Spiritual Lessons for those who Listens by JQuisumbing
In the very beginning of The Chosen, the episode 1 scene opened with a flashback memory of a little girl who could not sleep due to a fear that she could not identify. Her ailing father asked her, “What do we do when we are scared?” She answered,”We say the words!” And the words that she recited were from the scrolls of the Prophet Isaiah.
Then, the scene flashed to a woman who suddenly woke up breathing heavily. It was the girl, all grown up. She was startled and confused, like she did not know where she was. Frowning, she sensed something damp on her face and she peered at a nearby mirror. It was blood. She was frightened and realized that there was more blood on her gown. From outside her small apartment, there was a frantic scrambling and a male voice calling out for help. Apparently, she unknowingly bit either the ear or the neck of a… ahem… a patron. We pick up the scene of a panicked man, bleeding on the left side of his head. When stopped by a Roman soldier, the man pantingly exclaimed, “Demons… they live inside her!” Then it went to opening credits.
I have to say KUDOS1 to Dallas Jenkins, the director/producer of The Chosen. When it came to piquing my interest right away, that opening scene, in my book, was done masterfully. That woman is the actress Elizabeth Tabish who played the role of Mary of Magdala (a.k.a Mary Magdalene). I am a fan. And it was because of her performance and the storyline that I can’t help but take advantage of using this show to impart spiritual principles. Let us start with the subtitle that quickly flashed at the bottom left corner of the screen of the opening scene – Magdala, 2 BC.
PR 1 – Magdala was an Israelite settlement located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Today, you can find the Israeli town of Migdal. Now, I used Google Maps Street View function to vicariously look around the modern town. (It’s a thing I do, especially when I can’t travel anymore.) Anyway, as interesting as it is for a Holy Land tour itinerary, I would like to point out the spiritual aspect of that location. Magdala, which was within the ancestral land of the tribe of Naphtali,2a had a distinct privilege of being one of the prophetic locations where the people who were living in spiritual darkness were visited by a great light.2b For those who have ears, you’ll figure this out.
Oh by the way, according to ancient rabbinic texts, Magdala also means Tower of Fishes. I found it interesting that this kinda connects this place to what I wrote about in my last post.
PR 2 – In the Chosen, Mary had been depicted as a harlot or one who lives as a prostitute. As a lesson for all, the Bible teaches that we must not accept things by face-value, but that we should test the spirits (ideas) against what is written in the Gospels.3 Tradition had always tagged her as one. They had speculated that the woman of sin in Luke 7:36-38 who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair was Mary of Magdala. The problem though was that the Bible clearly left her name out. So, what does the Bible say about Mary of Magdala? These are just the highlights.
- Mary was freed of 7 demons by Jesus
- She was also among a number of female disciples that followed and supported Jesus during His 3 year ministry (Luke 8:1-3)
There was even something more significant to tell of her story, but I am not one to spoil it for you by telling all… hahaha. Okay. Let’s get back to the point. There is nothing written that even suggests that Mary of Magdala worked in the oldest profession of the world.
PR 3 – Now, let’s talk about the ‘elephant in the room’, that is, DEMON POSSESSION. I always get these questions – ‘How does one get possessed?’ and ‘Is it still happening today?’
According to the Apostle Peter, Demons, like roaring lions on the prowl, are ever seeking to pounce upon the vulnerable and devour.4 In episode 1, we quickly got the sense that Mary’s vulnerability started when she first lost her father when she was just a child and then she was sexually violated by a Roman soldier. Then, as implied, her further fall into disrepute, may be an indicator that she was culturally considered as ‘damaged goods’ and the only avenue opened to her was a life of prostitution. After years of degradation, she was easily infiltrated by the demons which plunged her into even deeper water. Eventually, seeing no escape, Mary could not stand it any longer and went to the cliff to jump.
Did you know that the method of devils has not changed since the Garden of Eden? Think about this. Their sole purpose is to get YOU to be as far apart from God until YOU die knowing that upon death YOU will go straight to Judgement.5 That is their primary goal! Let me repeat. The demons want YOU to die without YOU ever knowing and accepting God’s way to eternal life. By the way, vulnerability is not limited to just people in Mary’s situation. In the Chosen, there is another character, Shmuel the Pharisee6, who is a man of means, educated, successful, ambitious and quite zealous. How is he vulnerable? His kind are the easiest for demons to manipulate to reach their goal. They don’t need to possess him. All they do is to whisper for him and others like him to continue on until death takes him/them again without truly knowing God’s way. I’m reminded of Jesus’ warning that at the time of Judgment, these types will come to Him saying ‘Lord, Lord’, but then His reply to them is ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’7 Ouch!
As to, ‘Is it still happening today?’ Open your eyes and you’ll see.
PR 4 – Let’s look at the Gospel part of episode 1. First, let me show you a divine fork-in-the-road event.
Mary was standing at the edge of the cliff with the intention to jump. Clutched in her hand were torn pieces of parchment which had written on it a verse from Isaiah, the last vestiges of her long dead father. She looked at it, as if, to say goodbye, then she let the pieces go. She teetered as if to follow it off the ledge, but then the sound of fluttering wings caused her to glance up. Seeing nothing, she focuses back at the edge determined. Then, the fluttering sound again and this time, she saw a dove. She followed it.
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that sooner or later, we will have to choose to go down a broad road or a narrow one. He advises us to take the narrow way that leads to life. The other only leads to destruction.8 That spot, where you have to choose is the fork in the road. Mary’s fork was on the cliff’s edge and as suggested by the storyline, the dove, an ever symbol of peace, was sent by God. And she chose to follow the dove. Okay, the Marys scenario is somewhat Hollywood with its usual ‘feel-good’ result, but is it plausible. Well, using the dove is not just a nice touch by the writers. There is precedence. In the Bible, there is…
- Genesis 7, when the dove carried an olive branch to Noah ;
- Numbers 22, when the talking ass prevented Balaam from going against God’s will;
- 1 Kings 17 when ravens brought food to Elijah when hiding from the evil King Ahab;
- Jonah 1 & 2 when the great fish swallowed Jonah to get him on line.
Scripture is filled with our Lord God taking the initiative by putting that fork-in-the-road on our life-paths where we have to choose to go His way or ours. I myself have recognized a great number of forks He had put in front of me. I have failed many times until in January 1990, I chose to go His way.
Have you recognized these forks in your walk through life?
PR 5 – Mary’s life may have been saved from her suicide attempt but she was still in danger. We pick up her story with her following the dove. As she walked keeping her eyes on that bird, what was seen on her face was a little bit of confusion but with a slight touch of hope until she was bumped by an agitated Andrew exiting a drinking establishment. Mary lost track of the dove and found herself before the very same saloon door that she started from. Her posture showed that the hope she felt was quickly lost and she resigned herself to a darkened existence. She was about to lose herself in liqueur, when Jesus stopped her. Annoyed, she tried to walk away, but then Jesus called her by name, then proceeded to slowly recite with conviction those words that her dying father taught her; those same words written in a parchment that she threw away at the cliff’s edge; those words meant to keep fear away.
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 9
Then Mary was free!
That healing scene was the climax of the episode and set the stage for the whole TV series. How could I not praise the Lord and shout ‘Hallelujah’?! These words of Isaiah should remind us that we all were created in His image and that we are rightly His. Where the devil can only whisper in your ear, God’s Words are there for everyone to see, hear and read. Again as Jesus said, “If you have ears, Listen!”
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!
Footnote: [1] Kudos means praise and honor received for an achievement; [2a] Naphtali was one of the 12 Tribes of Israel; [2b] Matthew 4:15,16; [3] 1 John 4:1; [4] 1 Peter 5:8; [5] Hebrews 9:27; [6] Pharisees are the religious leaders of the Jews; [7] Matthew 7:21-23; [8] Matthew 7:13,14; [9] Isaiah 43:1;
Johann Quisumbing 