“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (Revelation 1:19)
There is a good explanation why the miniseries is called Revelations instead of Revelation as the last book in the Bible is named – it’s not the same thing. The events in the TV miniseries bear no resemblance to the end times that Jesus told the Apostle John to write about. In fact, while the movie questions whether we are living in the last days, it’s really more about a scientist’s struggle between the logic of science, which offers proof, and the illogic of faith, which is defined in the Bible as substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
The truth is we have been living in the last days since Jesus ascended to heaven. But the last days are not the end times. The end times is a seven-year period of time where God’s wrath will be slowly brought upon the world for its failure to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Jesus refers to it as the “great tribulation.” (Matthew 24:21) Here are a few examples of what the Bible says will be seen in the end times:
1. A man will surface who will achieve popularity in both politics and in war. The world will be deceived by his charisma. He will be good-looking, intelligent and articulate -capable of using the media to appear and sound as if he has all the answers to what’s happening in the world. He will be able to explain what seems to be unexplainable.
2. It will begin with the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and her enemies. For the first time ever, the world will be at total peace, or at least it will seem so; but what will actually happen over the next seven years will be unimaginable!
3. Violence will increase in all parts of the world. One-quarter of the earth’s population will be killed due to wars, famine, pestilence and wild beasts.
4. Many people will experience a religious conversion and become followers of Jesus Christ. Most of these newly saved Christians will be hunted down and killed for their faith.
5. There will be a great earthquake. The sun will be blackened and the moon will turn blood red.
6. A third of the earth will be burned up. The sea will become like blood destroying everything that lives in it. Fresh water will become like blood. The sun will scorch people on earth with fierce heat.
7. Two men, known as witnesses, will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for three and a half years and will be killed by the anti-christ.
8. The Euphrates River will dry up allowing for a great battle. Rulers will gather their armies together to battle God at Armageddon. Jesus Christ will return with His army to claim the earth as His possession.
9. The anti-christ will be exposed for whom he really is, and Satan and all his fallen angels will be thrown into a lake of fire.
You won’t see these events played out in the miniseries, but all is not lost. Bible verses are laced throughout the miniseries and people all over the country will be thinking about their relationship, or lack thereof, with Jesus.
Jerry Jenkins, co-author of Left Behind, had this to say about the miniseries: “While evangelicals might be curious enough to give this show a chance, my fear is that as soon as they realize it is far afield from the Bible, that base audience NBC may be counting on will fade. That’s too bad, because I had hoped that, because of the stellar production values, this would be popular enough to at least keep the discussion alive.”
Pastors and Sunday school teachers should seize the moment here. This is a great opportunity to teach Christians about the true Revelation that Jesus gave to John. Use the next few weeks to make distinctions between what the movie says about the end of the world and what Jesus said. Understanding the differences between the two may just save a soul or two!
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