The Second Coming of … Evan Almighty?
"And I'm Evan Baxter and here's what's making news. A potential scandal with the Buffalo P.D. surfaced today when the mayor d-bow debit-D-bow d-bit d-bow-bucka-bow, dee buck…"
No, my keyboard didn't just go crazy, but do you remember when Steve Carell's lips did in Bruce Almighty and he almost stole the show from Jim Carrey?
Now, Evan the polished and perfectionist press person is back as the new and improved version of an almighty character, only this time not his will be done. As you might have possibly guessed, this movie is a semi-retelling of one of the most famous stories from the Bible.
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By the way, do you remember how many animals of each kind Moses took on the Ark?
None! Because Moses wasn't on the Ark! Ha!
Sorry, I just love that trick question. You should try it on your pastor … especially after a long sermon.
Anyway, back to the movie. Evan Almighty follows the general plotline we first read about in Genesis 6, but also throws in some political/environmental themes, a 175 million dollar budget of biblical proportions, and even a 80' W x 60' H x 275' L ark replica! Of course, anytime you have nose hair obsessed Steve Carell get infected with Noah-facialhairitis, there is fun to be had.
Oh, and did you know that this was a "green" production? Yep, they estimated the environmental damage that presumably occurred while making the movie, and planted 2050 trees to balance it out. They also recycled and donated everything that could be reused. Would Al Gore be proud or what? Of course, I find this a little ironic since it's a movie about the destruction of the earth in the first place, but I digress.
Speaking of the end of the world as we know it, how do you think it's going to happen? You can go ahead and rule out the whole "flood" thing, because God made this promise after the last one:
"Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth." (Genesis 9:11)
However … Jesus made a promise that should definitely factor in to your end of the world theories, because Christ is definitely true to His word:
"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes." (Matthew 24:37-39)
When Jesus walked on earth, the story of Noah was well known too. There wasn't Evan, Bruce, or even Morgan Freeman … just the real Almighty. What wasn't well known, though, was what the end of the world looked like. So Jesus took the opportunity to paint a picture for them, and guess what "picture" he used? Exactly … a man, a boat, and a flood – only this time it will be the "Son of man" named Jesus, bringing a boatload of wrath and a flood of destruction. Need more details? Here's what the Apostle Peter wrote:
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment (2 Peter 3:10)
This is the part of the Bible that will never make it into a Veggietales, but it is a scene we need to TiVo into our brains. Jesus once promised that He would be killed. He was. He also pledged to come back from the dead. He did. One of the promises He made over and over again is that He will return.
He will. And because of that, He warns us not to be like the pre-flood people who just said "riiiight" when Noah warned them. That's why Peter follows up his description of the ultimate global warming with this ultimate global warning. Check it out:
Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. (2 Peter 3:11-14)
God told us to let the rainbow remind us of His promise not to flood the earth. I think we should also let Evan Almighty remind us of Jesus' promise to return … because that is one boat we do not want to miss!
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Lane Palmer is the Youth Ministries Specialist for Dare 2 Share Ministries in Arvada, Colo., where he works with to provide resources for youth leaders and students. Dare 2 Share exists to energize and equip teens to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information on Dare 2 Share Ministries or the GameDay youth conference tour, please visit www.dare2share.org. Send feedback to lane@dare2share.org.
