LEFT BEHIND
Several years ago, two men, Tim La Hay and Jerry Jenkins, wrote a novel entitled Left Behind. It was an imaginary story of what will happen to those who are left behind when believers disappear. The book sold millions. More novels followed and more are to come. In the meantime, they sold the movie rights and a film has been released called Left Behind: The Movie. It opened about a week ago in 900 theaters across the country.
A film critic named Glenn Whipp wrote that it is “poorly made” and “theologically shaky.” He went on to say that it is “so awful that even true believers will have difficulty staying awake,” “the end times (are) about as scary as a church bake sale. It all plays like a bad B-movie, cheesy, one-dimensional and unconvincing. In the midst of personal dramas, the movie tries to develop a back story for the Antichrist, but he ends up being about as frightening and charismatic as Al Gore.”
Apparently, he was not impressed. He gave the film 0 stars.
Those of us who know the Lord and His word are well aware that believers will disappear (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and all unbelievers will be left behind. Jesus said, “One will be taken and the other left” (Mt. 24:40-41). There is a debate as to whether or not the words of Jesus are referring to the rapture. Older pre-trib expositors said that they do. More recently, some say that they don’t. While that text maybe debated, the truth that at the rapture, “one will be take and the other left” cannot. The film critic may know films, but he does not know the facts of Scripture. This is not “theologically shaky.” It is theological solid ground.
Unfortunately, he may be correct that this theme moves us like a B rated movie. During sermons on such topics some believers have difficulty staying awake.
Paul reminds us that, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Rom. 13:12), “it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11).
Soooo may I suggest that the title of the novel and the text of Scripture on this point contain two great spiritual reminders.
One is, “Don’t be left behind. I trust that you have trusted Christ for the gift of eternal life (Jn. 3:36).
The other is don’t leave others behind. Share the gospel with them that they may share the rapture with you and not be left behind.
During the recent Presidential campaign George W. Bush kept saying that education would be his number one priority. Then he would add, “No child should be left behind”. As the President of the United States says that his number one priority is that no child should be left behind, so we should make our number one priority that no one we know be left behind.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 2/10/2001
A film critic named Glenn Whipp wrote that it is “poorly made” and “theologically shaky.” He went on to say that it is “so awful that even true believers will have difficulty staying awake,” “the end times (are) about as scary as a church bake sale. It all plays like a bad B-movie, cheesy, one-dimensional and unconvincing. In the midst of personal dramas, the movie tries to develop a back story for the Antichrist, but he ends up being about as frightening and charismatic as Al Gore.”
Apparently, he was not impressed. He gave the film 0 stars.
Those of us who know the Lord and His word are well aware that believers will disappear (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and all unbelievers will be left behind. Jesus said, “One will be taken and the other left” (Mt. 24:40-41). There is a debate as to whether or not the words of Jesus are referring to the rapture. Older pre-trib expositors said that they do. More recently, some say that they don’t. While that text maybe debated, the truth that at the rapture, “one will be take and the other left” cannot. The film critic may know films, but he does not know the facts of Scripture. This is not “theologically shaky.” It is theological solid ground.
Unfortunately, he may be correct that this theme moves us like a B rated movie. During sermons on such topics some believers have difficulty staying awake.
Paul reminds us that, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Rom. 13:12), “it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11).
Soooo may I suggest that the title of the novel and the text of Scripture on this point contain two great spiritual reminders.
One is, “Don’t be left behind. I trust that you have trusted Christ for the gift of eternal life (Jn. 3:36).
The other is don’t leave others behind. Share the gospel with them that they may share the rapture with you and not be left behind.
During the recent Presidential campaign George W. Bush kept saying that education would be his number one priority. Then he would add, “No child should be left behind”. As the President of the United States says that his number one priority is that no child should be left behind, so we should make our number one priority that no one we know be left behind.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 2/10/2001