Valley of Humiliation

Welcome to another Pilgrim’s progress post! I hope you have been liking them and will like this one as well! Let’s get started.

context/my thoughts

Alright. So, that last post I did on Pilgrim’s Progress ended with Christian on his way into the Valley of Humiliation. So, here how it went…

Christian had food now and is all rested well from his stay at The Palace Beautiful. But soon, Christian meets Apollyon whom which he was afraid of. Apollyon had scales, a beast head, dragon wings, bear feet, with fire and smoke coming out his stomach.

He asked Christian where he’d come from and where he was going. Christian answered like he always does.

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“I come from the City of Destruction and, which is the place of all evil, and am going to Mount Zion.” I add on: “Which is the place of all good.”

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Apollyon explains he is over the City of Destruction. He tells Christian he won’t let him just leave.

Christian explains that he is no longer in darkness’s domain. He has been set free by God and he has chosen the path that leads to life.

“for the wages of sin is death.”

(Romans 6:23)

Christian also points out when Apollyon tries to bring him back with him to the City of Destruction, that he has already chosen to follow the one true King. So how could he go back?! You can’t be lukewarm, and Christian doesn’t want to be.

Apollyon refuses to lose this and keeps pushing and pushing Christian to turn back and come with him back to the evil. Christian keeps fighting back. I love this one thing he says,

“to speak the truth, I like His service, His wages, His servants, His government, His company and country better then thine; and therefore, leave off to persuade me further…

I am His servant and I will follow Him”

I love that! Anyways, Apollyon still insists Christian turn back, but Christian refuses. Apollyon points out all the times Christian was “unfaithful” to God, but Christian fights back with:

“All this is true, and more then thou has left out; but the Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful, and ready to forgive.”

Which is super true! Jesus always is there with open arms and flowing forgiveness. Back to the story, though…

Apollyon goes wild. He starts to attack Christian and Christian fights back as well as he can. He gets wounded and nearly dies, but then God saves him and Christian declares,

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise,” (which is Micha 7:8)

Then Christian, God’s strength flowing through him, stabbed the foul creature (while spouting scripture) and wounded him so horribly, that Apollyon flew away and Christian never saw him again.

Then Christian found aid with an angel of help, and was quickly healed and ate his food in the field. Then next place Christian had to tackle was the Valley of the Shadow of Death. (the context of this will be pretty small)

Before he had actually seen the Shadow Valley, however, two men came running out. Christian stopped them to ask them why they were turning back. They told him they’d seen the Valley of the Shadow of Death (VSD) and all the terrible monsters in it – that is why they had turned back. They urged Christian to not go there and to turn back with them.

But Christian wasn’t choosing that option. He told them he belonged to the Most High and he would keep going on His path. The men said fine, but they were heading back. With that, Christian pressed onward.

He went forward and in, and realizing his sword was no use, he prayed instead – a better weapon anyways. he prayed and scripture quoted his way through it. I liked this:

Yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer; but when they were come even almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, “I will walk in the strength of the Lord God!” so they gave back, and came no further.

But soon, a voice seemed to whisper lies in Christian’s head. Finally, after seeming lost in the darkness of the valley, Christian heard,

“Though I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of death I will fear no evil, for You are with me,”

(which is Psalms 23:4) Christian then realized there were other believers in the Valley, and God Himself was also with them. Morning came, and light flooded the Valley.

“His candle shines upon my head, and by His light I walk through the darkness.” Job 29:3

Christian did not feel as afraid anymore, and kept on. God’s presence a constant comfort. Christian soon meets Faithful and they go on the rest of the journey together. They talked about all that they’d been through. Christian listened to Faithful’s journey, and Faithful Christian’s.

Soon, they met a man named Talkative who claimed he was also going the way which Faithful and Christian were. So they invited him to travel along side them and Talkative accepted. He liked to talk of the goodness of God, and proceeded to.

Christian had known this man in his old life. He explained to Faithful that Talkative only talked, not really actioned in his faith. Unfortunate to those who only hear and don’t listen. Anyways, he leaves because Faithful started questioning him.

Finally, Christian and Faithful meet Evangelist and they talk a little bit! And that’s how the section ends.

conclusion

Well, that was a little bit different then normal! But it was pretty long, and I hope it was pretty good! Keep reading the other posts and I hope you enjoyed this one!

Thanks for reading 🙂