Funny. I thought with our recent discussions on prophecy you'd be quite taken to the idea of predictions being unknown to the public, over uncontrollable events, and encoded with a specifc sifer so no one can misconstrue meaning.

I guess I'm one of those who are so excited to see anything that even remotely gives recognition to a Christian worldview.  That someone spent any time on depicting Ezekiel's "wheel within a wheel" (not for the multiple "thrones" it would have inferred) that I was almost beside myself .  I also have a business associate that would be in the character played by Nicholas Cage, he's a double 800 on the SAT's, IQ of 186, and the restoration of the relationship of the father and son at the ending could have been a encouragement if he went (which he didn't) because his relationship with his fathers parallels that in the movie.   His name is Jim if you're so lead to pray for him.  Thank you all for your feedback!

then the movie ends with aliens saving the humans?  heh.
I guess my sister wasn't the only one that didn't make the connection.  The "aliens" and their space ship I guess from your perspective, were angels and Ezekiel's wheel within a wheel / throne of God (except there were several of them - artistic licence I guess).  When Cage's character found Ezekiel's drawing of  God's throne earlier in the movie (starting to forget now where certain scenes were) it was part of the vision the old woman had.  I can't say that I've read the "offical" version of what all was happening - I'm just sharing what I thought was obvious, which obviously wasn't.

Zagzagel -
I cannot affirm the TULIP/Extreme Calvinist perspective.   I can see why, by focusing on certain scriptures to the exclusion of others, IMHO, one could come to that conclusion.  I would never tell anyone that they were not "chosen" i.e  - could not be saved.  The Father sent the Son so that we can all avail ourselves of the gift of salvation: acknowledging our sinfulness and asking Christ to save us (basic ingredients here).  That individuals chose not to avail themselves of the greatest gift is something they will be held accountable for.  In the same breath, Christians are held accountable to share their faith and pray for the lost (the lost are not stupid or ignorant, sometimes well read and brilliant - but blinded by Satan and the "dark" kingdom) and live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit (toughest part).   I know my greatest challenge was being brought up in a mainline denomination church and being told I was a Christian - oh, I went through the official steps, baptism, confirmation, first communion - I could talk christianeze.  I knew a lot of information, but it was by in large impersonal - I had not been born again.  The scripture talks about having a form of godliness but denying the power within - lip service to the spiritual world.  The scripture says that man looks on the outward behavior but God looks on the heart - the motives.  It took a realization of the fact of prophecy and that the world as I knew it was not just going to go on forever for me to get real about who I was.  Christ was returning, in person, to finish the job He had started 2000 years ago, with alacrity!  Israel has been reestablished as a nation against great odds (I believe they were outnumbered somewhere around 600 to 1 in the first war after nationhood occurred).  Their continued existence is a testament to God's sovereign purposes and promises for Israel and for our world.  As we are about to see all nations turn against Israel because they are preparing to defend themselves against a country (Iran/Persia) that refuses to acknowledge their right to exist (maps not showing Israel are printed in Iran) and is determined to remove them from the face of the planet with soon to be nuclear weapons.  The world is in a great turmoil, if great pressure is exerted on Iran, they have threatened to shut down the narrow straight (Hormuz) that 40% of the the worlds oil passes through.  With the world in dire economic straights (a little funny there), a major reduction in the oil/gas supply would be catastrophic.  A great time for the Antichrist to negotiate a peace (a false one) or maybe Iran shuts down the straight long enough to plunge America into an economic melt down or ?.  All I know for sure is that the Antichrist (Javier?) will  step into a rebuilt temple on the temple mount.  Hope you're on board by then.