Place of lions
So they went on, till they came within sight of the lions. Now Mr Great - heart was a strong man, so he was not afraid of a lion; but yet when they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid of the lions; so they stepped back, and went behind. At this their Guide smiled, and said. How now, my boys, do you love to go before when no danger doth approach, and love to come behind so soon as the lions appear?
Now as they went up, Mr. Great-heart drew his Sword, with intent to make a way for the Pilgrims in spite of the lions. Then there appeared one, that it seems, had taken upon him to back the lions; and he said to the Pilgrims' Guide, What is the cause of your coming hither? Now the name of that man was Grim, or Bloody-man, because of his slaying of Pilgrims, and he was of the race of the Giants.
Then said the Pilgrims' Guide, These women and children are going on Pilgrimage, and this is the way they must go, and go it they shall in spite of thee and the lions.
Grim: This is not their way, neither shall they go therein. I am come forth to withstand them, and to that end will back the lions.
Now to say truth, by reason of the fierceness of the lions, and of the grim carriage of him that did back them, this way had of late lain much unoccupied, and was almost all grown over with grass.
Christiana: Then said Christiana, Tho' the High-ways have been unoccupied heretofore, and tho' the Travellers have been made in time past to walk through by-paths, it must not be so now I am risen, now I am risen a mother in Israel.
Then he (Grim) swore by the lions, but it should, and therefore bid them to turn aside, for they should not have passage there.
But their Guide (Great Heart) made first his approach unto Grim, and laid so heavily at him with his Sword, that he forced him to a retreat.
Grim: Then said he (that attempted to back the Lions) Will you slay me upon mine own ground?
Great-heart: 'Tis the King's High-way that we are in, and in His way it is that thou hast placed thy lions; but these women and these children, tho' weak, shall hold on their way in spite of thy lions.
And with that he gave him again a downright blow, and brought him upon his knees. With this blow he also broke his helmet, and with the next he cut off an arm. Then did the Giant roar so hideously, that his voice frighted the women, and yet they were glad to see him lie sprawling upon the ground. Now the Lions were chained, and so of themselves could do nothing. Wherefore when old Grim that intended to back them was dead, Mr Great-heart said to the Pilgrims, Come now and follow me, and no hurt shall happen to you from the lions. They therefore went on, but the women trembled as they passed by them; the boys also looked as if they would die, but they all got by without further hurt.
Interpretation:
King’s highway is a spiritual place where the gospel is preached to the lost. The devil does threaten and frighten the hearers of the gospel with the help of his legions. Evangelists need to hold their two edged sword of the Spirit to fight the devil and his army. Those pilgrims who are weak vessels do face stiff opposition from the devil who sends his demons likened to lions to discourage them from going by the King’s highway to the Celestial City. Eve was deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Women pilgrims are more susceptible to deceptions by the Devil than their male counterparts.
Demons create dreadfulness in the hearts of pilgrims who are weak in faith showcasing lions who have already been chained by the Lord. Ministers like Good-heart fight the Grim giant holding the Sword of the Spirit and cast them out of the way. By rightly interpreting and preaching from the God’s word, the devil is driven out of the highway. The helmet of the Grim Giant needs to be broken first. It is the ideology of the cunning devil that prevents the hearers of the gospel from believing in Jesus Christ that should be rendered ineffective. The powers of darkness that gives power to such demons should be broken and their hands chopped off by way of continual prayers of intercession by evangelists so that these demons cannot regain their powers to attack their victims again. Ministers likened to Great-heart have powerful deliverance ministries in discerning the spirits and attacking them with the two-edged Sword of the Spirit.
Evil spirits possess women more than men. Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary Magdalene who was a resurrection witness (Mark 16:9). Jesus had freed her from some specially aggravated form of demoniacal possession—and that she followed Him and then ministered to Him of her substance.
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