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INTRODUCTION
In the 1951 science fiction movie, "The Day the Earth Stood Still," an extraterrestrial comes to warn Earth about its uncertain future. Like Ezekiel's Biblical wheel sent by God, the alien, Klaatu and his robot, Gort, land in Washington, DC in a mysterious flying saucer with a spiritual message. Klaatu is killed by fearful soldiers. Gort disarms the soldiers with a heat ray and resurrects Klaatu.
In his memorable departing speech, Klaatu warns the Earthlings that they must either live in peace or be destroyed by Gort. "Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you."
MR. CARPENTER
The Biblical symbolism is obvious! Klaatu is a messianic figure who takes the name 'Carpenter,' Jesus' occupation. He is a gentle person from the heavens bearing a message of peace, killed by the very people he has come to save. A higher power resurrects him so that he can complete his mission and ascend back to his celestial home, where he says he'll be watching us. Gort acts as "God," watching over whatever Klaatu does. He is the one that deals out the final punishment to those who don't listen to Klaatu.
 THE ORIGINAL DAY THAT STOOD STILL
There is, however, an even more striking event recorded in the Old Testament, which is not science fiction and also involves a day the Earth stood still. In Joshua 10:12-14, we read, "Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel."
God made the Earth stand still for a day so that His people could have a resounding victory. This was a unique event that had never happened before but is it possible that we may be in a similar time right now?
A REPRIEVE
Up until the last Presidential Election, you could be forgiven for thinking that America was in an unstoppable spiral downward to moral anarchy. Just like Joshua who tirelessly "...came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal" (Joshua 10:9), an unusually motivated church woke up and let its voice be heard in this election.
We are now in an unprecedented time of reprieve during the next few years in America, where we can turn back the clock on the downward slide that we have seen over the last forty years of moral wilderness. We have now crossed over into a Land of Promise. However, the worst thing we can do is think that we have arrived. We have to possess our inheritance by tirelessly fighting for what is right while it is still a day when the earth is standing still!
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