the new creation in Wall-E

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." - Romans 8:18-25 (NIV)

if there ever was a land groaning as in the pains of childbirth, it would be the barren land in the movie.

the launch of the new creation

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." - 1 Corinthians 15:22 (NIV)

the captain of the spaceship represents Christ, the federal head of the new creation (just as Adam is the federal head of the first creation) who is 'the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation' (Colossians 1:15, NIV).

Christ brings the kingdom of heaven to earth and launches the new creation through His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Jesus has come to earth to launch the new creation of the world, and is coming back soon to complete it! similarly, the captain of the spaceship brings the endangered plant to earth and revitalises the barren land.

"He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."" - Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

"Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen." - Psalm 72:18-19 (NIV)

excursus: Wall-E and Eve

Eve (the woman) complements Adam and thus completes the first creation in Genesis. similarly, Eve (the robot) complements Wall-E and thus completes the new creation in Wall-E. incidentally, as a signals specialist in the saf, i learnt that every technological device comes with a "male" plug and a "female" socket.

after being given a new body, Wall-E - though seeing, does not see; though hearing, does not hear or understand.

"This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand."" - Matthew 13:13 (NIV)

"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." - Hebrews 10:26-27 (NIV)

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."" - 2 Peter 2:20-22 (NIV)

after being regenerated, Wall-E goes back to compressing trash. what?

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." - Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)

"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." - 1 John 3:6 (NIV)

"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." - 1 John 3:9 (NIV)

happily, Wall-E comes to realise that he is a new creation and stops touching unclean things (literally).

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

""Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."" - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV)

the new creation in Wall-E mirrors the new creation in the captain, and both of them portend the new creation of the new heaven and the new earth. the movie ends with michael crawford's it only takes a moment:

And that is all that love's about
And we'll recall when time runs out
That it only took a moment
To be loved a whole life long

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)

*****


"Then I said, "For how long, O Lord?" And he answered: "Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land."" - Isaiah 6:11-13 (NIV)

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." - Isaiah 11:1 (NIV)


"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." - Isaiah 55:8-13 (NIV)


"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more." - Isaiah 65:17-19 (NIV)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)