Prophetic Significance of The Hunger Games - Part 10
Until now, we have focused on the system that was in place at the time of the 2016 American presidential campaign. Now, as we turn our focus to the rise of the Mockingjay, we begin to see clear signs of God’s intervention in the American political processes, turning things in a positive direction and potentially saving America from a rapid descent down a steep path toward moral and spiritual darkness.
The Hunger Games films focused on the main character of Katniss Everdeen, but from a prophetic perspective, she was not the most important character. The most significant prophetic character in the films was Plutarch Heavensbee, who acted as Heaven’s stealth agent to bring about God’s desired changes in the system. We’ll talk more about him later. For now, let’s take a look at the character who came to be the symbol for profound systemic change in the American political processes and in American government.
Chosen
Just eight minutes into the first Hunger Games film, something very significant happened to Katniss in the market. She was drawn to a pin that depicted a Mockingjay. Speaking to her, the vendor said, “You keep it. It’s yours.” That moment in the film signaled Katniss’ calling to a higher purpose. In her role as the Mockingjay, Katniss would provide the trigger, the spark, that would ignite a revolution resulting in, not only a change in regimes but fundamental changes to the system of government. It would eventually bring about a return to a government that served and protected the needs and interests of its citizens, instead of oppressing and using them to serve the interests of those in positions of power.
The role of the Mockingjay in the Hunger Games films may have been a prophetic representation of God’s calling for a very specific and radical purpose. In the American presidential election of 2016, Donald Trump may have been called to fulfill the role of the Mockingjay. The purpose of the Mockingjay is to initiate radical change in the system of government, not bringing about a new system of government, but with the intention of restoring it to its original purpose and function. The essential purpose of the Mockingjay is to bring radical correction to a system that has deviated from its original intent and gotten off course.
It can be easy to reject the notion that Mr. Trump was called by God to accomplish something significant for America, and for the world, because his behavior can be so offensive at times, but that personality trait was foreshadowed in Katniss Everdeen as well.
Lack of Social Skills
One of the traits that Donald Trump, the victor of the 2016 American presidential election, and Katniss Everdeen, the victor of the Hunger Games, have in common is their lack of social skills. This causes both of them to offend people unnecessarily and creates constant headaches for their campaign staffers.
Just as Donald Trump’s campaign staffers have to deal with repercussions of his many offensive comments and tweets that he fires off seemingly without regard to consequences, Effie Trinket, who helps manage public relations for Katniss in the films, constantly seems to be scolding Katniss for her lack of grace and her unacceptable behavior in social settings.
When the tributes were performing to impress potential sponsors, Katniss didn’t like the way they responded to her, and she shot an arrow in their direction, narrowly missing some of these important Gamemakers. Effie went into damage control mode, and in an irritated and impatient tone, told Haymitch, “I hope you noticed we have a serious situation!”
At one point, Katniss threw her own running mate, Peeta, against a wall. An exasperated Effie pointed her finger at Katniss and sternly said, “Manners!”
In Catching Fire, The victor’s tour culminates in a party at the Presidential palace, which is a large white building, looking much like the White House. As they are walking toward the palace, Effie briefs them on proper conduct. “I’m talking to you, Katniss,” Effie snapped, anticipating Katniss’ likely inappropriate social behavior.
Haymitch, who basically serves as campaign manager for Katniss and Peeta, experienced his share of Katniss’ inappropriate offensive behavior as well. Within hours of meeting Katniss, when Haymitch didn’t answer her question right away, Katniss plunged a knife down onto the table in front of him, barely missing his hand.
Haymitch tried in vain to explain to Katniss the importance of behaving appropriately. “Do you really want to know how to stay alive? You get people to like you.” He goes on to explain the necessity of sponsors. “And to get sponsors, you have to make people like you. And right now, Sweetheart, you’re not off to a real good start.”
In Catching Fire, Haymitch finally told Katniss “You are a strangely dislikable person.”
But for her part, Katniss doesn’t know how to be socially acceptable, and it may be the same for Donald Trump. At one point, Katniss confided to Cinna, “I don’t know how to make people like me. How do you make people like you?” It is likely that Donald Trump also does not know how to behave in a way that would be socially acceptable to most people, but even if he does, he doesn’t seem to have the motivation to change his behavior, because he got to the top by being who he is. He did not become the most powerful person in the world with socially acceptable behavior. In his mind, he may believe that his behavior is part of the reason for his success, so he may see no need to change.
Peeta, Katniss’ “running mate” seemed much more skilled at playing the game to get the attention of sponsors. He had much more political savvy. Haymitch noticed this about Peeta, saying, “He knows what he’s doing.” Likewise, Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence was much more comfortable playing the traditional political role and acting “presidential,” because he was a seasoned politician.
Many people are expressing resistance to Donald Trump in the role of president because he is so offensive. It is true that he has probably offended almost everyone at one time or another. But as John Wimber wisely said, “Sometimes God offends our minds in order to reveal our hearts.”
But we must not make the mistake of thinking that God’s choice of Donald Trump as the American president means that God approves of Donald Trump’s behavior or approves of all of his choices. Donald Trump will have to answer to God for the choices he makes, just like everyone else. If God chose Donald Trump to be the American leader at this time, that does not in any way indicate that God approves of Trump’s behavior, his choices, or his tweets.
To Accomplish God’s Purposes
“God is the judge. He decides who will be important. He lifts one person up and brings another down.”—Psalm 75:7 (ERV)
But why would God choose someone whose behavior is not Christlike? Many times throughout history, God used powerful leaders who were not even following Him, in spite of their lack of character and integrity, to accomplish specific purposes for His people.
“In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh, ‘I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted my name to become known everywhere on earth.’ (Exodus 9:16)“—Romans 9:17 (NIRV)
Isaiah prophesied of a king named Cyrus 200 years before he was born. Cyrus was not a Jew. He was the gentile king of Persia, the land of Babylon, but God would put him in a position of power in order to accomplish His purposes of rebuilding Jerusalem and its temple.
“I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd. He will do all that I want him to do. He will say to Jerusalem, ‘You will be built again!’ He will tell the Temple, ‘Your foundations will be rebuilt.’”—Isaiah 44:27 (ICB)
*“Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him, ‘I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars. I will give you treasures that are hidden away. I will give you riches that are stored up in secret places. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I am sending for you by name. Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servant. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor. I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong. Then people will know there is no God but me. Everyone from where the sun rises in the east to where it sets in the west will know it. I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I cause light to shine. I also create darkness. I bring good times. I also create hard times. I do all these things. I am the Lord… *
…I will stir up Cyrus and help him win his battles. I will make all his roads straight. He will rebuild Jerusalem. My people have been taken away from their country. But he will set them free. I will not pay him to do it. He will not receive a reward for it,’ says the Lord who rules over all.”—Isaiah 45:1-14 (NIRV)
When Cyrus finally came to power, 200 years later, he came to understand what his purpose was; and even though he was not a Jew himself, he accomplished God’s purposes to aid God’s people.
“It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,
‘Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,
‘The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem. And may the Lord their God be with them.’”—2 Chronicles 36:22-23 (NIRV)
Later, opposition arose and, for a time, the Jews were forced to stop their work of rebuilding the temple. By that time, Cyrus was no longer in power, so God raised up Darius, another King of the Persia, who would order the work to continue without interference.
“…they went up hurriedly to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them stop [work] by force of arms. Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped. It was suspended until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”—Ezra 4:23-24 (AMP)
Because God knew that He would use Darius in the 2nd year of his reign to cause the work on the temple to continue, He strengthened and helped this Babylonian king during his 1st year:
In Daniel 11:1 (CEV), the angel Gabriel says to Daniel, “You also need to know that I protected and helped Darius the Mede in his first year as king.”
In Ezra 6 (NIRV), we see the order that King Darius issued to ensure that God’s purposes would continue:
“King Darius gave an order…
’…Don’t try to stop the work on the temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and their elders rebuild the house of their God. Let them build it in the same place where it stood before.
Here is what I want you to do for the elders of the Jews. Here is how you must help them to build the house of their God.
Pay all their expenses from the royal treasures. Use the money you collect from the people who live west of the Euphrates. Don’t let the work on the temple stop. Don’t fail to give the priests in Jerusalem what they ask for each day. Give them what they need. Give them young bulls, rams and male lambs. The priests can use them to sacrifice burnt offerings to the God of heaven. Also give them wheat, salt, wine and olive oil. Give them those things so they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven. And I want them to pray that things will go well for me and my sons.
Don’t change this order. If anyone tries to change it, they must be put to death. A pole must be pulled from their house. The pole must be stuck through their body. Because that person tried to change my royal order, their house must be broken to pieces. God has chosen to put his Name in the temple at Jerusalem. May he wipe out any king or nation that lifts a hand to change this order. May he also wipe out anyone who tries to destroy the temple in Jerusalem.
That’s what I have ordered. I am King Darius. Make sure you carry out my order.’”
Like it or not, Donald Trump is in the position of President now, and he is the one that God will work through and use to accomplish His purposes. Already he has appointed a new justice to the US Supreme Court, and he has declared his intention to move the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in a strong show of support for the nation of Israel. President Trump has also declared his intention to repeal the so-called “Johnson Amendment,” which prohibits Christian leaders and non-profit organizations from certain political involvement, threatening them with the loss of their tax-exempt status.
But the most important accomplishments are still to come. How much of God’s purposes President Trump will be able to accomplish will depend, in large part, upon the prayers of God’s people. We must remember that 2 Chronicles 7:14 promises that God will **“**hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” but it is all dependent upon a condition. It can only happen “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways” (NKJV).
