Dear Dave,
Yesterday evening you suggested I watch The Prince of Egypt, in your opinion the best movie inspired by the book of Exodus. Although I didn’t have time then, I got to it this morning. It impressed me mightily.
The top 5 reasons why I loved it — and why everybody who reads this article should watch it if they haven’t already — are:
1. Moses never doubts God, only himself.
This is a vital lesson for believers of all kinds; you can doubt your own abilities, but never doubt the most high God, who created everything, and without whom nothing would be.
2. The Pharaoh (or Moses’ adopted brother) initially has a kind heart (at least towards those he holds dear), but is hardened by pride and a blind adherence to tradition.
It’s not a story about evil people, but about evil values. There’s a difference between the two — those who worship God should be aware of that and act accordingly, which also means they have to reason in favor of good values.
3. The story isn’t merely one of victory or redemption, it’s a tragedy at the same time.
Moses does what God orders him to do, but he’s not doing it in order to take revenge. He’s acting out of love — for his people, and even for his adopted brother, the crown prince who eventually becomes the new Pharaoh.
4. The story shows what a God-fearing leader can do for his people… and what a blasphemous leader can do to his people.
A leader’s character and values matter. A lot. The first type of leader will bring redemption to his people, the latter will lead them to ruin.
5. The Jewishness is actually not emphasized that much because it’s a story for the ages and for all people, of all religions and of all backgrounds.
The same can be said for the Bible itself in its entirety; you don’t have to be a Christian in the traditional sense to read it and learn from it.
Back to you, Dave. What would you like to add to these points? Why should people — of all creeds — watch The Prince of Egypt and what did you get out of it?
Sincerely,
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