The Theme

The current rage movie at the beginning of 2019 seems to be The Birdbox. I haven’t seen all the movie, but enough of it to get the gist. Honestly, I did not care for the language. I am not pointing fingers if you watched it, I just knew that it wasn’t for me. Two of my daughters, however, were curious as to what it was about and watched it to the end. I promise to try not to spoil it for you if you want to watch it as I discuss it here.

In short, there is some creature, monster, presence, when seen by a human, causes the human to kill themselves. It is assumed as being something evil. Therefore, you see all the people who are wearing blindfolds in the trailer, memes, etc. in an attempt not to look at it. It stars Sandra Bullock as a mom determined to save her children, and they are blindfolded for most of what I saw of the movie. As to why it is called The Birdbox, you’ll have to find that out. I’m not giving that away.

I came through the room several times and watched a few scenes. Enough to get an idea of what was happening. I asked what the presence was and was told: “we don’t know.” Where did it come from? Same answer. I told them to let me know when they find out where it came from. You know, was it space or some resident evil. I got the look, so I thought it best to move on.

Humanity in the movie was facing possible extinction by this presence. It all revolved around eyesight. Therefore you were safer if you were blindfolded when stepping outside or you could exist inside as long as the windows were blocked. It seems the presence couldn’t get inside somehow.

Of course, I being me, I had to wonder “would God ever allow or even send such a curse or plague on humankind?” And if he did, why would he? I went to the Bible to research any such happenings, since this curse, presence, whatever, seemed to be akin to the plagues of biblical and apocalyptic proportions? Here is what I found.

The Study of Plagues and Curses

In all cases that I could find there is a warning to the people of the day to turn or return from evil or wicked ways. (For discussion on what the Bible calls sin and wickedness, click here). The Bible calls the turning from sin repentance. It is a military term that means to make an about-face. It is a 180-degree turn in the opposite direction. The wayward people are called to forsake their wicked ways and turn or return to God and godly ways.

There is a promise of forgiveness. Many times in the Bible, individuals, and nations have turned from their wickedness and asked for forgiveness. God granted it, albeit there were times that he still let consequences fall that were in motion. There are also many instances where individuals and nations did not turn, and God judged them for their wickedness.

God preferred restoration over destruction. People groups, including his chosen people, the Israelites, were warned before judgment fell. God warned because he wanted restoration of his relationship with them. Scripture after scripture, God pleads for the wayward to turn from their wickedness. Many times he states that he has no pleasure in the death of saint or sinner.

Biblical Application

Though there are at least a hundred references or more to plagues and curses for disobedience and evil, Old and New Testament, I have listed a few that could be applied to this movie’s theme as they deal with blindness and /or darkness.

I will bring distress on the people, and they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. – Zephaniah 1:17

The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me. – Deuteronomy 28:20-24

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” – John 3:19-20

And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. – Thessalonians 2:11-12

Now Back to Our Movie

With the previous in mind, I would like to rewrite the movie a little from that perspective. First, the people of the day had to have a warning that judgment was coming. The movie, of course, does not have this element, so let’s insert it as happening before the opening credits. Let’s say there was a prophet of the day which quoted our scriptures above to the people.

The people were wicked, and they had been warned to turn from that wickedness or suffer judgment. With that, we would know that the people of the day did not respond and subsequently, God sent this presence. The prophet would have warned that the people lived in darkness and chose darkness. Now, they would live in physical darkness or die.

The presence could be demonic, or it could be like the angel of death that was sent by God to judge the Egyptians during the ten plagues pronounced by Moses. By the way, one of the ten plagues was a darkness upon the land. This plague will also appear in the time of tribulation spoken of in the book of Revelation.

One more element we would have to write into the movie would be a way for those who would turn from their ways to survive. This would be salvation. They would be the ones that would survive, not because of their own goodness, but because God would have granted them sanctuary from the presence. That salvation could be before the judgment or during. Depends on what the warning was from our prophet. If it was like the angel of death in Egypt, then somewhere in this Birdbox world, there would be those who could survive, but only because of their turning to God and following as he instructed to be saved.

The Angel of Death

One day, we will all look into the face of death, and it will mean our end on this earth. God has warned all of us of that end. The question in the air is this: then what? For those who have turned to God, forsaking their wickedness, accepting the redemption through his Son, Jesus, knowing they cannot save themselves, there will be eternity with God. For those who do not, there is eternal separation from God.

People do not have to be blind or wear blindfolds when dealing with God. He sent his Son for this purpose:

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:14-21 (NIV)