Left Behind II: Tribulation Force
2002 film by Bill Corcoran
Left Behind II: Tribulation Force is a 2002 Christian apocalyptic/thriller film, and the second in a series of films based on the Left Behind book series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. It was produced and distributed by Cloud Ten Pictures and Namesake Entertainment. The film was directed by Bill Corocoran, and stars Kirk Cameron and Brad Johnson. It was released directly to home video on October 29, 2002. The film's executive producer was Andre Van Heerden.
Tsion Ben-Judah
edit- The Bible has given clear prophecies that could be fulfilled by only one person in the entire human race. Based on 456 messianic passages and 558 references from the most ancient rabbinical writings, there are 109 distinct prophecies the Messiah must fulfill. Perhaps you will be relieved to know that I will not detail all 109. There's even the possibility that even 20 of these 109 prophecies be fulfilled in one is well over one in a hundred million. Now, in light of recent world events, there has been much speculation that the Messiah does indeed walk among us today. Let us look at the prophecies. Some of them could apply to any of us. For example, the Messiah will be preceded by a forerunner. He, and the prophecies do refer to a man, will be pierced without breaking a bone. It starts to narrow. The Messiah must be born of an extremely rare bloodline. He will travel to Egypt as a young child. He will be rejected by his own people. The Messiah must be born in Bethlehem. The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver. And perhaps, most amazing, the Messiah was predicted to have a supernatural time to die, to be buried, and of all things, to be resurrected again. There is only one person in history who fulfills all these prophecies. And that is Jesus Christ. When I did not believe, I have seen God's witnesses, and I have heard the truth. I beg you, each of you, to open your eyes, to see the truth, and turn to God's faith. He has sent us a savior, Jesus Christ. [To God] Please forgive me for doubting.
Quotes
edit- [Bruce is teaching about the great tribulation and the Antichrist in his church sermon]
- Female Attendee: Is he going to kill us all?
- Bruce Barnes: No, no. Other passages make it clear that he will triumph not by force, but through diplomacy, through peace, through a false peace that promises world unity. Does that sound familiar to anyone?
- Elder Attendee: That's what Nicolae Carpathia's trying to do. But Nicolae can't be the devil! All he talks about is peace and harmony. Does he strike you as a liar?
- Bruce Barnes: How does he strike you?
- Female Attendee: As a savior!
- Bruce Barnes: As a savior. There's only one person who can save you from your sins. One messiah. That's Jesus Christ.
- Buck Williams: You just staid you're a good person. I mean, do you think you've kept the Ten Commandments?
- Chris Smith: Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I'm not perfect, but I haven't killed anyone.
- Buck Williams: Okay, well, have you ever lied?
- Chris Smith: Yeah, well, who hasn't?
- Buck Williams: So what does that make you?
- Chris Smith: ...human.
- Buck Williams: Come on, Chris. Be honest. If you've murdered somebody, that makes you a murderer. So if you've lied, what does that make you?
- Chris Smith: Okay, a liar.
- Buck Williams: Have you ever stolen anything?
- Chris Smith: No.
- Buck Williams: Even if it's something small?
- Chris Smith: Well, yeah, once.
- Buck Williams: So what does that make you?
- Chris Smith: A thief.
- Buck Williams: You know, the one that really got me was, uh, Jesus said whoever looks after a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Have you ever done that?
- Chris Smith: Yeah, guilty.
- Buck Williams: So Chris, by your own admission, you're a lying thief and an adulterer at heart. And that's only three of the Ten Commandments. So if God judges you by those standards, do you honestly think you're gonna be innocent, or guilty?
- Chris Smith: I guess I'd be guilty.
- Buck Williams: Chris, that's the point.
- Buck Williams: [Reading a copy of Ben-Judah's speech that Rayford retrieved from Nicolae's laptop] This is what Ben-Judah's big announcement is all about. He's going to announce Nicolae as the messiah. That's why Nicolae wants me here! He's using me to promote this speech!
- Rayford Steele: No, no, we're missing something here. This is Ben-Judah's speech. Then why did I hear Nicolae thank Steve Plank for writing it?
- Buck Williams: Or re-writing it. Come on, Ray, look at this: "The messiah will be pierced without breaking a bone." We all know that was Jesus Christ. He was stabbed when he was hanging on the cross.
- Rayford Steele: Ben-Judah was going to announce that Jesus Christ is the messiah. They changed the speech! But how are they going to get Ben-Judah to read it?
- Buck Williams: Nicolae's got a lot of people under his power. We gotta get to Ben-Judah.
- Rayford Steele: And then what? I mean, if he's got all these people under his power, or spell, or whatever you want to call it, it's supernatural. What can you do?
- Buck Williams: I can't do anything, but God can. The only thing that can break it is the power of God.
- Rayford Steele: But how?
- Buck Williams: We get Ben-Judah face-to-face with the word of God. We take him to the witnesses.
- Tsion Ben-Judah: You are false prophets! Claiming to know the secrets to God's kingdom!
- Witness Eli: For God will bring every deed into judgment, Ben-Judah. Including every hidden thing, whether it is good, or evil. "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind. And I will give every man according to his ways, and according to the things he has done."
- Tsion Ben-Judah: I have kept the commandments since my youth.
- Witness Moishe: By the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in His sight. For by grace, you are saved through faith. It is not for yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast.
- Tsion Ben-Judah: I don't understand.
- Witness Eli: We are ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God.
- Witness Moishe: For God so loved the world, that He gave us His one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. He who believes in the son is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because, he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.
- Tsion Ben-Judah: And the name of the son of God?
- Witness Moishe & Witness Eli: [In unison] He is the Christ, Jesus.
Cast
edit- Kirk Cameron as Cameron "Buck" Williams
- Brad Johnson as Captain Rayford Steele
- Gordon Currie as U.N. Secretary General Nicolae J. Carpathia
- Chelsea Noble as Hattie Durham
- Clarence Gilyard as Pastor Bruce Barnes
- Janya Stephens as Chloe Steele
- Colin Fox as Chaim Rosenzweig
- Lubomir Mykytiuk as Rabbi Tsion Ben-Judah
- Christopher Bondy as Steve Plank
- Les Carlson as Eli, one of the two witnesses
- Louis Negin as Moishe, one of the two witnesses