NOBODY LIKES BEING PLAYED THE FOOL

BUT MANY ARE WITHOUT REALIZING IT

     Example: Never use the movies for a Bible study!  Although religious movies can be used of GOD to draw people to faith in GOD and the Gospel of Jesus Christ they should never be used as a standard for doctrine.  At age eleven I saw Samuel Bronston’s 1961 production of KING of Kings and I fell madly in love with Jesus.  I wanted Him to be my king more than anything!  So I know the place these films have and GOD’S use of them.  But these movies should never be allowed as the criteria for a Bible study.  The liberties taken with the Bible’s lessons actually make the movies stand condemned in sin by adding and taking away from GOD’S intended lessons, which Scripture teaches is a sin (Deut.4:2; Prov.30:6; Rev.22:18,19).

     Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 production of the film, The Ten Commandments gave an incomplete, sinful rendering of GOD’S Sacred Law.  This was a literal attack on the Holy Law “written with the finger of God” Ex.31:18.  It also brought shame and disgrace to the Lord Jesus Christ who plainly declared Himself as the Giver of the Law: “Verily, verily, I say unto you: Before Abraham was, I AM,” Jn.8:58.  Liberty was taken to arrogantly delete 86 of the 94 words from the 4th Commandment.  This liberty taken by the producers and writers removed the authority of Jesus Christ as the Creator of heaven and earth of which over 800 verses of Scripture verify to be His leading attribute. 

     In addition to tampering with the Sacred Law, the great mercy and love of GOD shown in the Hebrew deliverance was completely omitted.  The very mercy of GOD shown repeatedly to Pharaoh wasn’t given the slightest recognition and thus, slandered GOD’S character before everyone.  The film made GOD demand of Pharaoh from the very beginning the permanent departure of the Hebrew slaves, when the original request given to Pharaoh was to allow the Hebrews to take a “three days journey into the wilderness” (Ex.3:18; 5:3; 8:27); after which they’d return to serve Pharaoh.  GOD’S intention was not the permanent departure of the Hebrews from Egypt, nor the collapse of the Egyptian economy.  GOD desired that through the witness of the Hebrews to the Egyptian people their nation could be won to the good news of salvation through the coming Messiah.

     Even the very first warning GOD gave Pharaoh of the death of the firstborn of Egypt was given no dialogue to uplift the great mercy of GOD in forewarning Pharaoh.  Nine plagues had passed with each one reminding him of GOD’S first warning, proving to Pharaoh that GOD had the power to fulfill His Word.  And only when Pharaoh had continually refused to allow the Hebrew slaves to worship “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” did the tenth and final plague come to pass, and all the firstborn of Egypt died, including Pharaoh’s.

     Lastly, the close of the movie showed Pharaoh returning to his throne from the Red Sea after his campaign to annihilate the Hebrews with his chariots and horsemen, when the Bible says he perished with all of his army: “And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.” “For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them.” Ex.14:28; 15:19.

     The Glory GOD deserved in the great exodus from Egyptian bondage was denied simply for man’s folly of self-aggrandizement.  This deliverance is to be repeated in our day with very similar circumstances: a single dictator imposing his will against GOD and His Christ; the people under him blindly obeying his command to stand in his sin against Jesus Christ, and persecute unto death every commandment keeping Christian.  As the ten plagues of Egypt demonstrated GOD’S power to shield His own from the plagues, so the seven last plagues will demonstrate to today’s belligerent church of GOD’S power to not only afflict them with the same treatment they planned for GOD’S faithful children, but "His saints" will be shielded from the plagues and see Jesus coming in the clouds for their deliverance. At which time these words will be fulfilled: “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa.25:9.