horror supreme

I am concerned we as Christians have become, to a large degree, like academic precious moment dolls. There is so little reality in many of the books being written / spewed / excreted these days, and so much middle class ‘niceness’ it is sad. There are so many books on “how to” be a Christian – and probably very few people who read these books have read – or intend to read the bible cover to cover to see what God says about how to live. There is a lot of silly B-grade horror in the way of movies and books – but very little healthy horror (by this I mean a true understanding of horror to inspire a throwing of oneself unto God). When men deface the image of God in themselves (sin) – unmake themselves – they create a world of horror and dismay. The book of Isaiah has many horrific passages – for example;

Isaiah 14:11;
Your pomp {and} the music of your harps have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out {as your bed} beneath you And worms are your covering

To me this is jaw dropping horror. No music, no pride and pomp, maggots as a bed, worms as a blanket. I would guess the true visual and experiential representation of this would horrify even the staunchest among us. True horror should not simply shock and frighten, it should turn us from the darkness to the father of lights. In Him alone is our hope, and the reality of His love and comfort is always here and now with us – despite the worlds version of horror which would send us into pure and utter despair. There are a lot of teachers, preachers and false prophets that would do away with Hell altogether – since it does not fit nicely into their homogenized theology.

As George MacDonald once said “…to know God is, and alone is, eternal life, and that he only knows God that knows Jesus Christ, I would gladly, even by rational terror of the unknown probable, rouse any soul to the consciousness that it does not know Him, and that it must approach him or perish”.

There is nothing unlawful about the use of horror in art, and the saying applies here as well, and I quote from memory “good art is not what it is, but what it does”. True representations of biblical horror are designed to warn and correct, hell, where the fire never burns out and the worm never dies is real and ready for those prepared for it, let us be warned, and aware of how God would have us horrify, teach and awaken the imagination in order that we can serve Him according to His will.