THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
FROM THIS WORLD, TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME
CHAPTER 9
WEEK 3 – TUESDAY
Read and pray: “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:2)
Christian reaches the Valley of Humiliation (2)
Apollyon – Since you still keep calm and cool-headed, think carefully about what you are likely to find along that path. You know that most of His servants come to a miserable end, for having transgressed against me and against my purposes. How many have been the victims of a shameful death! Besides, if His service is better than mine, why has He not yet come out from where He is to deliver those who serve Him? I do the opposite: how many times, as the whole world can testify, either by force or by cunning, have I rescued those who serve me faithfully from His hands and from His people, even when they were under His power? I promise you I will do the same for you.
Christian – If He delays in delivering them, it is, indeed, to prove more clearly His love and to see whether they remain faithful to Him until the end. As for the miserable end you speak of, that was surely the most glorious end they could have had. For they do not expect present salvation, knowing that it takes time to reach the glory, and they will have it when their Prince comes in His glory and in the glory of His angels.
Apollyon – How can you even think of receiving a reward, since you have already been unfaithful in your service?
Christian – In what have I been unfaithful?
Apollyon – Come on! As soon as you left your home, you faltered when you found yourself in danger of drowning in the Slough of Despond. Then you tried, in many ways, to rid yourself of the burden you carried, instead of waiting, as you should have, for your Prince to remove it. After that, you slept carelessly, and in that moment lost the most precious object you possessed. Fear of the lions also almost made you turn back, and above all, when you speak of your journey and what you’ve seen and heard, you are inwardly ruled by a spirit of vainglory.
Christian – What you say is very true, and you could say much more besides, but the Prince whom I serve and worship is merciful and ready to forgive! Moreover, you certainly forget that these weaknesses overcame me while I was in your land; it was there that I was defeated by them, and they cost me many sorrows and groans, but I repented of them all, and my Prince forgave me!
Apollyon, unable to contain the rage that possessed him, burst out in these curses: I am the enemy of that Prince, I hate His person, His laws, and His people, and I have come with the firm intent to stop you.
Christian – Watch what you do, Apollyon, for I am on the King’s highway, the way of holiness, and therefore I am far superior to you. Hearing this, Apollyon stretched out his legs to cover the entire width of the road, and said: – Don’t think I fear you; prepare to die, for I swear by the infernal abyss I dwell in, you shall not pass here. I will tear your soul from you. And at once he furiously launched a fiery dart at Christian’s chest. But Christian, having the shield on his arm, caught the blow with it and escaped the danger.
Christian immediately drew his sword, recognizing that it was time to attack, and Apollyon rushed at him, hurling darts as thick as hail, striking Christian on the head, hands, and feet, despite his best efforts to defend himself. These wounds made him fall back a little, which Apollyon seized upon to attack more fiercely. But Christian, regaining his courage, resisted with great boldness.
This fierce battle continued until about noon, by which time Christian’s strength was exhausted, and his wounds were weakening him more and more.
Apollyon took full advantage of this, and dropping his darts, engaged him in hand-to-hand combat. The clash was so violent that Christian dropped his sword. – Now you are mine – Apollyon cried, grabbing him so tightly that he nearly suffocated him.
Christian thought he was going to die; but it pleased God that, at the very moment when Apollyon was about to deal the final blow, Christian quickly grabbed the sword from the ground and cried out, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise again” (Micah 7:8). And he struck him with a deadly blow, which forced him to fall back, as if receiving a final strike. Seeing this, Christian regained his strength and attacked again, saying, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
Apollyon spread his dragon wings and fled hastily, and Christian saw him no more (James 4:7). Only someone who, like me, witnessed this battle can imagine the dreadful and horrible cries and roars that Apollyon let out during the fight. His voice was like that of a dragon and contrasted with the moans and groans of sorrow that came from the heart of the Pilgrim. The battle was long, and during it, only once did joy shine in Christian’s eyes — when he struck Apollyon with his two-edged sword. Then he looked up to heaven and smiled. I never saw a battle so fierce!
When the fight was over, Christian thought to give thanks to the One who had delivered him from the lion’s mouth, to the One who had helped him against Apollyon. And kneeling, he cried: Beelzebub had determined to destroy me by sending against me this armed servant; the battle was long, the fight was terrible; but the Blessed, the Holy One, came to my aid, and drove him away by the power of my sword. May the Lord be praised forever, a thousand thanks and blessings be to His most holy name.
Then a mysterious hand gave him some leaves from the tree of life (Rev. 22:2). Christian applied them to the wounds he had received in the battle, and he was fully healed. Then he sat in that place to eat the bread and drink the wine that had been given to him earlier. Thus strengthened, he continued his journey, carrying the unsheathed sword in his hand, fearing that another enemy might come to meet him. However, nothing else opposed him throughout the valley.
After passing through the Valley of Humiliation, he entered the Valley of the Shadow of Death, which is crossed by the path that leads to the Celestial City. This valley is very desolate, as described by the prophet Jeremiah:
A wilderness, a land of deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt (Jer. 2:6).
If the battle between Christian and Apollyon was terrible, the one he had to fight in this valley was no less so.
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