We recently saw the movie THE BOOK OF ELI. Before you read any further, I have some questions from the movie that could reveal particular plot lines. So I suppose you could consider this a SPOILER ALERT! However, I waited a while and figure that most people who want to see this movie have seen it by now.
While violent and often profane, I found the spiritual themes running through this film to be deep and very convicting. For those who do not know, Denzel Washington plays the role of Eli, a man walking “West”. He is doing so because he heard a voice from God that instructed him to do so and promised he would be protected in his journey. We join him thirty years after nuclear holocaust. At this time there are few people who remember what life was like “before”. But at some point just prior to the nuclear explosion every Bible was burned. Eli, as we discover, is carrying the last known copy of the Bible. He encounters an evil man who wants the Bible because he wants to use it to control what’s left of humanity and rule over them with the words it contains.
After this profound movie, I was left with several questions that arise from the story.
If I heard a voice that was clearly from God that called me to such a dangerous mission, would I go?
If violent evil and hatred against all that is good were all that were left on this earth, would I willingly walk through it?
Would I have enough faith to follow through with my God-given mission if it took three decades?
Would I excuse myself if I had a disability that would seemingly make my mission impossible?
Could I be calm and kind in conversation with an enemy who I know would like to kill me?
How do we respond to evil men who use the Bible to manipulate others or to create an authority for themselves? Have I ever done that?
Would I be willing to be violent in order to protect God’s word?
In a post-nuclear world will people be reduced to hatred and murder, or would they bond together following such disaster?
Are the desires for power and control and corruption inescapable parts of the human psyche?
Do our imaginations of a post nuclear existence reveal our real feelings about humanity?
If every Bible in the world were destroyed, of what assistance could I be in helping to recreate it?
Is God really gone when it seems He has disappeared?
How is the world presented in THE BOOK OF ELI any different than the world in which we currently live … aside from appearances?
I’d love to hear your questions, thoughts, reflections from the movie.
Other blogs reflecting on THE BOOK OF ELI
Thanks for reading,
John
johndobbs
I often cry at movies, but figuring this to be an action film, I did not expect to be crying at this one. I did leak tears, though, when Denzel started in quoting at Gen. 1:1.
Great questions.
C3
Cecil3
4 Feb 10 at 4:52 pm
If I heard a voice that was clearly from God that called me to such a dangerous mission, would I go?
I would like to think I would go if I knew the voice was from God. In that kind of world, God would appear in a burning bush or in some other miraculous manifestation. (Of course this is all hypothetical since the Scripture speaks of Christ as the last revelation from God and that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. But again, in a post apocalyptic world with only one copy of the Bible, people will need some way or method to recognize “the man of God” and to confirm what he says is the truth.)
If violent evil and hatred against all that is good were all that were left on this earth, would I willingly walk through it?
If God called me to do it, He will see me through it! Imagine this same scenario: Jesus, as the Incarnate Word, did the same thing! The world was full of violent evil and hatred, but the loving Son of God was the Light shining in the darkness! In the movie scenario, you would be that light!
Would I have enough faith to follow through with my God-given mission if it took three decades?
Look how long it took Noah! A person would have to take each day as it came and deal with each day’s problems. It goes without saying, a person would have to continue to meditate and pray for strength and guidance and maintain a worshipful heart to prevent becoming like those to whom he preached.
Would I excuse myself if I had a disability that would seemingly make my mission impossible?
Moses tried to do that. If God brought you to it, He would bring you through it. That is a cliche’, I know. But I think if we found ourselves in that kind of world, we would have no choice.
Could I be calm and kind in conversation with an enemy who I know would like to kill me?
Harold (Harry)
4 Feb 10 at 4:54 pm
Could I be calm and kind in conversation with an enemy who I know would like to kill me?
Jesus was able to do that. If we are truly following Christ, the peace that He gives will fill our soul. His kindness will permeate us. The true light will shine through you and become contagious. I would pray long and hard for my enemies and be able to win some to Christ.
How do we respond to evil men who use the Bible to manipulate others or to create an authority for themselves? Have I ever done that?
In that post apocalyptic world, you would have to wait for the “Word” from on high before you decided to take on a false teacher of that caliber. God would direct your footsteps and guide you in the things to say. I imagine it as being like Elijah on Mt Carmel going up against the prophets of Baal.
Have I ever used the Bible to manipulate others? Well, I would hope that it would be persuasion rather than manipulation. When we quote “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some …”, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…”, “…and upon this rock I will build My church…”; Do we not to some degree use these Scriptures to manipulate? Yes, we preach the truth, and in the process we persuade people. But do we sometimes go beyond persuasion? Do we give in to the subtle push from our ego?
Would I be willing to be violent in order to protect God’s word?
For me, that is a “no brainer”. If someone were threatening to harm my family, I would have to defend my family. In the case of the very last Bible in existence, God would demand it! Remember, we would be living in a post apocalyptic world, so all the rules would change as a result. If you wrote down every Scripture that you knew by memory, would you quote the entire Bible? There are a few people that have (or had) that ability. But since I don’t, I would have to defend what has already been recorded. Didn’t some of the prophets of old put to death certain false teachers? Elijah slew the prophets of Baal. Wasn’t he being violent in his actions for the word of God?
In a post-nuclear world will people be reduced to hatred and murder, or would they bond together following such disaster?
We may find groups that have bonded together, but there would be far more people that would be out for themselves. “Kill or be killed”, “Survival of the fittest”, etc. There would be “war lords” as in Somolia whose only desire is to take control over any system that offered wealth and power.
Are the desires for power and control and corruption inescapable parts of the human psyche?
Unfortunately, yes. It may be stronger in some than in others, but it is still there. It is the earthly, sensual part of humankind. It is the way of the earth and must be transformed by the gospel! If we begin reading in genesis, we see this identical scenario in the case of Cain when he went away from God into the world. Each succeeding generation waxed worse and worse.
Do our imaginations of a post nuclear existence reveal our real feelings about humanity?
Ahhh John! The “post nuclear” rorsach test. LOL. You are right. It probably reveals more about ourselves than it would any kind of post nuclear event.
If every Bible in the world were destroyed, of what assistance could I be in helping to recreate it?
If I had access to any of the early writings of the “church fathers”, much of the Bible could be restored based on their quotations. Some said that as much as 98% could be recovered if every single Bible was destroyed. I would establish schools to restore the word of God. Then I would train men to go out into the post nuclear world to preach the word, restablish schools and churches.
Is God really gone when it seems He has disappeared?
Absolutely not. Job thought God had disappeared or abandoned him. But he still maintained his faith. God is always with us as we walk with Him. We may make our life so miserable that we quinch the Spirit. But He isn’t gone.
How is the world presented in THE BOOK OF ELI any different than the world in which we currently live … aside from appearances?
There is not really a lot of difference. There are always going to be violently evil people that are corrupted and greedy for power and wealth. Through those things they have the ambition to control the world.
Harold (Harry)
4 Feb 10 at 5:45 pm
Thanks, Harry, for taking a lot of time and putting in a lot of thought to those questions – and sharing your thoughts with us.
John Dobbs
9 Feb 10 at 11:26 pm
hubby want to watch it, and now he “REALLY” wants to watch it!
after reading this! ;)
jel
5 Feb 10 at 6:51 pm
You have my interest up about this movie … when it comes out on DVD, of course.
Greg England
6 Feb 10 at 12:43 am
Great contemplative questions. Some are tough to answer without being put in that circumstance.
This movie sure stirs the soul.
Danny
16 Feb 10 at 3:11 pm