THEM!

Recently the words of Isaiah 26:14 (NIV) caught my attention. They were part of our morning Bible reading from YouVersion audio. "They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished THEM and brought THEM to ruin; you wiped out all memory of THEM."

photo from scifist.wordpress.com

This verse reminded me of a favorite Fifties Science Fiction classic film, THEM. The scripture from  Isaiah relates the times when other lords ruled over God's people. Those other nations are now dead, they live no more. In the movie the powers that be are giant mutant ants. They are destined to wreak havoc among humans and possibly become the dominant species on Earth. The military forces discovered the creatures building a colony in the sewer drains beneath the city of Los Angeles. Grenades, flame throwers, and machine guns proved too much for the beasts, and they were destroyed. They are now dead, they live no more.

No powers on earth or under the earth will ever defeat God. Those that follow Him will always defeat them. Another hopeful and powerful verse comes to mind. Revelation 17:12-14 states:

The ten horns you saw are ten kings, but they're not yet in power.

They will come to power with the Scarlet Beast, but won't last long--a very brief reign.

These kings will agree to turn over their power and authority to the Beast.

They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them,

proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings,

and those with him shall be the called, chosen, and faithful.

photo by Nghia Le from unsplash.com

The Lamb wins the ultimate battle against the devil and all evil. Those of us with him will be victorious as well. God will wipe out all memory of them. Whether fighting the powers of evil on the movie screen or in a real-life battle, Jesus and His followers win...every time...over THEM!

Comfort Part 2

I read and watch "old" movies. If I liked the book or film the first time, I invariably delight in it the next. Revisiting the story line and characters seems like a reunion with old friends. It is similar to eating my wife's cooking. The meal is usually amazing the first time and often better as planned-overs (our name for left-overs) once the flavors have time to blend overnight. Recently she made blackened chicken and rice. I indulged four times over the next few days. Yum!

Whether I'm stressed or simply tired, I enjoy lounging in my oversized recliner listening to my favorite book on audio. The Black Rose by Thomas B. Costain is an historical fiction novel. Oxford student Walter of  Gurnie flees the Norman oppression of England and joins Kublai Khan's conquest of China. He returns home a wealthy hero. It is an enthralling mix of adventure, travel, science, and romance. Our first meeting was decades ago in junior high school. Now I have a personal reunion with Costain's best about every other year. I feel the same about the more than two dozen Tarzan books by Edgar Rice Burroughs and the numerous Sunnybank collie stories of Albert Payson Terhune.

Similarly I get special comfort from watching old films for the umpteenth time. The Fifties science fiction classic Them is at the top of my favorite's list. Despite its black and white format, I marvel as giant ants challenge Matt Dillon and Santa Claus in the sewers beneath Los Angeles. Additionally John Wayne westerns (Hondo or Big Jake) and James Stewart big screen treasures (It's a Wonderful Life or Broken Arrow) can relax me after a busy day. I can slip comfortably into nap time in my recliner during any showing. When I awake, I know exactly where the movie is. There is no need to rewind. No, it's not a total waste of time. It is simply comfort.