Doctor Who: The Last of the Time Lords

Oh my word... what a spectacular finale for Doctor Who!

It was kind of hard to see where it was going with the Doctor being artificially aged (even if it has happened twice before), and I originally wasn't keen on the Utopia humans being the protagonists. What can I say though, the script had me won over.

Martha was Earth's only hope, the Doctor gave her a secret message and she was sent on her way, to use this knowledge to save humanity. What did she do with this knowledge? We are led to believe that there is one weapon on the Earth that is capable of ending the Master's life... but it is separated into four parts (I rumbled this as a ruse as soon as I saw it). She has been seemingly walking the Earth seeking out the components of this weapon.

However this was not her genuine purpose at all. The mission the Doctor really charged her with, was to spread the word of who he was, what he had done and what he could do. Martha had only one weapon -words.... words and "prayer". All she really had was evangelism. She couldn't threaten the Master, she could only help other people to understand there was something better.

This is what it is like for genuine Christians. We don't have M4 or SA80 assault rifles, we don't have squadrons of joint strike fighters or fleets of warships... and we certainly don't have nuclear weapons. No, our equipment consists of:

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

- Ephesians 6:13-18

and:

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

- Hebrews 4:12

Like Martha we possess privileged information. We are on personal terms with the God who created us. Jesus Christ died for the sins of humankind and rose to life. Through his Spirit, he transforms our lives for the better, day by day. Yet while he has done and continues to do these things, many of the people of Earth remain blissfully unaware of who he really is. For some he is just a fairy tale, for others he's merely a vague historical figure. Their best hope of knowing him as he deserves to be known... is if we make him known to them properly. We have exactly the same call as Martha.

Eventually, Martha is betrayed into the hands of the Master... who proceeds to mock what appears to him to be nothing more than a useless scheme... all she has given the people is faith and hope... not a practical means of resistance.He then proceeds with a live televised countdown at the end of which he will execute Martha. However this is playing into her hands... because the countdown is what she needs, to get everyone on Earth thinking the same thing at the same time - "The Doctor". It is similar to the same way that Jesus played into the Devil's hands. Satan thought that the son of God had put himself into a vulnerable position and saw an opportunity to rid himself of the one person who could stop him. In fact, Jesus needed to be handed over to death in order to save mankind from it's sin.

As the people begin their "prayer", The Doctor is surrounded by incandescent blue/white light and is restored to his former glory. He levitates over to the Master... and what is the first thing he offers him?

Forgiveness.

Despite everything he has done, the Doctor offers his nemesis the offer of redemption - he feels responsible for him. In the end, the Master declines... he doesn't want to be "trapped" in the Doctor's presence. The thing is, the same offer is on the table for us... and for the same reason. God made us and loves us and feels responsible for us. He wants us to respond to his love:

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

- Romans 5:6-11

The offer as I said, is on the table. You have a choice... are you going to be hard-hearted and die like The Master? I'm sure he'll be back... but you and I don't have the luxury of a Time Lord ring to bring us back, do we? The Doctor's reaction when his enemy stubbornly refuses to listen and dies in his arms, is the exact same reaction I believe God has when his people who he loved and created, reject him and refuse his offer of grace. He said these words of the nation of Israel... but his heart is the same for you and I:

"Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!"

- Ezekiel 18:31-32

""Son of man, say to the house of Israel, 'This is what you are saying: "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?" 'Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'"

- Ezekiel 33:10-11

I wonder if that is where you are at? You may have just stumbled in here looking for a synopsis or an opinion of the episode, and now you are maybe faced with a little more than you bargained for.

If that is you then please follow this link to a Keith Green song, close your eyes and pray the lyrics through.

Don't put it off... because you don't have any more regenerations.