The film industry seems to be experiencing a resurgence of interest in epic Bible stories and themes. Coming soon to a theater near you is Hollywood’s latest offering, “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” It remains to be seen how closely the movie script will follow the Biblical narrative. How will this Hollywood effort measure up to Cecil B. DeMille’s blockbuster, “The Ten Commandments?”
Moses has been referred to as America’s prophet. Many American movements have adopted the story of Moses and deliverance. The American abolitionists had their great Moses in Abraham Lincoln. The civil war was fought in no small part to free slaves. The civil rights movement had its great Moses in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King encouraged the comparison and his oratory often called to mind the story of Exodus. King’s marches were not from town to town; his people were marching to Zion. They were marching onward and upward to the Promised Land.
Christians see a type of Christ in Moses. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Our forefathers were all under the cloud and…they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”
“Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” By faith in and obedience to the gospel, His blood is applied. Converts are saved and set free from sin and death. They turn from the Egypt of sin.
Putting their faith in the Greatest Emancipator, Jesus Christ, they are “baptized into His death” and are “raised to walk in the newness of life.” They fix their eyes upon Jesus and begin following Him. They march onward and upward to Zion-the Promised Land. Moses led to the Promised Land. Jesus will lead into that heavenly home.
I plan to see the movie. I hope I’ll not be too disappointed. After all, I’ve read the Book and a movie is never quite as good as the book.
Ken Haskins is pastor of First Christian Church in Carson City.
