Journey through the wardrobe
http://www.ag.org/pentecostal-evangel/Articles2005/4780_Narnia.cfm
By Christina Quick
It comes in chilly, barren December - at a time when the world
desperately needs cheering up. When the last brittle leaf has fallen
and trees rattle their ice-coated skeletons, we wait with eager
anticipation. When every breath hangs suspended in the air and wild
creatures undertake a frenzied quest for survival, we peer around the
corner like eager children, giddy for its arrival.
Even as winter's icy grip alters the landscape of our existence, we
listen hard for silent footsteps in the snow. Can you hear them moving
closer? Can you sense the nearness of something - indeed Someone -
larger than yourself? The entrance of hope is unmistakable. It fills
our hearts and brings us face-to-face with the divine. A flicker of
light emerges and a frozen world begins to thaw in the warm glow of
Christ's love. At long last it is Christmas.
A world without Christmas
"Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!" says Mr.
Tumnus, the first Narnian character young Lucy meets in C.S. Lewis'
novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Lucy responds as any child would: "How awful!"
Imagine a place in which winter lingers long past its appointed time
and Christmas never comes. Few things could be more depressing.
That's the kind of world Lewis introduces in his timeless
children's story, now a major motion picture.
The journey begins when four British siblings - Lucy, Edmund, Susan
and Peter Pevensie - enter the strange land of Narnia through a magic
wardrobe. What follows is a memorable adventure with a host of unusual
characters, from the kindly goat-man Tumnus to a gentle giant named
Rumblebuffin.
For many Christians, Narnia is more than a land of fairy tales. The
Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels published
between 1950 and 1956, has long been celebrated as classic Christian
literature. It has taken its place, as well, among the acknowledged
great books of the world.
Time magazine recently included Lewis' work in its list of "100
Best Novels, 1923 to the Present." Like the other books in the set,
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is packed with metaphors that seem
to connect with Bible truths and point to Christ.
Now that Lewis' characters have made it to the big screen, there is a
renewed interest in the religious messages behind the stories. Both
Christian and secular bookstore shelves are brimming with
Narnia-related merchandise, from children's picture books to Narnia
Bible studies and devotional guides.
Narnia's proximity to Christianity is no accident. Lewis - who was
an atheist before accepting Christ as a young man - became a
respected Christian speaker and author, specializing in the area of
apologetics. Some of Lewis' Christian books include Mere
Christianity, The Problem of Pain, The Great Divorce and The Screwtape
Letters.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lewis' most famous work and the
first book he penned in the Narnia series, was not written as a strict
Christian allegory or religious tale. Many elements, such as the
bizarre creatures that inhabit the fantasy world, borrow more from
Greek and Roman myths than from Bible stories.
However, Lewis acknowledged that the novel surfaced out of his own
relation****p with Christ and that it contains numerous scriptural
parallels. He is often cited as saying the stories took shape after he
imagined what it would be like if Jesus were incarnated in a world
different from our own.
"Lewis draws us into another world so that we might experience
Christ," say Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware in their book Finding God in
the Land of Narnia. "And when we return home from the adventure, we
bring with us a better understanding and deeper love for the Savior. Or
at the very least, we return having smelled the aroma of joy - and
craving its true source."
Generations of readers have recognized Christ in Lewis' most moving
and memorable character, the mighty lion Aslan. Now, as moviegoers
encounter Narnia this Christmas season, Christians will have a unique
springboard for sharing their faith.
You may not feel comfortable launching into a theological discussion
with the person standing next to you in the checkout line - the one
holding a plush lion and a Narnia coloring book - but perhaps you
could talk about the similarities between Jesus and Aslan.
Consider how the following biblical parallels in Lewis' story might
help someone push past the wardrobe and get a glimpse of Christ.
Good vs. evil
When they enter Narnia, the Pevensie children find themselves in a
frozen land ruled by a wicked character, the White Witch. Through her
magic spells, she has created a perpetual winter that never includes
Christmas.
The Narnians fear the witch, who performs cruel acts such as turning
creatures to stone. Yet there are hints that her reign of terror will
come to an end. When a character Lewis calls Father Christmas bursts
onto the scene, he brings gifts and a message of hope.
"She has kept me out for a long time, but I have got in at last,"
he says. "Aslan is on the move. The witch's magic is weakening."
The wintry spell is soon broken and the snow begins to melt, revealing
a world that is fragrant with new life.
Like the White Witch, Satan may seem to have supreme power in our
world. Yet Christmas reminds us that God is on the move. He sent His
Son to Earth to rescue us from evil and fill our lives with joy.
Satan's power will soon come to an end. Christ is the ultimate
victor.
Temptation
Because the witch believes the children pose a threat to her power, she
tries to gain control of Edmund. Recognizing that he is a rebellious
and selfish child, she sees an op****tunity to take advantage of his
character flaws.
When she offers Edmund anything he wants to eat, he chooses a
confection called Turkish delight. The witch gives him an enchanted
serving, and though he dines on it until he is sick, he can't get
enough. Once Edmund has taken the bait, he is willing to do anything
for more.
The witch promises to make Edmund a prince and feed him plenty of
Turkish delight when he returns to her, but these promises are hollow.
Instead, she makes him a slave and gives him only stale bread to eat.
Satan wants to capitalize on our human weaknesses as well. He dangles
sin in front of us in all its attractive forms and tries to fill our
minds with false promises. In the end, those who fall into Satan's
trap find themselves spiritually bound and impoverished.
Redemption
The most obvious Christian concept in Lewis' story is that of
redemption. Once Edmund has joined the witch, he finds that he cannot
escape her. She claims him as her property and announces her intention
to destroy him. At this point, Aslan intervenes and willingly offers
himself to be tortured and slain in Edmund's place.
Aslan's death is a poignant reminder of the great sacrifice Jesus
made for each of us. Romans 5:8 explains that "while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us" (NIV). Just as Aslan gave his life in
exchange for an errant child, Jesus received the punishment for our
sins when He died on the cross.
"This is the value of Aslan to me: that I can empathize with him as
he offers up himself in exchange for Edmund, and through him, I can
understand Jesus in a whole new way," says Mark Eddy Smith in the
book Aslan's Call: Finding Our Way to Narnia. "It's so much
easier to come at it through the lens of fiction. Wow, Aslan would do
that for one bratty little kid, because he loves him. ... I can relate
to Edmund. I have betrayed, I have fallen woefully short of everything
I was meant to be."
Triumph of righteousness
The witch, believing she has conquered her powerful foe, is delighted
at Aslan's death. However, the great lion surprises her by rising
from the dead. In a final battle scene, the witch and her band of
wicked warriors are destroyed. Aslan also restores the creatures that
the witch had turned to stone.
When all has been made right, Aslan crowns the four children and
proclaims them kings and queens. "Once a king or queen in Narnia,
always a king or queen. Bear it well, Sons of Adam! Bear it well,
Daughters of Eve!" Aslan tells them.
Jesus' resurrection secured the believer's victory over Satan. When
Jesus returns to Earth, He will destroy evil completely. Those who have
placed their trust in Christ will rule with Him in His eternal kingdom.
That's the hope and joy of Christmas. The Baby who came so long ago
is coming again in triumphant power, and His followers will live and
reign with Him forever. Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah
(Revelation 5:5), is on the move.
Further Scriptural references:
Isa.9
[6] For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.
Rev.5
[5] And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion
of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the
book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Rev.5
[10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and
we shall
reign on the earth.
Rev.11
[15] And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great
voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev.20
[6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand
years.
Rev.22
1 [5] And there shall be no night there; and they need no
candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they
shall reign for ever and ever.
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