Dear fellow pilgrims,
Last week we began our journey “Through the Stable Door” as we enter into the final chapters of The Last Battle. We will continue that journey this week as we encounter some of the wonderful imagery Lewis uses to describe Aslan’s country. Please come to St. Philip’s early if you like and join us for our informal Eucharist at 5:30 in the church and a delicious dinner in the Parish Hall starting around 6:30 p.m. If you cannot join us in person, we will be livestreaming the class at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@StPhilipsChurch/streams
I have pasted in below the links from last week’s class. Hope to see you tomorrow–come and bring a friend!
Further up and further in,
Brian+
The Rev’d Brian K. McGreevy, J.D.
Assistant to the Rector
St. Philip’s Church
142 Church Street
Charleston, SC 29401
www.saintphilips.church
Video link for last class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlbO9CgZK0Q (title is wrong on website but this is the correct link)
Podcast link for last class: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-16-through-the-stable-door/id1707060670?i=1000646406428Music link from last week:
SUMMARY OF LAST WEEK’S TEACHINGChapter 12: Through the Stable Door
–Tirian and company huddle at the white rock, only to see a Calormene carry Eustace off through the stable door, beyond possibility of rescue
–A battle ensues as the Dwarfs attack the Calormenes, and as the Calormenes prevail, they bind the 11 surviving dwarfs and offer them as a sacrifice, throwing them into what they call the Shrine of Tash, shouting “Tash! Tash! The great god Tash! Inexorable Tash!”
–Rishda offers terms to the Boar and Dogs and Unicorn, but they refuse, and the last battle of Narnia ensues
–When Tirian realizes he cannot escape the stable door, he drags a terrified Rishda in with him and they both confront Tash, who plucks up Tash, but a strong, calm voice then banishes Tash in Aslan’s Name
–Tirian is amazed to then encounter the Kings and Queens of Narnia, now including Jill and Eustace (but missing Susan), clean and noble and beautifully attired, and then discovers he too is now clean and beautifully dressed, and his heart beats fast with joy
Themes in Chapter 12
–Fighting to the last strength for your friends is noble
–Simple things like water from a rock in a time of crisis can provide comfort
–Death is not the end and may be the doorway to Aslan’s country
–Evil and demonic false gods like Tash exist and are powerful, but not as powerful as Aslan
–Aslan knows and protects his own
–Pain and suffering and injury and age are replaced by Aslan with a clean and noble beauty
–Not all enter into Aslan’s presenceFighting to the last strength for your friends is noble
“A terrible sight met their eyes. A Calormene was running towards the Stable door carrying something that kicked and struggled. As he came between them and the fire they could see clearly both the shape of the man and the shape of what he carried. It was Eustace. Tirian and the Unicorn rushed out to rescue him. But the Calormene was now far nearer to the door than they. Before they had covered half the distance he had flung Eustace in and shut the door on him. Half a dozen more Calormenes had run up behind him. They formed line on the open space before the Stable. There was no getting at it now. Even then Jill remembered to keep her face turned aside, well away from her bow. “Even if I can’t stop blubbing, I won’t get my string wet,” she said.”
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. I John 3:16 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6:2 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
Simple things like water from a rock in a time of crisis can provide comfort
“And all the Calormenes banged the flats of their swords on their shields and shouted, “Tash! Tash! The great god Tash! Inexorable Tash!” (There was no nonsense about “Tashlan” now.) The little party by the white rock watched these doings and whispered to one another. They had found a trickle of water coming down the rock and all had drunk eagerly — Jill and Poggin and the King in their hands, while the four-footed ones lapped from the little pool which it had made at the foot of the stone. Such was their thirst that it seemed the most delicious drink they had ever had in their lives, and while they were drinking they were perfectly happy and could not think of anything else.”
The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord
commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:1-6 They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. Isaiah 49:10 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Rev. 21:6
Death is not the end and may be the doorway to Aslan’s country
“I feel in my bones,” said Poggin, “that we shall all, one by one, pass through that dark door before morning. I can think of a hundred deaths I would rather have died.”
“It is indeed a grim door,” said Tirian. “It is more like a mouth.”
“Oh, can’t we do anything to stop it?” said Jill in a shaken voice.
“Nay, fair friend,” said Jewel, nosing her gently. “It may be for us the door to Aslan’s country and we shall sup at his table tonight.”
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” I Cor. 15:50-55 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:8 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43
Evil and demonic false gods like Tash exist and are powerful, but not as powerful as Aslan
“A new idea came into Tirian’s head. He dropped his sword, darted forward, in under the sweep of the Tarkaan’s scimitar, seized his enemy by the belt with both hands, and jumped back into the Stable, shouting: “Come in and meet Tash yourself!” There was a deafening noise. As when the Ape had been flung in, the earth shook and there was a blinding light…[Tirian] steadied himself, blinked, and looked around. It was not dark inside the Stable…He was in strong light…He turned to look at Rishda Tarkaan, but Rishda was not looking at him. Rishda gave a great wail and pointed; then he put his hands before his face and fell flat, face downwards on the ground…A terrible figure was coming towards them. It was far smaller than the shape they had seen from the Tower, though still much bigger than a man, and it was the same. It had a vulture’s head and four arms. Its beak was open and its eyes blazed. A croaking voice came from its beak. “Thou hast called me into Narnia, Rishda Tarkaan. Here I am. What hast thou to say?” But the Tarkaan neither lifted his face from the ground nor said a word. He was shaking like a man with a bad hiccup. He was brave enough in battle: but half his courage had left him earlier that night when he first began to suspect that there might be a real Tash. The rest of it had left him now. With a sudden jerk — like a hen stooping to pick up a
worm — Tash pounced on the miserable Rishda and tucked him under the upper of his two left arms. Then Tash turned his head sidewise to fix Tirian with one of his terrible eyes: for of course, having a bird’s head, he couldn’t look at you straight. But immediately, from behind Tash, strong and calm as the summer sea, a voice said: “Begone, Monster, and take your lawful prey to your own place: in the name of Aslan and Aslan’s great Father, the Emperor-over-sea.” The hideous creature vanished, with the Tarkaan still under its arm.”
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. I John 4:4 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Hebrews 2:14 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, John 14:30 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” Luke 10:17 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Romans 16:20
Aslan knows and protects his own
“But immediately, from behind Tash, strong and calm as the summer sea, a voice said: “Begone, Monster, and take your lawful prey to your own place: in the name of Aslan and Aslan’s great Father, the Emperor-over-sea… And Tirian turned to see who had spoken. And what he saw then set his heart beating as it had never beaten in any fight. Seven Kings and Queens stood before him, all with crowns on their heads and all in glittering clothes, but the Kings wore fine mail as well and had their swords drawn in their hands. Tirian bowed courteously and was about to speak when the youngest of the Queens laughed. He stared hard at her face, and then gasped with amazement, for he knew her. It was Jill.”
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. I Peter 2:9 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:14-16 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand John 10:27-28
Pain and suffering and injury and age are replaced by Aslan with a clean and noble beauty
“He stared hard at her face, and then gasped with amazement, for he knew her. It was Jill: but not Jill as he had last seen her with her face all dirt and tears and an old drill dress half slipping off one shoulder. Now she looked cool and fresh, as fresh as if she had just come from bathing. And at first he thought she looked older, but then didn’t, and he could never make up his mind on that point. And then he saw that the youngest of the Kings was Eustace: but he also was changed as Jill was changed. Tirian suddenly felt awkward about coming among these people with the blood and dust and sweat of a battle still on him. Next moment he realised that he was not in that state at all. He was fresh and cool and clean, and dressed in such clothes as he would have worn for a great feast at Cair Paravel. (But in Narnia your good clothes were never your uncomfortable ones. They knew how to make things that felt beautiful as well as looking beautiful in Narnia: and there was no such thing as starch or flannel or elastic to be found from one end of the country to the other.)”
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. Job 19:25-27 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:20-21 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. I Cor. 15:42-44 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4
Not all enter into Aslan’s presence
“Sir,” said Tirian, when he had greeted all these. “If I have read the chronicles aright, there should be another. Has not your Majesty two sisters? Where is Queen Susan?” “My sister Susan,” answered Peter shortly and gravely, “is no longer a friend of Narnia.” “Yes,” said Eustace, “and whenever you’ve tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says ‘What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'” “Oh Susan!” said Jill, “she’s interested in nothing now-a-days except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up.” “Grown-up, indeed,” said the Lady Polly. “I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she’ll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age.”
Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Mt. 7:13-14 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.” Lk.13: 22-27 Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21
AND I SAW A NEW HEAVEN
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea.
And I, John, saw the Holy City,
new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Text: Revelation 21:1-4
Music: Edgar Bainton (1880-1956)
