To say the least, TWD’s “Rendition” is intense. We see a trial by fire for Daryl and Leah. Plus, Pope reveals that The Reapers are the chosen people, because they survived the apocalypse. This episode is an exciting one to watch.

Daryl is captured by The Reapers in this installation of TWD. With a bag placed over his head, The Reapers drag Daryl off to be water tortured, as if he’s in camp X-Ray. Daryl is locked in a cage in this one.

During this segment Pope gives a very intense, chilling speech to The Reapers and Leah, saying, “God is here. He’s angry. I am angry. Do you feel that? We will make them feel our wrath.” You can just feel the fear of Leah in this scene.

It’s “Rendition” that we learn more about The Reapers. Apparently, in the old world, they were soldiers, but they had to go private to pay their bills. Some Reapers became mercenaries or private contractors for the military before the fall of society..

The Reapers weren’t doing good before the virus. Due to military campaigns or tours of duty, some of them had permanent injuries. Others couldn’t find real jobs. As well, some suffered from insomnia. Things were bad for them in the old world.

Never been in a war like that. Never seen that kind of chaos. And I had seen everything. But this… Oh the things we did. All that death. Day after day after day. After awhile, I started to feel like you, Wondering, wondering where God was. Then he showed his face again. See, politicians had one last war to get behind. This time, coming for us. The bombs came thick and fast. It did not stop. We lost some of our own. Had to run through the fire to save some. We found this little church at the edge of town and we hold up there. As everything, I mean everything burned around us. When the fires finally died down, I looked at my people. I could not believe it, not a trace of blood. No burn marks. Not even a scratch. That’s when I knew we were the chosen ones.

Pope tells his Reapers that they are the chosen people. Here, he”s referring to the bible’s NewTestament where Jesus says the kingdom of God will be ripped away from natural Israel and be given to spiritual Israel. (Matthew 21:43). Pope compares his Reapers to the first century Christians anointed with holy spirit who were referred to as the chosen people- a special property of God.

Notably, though God’s chosen people are mentioned in the bible book of Revelations, Matthew 24: 29 – 31 discusses them. Here, they are a group of 144,000 people, often referred to as “the little flock,” who are taken to heaven near the very end of the great tribulation but before Armageddon, to help in the final war. It this stressful, difficult time when all false religion is destroyed, and Magog of Gog (a world-wide coalition of nations) is attacking God’s people (the other sheep) on earth who must conceal themselves (Isaiah 26: 20), as God”s wrath passes.

Pope’s idea of the chosen people is suspect. Aren’t real christians supposed to forgive their enemies and pray for them? Love thy neighbours? Certainly real christians would never want to hurt anyone when the bible says return no evil for evil. After all, vengeance belongs solely to God. I found Pope’s idea of the chosen people to be inconsistent with the scriptures.

Pope did get one thing right, though. He said God’s people would come through the apocalypse- but they are the other sheep here on earth. Isaiah 54: 17 says no weapon formed against Jehovah God’s people will succeed. The character Pope had bits that were true.

Pope was wrong about the chosen people and the apocalypse. The chosen do not survive the apocalypse because they need to die in order to be in heaven. See, the chosen people must be with Jesus to fight the most bad-ass war ever when the time comes.

While in heaven, the chosen have work. Along with Jesus, they fight Satan and his demon hordes, while protecting the other sheep here on earth. It is a time when the other sheep are directly guided by Jesus, his angels, and the chosen.

I think the TWD writers called the leader of The Reapers “Pope” for a reason. This character “Pope”literally parallels the Catholic “Pope” in regards to misinterpreting scriptures and doing evil things. The TWD writers may not be very far off the mark.

Oh yeah, in this broadcast, Pope also puts Daryl through a trial by fire, along with Leah. It is hoped that this test will refine Daryl. If Daryl survives, he will be a Reaper.

Overall, this episode was exciting. Pope gave a chilling performance. As well, the whole idea of The Reapers being the chosen was interesting. The trial by fire was exciting. This was a good watch.