Why Not Ninjas? When Angels Know Ninjutsu

Like 27 million other Americans, our family watched The History Channel’s newest series called The Bible. I have to tell you we loved it. Yes, I was sad the Joseph story was not included.

But, hello! Creating a movie of the BIBLE is a ginormous task. After watching, I hopped on Facebook to see what others were saying. And the status update that jumped out at me the most said this:

“Ninja angels???…not sure I remember that in the old testament.”

And in the comments below, most agreed.

I will admit I was a little shocked at the ninja angels. I even paused the TV at that point to comment about them to my husband. But here is the thing. Why NOT ninja angels?

I was a little more shocked that the ninja angel had a cut on his face. Because if there was a ninja angel, I seriously doubt anyone would be able to get a good hit on him.

Let’s go to God’s Word and get some truth about the matter. First let’s read the actual passage with the angels.

With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” Genesis 19:15-17 NIV

We immediately notice the Bible doesn’t mention any fighting to get out of the city. It tells of the angels blinding the men at the door. (v. 11) If you go back and read it in its entirety, you’ll also notice in the Biblical passage that Lot offers his virgin daughters to the men at the door. They are obviously of marrying age because he also mentions his sons-in-law. In the TV version, the daughters are quite young.

So there are definitely some discrepancies in the TV series, but I digress. Let’s discuss the ninja angels.

Most of us tend to think of angels as big white beings with oversized fluffy wings. And perhaps they can be, but they can also be fierce warriors. Remember the passage with Elisha and his servant? No? The King of Aram was trying to capture Elisha and sent an army to get him.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 NIV

The angels outnumbered the army of King Aram. They were in chariots of fire. I’m guessing these weren’t your fluffy winged angels with marshmallow shooters. The marshmallows would totally melt in the fire. These were warriors ready for battle.

Not convinced? Here’s another example of a warrior angel – or ninja angel, if you will.

Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city.
19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. 2 Chronicles 32:16-21 NIV

Sennacherib is talking smack, and God doesn’t like it. When King Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed to God concerning the trash talking, He sent a ninja angel to take care of business. Notice it says, “the Lord sent an angel.” One. Uno. One angel annihilated all the fighting men. Annihilated. All. Of. Them.

Now imagine a Bruce Lee movie where he chops and kicks everyone around him, flying and kicking and flipping. Where do you think he got those moves? Ninja angels – like this one who pulled some awesome moves on Sennacherib’s men.

God created everything. He created the heavens and the earth. He created people and animals. He created skyscrapers and award winning chefs. He even created Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan and every move from all the Mission Impossible movies. Don’t you think He would use a little of that awesomeness on an angel?

You still second guessing me? I’m getting this stuff right from the Bible. Here’s just one more.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Daniel 10:12-13 NIV

Daniel was visited by an angel who told him, “I was dispatched as soon as you prayed, but I was detained by satan for three weeks.” Do you honestly think the angel and satan were sitting down with a cappachino having a peace talk? For three weeks? I think not.

Surely, there was some karate chopping going on.

So, here is the real truth. Do I believe there are ninja angels? You betcha. I believe there is enough proof in God’s word to hang your hat on it.

There are some details in History channel’s The Bible that are not true to God’s Word. So far, I believe they are pretty minor. But here is the great thing in all of that. It has caused you and I to talk about it, to pull out our Bibles and see if it measures up. And any TV series that does that is a worthwhile one.

And getting to watch ninja angels doesn’t hurt either.

 

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