Pilgrim's Progress - Part 5 — Alfred P. Gibbs

Christian Meets Faithful and Learns the Danger of Pride

The message of the Son of God. That fight with Apollyon illustrates the devil's temptation. This experience illustrates God's testing of his people. And the Christian that goes through an experience like this emerges from that experience with spiritual strength and with the knowledge of God he could not possibly have acquired apart from such an experience.

And now Christian came to a little hill called Mount Comfort, from the top of which he saw ahead of him a man whom he'd been told was walking ahead, the man whom he heard singing in the valley, whose name was Faithful.

And when Christian saw Faithful, he was glad and shouted, Faithful! Faithful! Wait a minute till I catch up to you! But Faithful not recognizing Christian and thinking this was some device on the part of Satan to hinder him, quickened his footsteps, saying as he did, I must go on, the avenger of blood is behind me.

This rather nettled Christian, so he shouted again, Faithful! Faithful! Wait a minute till I catch up with you! This time Faithful broke into a run, saying as he did, I must run with patience the race that is set before me, looking at Jesus the author and the finisher of faith.

And as Faithful began to run, Christian became quite annoyed, thought he, huh, so you think you can run, eh? I assure you that maybe I can run as fast as you and maybe a bit faster. And so Christian began to run after Faithful, and Christian being in good trim, very soon caught up with Faithful, and not content with catching up with him, vaingloriously decided he'd leave Faithful far behind.

And so with his nose well elevated and with vainglorious thoughts filling his mind, Christian passed Faithful. But what Christian didn't notice was this. At this particular spot, there was a big ditch that ran right across the King's Highway.

And alongside of this ditch, there was a stone. He caught his foot on that stone, and the next thing he knew, he was lying upside down in that ditch. And worse still, he couldn't lift himself up. And there he lay, feeling very, very unnecessary.

But when Faithful caught up to him, what did Faithful do? Did he say, well, that's what you get for beating me. Now you lie there now, and I'll beat you. Remember that scripture which said, brethren, if one of you be overtaken in a thought, let him that is spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

And so Faithful gave his hand to Christian, and said, my dear brother, take my hand, and I'll help you up. Very shamefacedly, Christian gave his hand to Faithful, was lifted up, and then apologized to Faithful for what he had done.

And then these two walked on very lovingly together. Now what was it that caused Christian's fall? In one word, it was pride. Pride goeth before destruction, the Bible says, and a haughty spirit precedes a fall.

We have done the same thing. Our foolish hearts lifted up with pride, thinking ourselves to be something when we are nothing. Priding ourselves upon our attainments. Pride of face, pride of race, pride of place, pride of grace.

How God hates pride, and assures our hearts are lifted up with pride, we shall fall. That's what Paul meant when he wrote to Timothy and said, don't set a novice in the face of oversight in an assembly of the Lord's people, lest his heart be lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

And so many and many a Christian who has been lifted up with pride has been made to realize he's not so wonderful after all. He that thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, deceiveth himself.

He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. And it is the fall that brings to us the consciousness of the fact we weren't so wonderful, and so these two walked on very lovingly together.

Faithful Resists Worldly Temptation

Then Christian inquired of Faithful, who did you meet on your way? What adventures do you have? Faithful replied, as I was about to leave the city of destruction, a woman named Wanton came to me, and she tempted me not to go on that journey.

She offered me money, all the pleasures I could desire, any position I had a desire to attain would be given me, she promised, if I would stay in the city of destruction and not go on the pilgrim journey.

And what did you do? inquired Christian. Faithful answered, I remember that scripture which said, her feet take hold upon hell, and lest I should be bewitched by her looks, I turn from her and say, no, for what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

I must go on. What else did you meet? I shall never forget when I came to that place called, and when by faith I saw hanging on that cross, the holy, blessed, sinless Son of God, bearing my sins in his own body on the tree.

I shall never forget when I realized that all my sins were laid on Jesus, that Jesus bore them on the tree, and that God who knew them laid them on him, that through believing I might be free. I opened my heart, I trusted in the Lord Jesus, I accepted him as my Savior, I owned him as the Lord of my life, and that great big burden of my guilt went rolling down the hill into the open sepulcher, where I saw it again no more forever.

As I walked along the valley of humiliation, man by the name of shame came sneaking up behind me, walking on tiptoe, and whispering things into my ears. He tried to make me ashamed of being a Christian, ashamed of witnessing for Christ before others, ashamed of giving out gospel tracts, ashamed of saying no to the world and to worldly pleasures.

I felt the flush of shame coming over my cheek when suddenly I remembered was of the devil. So I turned to him and said, get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savest not the things of thee of God, but the things of thee of man.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it. My Lord was not ashamed of me. He endured the cross and despised the shame. He allowed men to abuse him, to spit in his face, to hurl blasphemies, but because of his love for me, he bore the shame.

He took my place and died to me, and now I belong to him. I'm not going to be ashamed of my Lord, nor of his testimony. Answer, faithful, with these words. Yes, you'll find shame will come to you in school.

Love is cast. The offense of the cross is not ceased. So as Christian and faithful went on, presently faithful saw someone coming toward them and said to Christian, look, that's Evangelist. No, it can't be, replied Christian, but I think it is.

Evangelist Warns Christian and Faithful About Vanity Fair

And sure enough, as the man came closer, both recognized him as Evangelist, the one who had pointed them from the city of destruction to the gate, and from the gate to the cross. And as Evangelist met the two pilgrims, he said, welcome, dear brethren.

How glad am I to see that you are still walking on the narrow, upward, homeward, heavenward way. And when they told him their adventures, their joys and sorrows, their victories and their defeats, Evangelist answered, I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in the truth.

But, continued Evangelist, I've come to warn you, warn you of a danger that faces you. As you walk along this pathway, you will come to a great city called Vanity, and through that city you must go, or else go out of the world.

In that city you'll be tempted, you'll be ill-treated, one of you will be put to death. I will not say which one it is, said Evangelist, but I will say that the one who lays down his life for the testimony of Christ will be soonest with Christ, which is very far better.

And now, brethren, I commend you to the word of the Lord, and to the power of the Blessed Spirit of God, who will enable you to quit you like men, and be strong, and witness a good confession, both of the saving, and the keeping, and the satisfying power of the Son of God.

Remember, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Brethren, fare ye well.". And then they kneeled down in the King's Highway, and Evangelist commended Christian and faithful, as they were about to go through the city of Vanity. Presently, sure enough, ahead of them, Christian and faithful saw the great city that Evangelist had seen.

Vanity Fair and the Christian's Separation From the World

The straight and the narrow path led right through that city. So they had to go right through it. This city is as follows. When Satan saw that the way to the celestial city lay right through this valley, what did he do but build his city right across the straight and narrow pathway, so that every child of God had to go through his city, or else go out of the world?

What Satan then did was to organize a fair called Vanity Fair. And in that fair, he caused to be exposed for sale all those things which he knew would appeal to the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, that was part of the flesh, the nature that every child of God still has.

His object was to get Christians so occupied with the vanities, that they would forget they were strangers and pilgrims in the world, but not of the world, and settle down in his city, and thus lose the joy of their salvation, their enjoyment of communion and fellowship with God, and their usefulness in his service.

And alas, alas, how successful the devil has been in this. The city received its name because the wisest and the richest of natural men, Solomon by name, who spent a great deal of his lifetime in that city, sampling its vanities, as he left it for eternity, he cried despairingly, Vanity of vanities, or emptiness of emptiness, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

This then is the world, not the world of nature, the rivers, and the flowers, and the mountains, and the skies. What do we mean by the word world in this sense? Persons, those pleasures, those pursuits, and those places from which God is left out.

Every Christian therefore, though he is in the world, is not of the world. And if he would maintain his testimony, and live to the glory of the Lord Jesus, he must resolutely deny all the vanities of this world.

Love not the world. Any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. And now they came to the gate of that city. The streets were crowded with people, speaking about politics, about sport, about amusements, about the weather, any subject, and every subject except the most important subject, their relationship to God, and to Christ, and the Word of God, and spiritual realities.

And as Christian and faithful saw the people given wholly over to idolatry, once again they fell down upon their knees, and they asked God's guidance, and for strength, and for wisdom, as they trod the streets.

Then they stepped into the city. No sooner had they stepped in, than a company of women came to Christian and said, Christian, come and dance with us. What did Christian reply? He answered, no. How can I dance with you, and lose my testimony of being of a world?

Then some folks who were gambling said to faithful, come and gamble with us. Faithful replied, how can I be faithful to my Lord and my Master, by indulging in that kind of thing? Just then, a man outside a show house, spies Christian and faithful, to say, you two fellows, garbed in that strange apparel, sticking to that straight and narrow path.

Listen, I've got a good proposition. We've got a wonderful show about to start. Won't cost you very much, and it'll make you forget your misery. Come on, come to the show, come to the show. What did Christian say to faithful?

Come on, faithful, let's go to the show tonight. He said, Lord, turn away our eyes, and they pursued their journey. And the people of the city of vanity perceived three things about Christian and faithful.

First, they noted that their apparel, their clothing, was different. Clothing speaks of character. Second, they noted that their language was different. They spoke in the language of Canaan. They spoke of spiritual things which a natural man understands not.

And third, they set very light upon their vanities. They paid no attention to all the vanities being offered to them. Those were the three things that characterized Christian and faithful. Presently, a man came forward, who had a tray of printlets in front of him.

And as he pushed his way impudently through the crowd, he addressed Christian and faithful and said, what do you want to buy? They answered, we'll buy the truth and sell it not. Oh, so that's what you want?

Yes, that's all we want. The man picked up a handful of mud and threw it at Christian and faithful. That was the signal. For the rest of the mob to join in persecuting Christian and faithful. And they belabored them with mud and with blows.

Christian and Faithful Endure Persecution

Beelzebub, who was the king of that city, hearing of Christian and faithful and the fact that they refused to have anything to do with their vanities, gave orders for the police, arrest those men and beat them.

And then put them into the cage in the middle of the market square and leave them there to attend the mercies of our people. And so accordingly, Christian and faithful were arrested, placed in irons, beaten, but to all the ill treatment accorded them.

Christian and faithful replied with not a word of abuse. They told the very people who were persecuting them of the love of God in the gift of his Son. And they testified to the peace and the joy which he gave them, even in the midst of tribulation.

Then they were placed in that iron cage, right in the middle of the market square. And there they were left to the people of vanity, to do with them exactly what they wished. Some would take a sharp pointed instrument and thrust it into their bodies, saying as they did, what does your Jesus do for you now?

And Christian and faithful replied, they enable us to bless those who persecute us. He gives us peace and joy in the midst of tribulation. Others as they spat in their faces said, and what do you think of Christianity now?

Christian and faithful replied, you know not what you do. And then they preached the gospel of the grace of God to those very people who persecuted them. They so lived for Christ in that cage, so witnessed for him, that presently some of the people of the city said to themselves, my, they must have something we don't have.

If we were treated like that, we retaliate in kind. What is it you have that we don't have, they inquired. Christian and faithful replied, we have the Lord Jesus, not only as our savior, not only as the Lord of our life, but our guide and constant companion who has promised, I will never leave thee, I will never forsake thee, so that thou may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, what can man do unto thee?

My, thought they, we wish we had a life like that. And so gradually a little company was formed in the city of vanity who secretly took sides with Christian and faithful. Presently when some strangers arrived and began to persecute the pilgrims, their secret friends said, look here, don't you touch those men.

Why not? Because they are good men. Who is going to stop us touching them? They said, we will. And so when the people tried to persecute them, their friends took their side. And presently, as you see in the picture, there was a great fight on the outside of that cage.

The Trial and Martyrdom of Faithful

And when Beelzebub heard that some of his own subjects, because of the godly life and the preaching of the gospel on the part of those pilgrims, were thinking of becoming pilgrims themselves, his anger knew no bounds.

He said, bring those men before the Lord Chief Justice of this city. Lord, hate good. Have them tried, and then send them to death. And away with them. Accordingly, Christian and faithful were brought before the Lord Chief Justice.

Lord, hate good. There were four witnesses for the prosecution. Mr. Envy, Mr. Superstition, Mr. Parasite, Mr. Religion. They were the members of the jury. Mr. Blind Man, Mr. Hate the Light, Mr. Live Loose, Mr. High Mind, Mr. Heady, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Courageousness, Mr. Fornication, Mr. Idolatry, and others.

Without being allowed a single witness for their defense, Christian and faithful were savagely condemned by Lord Hate Good, who addressed himself to the jury and said, good men and true, you've heard what these witnesses have testified against these accused.

What say you? With one consent, they yelled, they're guilty. What shall be done to them? Let them die the death. So accordingly, Lord Hate Good pronounced the sentence of death against both Christian and faithful.

He said, you'll be taken from here, dragged at the back of a cart to the market square, where a stake has been erected, and there you'll be burned to death, like all heretics and traitors and rogues like you should be burned.

Taylor, take them away. For some reason, the sentence was not carried out in the case of Christian, but faithful was dragged at the back of a cart the following day, beaten as he was dragged through the streets of the city of vanity.

People spat upon him and cursed him, but to all the cursing and the spitting and the beating, faithful replied with not a word of abuse, but told them the old old truth and his love. Presently, they came to the market square.

There was a stake at the foot of which a great pile of kindling wood fastened to that stake, as they still jeered at him for the grace of God and testified to the peace of God that passive all understanding fulfilled his heart and his mind through Christ Jesus.

Then a man came forward and applied a torch to the kindling wood, and soon the body of faithful was enveloped with flames. Christian, as he stood by, looking at this dreadful sight, but suddenly he looked up, and he saw something that none of this blaspheming mob could see.

Only he had eyes for this. He saw a golden gate opening in heaven, and through that golden gate there came a chariot drawn by two white horses, driven by an angel in whose hand there was a crown. As he watched, he saw that chariot come closer and closer to the foot of the stake to which faithful had been fastened.

Presently, as gracious watched, he saw the poor, charred, lifeless form of faithful fall on the chains that bounded to the stake. He saw the spirit of faithful, that which the fires of men's persecution could not destroy.

Fear not them which destroy the body, but fear him which can destroy body and soul in hell. As Christian watched, he saw the spirit of faithful step into that chariot. He saw the angel place upon his head a crown, saying as he did, Thou hast been faithful unto death.

Behold, I give thee a crown of life. And as he watched, he saw that chariot together with faithful and the angel ascending higher and higher until the golden gate came to view once more. And as that golden gate opened to allow the chariot to enter, a stream of glory came out that shone upon the upturned face of Christian.

And that gleam of glory, John Bunyan observes, made Christian homesick. And then the gate closed, and faithful was at home with his Lord. Thus became one of the great army of martyrs, those that loved not their lives unto death.

Those who had a purpose firm and dared to make that purpose known, cost what it may. I wonder who was the most fortunate? Faithful, who went to be with Christ, or the people who persecuted him? Ah, faithful is now at home with the Lord.

Ample compensation for all the toil and the suffering he endured for the sake of Christ and the gospel. And remember this, when you become a Christian, it hated Christ. Jesus said, They hated me without a cause.

The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they hated me, they hate you. If they persecuted me, they'll persecute you. Don't expect popularity and praise from the world because of your Christian testimony.

Every Christian is a witness against the world. For the Lord Jesus, the one whom the world cast out and crucified and would not have him to reign over them. So like Christian and faithful, let us Christians take a bold stand for the Lord Jesus and cost what it may.

Let us witness a good confession and back up that confession with a life. Live to the glory of the Lord Jesus, even though perhaps we may have to go the same route as the faithful in the long ago. The Lord bless his word to each one of our hearts and help us Christians unto death.

Knowing his so doing, we shall then receive the crown of life. May he grant it for his namesake. Set the company of the Lord's people who meet together in the name of the Lord Jesus. Each child of God should associate himself in happy church fellowship so they may enjoy the privilege of meeting with those who have been redeemed by the precious blood, who have exercised the same precious faith in the Lord Jesus who loved them and who gave himself for them.

Christian Enters the Fellowship of God's People

But you will recall, before Christian entered that castle, he faced those two lions which apparently barred the way. And these two lions, as we explained, represent perhaps the world and the devil, both of whom will combine to hinder the child of God from associating himself with the scripturally gathered company of God's people.

But Christian had his eyes open to the fact that attached to each of these lions was a good strong chain which prevented them from harming any pilgrim, providing he kept in the middle of the king's highway in that path of obedience to God's will and to God's word and to the worship of the Lord Jesus.

Thus, Christian was enabled by God's grace to enter into that beautiful castle and there enjoy the fellowship of the people of God who met together in the name of the Lord Jesus in order to praise and worship and adore his name.

The Armor of God and the Call to Humility

Then you remember, the four sisters warned Christian of an enemy awaking him outside. And in order that he might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for that was the enemy, he must be clothed with all the armor of God.

So they conducted Christian into the armory. And there Christian placed upon himself all that armor described for us in the sixth chapter of Ephesians. He placed upon himself the belt of truth, speaking of the necessity for Christians to be truthful in their words.

He placed upon himself the breastplate of righteousness, which speaks of a righteous, honest, godly life, which Christians should live before the world. Then he put upon him the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, so that everywhere he went he told the good news of the Savior's dying love, of his risen power, of his coming glory.

Then he took the shield of faith, wherewith the quench all the fiery darts of the devil. Faith in the word of God, faith in the power of God, faith in the love of God, will turn aside those deadly darts by which Satan seeks to defeat the child of God.

Then upon his head he placed the helmet of salvation, which guarded the most delicate part of his being, the mind. And we pointed out how needful it was for the child of God, through the study of the word of God, to fill his mind with right thoughts as to the deity of the Lord Jesus, as to the inspiration and integrity of the Holy Scriptures, as to the person and work of the Holy Spirit of God, as to regeneration, redemption, and all these other fundamental truths of our most holy faith.

These are the days when wrong doctrines are being taught on every hand, and unless the child of God is forearmed against these errors, he will form an easy prey to these wrong doctrines taught by false teachers.

Then he took the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. How needful for the child of God to become expert in the use of the divinely inspired Holy Scriptures. It was this weapon that our Savior used against Satan when during those forty days he was tempted in the wilderness.

And last, but by no means least, he placed upon himself that invisible weapon that is mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan, that weapon of prayer. Thus Christian is armored with the armor of God.

And we pointed out, if you recall, that God provides the armor, but the Christian himself must appropriate that armor. He must put it on for himself. After Christian had armored himself, the four sisters conducted him down the hill on which the castle was built into a valley called the Valley of Humiliation.

And in going down into that valley, Christian slipped quite a good deal, found it very difficult. In fact, he remarked to the sisters, I find it more difficult to go down into this Valley of Humiliation than I did to climb up the Hill of Difficulty.

The sisters smiled and said, yes, and many, another Christian has discovered the same thing. But this is the path of true usefulness. In this valley your Savior lived, and wrought, and taught, and died.

He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And he has left his disciples an example that they should follow his steps. So the word of God enjoins each Christian to humble himself before the mighty hand of God, that he may be exalted in due time.

And our Savior says he that humbled himself shall be exalted, but he that exalted himself shall be abased. And by this time they had reached the foot of that hill. And before they parted from him, the sisters said, now Christian, remember, you have on you the whole armor of God.

More is he that is in you than all the forces that can be arrayed against you. Use the armor that God has provided for you. Fight the good fight of faith. They hold upon that life which is life indeed.

As you go along heaven's highway, witness the good confession to the saving and keeping power of the Lord Jesus. And then they commended him to the word of the Lord, that he might sustain him, keep him going on, growing in his grace and in his knowledge.

Then the four sisters departed, and Christian pursued his journey alone. He had not gone very far, however, before he saw coming toward him a dreadful-looking apparition. This hideous-looking object had wings like a dragon, a head like a lion, feet like a bear, scales like a serpent, while from his mouth there came flame and smoke.

In one hand he held a bundle of flaming darts, in the other a great javelin. As Christian saw him approach, he said, this must be Apollyon, the enemy of all Christians who has come to withstand me, against whom I was worn by those sisters.

So not having any armor for his back, he faced the foe and stood in the middle of the king's highway and awaited the onslaught. Presently Apollyon came right up to where Christian was standing, and eyeing him with hatred, inquired, Who are you, and where are you going?

Christian Battles Apollyon Through Faith in God's Word

Christian replied, My name is Christian. I am from the city of destruction, the place of all evil. I am on my way to the celestial city. Ah, shriek to Apollyon, if you have come from the city of destruction, you belong to me, for I am the prince of that city.

I am the god of this age, and all its subjects are my servants. I used to be your servant, retorted Christian, but thank God I am your servant no longer. I have sworn allegiance to another whom I love, and I hate you.

Come now, come now, replied Apollyon, adopting a milder tone, changing his tactics. I did not mean to hurt your feelings. Look, I will tell you what I will do. If you promise to go back again to the city of destruction, and once again become my servant, I will give you everything your heart can desire.

I will give you all the money you want, all the power and the popularity you want, whatever position you desire, shall be yours if you go back again to that city, and once more become my servant. No, retorted Christian, I discover that your service is bad, and your wages worse for the wages of sin is death.

I have sworn allegiance to another, and my desire is to please him. Think, said Apollyon, what lies ahead of you. Ahead of you there is nakedness and peril and the sword. Men will say all manner of evil against you falsely for the sake of that one to whom you have sworn allegiance.

Men will persecute you. Yes, they will kill you. Thinking in so doing, they are performing the service of God. Ahead of you there lies peril and nakedness and the sword and death. That does not scare me, retorted Christian.

For me, sudden death is sudden glory. Yea, I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is very far better. Apollyon sneered. Look what kind of a man you are. Look what happened when you were walking with Primal.

You fell into the bog. Recall what took place under him of difficulty. You went to sleep and you lost your role. Again, remember how frightened you were of those lions. Not only so, but you are full of vain glorious thoughts.

Yes, replied Christian, all you say is true, Apollyon, and a great deal more than I can tell you. But you forget one thing. What's that? You forget that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleansed us from all sin.

And when Christian uttered those words, the face of Apollyon grew livid with anger and hatred and malice and cruelty. And he shrieked, I hate that name and I hate the mention of his blood or I'll kill you where you stand.

No, replied Christian, I'd rather die than go back one inch for you. Then die, shrieked Apollyon. And he took one of those fiery darts and threw it right at the heart of Christian. But what did Christian do?

Did it kill him? No, indeed. Christian put up the shield of faith, which turned aside the fiery darts of the wicked. And then that dreadful fight began amidst the cries and the groans and the tears and the prayers of Christian and the threatenings and the yellings and the cursings of Apollyon.

That fight began. In spite of Christian's defense, in spite of his armor, personally he was wounded in the head and in the hand and in the foot and began to lose considerable blood. And Apollyon, spying his opportunity, seeing Christian was becoming weaker by reason of his loss of blood, suddenly, unexpectedly, he threw his arms around him and began to wrestle with him.

For we read in the Bible, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickednesses in high places. And as they wrestled over that highway, personally with a dexterous movement, Apollyon threw Christian to the ground.

And as Christian fell to the ground, his sword fell to his hand. And there he was, apparently helpless in the face of his adversary. Ah, shriek to Apollyon, I've got you now just where I want you. And taking that javelin, he was about to thrust it into the body of Christian and end the unequal combat, when suddenly Christian reached nimbly for his sword.

And as he took that sword, he said, Rejoice not, O mine enemy against me, for when I fall, I shall rise again. And with this, he thrust the sword into the body of Apollyon. And Apollyon gave back with a scream of agony.

For if there is wanting of anything else that the devil fears and hates, it is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And Christian, seeing the good work the sword had accomplished, took it again, this time saying, Nay, Apollyon, in all these things I am more than a conqueror to him that loved me.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord.

And with this, he plunged his sword into the body of Apollyon again. Apollyon gave a dreadful scream of mortal agony. And then, lifting up his wings, he flew away, leaving Christian the conqueror in that dreadful fight.

Christian was weak and faint by reason of his many wounds. But as he looked around, to his surprise and great joy, he discovered that the Lord, in view of this conflict which he knew would take place, had provided at this particular spot spiritual refreshment.

Christian ate of that provision of God, and as he did so, he was strengthened with might by God's Spirit in the inner man. And then, he discovered quite close to the scene of conflict, a tree growing, placing some of the leaves of that tree upon his wounds.

He discovered that his wounds were immediately healed. And then, getting down upon his knees in the middle of the King's Highway, Christian gave thanks to God, who had enabled him to be more than a conqueror to him who loved him.

Apollyon as a Picture of Satan's Deception

Now, do you think that Satan looks like these pictures? No, indeed. Then why does John Bunyan represent Apollyon as this horrible looking creature? Well, this story, as you know, is a parable. It's an allegory.