Lesson 4 The Pilgrim Goes through valleys

Lesson 4

The Pilgrim Goes Through Valleys (9)

Pilgrim leaves house beautiful and heads down into the Valley of Humiliation where he is assaulted by Apollyon.  He defeats Apollyon and heads into the Valley of the Shadow of Death and meets the two fleeing the valley.  A deep ditch was on the right hand side of the narrow path and a bog was on the left.  The path also became very dark and Christian passed the Mouth of Hell in the middle.  He is severely challenged by the deamons whispering in his ear until he hears another pilgrim and the day breaks.  He is able to get through the rest of the valley’s traps and passes Pope and Pagan without incident.

1.       A foul fiend meets Christian, What is his name? 

In Revelation 9:11, comes after the 7^th seal is broken.  Seven angles begin to sound their trumpets and each causes a plague of some kind.  When the 5^th angel sounds his trumpet, a star falls to earth and opens the abyss.  Apollyon is the king of the locust/scorpion monsters that emerge.  They are given the power to torture all those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads for 5 months.

2.       Apollyon calls Christian one of his subject and tries to sweet talk him into returning to his country.  What did Christian like better about “the prince under whose banner” he now stood?

3.       What were some of the subtle reasoning’s Apollyon used to try to talk Christian out of persevering on the way?  What questions would you add to the list from struggles you have had in your personal walk?

4.       Why was the battle between Christian and his foe so severe?

5.       Christian enters the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  What do you think is the meaning of this valley?

Matthew 15:14 “Leave them; they are blind guides.  If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit”

This verse was in reference to the Pharisees being offended that Jesus criticized them for breaking the command of God for the sake of their traditions. 

6.       What weapon did Christian find useful in the midst of the valley?

Even a thorough knowledge and use of “the Sword”—the Word of God—is not enough to vanquish some enemies of the Cross. This is an instance in his journey when Christian will have to resort to extra and continual prayer. Sometimes in our spiritual battles, prayer is our only solution.

7.       When Christian heard the voice say “Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me”   What were the three reasons Christian was glad?

Lesson 4 Summary

The takeaway for me this week is what we learn in the valley of the Shadow of Death.  Shall we not look back over the valley in the daylight and realize how sweet are the uses of adversity in God’s hand as they humble us, cause us to earnestly seek Him, and purge us of our sins?  What is strange, though, is that we are not available to learn by reading about the experiences of others in this valley but must be made to believe these truths from our own experience.  The great discipline which we need as pilgrims is mostly the experience of our own weakness, and the art of finding our strength in Christ;  but it is astonishing what severe treatment is oftentimes necessary to teach this, apparently the simplest and most obvious of all lessons, but yet the deepest and most difficult to be learned.