I’m a fan of the television show Once Upon a Time. It’s cleverly put together and well-acted. But what I find most compelling is the way it parallels the biblical narrative.
In the show, each character in the present-day town of “Storybrooke” is a fairy-tale character from the enchanted forest—frozen in time with no memory of who they truly are. They’re in bondage, under the curse of an evil power—the Evil Queen (Storybrooke’s mayor)—and they don’t even know it.
The townspeople’s present-day predicament is strikingly similar to the current state of our world without Christ. The apostle John wrote: “the world around us is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
Just like those without Jesus, the people of Storybrooke assume that the world they’re aware of is the only real world. The Evil Queen’s curse blinds them to the truth of what’s really going on. But just like the biblical story, there’s also a promise of deliverance. A prophecy claims that Emma, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, will one day come to Storybrooke, break the curse, and begin the final battle with the Evil Queen. This prophecy is found in a special book that also exists in their present-day reality. It’s not just any book; it’s a magnificent book of fairy tales that reveals the Queen’s evil plan, the townspeople’s true identities, and the hope for their rescue.
Today we also have access to such a book—the Bible. But it’s no fairy tale. It is the Book—a collection of books that tell us the true story of our lives and introduces us to the Son of God who came and gave us understanding so that we can know the true God (1 John 5:20).
With Him we will live “happily ever after.”
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 23:23–24:27
More:
Read 2 Corinthians 4:4 again to see who has blinded unbelievers—not allowing them to see themselves in God’s reality—and kept them from knowing Jesus and His Word.
Next:
What other modern-day stories borrow from the biblical story? How does your future hope in Jesus encourage you today?
tom felten on November 13, 2012 at 9:30 am
Jeff, I so look forward to that day when Jesus will “make everything new” (Revelation 21:5). May we live our part in His story with hope and confidence in Him!
Tom Kopper on November 14, 2012 at 12:03 am
The Bible, not only a collection of 66 books and letters, but it is writtened by 40 author’s, of all walks-of-life, fishermen to doctors/scholars, around a period of 3 Thousand years, in 3 contenants, in language’s of Hebrew , Arabic and Greek, all with the same theme, Reconciliation through Jesus Christ!
tom felten on November 14, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Good thoughts, Tom Kopper. There are some more thoughts on why God’s Word is trustworthy found in this online article.