Prophetic Significance of The Hunger Games - Part 12
The Campaign Staff
Any presidential candidate has campaign staffers. It was no different for Donald Trump. In the Hunger Games films, there seemed to be three people who filled these roles for Katniss and her running mate, Peeta. Effie Trinket bears a slight resemblance to Kellyanne Conway, President Trump’s counselor and former campaign manager. In the films, Effie serves as escort and also helps Katniss and Peeta with public relations issues.
Cinna serves as stylist for Katniss. His official responsibilities include preparing costumes for Katniss and Peeta as they make their grand entrance in the Hunger Games media event. It seems clear early in his appearances that his mission goes beyond that. He takes it upon himself to prepare Katniss to be fully clothed and prepared to fulfill her role as the Mockingjay, inspiring and calling those whose hearts are inclined to support the revolution.
Cinna didn’t live to see the fruits of all of his labors. He was taken out as a victim of the violent backlash from the corrupt powers in charge. In the same way, almost as soon as Donald Trump settled into his new role as president, there were casualties on his staff as some staffers resigned or were forced out. What we may not have realized is that these were some of the earliest victims in the rapidly intensifying spiritual battle for the future of our nation and our children.
Haymitch seems to fill the role of campaign manager for Katniss and Peeta. Initially, Katniss doesn’t seem to see the value of Haymitch’s experience and his advice, but Peeta immediately wants to take advantage of everything that this experienced victor might offer them. At their first meeting on the train, Peeta says to Haymitch, “I want to know what the plan is. You’re our mentor. You’re supposed to tell us how to get sponsors and give us advice.”
It doesn’t take long for Katniss to come around and to see the value that Haymitch has to offer. Sitting down at the table with him, she joins in the conversation as Haymitch says “I was just giving some life-saving advice.”
As the “campaign” goes on, Haymitch gives her advice about details of how to behave and what to do to improve her chances of winning. He becomes a true advocate for Katniss and Peeta, appealing for favorable treatment from the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, and correcting Katniss when he sees twists in the story emerging that can work to their advantage. “I can sell the star-crossed lovers from District 12… Being in love with that boy might just get you sponsors.”
As for allies, just as Trump did with many of his picks to fill spots in his cabinet & administration, Katniss chose very unlikely people—those who sometimes seemed to be the least qualified or suited for the Games. What happened with Katniss in Catching Fire is the same thing that happened with President Trump later. Many people who had previously been focused on their own campaigns joined with Katniss to help assure her success. In Catching Fire, Finnick, Mags, Johanna, Beetee, and Wiress became allies with Katniss; and even more joined the cause in the last two Mockingjay films.
People call them fools. Exactly! What we are witnessing in the Trump administration is God using the foolish to confound the wise.
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”—1 Corinthians 1:27 (NKJV)
Heaven’s Agent
Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, looks remarkably like Steve Bannon, the former White House Chief Strategist. Chief Strategist is a good way to describe Plutarch. He is in a higher position than the campaign staff. He actually may be the most important character in the films. He is Heavensbee. Spelling it as two words, his name becomes Heaven’s Bee. In other words, he is Heaven’s worker, Heaven’s agent in these films to bring about God’s designs. He has tremendous power of influence. He represents Heaven’s influence in the affairs of men.
This carries powerful implications, because if the Hunger Games films truly are a prophetic picture of what is happening in American government, then Plutarch could be symbolic of the influence of Heaven in the highest levels of American government.
Plutarch is first introduced as Head Gamemaker, successor to Seneca Crane. Seneca had been the one in charge of the games—the master manipulator. Now someone new is in charge, and he’s an agent of Heaven. In their first meeting, Katniss asked Plutarch, “Why are you here?” Plutarch answered, “A chance to make the Games mean something.” That response was an understatement, but it should have alerted everyone that Plutarch had come to accomplish a higher purpose.
In his role as Head Gamemaker, Plutarch has more control over the Hunger Games than anyone else. We can think of him as God’s Chessmaster. He is able to influence President Snow in such a way that Snow goes along with a plan that he assumes will result in the death of the Mockingjay, but which in fact, ultimately leads to his own overthrow and the demise of the corrupt political system that he led.
In Catching Fire, Plutarch seems to be conspiring with President Snow to implement a strategy that will lead to the death of Katniss, and an end to the threat of revolution against the corrupt government. As the story unfolds however, we see that all of Plutarch’s actions actually lead to the protection and preservation of the Mockingjay, and we come to understand that Plutarch’s mission is to protect and preserve the Mockingjay for a higher purpose, and to bring about fundamental changes to the ruling system.
For example, in Catching Fire, Plutarch gave the order to spin the arena stage at a critical time in the Games. His pretense was to confuse the tributes about the timing of deadly obstacles, but it just happened to coincide with a moment when Katniss’ group was being attacked by other tributes. Her life was in danger. He ordered the spinning stopped after she fell into the water, where she most certainly would have drowned if the spinning had continued. In the end, the spinning probably saved Katniss’ life from threats of the other tributes.
If Donald Trump is the Mockingjay represented in the Hunger Games, could it be possible that there have been assassination attempts against him that have also been thwarted in a similar manner through divine protection?
The Turning Point
A key turning point came just before the completion of the Games in Catching Fire. Plutarch got up and walked out of Snow’s presence, never to return. This was reminiscent of the Spirit of God departing from King Saul in 1 Samuel 16:14, and aligning with David. Saul remained king for a time after the Spirit of God left him, but his days were numbered. The same could be said of President Snow. After Plutarch left him and aligned himself with the Mockingjay, nothing could save Snow’s presidency.
When Snow calls for him, after Katniss shoots the arrow that brings down the Games, Plutarch is no where to be found, even though Snow presumed that his head Gamemaker would be in the control room, managing the Games. Snow seemed completely blindsided by Plutarch’s departure, and he never recovered. Just as it was with King Saul after the Spirit of God left him, his downfall was inevitable.
At the end of Catching Fire, Plutarch descends from heaven in a hovercraft to rescue Katniss and protect her from the Capitol’s forces. The next time we see Plutarch, he is with Finnick and Haymitch, as Katniss comes into the room. He is now fully aligned with the Mockingjay, openly supporting the revolution.
Plutarch seemed to be more of a spiritual presence than a physical being in the films, appearing in just the right places, in just the right moments, to influence events that would shape the future of society.
In a profound twist, the actor who played Plutarch, Philip Seymour Hoffman, actually died during the production of the final Hunger Games film. Decisions had to be made about how to complete the film after this character who represented a spiritual being had actually fully passed into the spiritual realm himself.
In the last two Hunger Games films, Plutarch appears as an advisor to Alma Coin, who takes advantage of the unstable situation and establishes herself as president. But as the story progresses, we learn that her motives are selfish, and she is only using the situation to further her own personal ambitions. This was not the higher, ultimate plan. If Alma Coin was allowed to retain the role of President, then it would mean simply exchanging one corrupt regime for another. The fundamental changes that needed to take place would never happen.
Katniss may have realized this, and instead of killing Snow in the climactic scene of the last film, she turned her weapon on Coin, effectively ending the succession of corrupt regimes. Instead of simply killing one corrupt person, Katniss effectively put an end to the system that allowed corruption to continue. Ironically, by putting an end to President Coin, she fulfilled Coin’s own last words, “May her arrow signify the end of tyranny, and the beginning of a new era.” Before cutting away to the final shot of Coin’s dead body in that scene, the last image was not that of Katniss, but a closeup of Plutarch, the one with the greater influence.
After the deaths of Presidents Coin and Snow, Plutarch sent a revealing message to Katniss that gave clear indication that not only did Plutarch have deep insight about what was really happening at the heart of this violent transition, but that he was the actual guiding force behind it:
“Katniss, maybe the country was shocked tonight by your arrow, but once again, I was not. You were exactly who I believed you were. I wish I could give you a proper goodbye, but with both Coin and Snow dead, the fate of the country will be decided tonight, and I can’t be seen at your side. Tonight, the twelve district leaders will call for a free election. There’s little doubt that Paylor will carry it. She’s become the voice of reason. I’m sorry so much burden fell on you. I know you’ll never escape it, but if I had to put you through it again for this outcome, I would.”
If there is truly a message for us that is contained in the Hunger Games saga, then we should take note that the ultimate goal was not the victory of the Mockingjay, but what would be birthed afterward, as a result of the revolution, that was the object of all the struggle. We make a mistake if we think that the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency was the ultimate goal. We need to look beyond this to what God intends for the future of our country and the world.
In the end, after Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch had all gone back to their lives in their home district, Plutarch still remained at the center of power and influence in the Capitol. As they watched on TV while Commander Paylor was being sworn in as the new president, Peeta noticed Plutarch standing alongside the new president and said, “There’s Plutarch, right in the middle of it all.”
No matter how chaotic the changes may seem, may we all be discerning enough to see Heaven’s influence, right in the middle of it all!
Awakening in Washington
In just the last few years, regular Christian worship services have been established on Wednesday evenings in the US Capitol Building for members of Congress and staff. I have attended a couple of these gatherings. At times, members of Congress themselves have taken the pulpit to share messages from Scripture with those in attendance. In addition to these weekly gatherings, there is more prayer happening each week in the US Capitol Building than in most Christian homes and churches in America.
This is not new. This is a restoration of what life used to be like in our US Capitol. In the times of our Founding Fathers, the Capitol Building served not only the business of government, but it was also the largest church on America’s east coast, with worship services held weekly.
As part of this spiritual restoration, the last few years have seen an annual event held in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall to honor George Washington as a man of prayer. I attended this event in 2017. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan opened the event. He was followed by several members of Congress who lined up to pray for God’s help and blessing for our nation. You can watch a replay of this entire event online as it was originally broadcast on Daystar Television.
Additionally, a Christmas Concert was held in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall on December 7, 2017, featuring Christmas carols honoring the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a major breakthrough because concerts are not normally allowed in this magnificent hall. In fact, it is my understanding that there are no records of any concerts ever being held in Statuary Hall before this one, but it was so well received that “Carols in the Capitol” may become an annual tradition.
There seems to be no doubt that God is moving in Washington D.C. as we see significant spiritual breakthrough starting to take place, but will it continue? Will God’s ultimate plan be allowed to reach fulfillment? Will God’s people in America respond with desperately needed prayer support, or will complaining and murmuring bring about a premature end to the glorious future that God intended for us to experience?
Already there have been multiple assassination attempts aimed at cutting off the spiritual revolution that has begun. Will those assassination attempts succeed? The prayers of God’s people may be the determining factor.
