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See also:  "Right With God or Left Behind?"     "I'll Fly Away"

Left Behind:  On the Cutting Room Floor

Mark 13:1-37 and other passages

What is this series about?  How accurate is the doctrine?  What is the purpose?  What should I look for as I watch it?  How will this affect my life?

Let’s investigate these questions, and more.

But first, I want to say that we don’t serve a half-baked God…yes, he’s a God of love, but also of wrath—“it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!”)

        Aren’t you glad the rapture precedes the tribulation?!

I Thess. 1:10—God’s people are saved from the wrath to come!

I Thess. 5:9—we are not appointed unto wrath!

[The following perspective is an honest commentary from the author in relation to the Biblical interpretation of end times events.  It should be understood that many details we simply do not know for sure, and much is left to speculation.  Hollywood usually massacres Biblical truth…but does this story remarkably justly.  However, even the producers recognize that they have to use their imagination and fill in a lot of blanks for supposed story-lines.]

Author’s opinion:  In short, this series is a very good thing.  When viewed by an “open” individual, the truths are powerful and life changing.  This will make people think.  It’s a great tool to use for outreach to the lost, and it’s good for Christians to watch as well.

A longer look reveals some concerns to bring up, and some thoughts to ponder…but let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater.  Like “The Passion of the Christ”, we can take the meat and leave some bones behind, and be the better for it.

First, here’s some background about the 2 prior films…we’ll then share some thoughts about part 3, “World at War.”

Part 1-Left Behind, The Movie

Summary: 

Wars, rumors of wars. Israel involved.

National currency, globalization, UN steps up.

Pre-trib. Rapture, mass disappearances of children, adults.

Chaos, confusion, violence.

Some taken, some left behind.

Aliens?  Terrorist kidnappings?  Certain bloodtypes?  Nuclear radiation?  All kids taken, but only select youth and adults.

Some will site the Bible and rapture prophecy.  Many will believe other theories.

Potential problem:  Suggests a preacher who shared the gospel was left behind because he knew the truth but didn’t believe it himself…he was a fraud.  His people disappear, but he was too late, begging God to forgive Him and be his Savior.  [Will he have another chance?  Don’t get the mistaken impression that a person who rejects Christ before the rapture will have any chance to be saved in the tribulation.  II Thess. 2]

Meanwhile, “peacemakers” step up to the plate. 

The antichrist begins to set up his plan, already in motion.  The temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt.  A 7 yr. peace treaty will be established with Israel.  Evolutionists say we came from the “beast”, we know we’re headed that way!

[authors want books and tapes to help people after the rapture...we could hope they would, but we need to focus on the here and now, and not be left behind.]

Part 2:  Tribulation Force

1 world gov’t/1 world church comes on the scene.  Antichrist assumes power at the world level. 

Those who believe now are hunted down by him.  A death sentence is upon them. 

The 2 witnesses come on the scene, preaching the gospel.  They are indestructible while doing their job.

Partially suggests believing “in” Jesus is why many were raptured.  We know it’s more than mental assent, or believing in His existence, but believing on Him as Savior, on his sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, and as your only hope for forgiveness and salvation.

It then clarifies we must accept salvation as a gift…Jesus took our punishment and we must accept HIS payment for our sins or pay for them ourselves.

People can be saved, but only if they believe on Christ and did not reject Him prior to the rapture.

But most are deceived and believe a lie…that the antichrist is a believer and a good person and all about peace, and eventually, that he himself is God, the long awaited Messiah.

Part 2 dispels the myth that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell.  It echoes the Bible truth that it’s by God’s righteousness and not our own…by grace and not by works.

Romance during tribulation?

An angel protecting believers during tribulation?

Churches meeting in peace?

Part 3:  World at War [without ruining movie for you]

Underground Bible smuggling, executions, terrorism, biological weapons, war coming to USA, believers are the enemy of all in authority, demanded to renounce the name of Christ, pestilence, earthquakes, etc.  Bibles infected w/ virus, carried into underground churches.

Getting married?

Man threatening suicide?

Love, money, or truth?  Converted pilot’s ex threatens to turn him in for being a Christian if he won’t come back to her, a lost sinner.

Kjv/when we all get to heaven/what a day that will be

Woman w/ child w/ antichrist’s baby?

Healed by red wine in communion?

President prays he isn’t already in hell [as tribulation gets bad around him].

Then Buck witnesses to him and he truly gets saved, helps kill antichrist, and dies in process.

“His deadly wound healed.”

What does all this mean?  To me it means you can almost hear the footsteps of Jesus approaching heaven’s door.  We’ve seen enough signs…we need to start listening for sounds.  Forget the undertaker…I’m looking for the uppertaker!  Look up!  Your redemption draweth nigh!

        Work while it is day…night cometh, when man works no more! (Jesus said!)

If you’re not saved…why not?  If not today…when?

Is this fear motivation?…absolutely!  There’s other reasons to be saved, but fear of the end times is not a bad reason to get saved at all!

I’d rather scare you into heaven than lull you into hell!

        If you’re not saved, you’d better get saved!

                If you’re not saved, you ought to be scared!

The worst is yet to come…you don’t want to be here…

…the good news is:  you don’t have to be!

Jesus gives you a name and writes it in His book, the antichrist gives you a number)  At the end of time, will your name be called?  Or will your number be up?

Maybe you’re saved, but not living for the Lord…this message needs to be your turning point!

If you’re discouraged…I tell you, there’s no time for that…work, for the night is coming!

Reading the newspaper is like reading Revelation…we should be surprised every time the sun sets w/ out His return…we are to be busy, working, watching, waiting…can you see the handwriting on the wall?