Vanished – Left Behind: Next Generation: Fear, Uncertainty, and Love

Three words come to mind after watching the film, Vanished – Left Behind: Next Generation: fear, uncertainty, and love. 

“Discourse”

The film wastes no time in jumping completely into the recognizable understanding of the End Times. The rapture has occurred, and this is the narrative of those left behind, specifically a group of teenagers and pre-teens who do not know truly what they must do.

The film features loads of intriguing characters (Amber Frank plays the lead while newcomer Keely Wilson effectively turns into one of the most favored characters). But there are a few anticipated entertainers in the film too, most notably Teen Wolf’s Mason Dye and Dylan Sprayberry.

After watching this film, many people will be calling for sequels to see where Vanished – Left Behind: Next Generation goes from here.

“Revelation in a Child’s Mind”

Vanished – Left Behind: Next Generation nailed its approach to getting a younger generation involved in the seriousness of revelation. The book of Revelation has always been one of those books in the Bible that either excites or scares you. No one truly knows what lies ahead in their life and there has always been some curiosity about the unsolvable question, “Is there a God and if there is, how do I know He is real?”

In the film, Gabby, Claire, Josh, and Flynn face challenges that stand in their way but ultimately lead to them finding peace with their faith. Me, being fairly young myself, find it interesting to see a film on Revelation that directs its attention toward younger viewers. Being in college, I have found myself losing track of what is important in life and what I think is important. With everything going on in the world, being younger is finding your way educationally, economically, emotionally, and relationally. There are so many factors that are involved in growing up and to know that if the rapture happened tomorrow all of that would mean nothing is crazy. We find it easy to lose ourselves in our phones and blame our intense lives on the problems we must solve but forget that God can help.

“Fear, Uncertainty, and Love”

Fear is a factor that we all have whether it be of spiders or heights. Undoubtedly everyone has fears but something that I believe everyone has pondered in their minds is the end of the world. And who’s to say it is not worth being scared over.

In Revelation, it has been described as a dark abyss of destruction and suffering. Revelation 14:9-11 says, “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

God tells us the uncertainty and the pain that is to come are more fearful and frightening than we could ever imagine. And yet amid Revelation being the most feared and misunderstood book of the Bible, it is a book that references love and hope.

This film has collectively taken the pain of loss and fear and turned it into the certainty of joyfulness with our Lord and Savior. There is still a lot of uncertainty but when will there ever be an answer to everything until that day of all days. Ultimately, find joy and be ready to have lots of questions after watching this film as it gives one of the best descriptions of the youthful interpretation of the rapture and God’s Revelation.

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