The Story That Changed History

DC's Legends of Tomorrow is a comic book-based television show featuring superheroes who travel through time to correct aberrations to the timeline caused by supervillains.

The current season's story arc involves the Spear of Destiny, which is the spear that pierced the side of Jesus during His crucifixion. This spear allows its bearer to alter reality, so our heroes are trying to keep it out of the hands of the villains.

In the latest episode, "Fellowship of the Spear," after our heroes have taken possession of the spear, it's revealed that the spear was empowered by the blood of Jesus and can be undone by the blood of Jesus.

The legendary Spear of Destiny

So the answer is clear -- get some of Jesus' blood! But before they can time-jump to the crucifixion, the historian in their group warns them that there are some events in history that are so crucial to the timeline that any change whatsoever can have catastrophic results. He forbids them to travel to the crucifixion of Christ because tampering with the life and death of Jesus is simply too dangerous. They will have to find another source of Jesus' blood.

I was struck by the following thoughts as I watched that scene:

1) Disappointment (slight) that we wouldn't see the portrayal of the crucifixion. That, if done well, could have made for some engaging television.

2) Concern (some) that the source of Jesus' blood would be a descendant of Jesus from His marriage to Mary Magdalene. (Let me be clear on this point: there is no biblical or historical evidence that Jesus was ever married or had children. Nevertheless, the fantasy that Jesus had descendants is the basis for Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code," a novel that caused many of its readers to question the reliability of the Gospels. Thank you, Dan Brown, for nothing!) To my relief, the writers of this episode didn't go that route.

3) Wish (unfulfilled) that they would have included Jesus' resurrection, not only His life and death, in the pivotal nature of His impact on human history.

4) Surprise (pleasant and great) that the writers did, in fact, single out Jesus as the linchpin of the history of the world.

In the course of this series, the time travelers (both heroes and villains) have tinkered with events such as the Civil War, World Wars I & II, the Apollo 13 mission, and the Cold War. They have met historical figures such as George Washington, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George Lucas. However, no significant damage was done to the timeline on those occasions, even though the presence of time travelers caused some alterations.

But Jesus is off limits. I like that!

I'm not going to say that the writers were trying to make a theological point or offering any particular confession of faith. It might just be the opposite, that their plotline is about an ancient relic associated with Jesus, but they wanted to avoid Jesus Himself. So they manufactured a timeline-based excuse to cover their tracks.

Whatever the thought behind the scene, there was a recognition that Jesus is the turning point of history. Followers of Jesus know that to be true. It is so true, in fact, that even those who don't necessarily follow Jesus have to admit that His story, more than any other historic figure, has transformed history.

However, we who follow Jesus believe more than that. We believe that Jesus has transformed not only history, but eternity.

Right Person, Right Place, Right Time

Esther, Queen of Persia

This weekend marks the Jewish festival of Purim. This festival has its origin in the Old Testament story of Esther, a young Jewish woman who lived during the reign of Xerxes, the King of the Persian Empire. (Xerxes is also the big bad in the movie 300.)

On one occasion Xerxes was hosting a week-long banquet with lots of drinking. Being pretty soused, he ordered his beautiful queen, Vashti, to come to the banquet hall to be ogled by his guests. She flat out refused and as a result was deposed as queen. Following her dismissal, the search for a new queen began.

Esther was chosen as a contestant in the "Miss Persia Beauty Pageant," from which the new queen would be chosen. Esther's older cousin, Mordechai, the man who had raised her after the death of her parents, told Esther not to reveal her Jewish heritage, presumably to prevent any discrimination against her. After a year of preparation, Esther was presented to Xerxes, won his favor, and became his queen.

Now, enter the villain, Haman. Haman was an Amalekite, the historic enemy of Israel since the time of the Exodus. Haman also won the favor of Xerxes, who gave him a place of honor higher than any of his other officials. When Haman walked by, everyone knelt before him in respect (or fear). Everyone but Mordechai.

Infuriated by this Jew's disrespect, Haman schemed to have Mordechai hung on the gallows and to have all the Jews throughout Xerxes' Empire exterminated. Xerxes issued a decree to that effect and published it throughout the provinces.

When Mordechai learned of this decree, he urged Esther, at the risk of her own life, to intervene on behalf of her people. He persuaded her that she might have "come to royal position for such a time as this." Esther pled her case before her king and, in an unexpected turn of events, Mordechai was honored by Xerxes and Haman was hanged on the very gallows from which he wanted to see Mordechai swing. At Esther's request, Xerxes reversed his decree and allowed the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.

To celebrate this great deliverance, the Festival of Purim was established and is observed by the Jews to this very day.

Esther was the right person in the right place at the right time. Even though God isn't mentioned once in the Book of Esther, His fingerprints are all over it. He orchestrated these events not only to deliver His people in Esther's day, but to deliver all people throughout all history. God had a bigger plan at work and would not allow a weasel like Haman to get in the way. God still had a Savior to send, His Son, Jesus, who was born a Jew. Esther's obedience furthered God's saving work for all humanity.

God places each of us where we are to serve His plan and further His purposes. It might include political drama and palace intrigue as it did for Esther. But it probably won't. We may serve our God in ordinary and even mundane ways, but we can serve Him nonetheless. We most likely won't make the headlines. But we can still make a difference.