Engaging Our Culture with Exodus: Gods and Kings

There has been a recent influx of successful Hollywood films based on biblical stories. Last year’s Noah and the more recent Exodus: Gods and Kings have been popular at the box office, but controversial among Christians for their departures from the biblical stories they are based on.

Dr. Tremper Longman explains more:

Realize the opportunity

While these films may not accurately reflect the Bible, they do provide unique opportunities to engage our culture. Asking “What did you think of the movie?” is almost always a good bet for starting a conversation. In the case of the Exodus film, the question provides a great opportunity for talking about the biblical story with non-Christians, and yet how many of us take advantage of it?

One problem may be that we ourselves don’t understand the stories of the Bible as well as we’d like. We may wonder, “What if they ask me a question I don’t know how to answer?” or “What if they know more than I do?” or “What if I say something stupid and look like an idiot?” The release of Exodus: Gods and Kings should inspire us to dig deeper into the biblical story in order to understand the Bible’s context and message more fully so we can communicate that to our friends and neighbors who have seen the movie.

Get prepared

One resource that will help you better understand the message of the book of Exodus is Dr. Tremper Longman’s Mobile Ed course OT306 Book Study: Exodus. Dr. Longman is professor of biblical studies at Westmont College, author of over 25 books, and an excellent biblical guide. He takes you step by step through the events of Exodus, then explains how these events connect to Jesus’ life and ministry in the New Testament. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the real story of Exodus—and how it points to Jesus.

While Exodus: Gods and Kings overlooks and misrepresents key aspects of the biblical story, it also presents opportunities for us to share with others who God is and what his plan is for his people. After all, we are part of the same story.

Save $150.00 when you pre-order Tremper Longman’s Mobile Ed course on Exodus!