Latest / Reformed Thinking / The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan - Christian, Hopeful, and the Shepherds

Transcript

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan - Christian, Hopeful, and the Shepherds · Reformed Thinking

0:00
Welcome to the Deep Dive. We're here again, digging into
0:03
source materials, articles, notes, bits from the text itself
0:07
to pull out the really key insights and help you get a good
0:10
handle on things without getting swamped.
0:13
And for this deep dive, we're zooming in on a specific part of
0:16
John Bunyan's The Pilgrims Progress.
0:18
We're picking things up right after Christian and hopefully
0:20
the shepherds up on the delectable mountains.
0:23
We've got detailed notes, direct excerpts from the book, and some
0:28
articles that unpack this particular section.
0:30
Our goal is to sift through the stuff and really understand the
0:33
specific hurdles pilgrims face right after this period of
0:36
teaching, what those challenges look like, and you know how
0:39
they're supposed to stay on track.
0:40
Yeah, this part of the story is really critical.
0:44
They've had rest teaching some warnings up on those mountains.
0:47
Right, a time of clarity. Exactly.
0:49
But now they have to come down back onto the highway and that's
0:52
where the well, the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
0:55
They face real tests, different kinds of temptations, different
0:59
sorts of people trying to pull them off course.
1:00
It really puts their learning to the test.
1:03
And the sources, they seem to lay out these encounters in a
1:05
very specific sequence, don't they?
1:07
Each one kind of showing a different way you could stumble.
1:10
That's right, it's like a series of case studies almost on the
1:14
dangers of the path. OK, let's jump in then.
1:17
Where are they heading? Ultimately, as they leave the
1:20
Shepherds one the departure and the celestial goal.
1:24
So Christian and hopeful, they're coming down from the
1:26
delectable mountains. They've had this, this time of
1:28
instruction. What's the actual destination
1:31
they're aiming for? Well, the sources consistently
1:34
point to the Celestial City. That's the main objective.
1:37
Mount Zion sometimes. Yes, sometimes called Mount
1:39
Zion. The whole point, everything
1:41
they're going through is aimed at reaching that city and
1:44
specifically getting admittance through the celestial gate.
1:48
OK, and it's interesting. The text notes that other
1:51
characters they meet later like ignorance.
1:54
They also claim they're heading to the same city.
1:57
So that sets up a question right away.
1:58
Is everyone who says they're going there actually on the
2:01
right path? Pretty much, and Hopeful
2:05
actually brings us up later, confirming they did see the gate
2:08
from the mountains. It wasn't just a dream, you
2:10
know? Right, because before they left,
2:12
the shepherds gave them that special look, didn't they?
2:15
From the hill called clear with a What was it, a perspective
2:19
glass? Yes, exactly.
2:20
A perspective glass. A really poignant moment, the
2:23
sources say. They tried to look, they essayed
2:25
to look through it. Tried.
2:27
Yeah, they made an effort and they thought they saw something,
2:30
you know, something like the gate, maybe a bit of the glory
2:33
of the place. It was this this tantalizing
2:36
glimpse. There was a problem.
2:37
They couldn't see it clearly. There was an impediment.
2:40
Something stopped them from getting a really steady
2:42
Clearview, even with the help of the glass.
2:46
What was that? Was the glass faulty or?
2:48
No, it wasn't external, it was internal, the sources say.
2:53
The remembrance of the last thing the shepherds had shown
2:55
them. It made their hands shake.
2:57
Their hands were shaking. Yes, physically shaking.
2:59
So much so that they couldn't hold the prospective glass
3:02
steady enough to get that clear, sustained look at the Celestial
3:05
City gate. Wow, so remembering that last
3:09
thing, whatever it was, had a real physical effect.
3:11
On them, it really did. It suggests that confronting
3:14
certain realities, certain dangers, can be deeply
3:17
unsettling. So unsettling it affects your
3:20
ability to keep your focus on the goal, on the hope ahead.
3:23
OK, that last thing must have been incredibly powerful then,
3:26
if it could shake them like that and hinder their view of the
3:29
goal. What was that final vision the
3:32
Shepherds showed them? Let's get into that. 2 The buy
3:36
way to hell. A warning about hypocrisy.
3:39
OK, so this final warning, the sources describe it vividly.
3:43
The shepherds took them to a spot in a bottom which sounds
3:46
like a low lying area, and there was a door in the side of a hill
3:49
A. Door in a hill.
3:50
Yes, the shepherds opened it and specifically told the pilgrims
3:53
to look inside. And what they saw.
3:54
It sounds pretty terrifying from the notes.
3:56
It really is. The description is intense.
3:59
Very dark inside. Thick smoke, a rumbling noise
4:01
like fire, the sound of cries, people in torment and the
4:05
distinct smell of brimstone. Yeah, it's a full sensory
4:07
assault designed to convey sheer horror.
4:10
Christian, obviously disturbed, asked the shepherds.
4:13
What does this mean? And the answer was pretty blunt.
4:17
Very direct. They called it a by way to hell.
4:20
But they didn't just leave it there.
4:21
They specified who goes in that way.
4:23
They said it's a path that hypocrites take.
4:26
Hypocrites. So people pretending to be
4:28
something they're not. Exactly those making a false
4:31
show, and the sources even give specific examples to illustrate
4:35
this drawing from scripture. Right, I saw those listed.
4:38
Let's let's unpack those examples.
4:39
OK, so they mentioned those who sell their birthright, which
4:42
clearly points to Esau, right? Trading something sacred for
4:46
immediate gratification for A Bola Stew.
4:48
Disregarding the spiritual for the physical.
4:50
Precisely, then, those who sell their master, obviously Judas
4:55
Iscariot betraying Christ, those who blasphemed the gospel like
4:58
Alexander who opposed Paul and the truth, and those who lie and
5:01
dissemble like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts, pretending
5:05
full devotion while holding back.
5:06
So these are all people who had some connection, some outward
5:09
appearance of being on the right side, but inwardly were false.
5:13
Exactly. And hopeful notices, didn't he?
5:16
He observed they had on them a show of pilgrimage.
5:21
They look the part. They look like pilgrims.
5:23
Right. That's the core of hypocrisy
5:25
here. It's not just being sinful, it's
5:27
the pretense, the outward show covering the inward reality.
5:32
And the Shepherd's added that they held it a long time, too.
5:35
Meaning they kept up the ACT for quite a while.
5:38
It seems so, which suggests hypocrites can be very
5:41
convincing, maybe even fooling themselves for a long time.
5:43
That leads to a pretty sobering question then.
5:46
How far did these people get? Did they seem like they were
5:49
making progress before they ended up on this this byway?
5:52
Well, the shepherd said, some went further along the path than
5:55
others, but the key point was none of them, despite looking
5:59
like pilgrims, ever reached the delectable mountains where
6:02
Christian and hopeful were standing.
6:04
So the danger is real, even if someone looks like they're doing
6:06
OK on the outside. Absolutely.
6:08
It shows that appearance, even long held appearance, isn't
6:12
enough. The fall is real.
6:13
Seeing this awful end for false professors this side road to
6:18
hell, how did Christian and Hopeful react right then?
6:23
Instinctively they turn to each other and sensing their own
6:26
weakness, the danger they said we had need to cry to the strong
6:31
for strength. They knew they couldn't manage
6:33
on their own. Exactly a recognition of their
6:36
total dependence on divine help to stay true.
6:38
And the Shepherds confirmed that need.
6:40
They did, they said I and you will have need to use it when
6:43
you have it too. So it's not just about getting
6:46
strength, but actively using it. Right.
6:48
It connects the need for God's help with a responsibility to
6:51
actually apply it. It's not passive, it's act of
6:54
reliance using the grace given. So OK, this vision of the by way
6:58
to hell, this terrible outcome for hypocrites, it was
7:01
incredibly powerful. So powerful that, as you said,
7:04
the memory of it made their hands shake later when they
7:06
tried to look at the Celestial City.
7:08
Yes, it really drives home how deeply confronting the reality
7:12
of judgement and the consequences of falsehood can
7:15
affect even your ability to keep your eyes fixed on the hope
7:18
ahead. OK, so with that stark warning
7:22
ringing in their ears, and having seen a glimpse of the
7:25
goal, they get ready to leave the Shepherds.
7:28
Let's talk about the final bits of advice the Shepherds gave
7:30
them just as they were setting off 3 The Shepherds Parting
7:34
Council. Right.
7:35
So as they're preparing to head down the mountain, the shepherds
7:39
give them some some final, very practical pieces of advice,
7:44
things clearly meant for the specific challenges ahead now
7:47
that they won't have the shepherds right there.
7:49
What were those instructions? Well, one shepherd gave them a
7:52
note of the way the text says this was for more sure finding
7:55
thereof. Like a map or written direction.
7:58
Probably something like that. Yeah.
8:00
A guide to help them navigate, especially if the path became
8:03
confusing or branched off, represents having clear,
8:06
reliable guidance. Seems essential.
8:08
What else? Another shepherd gave a very
8:10
direct warning. Beware of the flatterer.
8:13
The flatterer. OK, so a specific type of danger
8:16
involving deception? Exactly Suggests they'd likely
8:19
encounter someone using smooth words to mislead them.
8:22
A key thing to watch out for. And there was a third warning.
8:25
Yes, the third shepherd told them to take heed that they
8:29
sleep not upon the enchanted ground.
8:31
Now, the sources we're looking at don't detail that specific
8:34
part of the pilgrimage later, but the warning itself is
8:37
telling. What does that suggest?
8:39
It points to the danger of, well, spiritual drowsiness,
8:43
complacency, letting your guard down.
8:46
Falling asleep in a dangerous place could mean losing your way
8:50
or being ambushed. Makes sense.
8:52
Vigilance is key and The last Shepherd.
8:54
The 4th one simply bid them Godspeed, A blessing
8:57
essentially. Good wishes for their travels.
8:59
OK, so a guide for the way, a warning about a specific
9:03
deceiver, a warning against complacency and a blessing
9:07
sounds like crucial equipment for the road.
9:09
Definitely meant to help them apply what they learned up high
9:12
to the realities down below. So, armed with this council,
9:14
they leave the mountains and almost right away they run into
9:17
someone new. This encounter highlights a
9:20
different sort of danger. Let's talk about meeting
9:23
Ignorance 4 Encountering ignorance.
9:27
The danger of conceit. Right.
9:29
So they're walking along the highway after coming down from
9:31
the mountains and they meet this fellow.
9:34
The sources call him ignorance. And he's described as a very
9:38
brisk lad, sounds energetic, maybe a bit overly confident.
9:42
That's the impression, yeah. And significantly, he's from the
9:45
country of conceit. Conceit.
9:47
OK, that tells you something right there.
9:49
It does, and this country is located just below the mountains
9:52
off to the left. He didn't start at the beginning
9:54
at the Wicked Gate like Kristen did.
9:57
He joined the highway via a little crooked lane that came
10:00
straight from his country onto the main road A.
10:02
Shortcut basically. Seems like it.
10:04
When they start talking, he says he's also going to the Celestial
10:07
City. Same destination, but Christian
10:10
has questions, right? Given the warnings about
10:12
hypocrites and seeing him come in sideways.
10:14
Exactly. Christian immediately asks him
10:17
how he expects to get in at the gate.
10:19
You know, implying entry isn't automatic just because you're on
10:22
the road. And ignorance.
10:23
His answer is just as other good people do.
10:26
What does he list as his proof of being good?
10:29
He rattles off a list. He knows his Lord's will, he
10:32
lives a good life, He pays what he owes, he prays fasts, pays
10:36
tithes, gives alms, and he mentions he left his country to
10:39
come here. It's all based on his own
10:41
actions, his own perceived righteousness.
10:43
But Christian spots the fundamental problem right away.
10:46
He does. He points out that the proper
10:48
way to start is through the Wicked Gate, the narrow
10:52
designated entrance. Ignorance completely bypassed
10:55
that he came in through his crooked lane and Christian.
10:58
Warns him about the consequences of that, Yes.
11:00
Christian tells him quite plainly.
11:01
He fears that on the reckoning day, ignorance will be counted
11:05
as a thief and a robber, because he didn't enter by the door by
11:08
the appointed way. It's a direct challenge to
11:10
ignorance, his whole approach. How?
11:12
Does ignorance take this correction?
11:15
Does he reconsider? Not one.
11:17
Bit he brushes them off completely, calls them utter
11:20
strangers, like they have no right to question him.
11:22
Tells him to follow their religion and he'll follow his.
11:25
Yeah, he's totally confident. Says he hopes all will be well.
11:29
He trusts the religion of his country, trusts that fine,
11:33
pleasant Green Lane that got him onto the highway so easily.
11:36
He even sort of implies the wicked gait is irrelevant for
11:39
people from his area too far away, not something they bother
11:42
with. So he's.
11:43
Completely self assured. The sources call him wise in his
11:46
own conceit. Exactly.
11:48
Full of his own understanding, relying entirely on himself and
11:50
his own sense of goodness. Totally unwilling to think he
11:53
might be wrong or that there's a specific way required faced.
11:57
With that kind of resistance, what did Christian and Hopeful
12:00
decide to do? Keep arguing, They talked.
12:02
It over Hopeful wisely suggested maybe it was best to just leave
12:07
him be for now. Let him think about what they'd
12:10
said. Perhaps talk again later as he
12:12
is able to bear it. Recognizing he wasn't ready for
12:15
more right then right. Pushing further probably
12:18
wouldn't have helped, so they decided to just pass him by and
12:20
continue on their way. That seems.
12:22
Like a practical point in itself, not everyone who claims
12:25
the same goal is on the right path, and well, not everyone is
12:28
ready or willing to hear correction when they're
12:30
mistaken. OK, so shortly after this
12:33
encounter with self deceived ignorance, they witnessed
12:35
something much more visually shocking, a real confirmation of
12:39
the dangers of being off the path.
12:42
Let's move to the fate of Turn Away 5, The fate of Turn Away.
12:47
The warning of apostasy. OK.
12:49
So not long after passing ignorance, the pilgrims enter
12:53
what the sources call a very dark lane.
12:55
The whole mood shifts here, gets much darker, more ominous, and
12:59
they see something. Truly disturbing in this lane
13:02
they do. They see a man who is bound by 7
13:04
devils with seven strong cords, and these devils are forcefully
13:07
dragging him backwards backwards.
13:09
Towards where? Towards that.
13:10
Door in the side of the hill, the very same one the shepherd
13:12
showed them the by way to hell. It's a direct, terrifying link
13:17
back to that earlier warning and.
13:19
Christian thinks he recognizes the man, Yes.
13:21
He looks hard and suspects it might be a man named Turn Away
13:25
who lived in the town of Apostasy.
13:27
The name itself is significant, obviously.
13:30
He couldn't see his face clearly, though, because the
13:32
man's head was hanging down in shame.
13:34
Like a thief that is found but hopeful.
13:36
See something that identifies him clearly, right?
13:39
As the man is being dragged off hopeful spots, a piece of paper
13:43
stuck to his back and it written.
13:44
On it the inscription. Read wanton professor and
13:48
damnable apostate. Wow.
13:50
Wanton professor and damnable apostate.
13:53
That's incredibly stark. It really is.
13:55
This whole scene functions as a powerful visual warning.
13:59
It shows the end result for someone who was once a
14:02
professor, someone who claimed the faith, maybe even
14:04
enthusiastically or carelessly wanton, but who then turned away
14:08
completely. An apostate.
14:09
Someone who? Abandons the faith they once
14:11
held. Exactly.
14:12
And the image shows them being dragged back towards destruction
14:15
by demonic forces. It's a grim picture of what can
14:18
happen if you leave the true path.
14:20
It's the potential end for the hypocrites.
14:22
Maybe even the fate Christian feared for ignorance.
14:25
It's the consequence of abandoning your profession.
14:28
That's a. Deeply chilling image after
14:30
seeing that Christian tells Hopeful a story it's about a
14:34
different kind of danger, one faced by someone who was a
14:36
genuine believer but still struggled mightily Let's get
14:40
into the story of little faith 6 the story of little faith
14:44
attack, loss and Providence So right after seeing turn away
14:48
being dragged off, Christian relates this story about little
14:51
faith who was he and what happened to him Christian.
14:54
Describes Little Faith first as a good man, which tells us he's
14:59
considered a genuine believer, a real Pilgrim.
15:01
He's from the town of Sincere, but as his name suggests, his
15:05
defining trait was having but a little faith.
15:08
OK. Sincere but weakened faith seems
15:10
to be. The idea and he was on
15:11
pilgrimage. But he made a mistake.
15:14
He sat down and fell asleep in a very dangerous place called Dead
15:16
Man's Lane. Dead Man.
15:18
'S lane sounds ominous. It is.
15:20
The sources say this lane comes down from Broadway Gate, linking
15:23
it perhaps to the easy wider path, not the narrow 1.
15:26
And this lane was notorious for robberies and even murders.
15:29
He chose the bad spot to rest or lose vigilance, and he gets.
15:32
Attacked there, he does. Ambushed by three sturdy rogues,
15:37
brothers named Faint Heart. Mistrust and Guilt.
15:40
Faint Heart. Mistrust and guilt.
15:42
Those names are clearly allegorical.
15:44
Absolutely. Representing the kinds of
15:46
internal struggles or spiritual assaults pilgrims face they came
15:49
galloping up, found him asleep. Faint heart demanded his purse.
15:53
Little faith was slow, maybe scared, so mistrust just reached
15:57
into his pocket and grabbed his bag of silver.
15:59
His. Money, right?
16:00
Little faith, cried out. Thieves and then gilt the
16:03
violent one hit him hard on the head with a club, knocked him
16:07
down, left him bleeding badly, looking like he might die a
16:10
really. Vicious attack.
16:11
Did they get everything, all his possessions?
16:13
No. And this is really key to the
16:15
story. They got most of his spending
16:17
money, that bag of silver representing maybe his temporal
16:20
comforts, his resources for the trip.
16:22
They left him with just a tiny bit, a little odd money.
16:26
Barely enough, Kristen says, to finish the pilgrimage without
16:28
begging. OK.
16:29
So they took his cash, but what about other valuables?
16:32
This is. The crucial part, they did not
16:34
find or take his jewels and most significantly, they did not get
16:38
his certificate, his jewels. And his certificate?
16:41
What do those represent and why didn't the thieves take them?
16:44
Especially the certificate, which seems vital for getting
16:47
into the Celestial City. Good.
16:49
Question. The jewels seem to represent his
16:51
core spiritual graces, his saving faith itself.
16:55
The certificate is his title deed, his assurance of
16:58
salvation, the proof needed for entry at the gate.
17:02
Christian calls it a wonder that the thieves missed these.
17:05
He says it happened more by good Providence than by his endeavor
17:08
by God's. Providence not because little
17:10
faith hid them well, Exactly. Christian makes it clear little
17:13
faith was completely overwhelmed, dismayed, helpless.
17:16
He had neither power nor skill to hide anything.
17:20
Yet God actively intervened his Providence to make sure these
17:22
essential spiritual treasures were kept safe.
17:25
It shows that even when a believer is weak, attacked,
17:27
loses temporal things, their core salvation and standing with
17:31
God can be preserved supernaturally beyond their own
17:34
ability. So.
17:35
God protected his ultimate standing, but how did little
17:37
faith handled the trauma and the loss of his money?
17:40
Did he take comfort in his jewels being safe?
17:42
Sadly. No, Christian says he was much
17:46
afflicted by the robbery, and even though he still had his
17:49
jewels, his spiritual riches, he made but little use of them for
17:53
comfort afterwards. Why?
17:56
Because the dismay over losing his money just consumed him.
18:00
It overshadowed. The spiritual reality, it seems.
18:03
So Christian says whenever he started to feel a little comfort
18:05
thinking about his jewels, fresh thoughts of his loss would come
18:09
again upon him, and those thoughts would swallow up all.
18:12
He just couldn't get past the temporal loss and fear.
18:15
He spent the rest of his pilgrimage complaining bitterly
18:17
to everyone he met that leads. Hopeful to ask a logical
18:20
question, right? If the jewels were so valuable,
18:23
representing his faith, why didn't he just sell them or pawn
18:26
them to get some money when he was desperate?
18:28
Right? A.
18:28
Practical question, but Christian answers pretty
18:31
sharply. He says first in the country
18:32
where he was robbed, the world least fear.
18:34
Essentially his jewels were not accounted of.
18:37
They had no market value there. You can't trade true faith for
18:40
cash in the world's economy, OK? Practical reason, but more.
18:43
Fundamentally, Christian says, selling his jewels would mean
18:46
giving up his faith, his inheritance, and that would
18:49
exclude him from the Celestial City altogether.
18:52
Which would be far worse, he says, than the appearance and
18:55
villainy of 10,000 Thieves. True spiritual value can't be
18:59
bartered for temporary relief without disastrous eternal
19:02
results. Hopeful.
19:03
Then compares this to Esau selling his birthright.
19:06
Is it the same kind of thing, Christian?
19:08
Draws a very clear line between them.
19:10
Esau's birthright, he says, was typical, maybe representing
19:14
earthly promises more than the ultimate heavenly inheritance.
19:17
And Esau sold it for fleshly appetite, driven by immediate
19:20
hunger, showing he didn't value the spiritual aspect.
19:23
Christian bluntly says Esau had not faith.
19:25
OK. Esau lacked faith entirely
19:28
right. Little faith, however, even with
19:30
only a little faith, possessed genuine, saving faith.
19:34
And because of that, even though it was small, he was kept from
19:36
such extravagances. That little bit of faith made
19:39
him value his jewels, his spiritual standing, more than
19:42
selling them for comfort. His mind was ultimately on
19:45
things divine, unlike Esau's Christian's.
19:49
Point is, if you have any true saving faith, however small, you
19:53
cannot ultimately trade away your eternal hope for temporary
19:56
gain. That faith holds you fast.
19:58
So even. Weak faith makes a fundamental
20:00
difference compared to no faith at all.
20:02
It preserves the core even amidst struggle.
20:05
Now Hopeful seems to shift back to the attack itself.
20:08
He questions if the robbers, faint heart, mistrust Gil, were
20:11
really that brave, noting they ran off when they heard someone
20:13
else coming. He wonders why little Faith
20:15
didn't resist more. Yeah, Hopeful.
20:17
Thinks maybe they were just cowards, but Christian pushes
20:20
back. He says few people actually find
20:23
them cowardly when they're the ones being attacked.
20:26
He admits they might flee superior strength, but in the
20:29
moment they're formidable. He says little faith simply
20:33
lacked a great heart encourage spiritual strength and he even
20:38
suggests hopeful might fold quickly too.
20:40
Under such an assault. He also.
20:42
Says these aren't just ordinary thieves crucial.
20:44
Point He calls them journeyman thieves who work for the king of
20:47
the bottomless pit, Satan. They're demonic agents,
20:50
basically, and their master can back them up.
20:53
His voice, Christian says it's like a roaring lion referencing
20:56
scripture about the devil. And Christian shares his own
20:59
experience here. He says he fought a similar
21:01
battle himself against these same enemies and their master.
21:04
He calls it a terrible thing. And even though he had his armor
21:07
of proof, the spiritual armor, it was still incredibly hard
21:11
work to quit myself like a man. It shows these spiritual fights
21:14
are intense even for stronger, well equipped believers.
21:18
Hopeful. Brings up great grace again,
21:20
saying the thieves fled from him.
21:22
Christian. Agrees great grace, the King's
21:24
champion, does make them flee. He represents exceptional
21:27
spiritual strength. But Christian immediately says,
21:29
look, not everyone is a champion like Great Grace.
21:33
Many of the King's subjects like little faith or weak.
21:36
He uses analogies. A child trying to fight Goliath,
21:39
a tiny Wren having an ox's strength.
21:41
People have different levels of spiritual capacity.
21:44
And he adds that even Great Grace isn't immune.
21:46
He can have a hard time if the rogues get within him, find a
21:49
weakness. He points out Great Grace has
21:52
scars from his battles. He remembers biblical giants of
21:55
faith, David, Hammond, Hezekiah, Peter, who all stumbled or were
21:59
seriously challenged by similar forces.
22:00
At times he emphasized the terrifying nature of the enemy
22:03
leader, the king of the pit, quoting Scripture about how he
22:06
laughs at human weapons. Conventional strength isn't
22:09
enough, so given. That the enemy is so tough,
22:12
their leader terrifying, and most pilgrims aren't spiritual
22:14
champions like Great Grace. What's the advice for ordinary
22:17
folks like Christian and Hopeful described as mere footman?
22:21
How should they handle these dangers?
22:22
Christian. Gives two key pieces of advice
22:25
drawing from all this. First, go out harnessed, meaning
22:29
fully equipped, and specifically be sure to take a shield with
22:33
us. He immediately identifies this
22:35
as the shield of faith, quoting scripture about it, quenching
22:38
the fiery darts of the wicked. Faith, act of trust in God is
22:42
the essential defense. Without it, he warns, the enemy
22:45
doesn't fear us at all. OK, take.
22:47
The shield of faith. What's the second piece of
22:49
advice? Second, He.
22:50
Says it's good to desire the king a convoy.
22:53
Yay that he will go with us himself.
22:56
Basically ask God for his direct protection and presence.
22:59
Don't rely on just on your own strength or armor, but ask for
23:02
the King himself to accompany you.
23:04
He mentions David feeling safe in the deadly valley because God
23:07
was with him, and Moses refusing to go forward unless God's
23:10
presence went too. It's about recognizing deep need
23:13
and requesting divine companionship.
23:15
Christian, then. Reflects on his own past fights,
23:18
glad to be alive but wary of future danger, yet hoping for
23:21
God's continued deliverance. And then he sings that little
23:24
song, summarizing the lesson. Right, the song.
23:26
Goes poor little faith has been among the thieves lost, robbed.
23:31
Remember this who so believes and gets more faith?
23:34
Shall then a victor be over 10,000, else scarce over three?
23:38
That really? Captures.
23:39
It doesn't. It acknowledges the struggle of
23:41
the weak, poor little faith, but points to the solution.
23:45
Getting more faith leads to victory, relying on God's
23:48
strength, not your own limited resources.
23:51
OK, so they've processed the fate of the apostate turn away
23:54
and the struggles of the weak but genuine little faith.
23:57
They understand more about spiritual warfare.
23:59
They continue on and the sources mentioned ignorance is still
24:02
trailing behind them. Their next big test involves a
24:05
different kind of threat. Not violence, not self
24:08
righteousness, but smooth deception.
24:10
Let's turn to them getting caught in the flatterer's net. 7
24:13
Caught in flatterer's net. The danger of deception.
24:16
Right, so. They're walking along and they
24:18
reach a point where the path forks.
24:20
Rather another way joins theirs. And the problem is, this new way
24:23
looks just as great as the one they're on.
24:25
They can't tell which is the correct continuation towards the
24:28
Celestial City, so they pause, confused and.
24:31
Right then someone shows up. Yes, a man.
24:33
Approaches them and the description is very specific.
24:37
Black of flesh, but covered with a very light robe.
24:40
Black flesh. Light robe?
24:42
That sounds like a contradiction.
24:43
A warning sign, you'd think. So it's a just a dark nature
24:47
hidden by a superficially pure or good appearance.
24:50
He asks why they're stopped. They explain their heading to
24:53
Zion but aren't sure which path to take and he immediately says
24:57
follow me. It is thither that I'm going
25:00
offers to lead them. They follow him even with that
25:03
weird description they do. They take the path he points
25:05
out, and the sources say this path gradually, subtly began to
25:10
turn them away from the city. In little time, their faces were
25:13
turned away from it, yet they followed him.
25:16
They didn't realize they were being LED off course until it.
25:19
Was too late, presumably. Exactly.
25:20
Before they know it, he leads them right into a neck.
25:23
They become completely tangled up, trapped, helps us don't know
25:26
what to do. And right at that moment when
25:28
they're caught, the white robe falls off the man, revealing his
25:31
true nature. So they're trapped and they see
25:35
him for who he really is. What goes through their minds
25:38
then they're. Lying there crying, realizing
25:41
they've been tricked. And Christian immediately
25:43
remembers the shepherd's warning.
25:45
He says, did not the shepherd's bid us beware of the flatterers?
25:49
And a proverb comes to him. A man that flattereth his
25:52
neighbor, spread at the net for his feet.
25:55
It clicks. This is the flatterer they were
25:57
warned about. And hopeful.
25:59
Remember something else they failed to do?
26:01
Yes. Hopeful realizes they also
26:03
forgot to look at their note of directions about the way the
26:07
guide the Shepherds gave them specifically for more sure
26:10
finding thereof for exactly this kind of situation when the path
26:14
was unclear. So they got.
26:15
Caught because they forgot 2 specific pieces of guidance, the
26:19
warning about flatterers, and the instruction to use their map
26:22
when uncertain. How do they get out of the net
26:24
as they're? Lying there, lamenting, a
26:25
shining one appears. An angelic figure, it seems, and
26:29
significantly, he's carrying a whip.
26:31
He asks who they are and how they got trapped.
26:34
They explained they were led astray by the man in white who
26:36
claimed to be going to Zion and the.
26:38
Shining one identifies the deceiver, yes.
26:41
He confirms the man was the flatterer, adding that he is a
26:44
false apostle that hath transformed himself into an
26:47
Angel of light. Uses biblical language for
26:50
Satan's deceptive agents. Makes it clear the light robe
26:53
was a disguise for his dark purpose.
26:56
Then the shining one tears the net, frees them and leads them
27:00
back to the correct path they had left.
27:02
But the. Intervention doesn't stop there,
27:04
does it? There's correction involved,
27:06
right? He questions them further.
27:08
Where did you sleep last night? With the shepherds.
27:11
Yeah. Did they give you a note of
27:12
direction? Yes.
27:13
Did you read it when you were unsure?
27:15
No, we forgot. Did they warn you about the
27:17
flatterer? Yeah.
27:18
Yes. But we didn't imagine this fine
27:21
spoken man could be him. They admit their failures.
27:24
They were fooled. By the outward appearance and
27:26
smooth words exactly. He didn't expect the danger to
27:28
look so appealing. And then comes the discipline
27:32
with the. Whip Yes.
27:33
The Shining One tells them to lie down and he chastised them
27:37
sore. He hit them with a whip, but he
27:40
explains why. It's to teach them the good way
27:42
where and they should walk. He even quotes revelation As
27:46
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
27:48
Be zealous, therefore, and repent so the.
27:50
Discipline isn't just punishment, it's corrective
27:53
teaching rooted in love, that's how.
27:55
It's presented painful, yes, it left marks, but intended to
27:58
bring repentance and reinforce the lesson about heeding
28:01
guidance. After the chastisement.
28:03
He tells them to go on, but to take good heed to the other
28:06
directions of the shepherds, say thank him, recognizing the
28:09
kindness even in the correction, and continue on, singing a song
28:13
about the consequences of forgetting counsel this whole.
28:15
Incident really drives home how easy it is to be deceived by
28:18
appearances if you let your guard down or forget the
28:21
warnings you've received. And it shows divine correction
28:24
as well as a severe mercy, maybe painful but necessary to get you
28:28
back on track. OK, so.
28:30
They've been rescued from the net, corrected, and are back on
28:33
the right path, hopefully wiser. They continue on, and the last
28:37
encounter in this section presents yet another kind of
28:39
challenge. Outright disbelief.
28:43
Let's meet Atheist 8. Meeting Atheist.
28:47
The challenge of disbelief. Right, so they're walking along,
28:50
presumably a bit more careful now, and they see a man coming
28:53
towards them on the highway. Christian immediately notices
28:55
something odd. He's walking.
28:57
The wrong way. His back toward Zion.
28:59
Exactly. A clear visual contrast.
29:01
He's heading away from the goal, hopeful, maybe still jumpy after
29:04
the flatterer worries he might be another deceiver trying to
29:07
mislead them. The man.
29:08
Introduces himself though. Yes, he tells.
29:10
Them his name is atheist. When they say their pilgrims
29:13
going to Mount Zion, his reaction is, well, unexpected.
29:17
He laughs. A very great laughter yeah, open
29:20
mockery. Christian asked why he's
29:22
laughing. Atheist calls them ignorant
29:24
persons for undertaking such a tedious effort for nothing
29:27
because. Because.
29:28
He claims flatly there is no such place as you dream of in
29:32
all this world. He just denies the existence of
29:35
the Celestial City altogether, calls it a dream.
29:38
They try to. Counter saying it's in the world
29:39
to come atheist. Waves that away too.
29:42
He claims he used to believe in it says he searched for for 20
29:46
years went further than they have he boasts, but he found
29:49
nothing 0 proof so he concluded it is not He's given up and is
29:54
now going back to enjoy the worldly things he castaway when
29:58
he was on his quest he found. No evidence, so he concluded it
30:01
doesn't exist. Pretty much.
30:03
His experience defines reality for him.
30:05
And then Christian does something interesting.
30:07
He deliberately tests hopeful. He turns to hopeful and asks him
30:11
straight out. Is what this man says true?
30:15
Christian explains later. He wasn't doubting himself, but
30:17
did it to prove thee and to fetch from the a fruit of the
30:20
honesty of thy heart. He wanted to see how hopeful
30:23
would react to this direct assault on their core belief,
30:26
and how. Does hopeful respond?
30:27
Does he waver not at? All he responds firmly.
30:32
He actually calls atheist a flatterer in this context,
30:35
meaning someone trying to deceive them by denying the
30:37
truth, leading them astray. With disbelief, he immediately
30:41
reminds Christian of their painful mistake with the other
30:43
flatterer. Then he says with real
30:45
conviction, what no Mount Zion did we not see from the
30:49
delectable mountains, the gate of the city?
30:51
He appeals. Back to that earlier glimpse of
30:53
truth, exactly. He uses that experience as
30:56
evidence against atheists claim, and he reinforces their current
31:00
position. We are now to walk by faith, not
31:04
by sight or by the failed experiences of others who gave
31:07
up. He quotes scripture about
31:08
ignoring teaching that leads to error and about believing to the
31:11
saving of the soul. It's a solid stand on faith and
31:14
revealed truth against experiential denial.
31:16
Christian. Affirms hopefuls response.
31:18
Yes. Christian says he knows atheist
31:20
is blinded by the God of this world.
31:22
Recognizing the spiritual source of such disbelief, he confirms
31:26
their shared conviction in the truth, stating no lie is of the
31:29
truth. Atheist claim is false, Period.
31:31
And how does? The encounter end hopeful.
31:33
Having stood firm, declares, now do I rejoice in hope of the
31:38
glory of God? Rejecting disbelief actually
31:41
strengthens his hope. They then turn away from
31:45
atheist, choosing not to argue further and continue toward
31:48
Zion. Atheist just laughs at them as
31:50
he walks away back towards the world.
31:52
This. Encounter feels different from
31:54
the flatterer. That was subtle deception about
31:56
the path. This is a head on denial of the
31:59
destination itself, right? It's.
32:00
The challenge of outright cynical disbelief and their
32:03
response shows the need to stand on faith, remember past
32:07
confirmations of truth like seeing the Gate, and refuse to
32:10
let worldly reasoning or mockery undermine their ultimate hope.
32:14
Rejoicing in that hope is the counter to atheistic despair 9
32:19
review and synthesis OK, so let's.
32:21
Pull this together. In this whole section we've
32:23
looked at right after leaving the shepherd's Christian and
32:25
hopeful face a whole series of challenges laid out in these
32:28
sources. Yeah, first.
32:29
That really disturbing warning vision the by way to hell for
32:32
hypocrites. Yeah, sobering stuff that even
32:34
physically affected them. Then they meet.
32:36
Ignorance, the picture of self deception, trusting his own
32:39
path, his own goodness, totally unreceptive because of his
32:42
conceit, followed. Almost immediately by that
32:44
chilling side of turn away, the apostate being dragged back to
32:48
destruction. A visual confirmation of what
32:51
happens when you abandoned the path you once professed.
32:54
Then the. Detailed story of little faith,
32:56
showing how even a genuine believer, weak in faith, can be
33:00
attacked, suffer loss, be filled with dismay, but.
33:04
Still be preserved in his core salvation by God's Providence,
33:07
even if he struggles to find comfort.
33:10
And the lesson there was about needing the shield of faith and
33:12
God's own presence. Then the.
33:14
Painful experience with the flatterer fooled by smooth words
33:18
and appearances because they forgot the warnings and their
33:20
guide, leading to entanglement and necessary corrective
33:23
discipline from the Shining One and.
33:25
Finally, atheist the direct challenge of someone denying the
33:29
goal itself, claiming it doesn't even exist based on his own
33:32
failed search met by hopefuls firm Stand on faith and remember
33:36
truth. It's quite a.
33:37
Sequence, isn't it? Each encounter seems to
33:39
highlight a different kind of pitfall it really.
33:41
Does you've got dangers stemming from outright hypocrisy, from
33:46
self-reliance, from total abandonment, from personal
33:49
weakness meeting external assault, from subtle deception,
33:52
and from direct disbelief? They're not random.
33:55
They really illustrate various spiritual States and the
33:57
different kinds of opposition you might face and the.
33:59
Sources consistently link their ability to either stand firm or
34:04
get back up after stumbling to certain things.
34:07
Yeah, things. Like paying attention to the
34:09
council they received, remembering the warnings,
34:12
relying on God's help in Providence, like with little
34:14
Faith's jewels or the advice to ask for a convoy using.
34:18
The tools they were given, like the shield of faith or that note
34:21
of direction accepting. Correction, even when it's
34:24
painful, like from The Shining 1, and fundamentally.
34:27
Just continuing to walk by faith, holding on to the truth
34:30
revealed even when things look confusing or people argue
34:33
against it, right? Perseverance as shown here is
34:37
isn't about being perfect or super strong yourself.
34:39
It seems much more about depending on God's grace, His
34:42
guidance, His strength, and diligently using the help He
34:45
provides while staying vigilant. So looking.
34:47
At this whole section, it really seems to drive home that this
34:50
walk requires constant awareness, humility, dependence
34:54
on God, and a firm grip on the truth, refusing to be swayed by
34:58
alternatives no matter how plausible they might seem.
35:01
Outro. So what's the take away here for
35:03
you listening well? The path described in these
35:06
sources is certainly full of different kinds of difficulties,
35:09
some obvious, some hidden. But guidance is given, help is
35:12
available, and pressing on, aided by grace and reliance on
35:16
God, is shown to be possible. Which leads.
35:18
To a question you might want to ponder, thinking about these
35:21
characters and dangers, we've discussed the hypocrite leading
35:23
to the byway, the self satisfied ignorance, the apostate turn
35:27
away, the struggling little faith, the easily deceived
35:30
Pilgrim caught by the flatterer and the disbelieving atheist.
35:34
Which of these warnings, which of these potential pitfalls
35:36
feels most relevant or maybe most challenging for you to
35:39
think about in your own life? Something.
35:42
To consider as you continue your own thinking.
35:44
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive Fate Outro Music.