I watched it. I will watch the Part 2 next Sunday night, and so forth, through to the end. History Channel’s The Bible has made a big splash on television, setting records for cable broadcast.

I liked Part 1. I’m a big fan of anything that will get people interested in reading the Bible. At my church I teach Bible class for first and second graders every week, and I take turns teaching my ladies’ Sunday school class on occasion. The Bible includes every type of story under the sun, and it has long been underappreciated by Hollywood.

After all, what other single collection includes murder, suspense, ghost stories, romance, miracles, travel, birth, death, plagues, angels, demons, giants, leviathans, behemoths, witches, political drama, mistaken identity, executions, resurrections, revenge, heaven and hell? The Bible has all of these and more!

The much talked-about mini-series has some of these elements. I loved the angels in Sodom and Gomorrah—they had mad ninja skills. I loved how the show portrayed Sarai/ Sarah. She felt very real to me—vulnerable and down-to-earth. The show didn’t mention that the woman was so incredibly beautiful that her husband passed her off as his sister to save favor with other men—twice. Bless her heart, she really was his half-sister, but in her place I might have gotten a little fussy about things like that.

The show did such a terrific job of showing the characters’ faults and emotions, that I was surprised at how the production treated Moses. While the theatrical presentation made him a confident leader of men, the Biblical account is quite different. In the Bible, Moses pleaded with God not to make him go back to Egypt. He explained that he was a poor speaker, and unable to lead. I was a little disappointed in that aspect, but I certainly understand editing for time.

There were some other little things I could get snippy about, but I’ve read about what went into making The Bible for television, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the hearts behind the effort. If you didn’t see Part 1, find a friend to share with you. When the series is over, rent or purchase it. And if you want to know the “rest of the story” read the book!

That’s a wrap for this Toast to Cinema. Thanks for reading!