepare the way for the visible coming of Christ at the end of the seven-year period.
This viewpoint first came to the attention of the wider American public through the writings of Hal Lindsey in the 1970s. Based on his understanding of the Bible, Lindsey predicted that the rapture would take place in 1981, leading to seven years of chaos and the visible coming of Christ in 1988. More recently, Tim LaHaye wrote a series of novels (now being featured as movies) to once again popularize the viewpoint, but without Lindsey’s date-setting aberrations. Thanks to the books and the movie, Christians in general, and even many in the secular environment are talking about this scenario and wondering what the Bible actually has to say about it.
While I have not read the books, I have seen the movie a couple of times and my comments relate specifically to that. One positive aspect I see in the movie is that it uplifts the Bible as the antidote to a media-manipulated reality. This is clearly the central message of much of the book of Revelation. In the last days of earth’s history the deceptive forces of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet will try to deceive the world by means of spectacular actions and events (Rev 13:13-14; 16:13-14). Things will not be as they seem. The evidence of the eyes and ears will lead people to believe a lie. At such a time, the only safe course for followers of Jesus is an unwavering reliance on the Word of God over against the evidence of the five senses. The movie makes this point repeatedly and with emphasis. I agree.
The success of the movie could also encourage a trend toward more sensitive portrayals of Christian faith in Hollywood. For years Christians and Christian faith have been ignored in Hollywood movies, except for the occasional self-righteous bigot. Some readers may be tempted to say "so what", but the reality is that the godless perspective of Hollywood has a huge impact on society as a whole. For Christian faith to have a fighting chance in today’s world, it cannot hurt to have some positive, sensitive portrayals of genuine faith in the public square. Left Behind has been followed by The Passion of the Christ and The Nativity, among others, a very positive development in my opinion.
But perhaps even more important, a movie like Left Behind causes many to think and to study the Bible, perhaps for the first time. For some secular people watching this movie or movies like it may be their one and only shot at a genuine openness to Christian experience. When Christians express cynicism about other Christians to a secular person, it only reinforces their sense that all versions of Christian faith are irrelevant to real life. Whether you agree with the thesis of the movie or not, it has had a marvelous pre-evangelistic effect in many people’s lives.
I wish I could end on this note of encouragement, but I cannot. There are serious, serious problems with the message of the movie and its underlying theology. I believe that the most important thing that was "left behind" in this movie was the message and intention of the writers of the Bible. Whole books could be written, and have been written, detailing many of the ways in which Left Behind theology deviates from the biblical perspective. I will need to limit myself to a few basic points that were featured in the film. Please stay tuned to the blogs that will follow on this subject.
Jesus said in the testimony of Mathew chapter 24 virus 6. "Many will come in my name and say that Iam Christ and will deceive many". How will the do this? The best answer I could come up with is They teach for doctrine the percepts of man. How many have done just that in recent history? In my opinion let me name a few. Willam Miller,Ellen G White,John Nelson Darby, Taz Rusell, Brigham Young.All these espoused doctrine which the Lord never of himself ever taught. There are more then these this day who do the same. This would e true of many others down through history who have done the same. The point is this every time the Lord set out to put His house in order the adversary was not far behind to conterdict what God was doing,and all this to confuse the many. Not on like when Moses and Aron went before Pharaoh and cast down the rod that turned in to a snake and likewise did pharaoh magicions causing a counterfeit as we know that Aron's rod swallowed up the others. That is what believe has been going on with today's so called prophets,now that doesn't,t mean that there aren't Prophets now I do believe there are but I'm sure also there are false ones too. and usurper's too. Or counterfeiters IF YOU WILL. F J Toney
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