An antidote for Da Vinci code

Introduction
Da vinci code is a well known film in the present times which is based on Dan Brown’s novel published in 2003. Currently over 40 million copies have been sold worldwide. Much heat has been produced, since the release of this film. Some states in India have banned this film.

There are two ways of looking at this film. One is to view this as the most blasphemous film ever released in the history and the other is that it gives a platform for all of us, as believers in Christ Jesus, to discuss / argue / preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is mostly viewed by people who haven’t really thought about Jesus as God.

I was confronted by two of my friends (unbelievers) regarding the Da vinci code, and I was voluntarily pushed forward to talk about the life / death / resurrection and saving power of Jesus. What an amazing turn around to preach the Gospel of truth to unbelieving friends, in a non-confrontational manner, by using the world famous, blasphemous, Da vinci code.

So, We will see how far Dan Brown’s “facts” will stand up to the historical evidence. Now I am going to explain some of the codes Dan Brown used, as well as the defences, we have against them.

Fiction #1 – Jesus had a private family life

The Da Vinci Code claims that Jesus had family life and that their descendants included a line of kings in France, as well as some of the main characters in the novel.

Explanation: There are no historical documents for this claim. Earliest writings about Jesus’ life are the New Testament Gospels - Matthew/ Mark/ Luke/ John. They were written by disciples of Jesus before 70A.D. The Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. as prophesied by Jesus (Matt.24:1, Mark 13:1, Luke 21:5). Since this event was not recorded in any of these 4 gospels, it becomes evident that the Gospels had been written before 70 A.D. Hence they are more accurate and are accepted by the Christians and considered as authoritative.

Fiction #2 - The Gnostic gospels and the Dead Sea Scrolls are "the earliest Christian records."

The Da Vinci Code claims that the New Testament is a forgery and that the Gnostic gospels and the Dead Sea Scrolls are the original Christian texts.

Explanation: Dan Brown’s claim is based, not on the New Testament Gospels, but on Gnostic gospels – e.g. ‘gospel of Philip’, which were written about 150 to 250 A.D. by some unknown authors, who were NEITHER disciples of Jesus NOR friends of any Apostles. They were NOT the true reflections of the Life of Jesus. Hence they are considered to be absolutely fallacious.
On the other hand, the earliest evidence of Jesus’ life is to be seen in the writings of the disciples of Jesus (Matthew/ Mark / Luke / John). They lived & witnessed His life and hence the Gospels written by them are authentic and genuine.

Dead Sea scrolls, which were found in 11 the Qumran caves around 1950, are not the earliest and also they contain very controversial materials.

Fiction #3 – Christianity stole its ideas and concepts from paganism.

The Da Vinci Code, on page 232: claims: "Nothing in Christianity is original. a) The pre-Christian god Mithras - called the Son of God and the Light of the World - was born on December 25, died, was buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days. b) By the way, December 25 was also the birthday of Osiris, Adonis, and Dionysus. c) The newborn Krishna was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

Explanation:
a) Even great scholars who have studied about Mithras, do not mention about the death or resurrection of Mithras.
b) As Christians we agree that there’s no mention of December 25th as the birthday of Jesus in the Bible, but this day is simply set to celebrate his birth into this world.
c) There is not a single story in actual Hindu mythology of Krishna being presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh at his birth.

Hence the sequence of such claims puzzles even the greatest critics and gives raise to the possibility of these claims arising from Dan Brown’s imagination!

Fiction # 4- The sacred name for God has a paganistic origin.

The Da Vinci Code, on page 309, claims: "The Jewish Tetragrammaton YHWH - the sacred name of God - in fact derived from Jehovah, an androgynous physical union between the masculine Jah and the pre-Hebraic name for Eve, Havah"

Explantion:
In reverence, the ancient Jews did not pronounce YHWH, meaning GOD. So, they used a substitute word ADONAH, which means LORD. The two words fused in course of many years to produce a new name YEHOVAH. In essence, the word JEHOVAH is a made-up English word and is not present in the original Hebrew or Greek texts in the Bible. Hence Dan Brown’s explanation is wrong.

Fiction #5 - The Vatican killed an "astounding 5 million women" during the witch hunts

Explanation:
History records that the witch hunts were done by local governments and not Vatican.

Fiction #6 - Emperor Constantine shaped the New Testament.

The Da Vinci Code claims that Constantine replaced the Gnostic writings with what we now call the New Testament.

Expanation:
Constantine lived between 306A.D. and 337 A.D. But 24 of the 27 books that are part of today's New Testament were already regarded by early Christians as being authoritative, which is about 213 years before Constantine.

The raise of King Jehoshaphat: Part-1

“The Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.” 2Chron. 20: 1. King Jehoshaphat had a vast army which frightened all the kingdoms around Judah. (2Chron. 17:10, 14-19). Hence the Moabites & Ammonites with some more allies joined together to make a vast army to fight against King Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom … It is already in Hazazon Tamar”. 2Cron. 20: 2. By the time King Jehoshaphat came to know about it, the vast army of the enemy had already entered into his territory. “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judha” 2Chron. 20: 3. Though he himself had a vast army (2Chron. 17:14-19), he was frightened by the overwhelming and seemingly imminent catastrophic situation. Immediately, he decided to seek the Lord. He proclaimed a day of fasting and prayer through out Judah.

“The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him” 2Chron.20: 4. The whole nation including women and children took fast for one day and sat at the feet of the Lord. Good took mercy on the people of Judah and spoke to the people through a prophet, Jahaziel: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s… You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you.” 2Chron.20:15-17. Amazingly, the Lord set ambushes against the enemy and the enemies destroyed one another by killing each other!

In the same way, we may also face challenges, difficulties, and attacks by the enemy at some point in life. First thing to do is to call upon the name of the Lord with full heart (Jer.33:3) preferably with fasting & prayer along with your family and / or friends. The Lord will immediately hear our prayers and deliver us from the evil!

The fall of King Jehoshaphat: Part-11

Jehoshaphat obeyed God’s commands and walked blamelessly in his early years. “The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed.” 2Chron.17:3

But he committed a mistake. Thought he set his heart on the Lord and followed his decrees, he yoked himself with enemy. “Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.” 2 Chrom.18:1. He made allies with a wicked King, Ahab by getting his son married to his daughter. Hence when Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join with him to fight against Ramoth Gilead, he joined him. In spite of the warning by the prophet Micaiah, they fought the battle which was then lost. 2Chron.18:1-34. At the battlefield, Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord, (2Chron.18:31) and the Lord saved him. On return, Jehu rebukes him saying, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is upon you. However, there’s some good in you…you have set your heart on seeking the Lord.” 2Chron.19:2, 3

Jehoshaphat again repeated the same mistake, by making an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel. He made an agreement with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. The fatal mistake was that HE DID NOT INQUIRE OF THE LORD about this. HE DID NOT WAIT ON THE LORD WITH FASTING. Having been warned by a prophet Eliezer, the Lord destroyed his ships and his trade collapsed. Eventually he died.

The lesson we learn from the King Jehoshaphat’s life:

1. Always & always keep things in prayer, before making any decisions in your life.
2. Always keep fast during those times, according to your strength, and it shows your earnestness to God.
3. Always wait til you get a WORD from the Lord.
4. Always give praises & thanks even before the battle begins.

(When you send showers of praise to the Lord, the Lord gives victory at the same time!) Hallelujah!! “As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against them…they destroyed each other” 2Chron.20:22. The battle was won!!!

Why, God.........Why?

Many people in the world would find it easier to believe in God but for the suffering. They plead their case to God, just as Job did in the Old Testament days: “Why did God allow me this suffering, though I’ve not sinned against God?”

Job was a righteous man who lived according to God’s word. “In all this, Job did not sin with his lips” Job 2:10. But he lost everything including his own health. His wife said “Curse your God and die” – Job 2:9. There was nothing to live for in this world. “But Job did not sin by charging God with wrong doing” – Job 1:22. He wanted an answer from God: "Why did this happen to me, though I'm innocent?”.

Now, Job’s friends accepted the orthodox religious view of their day (‘Suffering is the result of sin and wickedness’) and accused Job and his children of sinning:

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” -Job 4:7, 8

“If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression.” - Job 8:4
“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?

Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sin endless?” – Job 22: 4, 5

But Job argues that he’s innocent.
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.” –Job 31: 1
“If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, If I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless…” – Job 31: 16, 17

And he calls his friends,
“Worthless physicians”- Job 13:4 and “Miserable comforters” –Job 16:2.

In these circumstances, how can Job TRUST God?
“God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me” – Job 23:16

The broken hearted Job waits for an answer from God.

Why did God reply him with lots of questions from Cosmology to Zoology? (Job 38 & 39). The purpose is to demonstrate how incomprehensible God’s wisdom and knowledge are. He is the mighty creator and no one can understand the depth of his knowledge and the purpose of his creative power fully. Does that mean that Job’s suffering was in vain? No, not at all. It does mean that there’s always an inscrutable wisdom and purpose behind these sufferings. As we are human beings, our understanding is extremely limited. And God does not give total explanation for everything. But even if Job was able to get an answer from God, it wouldn’t meet his real needs. In sufferings, theories about God aren’t enough. Indeed what Job really needed was God’s supernatural presence, a touch from the Master, a word from the Almighty.

Job replies after tasting the word from God, “I know that you can do all things; no plans of yours can be thwarted… Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” – Job 42: 1-6. Surely, God blessed his later life with double portion of blessings!

In the same way, when we go thru' trials and tribulations, the personal encounter with Jesus at the foot of the Cross will give us strength. We may not understand fully why these things happen. But we get peace and joy with the comforter, who had undergone much suffering at the Cross.

When we are really suffering, it’s not explanations we need, but the assurance that our Creator God is ours and therefore we can endure anything. That’s the miracle we need! It’s a miracle we get at the foot of the Cross! Amen!

Special thanks to:

Pastor Francis Bates, Kenton Evangelical Church.

www.ewtn.com (for Job's picture)