Since The Passion of Christ (2004) film there has been memorabilia releases to go along with the the Christian media. I remember there was screenshots from the film with Bible verses framed, Nine Inch Nails necklaces, and so forth. The Chosen has done the same, releasing devotionals that are aimed to reach the audiences of the show. I picked up one of these because I am always looking for devotionals and I wanted to see how those involved in series would present Scripture.
The copy I picked up is called “The Chosen Book I, 40 Days with Jesus” which has trio of authors Amanda Jenkins, Kirsten Hendricks, and Dallas Jenkins. Dallas Jenkins is the creator, and director of the Chosen, and Amanda is his wife, so this devotional lends light on their beliefs and what they endorse, since there has been controversy not only on the liberties Dallas is taking with Scripture in the Chosen Series, but his closeness with Mormons, who are not Christian, but have another book written by Joseph Smith in addition to the Bible that rewrites the Bible. Having read the first ten days, I had not seen a great deal that made me concerned in terms of Christology (who Christ is), and Doxology (doctrine) until I came to Day 10 in the book.
On Day 10: Tested, page 49, it reads:
The statement, “How satan became evil is unexplained; God say to it to keep that part a mystery,” (The Chosen, Book I, 40 Days With Jesus, Amanda Jenkins, Kirsten Hendrick, & Dallas Jenkins, Day 10: Tested, pg 49) is an utter fallacy! Scripture explains in great detail Satan’s reasons for why he became evil:
“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub (cherub is singular for cherubim angels, see cherubim Ezekiel 10:14, Ezekiel 25:20, Exodus 25:22, Revelation 4:8), for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.” (Ezekiel 28:13-18), Jesus is the One who castes him out, “The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre,” (Ezekiel 28:12), “And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” (Luke 10:19), and “All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:11-14).
Satan became violent in his commerce / trade (Ezekiel 28:16), which means Satan invented money, Satan became obsessed with his own beauty and proud because of it (Ezekiel 28:17) which reminds us of the story of Narcissus looking at himself in the water, a pagan story I believe that is an echo of true one in Ezekiel, then it tells us that He desired God’s throne (Isaiah 14:14), and finally that he waged a war in heaven (Revelation 12:7-17). The Scriptures are abundantly clear on what seduced Satan to evil: violence, pride, self love and beauty, commerce, and egotism of wanting to be God. God did not leave it a mystery, it is spelled out clearly in those verses why Satan became evil, and even how. For this devotional for Chosen fans to omit this important information in Scripture and say with confidence an error that “God keeps it a mystery,” is greatly concerning,and continues to affirm my reasons for raising red flags about the Chosen series that has deviated from Scripture in major ways (see my posts).
What is more troubling is you do not know which of the three authors asserted this error. Was is Amanda or Dallas or Kirsten? I am inclined to infer Dallas because he has inserted into the Chosen Series many deviations from Scripture like The Apostle Peter being mad at Jesus when he walks on the water in Season 2, when in the Gospels Peter is full of faith and wants to be with Jesus.
This is why I once more must stress, you must be Biblically literate, that is know the Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments. What is important in this life is not memorizing Chaucer, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, or any the authors of this world, but that you memorize the authors of the Bible, who under One Author, The Triune Author, were guided to pen the Truth, “All scripture isgiven by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16) and “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit..” 2 Peter 1:20-21). You must test every devotional, book, youtube influencer, preacher, teacher, and etc with Scripture! And you can only do that if you know the Scriptures!
I am greatly concerned for fans of Chosen who probably picked up this devotional and others that think the book or books they have is sound in doctrine. They will think who Satan became evil is a mystery, when Scripture is clear how he became evil (Ezekiel 28:11-28, Isaiah 14:11-14, Revelation 12:6-12). It is for them I raise a great caution and say, learn the Scriptures, not these devotionals by people. For the Scriptures are God Breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), devotionals and theological books are written by mere men. Amen.
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