The Bible: The Original Transformer
I'll admit, even as a grown man mind you, that I think the Transformers movies are pretty cool. There, I said it - and I don't feel an ounce less mature.
Maybe it's the CGI magic and enough explosions to leave your ears ringing for a week? I'm sorry - what did you say?
Or perhaps because the US Air Force (the branch in which I served) is actually portrayed in an awesome light? Go USAF!
Get Our Latest News for FREE
For sure it's also because of the films' attempts at putting an engaging plot line together:
First Transformers: Autobots good…Decepticons bad…transform…battle…blow up everything…the end
Second Transformers: Autobots good…Decepticons bad…lather, rinse, repeat…the end
But who cares, right? A movie about robots trying to destroy the universe should be a big budget bloated behemoth that has more product placement than a 50 Cent video.
There is one element of Revenge of the Fallen, though, that I found interesting. Without giving anything away that you haven't already seen on the 57 different trailers for Transformers, did you notice the whole 'ancient clues that lead to a key element' thing? In this film, Sam has some sort of Allspark hangover and has his Witwicky head full of visions of the past that lead to a critical talisman that somehow the Decepticons lost a bajillion years ago…or something like that.
Annnnyway…isn't there something fascinating about ancient signs that lead to incredible discoveries? Especially if they are verified, tested, and legit.
What would you think if I told you that there was a book, an ancient book in fact, that was put together by 40 different authors, took 1,500 years to complete, yet somehow managed to maintain one basic theme, and never contradicted itself on any subject? Would you be at least a *wee* bit interested?
Of course I'm talking about the Bible. The dusty old book of rules and regulations that people have used for an excuse for just about every kind of awful behavior - or at least some folks think of it that way.
But there are others who know about the true nature of the Bible, which is supernatural. How do we know this? Pretty simple. Not only does it have a remarkable history and life changing content, it has one other factor that definitely makes it the 'Allspark' of all literature:
Fulfilled prophecy.
Yep, a lotta people over a lotta years have predicted things that might happen in the future - heck you could probably drive over to the 'interesting' side of town right now and get your future predicted by the Crazy-R-Us folks (but don't really).
That's not what is contained in the Bible. There are over 2,500 prophetic statements that are amazingly specific and even unlikely - and they all (not some or most) came true exactly as predicted.
We could make more than a two and a half hour movie about this and we still would not cover the mind-blowing nature of what is predicted and fulfilled in Scripture, but here is a short list that I hope will serve a trailer to get your interest:
• Hundreds of years before it happened, prophets in the Bible predicted the utter destruction of the mightiest city in the ancient world, Babylon. At the time, people laughed at how ridiculous such an idea would be, yet that's exactly what happened in 539 BC.
• There are over 300 separate prophecies about Jesus Christ. They include the exact location of His birth, the miracles He would accomplish, the type of death He would encounter, and that He would come back from the dead. Three of them that amaze me are:
o His body would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; Ps. 22:16 compare John 20:25, 27)
o Not a bone of His would be broken. (Numbers 9:12 compare John 19:31-36)
o He would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9 compare Matthew 27:57, 60)
What's so amazing about these three? Well, for one thing, the prophecy about His body being pierced is a reference to crucifixion hundreds of years before it was invented! And when people were crucified, they broke their legs, so if you're going to prophesy crucifixion, you'd best not predict no broken bones.
Yet Jesus died before they needed to break His legs…simply amazing.
And 'buried with the rich'? Jesus was homeless, so how would he get that gig? Again, highly unlikely, yet a rich man named Joseph donated his own grave out of love for Jesus.
All 300 prophecies about Jesus have been tested, verified, and found legit. The odds of just those being fulfilled exactly are 1 in 10 25 (that's 1 in 10 with 25 zeroes after it!).
Put simply, the Bible is the most amazing book ever put together - that's why it can make this statement with credibility:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)
The Bible is the book of clues and images for how we can find an amazing adventure of a life serving the God who made the universe. So don't be deceived into thinking that Scripture is on par with 'other religious books' - it is definitely not.
In fact, think of the Bible as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth and you'll be transformed in ways you never thought possible!
Flashpoint:
This week, ask your friends what they think about the Bible, and try to bring up the fulfilled prophecy as one of the primary evidences for its supernatural nature. This is an excellent lead in, then, to share the gospel as God's message of love and transformation for the world.
Accelerant:
Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God (2 Peter 1:20-21).
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved (Matthew 5:18).
And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book (Revelation 22:18).
