Noah: Fiction is Stranger Than Truth

The truth is stranger than fiction, it's said. However, I just watched the movie Noah last night, and after that, I'm going with "fiction is stranger than the truth." I had heard mixed reviews about the movie, so I waited until it came out on DVD before watching it. I also heard it was off the Biblical target in a huge way and to just enjoy it as a special effects-filled movie adventure. So I went into it with that attitude. It didn't help. At one point I found the plot so ridiculous, that I walked away to fold laundry.

The story of Noah is fascinating. Moses tells in Genesis about the story of the flood, a tale found in many cultures throughout the millennia. Noah is described in Scripture as "finding favor with God," "righteous" and "blameless" in his generation. Everyone else is described this way: "Every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually." Yikes, that's a lot of evil. So God decides to wipe out every living thing on the earth, except for Noah's family - Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives - and two of every animal on earth, except for clean animals of which there were seven pair (one of my favorite trivia questions). It takes Noah 100 years to build an ark (think long floating, waterproof box) to house everyone for the more than a year they were on there. It had three decks, and its dimensions were similar in proportion to dimensions of our great ocean liners today. You can read about Noah's story in Genesis 6-9, from the material he used (gopher wood - unknown today) to the rainbow found at the end of the story that came with God's promise to never destroy all flesh again by flood (which by the way still leaves a bunch of other options).

It's a wild story, but Darren Aronofsky's was wilder. [Spoiler alert - if you haven't seen the movie and want to, plot revelations ahead] Rock giants that were fallen angels; a nasty stowaway on the ark; Noah abandoning an innocent girl to be trampled to death; no wives for two of Noah's son's who were already over 100 years old at the time of the flood; Noah wanting to kill his granddaughters; putting all the animals to sleep during floating time; both Shem and Ham wanting to kill their dad; an adopted daughter; Noah's dad Lamech getting murdered (he actually died in the year of the flood if not in it, along with Noah's granddad, Methuselah, the oldest man who ever lived); and on and on it goes. So when I say fiction is stranger than truth, in this case, it truly is.

I am not sure why Hollywood insists on altering stories in Scripture for what they may deem is drama or advancing the plot, but the stories in the Bible are so amazing, it seems like needless change and enhancement to me. 

A friend commented to me yesterday when I told her I was going to watch the movie that she hoped it inspired people to go to their Bibles to read the actual story of Noah. I agree with her, that is my hope, too.Otherwise the movie is a huge waste of anyone's time.

Noah is not a story of a vengeful God wanting to wipe out the children He created, but rather a merciful God, patient enough to give us all a second chance. I have to say, there is one thing that movie reinforced for me, and that is the notion that our all loving God is also almighty, holy and just. It embarrassed me to think about how pathetic we are as humans to contend with the Creator, dismiss Him and disobey Him. Who do we think we are?

So as for the movie Noah: the special effects are cool. That's about the only redeeming factor. I feel like I wasted my time. I've read the story in Scripture many times and never felt that way. It's another case of "Read the book. It's better." Fabulously so.

Makes me wonder what Hollywood will do with Exodus: Gods and Kings coming out Dec. 12. If "Gods" is any indication, I may skip it altogether.

Skill to All The Skillful

Yesterday while my son and I were talking music, I shared with him about the talents of the musicians in our church's praise band. I sing with the band, and I was telling my son how each is so amazing at their gift for music and adds their own touch to make a song we put together for Jesus uniquely what it is. And I'm blown away each time. I am in awe of what they can do, more so because I do not have the talent to play much beyond a kazoo, tamborine or "Chopsticks" on the piano (and "Eleanor Rigby" on the guitar - but that's a story for another time.) During practice, the Holy Spirit through these musicians weaves the praise songs into a worship service. And they have no sheet music. That's how good they are. They listen to the songs a few times, maybe have a chord list and pull it together every time. When commenting to them once about their musical gifts, one responded, "If God hadn't given me this gift, I truly don't know what I would be doing with my life."

Recently I was reading in Exodus where God is giving specific details to Moses how to create the Tabernacle ... and I mean specific. God wanted the colors, materials, dimensions, patterns and religious elements to be just so. If I was Moses, I would be thinking, "How am I going to accomplish this?" But before Moses can even ask this, God says in Ex. 31:1-6, "See, I have called by name Bezalel ... and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence and knowledge in every kind of craft to devise artistic designs to work in gold, silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting and in carving wood in every kind of craft. Moreover I have appointed with him Oholiab ... and I have given skill to all the skillful so that they may make all that I have commanded you." I'm sure Moses gave a big sigh of relief after that. How cool that God gifted these two men before they were even born with the skills God wanted them to utilize for this very moment.

Everyone I know has some unique, divinely-given gift. My brother is one of the most talented artists I've ever seen (and drew the soldier in the Armor of God above). Andrea and Kathy exhaust me with their energy and creative solutions. My mother and Deb are amazing pray-ers. Cindy befriends everyone in Christ's name. Carol, Barb and my sister Jodi compassionately put everyone else before themselves. Connie and Taffy are precious edifiers. My Dad and Ron can fix anything to help God's children. Jan is the great organizer. Brad's sports experiences have drawn many a man to Christ. And the list goes on...

We learn through this Exodus passage that God gifts us for His glory in some way to grow the Kingdom. Can't you almost see Him gently putting you together just as you are and nudging you on to fulfill your purpose? God is so cool.

For me - well, like the words used in Ex. 36:2, my "heart is stirred" to write. May it ever and always glorify Him.