The Old Testament contains many intriguing stories and great poetry, but how is it relevant today? Where is it hiding behind all the laptops, cameras, and iEverthings? Does anyone actually ever talk about it or take an interest in it outside of academia? Spending a few minutes looking at American culture, media, and society and general says that yes, the Old Testament is still relevant. Two instances described below are examples of everyday encounters with the Old Testament.
This photograph was taken in Micah and Maggie Metz’s apartment in Gillespie Hall on CCC’s campus. The Metz family has a substantial movie collection, and this is just one shelf out of six or seven. Beginning on the right hand side, ten films into the row is Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the film, Indiana Jones goes on an archaeological action adventure in search of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is referred to as an artifact that holds the key to human existence. In the Bible, God describes the Ark in this way, “Have them make a chest of acacia wood…Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it…Make an atonement cover of pure gold…And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover…Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Exodus 25:10a, 11a, 17a, 21-22). In a sense, the filmmakers of Raiders were spot-on because God is certainly the key to human existence, and the Ark of the Covenant was His earthly existence for the Israelites in the Old Testament. Raiders relates directly to the Old Testament in two ways. First, it brings the Old Testament into society as part of a cinematic story, and second, Raiders sheds light on a more scientific, archaeological fascination with the Ark.
This photo also relates to the Ark of the Covenant. However, it concerns a different Old Testament story and relates it to the everyday experience of an American twenty-something. A few days ago, my dear friend Joanie Magallenes – who has a great sense of humor – posted this status on her Facebook. It recycles the popular quote from the film Despicable Me, “It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” to refer to the Ark of the Covenant, “It’s so sacred, I’m gonna die!” While amusing on the surface, this really did happen in 2 Samuel 6:6-7, “When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.” Joanie’s Facebook status is an example of how the Old Testament can still, to a degree, be easily accessible in everyday conversation. Granted, this example is confined to one circle of friends, but it proves that references to the Old Testament can be found in American culture outside of churches and classrooms. The reference may be confined to one person’s profile, but depending on how many friends they have, one Old Testament reference can potentially impact hundreds of people in their day-to-day experiences. Social media has a significant influence in our culture by impacting many individuals at once, and the Old Testament can certainly be found there.
Survey of the Old Testament 