In the Inchanted Ground
By this time they were got to the Inchanted Ground, where the air naturally tended to make one drowsy, and that place was all grown over with briers and thorns, excepting here and there where was an Inchanted Arbor, upon which if a man sits, or in which if a man sleeps, 'tis a question, say some, whether ever he shall rise or wake again in this world.
Over this forest therefore they went, both one with another, and Mr Great-heart went before for that he was the Guide, and Mr Valiant-for-truth he came behind, being there a guard for fear lest peradventure some fiend or Dragon or Giant or thief should fall upon their rear, and so do mischief. They went on here each man with his sword drawn in his hand, for they knew it was a dangerous place. Also they cheered up one another as well as they could; Feeblemind, Mr Great - heart were commanded to come up after him, and Mr Despondency was under the eye of Mr Valiant.
Now they had not gone far, but a great mist and a darkness fell upon them all, so that they could scarce for a great while see the one the other. Wherefore they were forced for some time to feel for one another by words, for they walked not by sight.
But any one must think that here was but sorry going for the best of them all, but how much worse for the women and children, who both of feet and heart were but tender. Yet so it was, that through the encouraging words of him that led in the front, and of him that brought them up behind, they made a pretty good shift to wag along.
The way also was here very wearisome through dirt and slabbiness. Nor was there on all this ground so much as one inn or victualling-house therein to refresh the feebler sort. Here therefore was grunting and puffing and sighing. While one tumbleth over a bush, another sticks fast in the dirt; and the children, some of them, lost their shoes in the mire. While one cries out, I am down; and another, Ho, where are you? and a third, The bushes have got such fast hold on me, I think I cannot get away from them.
Then they come at an arbor, warm, and promising much refreshing to the Pilgrims; for it was finely wrought above head, beautified with greens, furnished with benches and settles. It also had in it a soft couch whereon the weary might lean. This you must think, all things considered, was tempting, for the Pilgrims already began to be foiled with the badness of the way, but there was not one of them that made so much as a motion to stop there. Yea, for ought I could perceive, they continually gave so good heed to the advice of their Guide, and he did so faithfully tell them to dangers, and of the nature of dangers, when they were at them, that usually when they were nearest to them they did most pluck up their spirits, and hearten one another to deny the flesh. This arbor was called the Slothful's Friend, on purpose to allure, if it might be, some of the Pilgrims there to take up their fest when weary.
I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this their solitary ground, till they came to a place at which a man is apt to lose his way. Now tho' when it was light, their Guide could well enough tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was put to a stand; but he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading to or from the Celestial City; wherefore he struck a light (for he never goes also without his tinder-box) and takes a view of his Book or Map, which bids him to be careful in that place to turn to the right - hand way. And had he not here been careful to look in his Map, they had all in probability been smothered in the mud, for just a little before them, and that at the end of the cleanest way too, was a pit, none knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on purpose to destroy the Pilgrims in.
Then thought I with myself, who that goeth on Pilgrimage but would have one of these maps about him, that he may look when he is at a stand, which is the way he must take?
Heedless and Too-bold in Inchanted ground
They went on then in this Inchanted Ground till they came to where there was another arbor, and it was built by the High-way side. And in that arbor there lay two men whose names were Heedless and Too-bold. These two went thus far on Pilgrimage, but here being wearied with their journey, they sat down to rest themselves, and so fell asleep. When the Pilgrims saw them, they stood still, and shook their heads, for they knew that the sleepers were in a pitiful case. Then they consulted what to do, whether to go on and leave them in their sleep, or to step to them and try to awaken them. So they concluded to go to them and awaken them, that is, if they could; but with this caution, namely, to take heed that themselves did not sit down nor imbrace the offered benefit of that arbor.
So they went in and spake to the men, and called each by his name, (for the Guide it seems did know them) but there was no voice nor answer. Then the Guide did shake them, and do what he could to disturb them. Then said one of them, I will pay you when I take my money. At which the Guide shook his head. I will fight so long as I can hold my sword in my hand, said the other. At that one of the children laughed.
Then said Christiana, What is the meaning of this? The Guide said, They talk in their sleep. If you strike them, beat them, or whatever else you do to them, they will answer you after this fashion; or as one of them said in old time, when the waves of the sea did beat upon him, and he slept as one upon the mast of a ship, When I awake I will seek it again. You know when men talk in their sleeps they say anything, but their words are not governed either by faith or reason. There is an incoherency in their words now, as there was before betwixt their going on Pilgrimage and sitting down here. This then is the mischief on't, when heedless ones go on Pilgrimage 'tis twenty to one but they are served thus. For this Inchanted Ground is one of the last refuges that the enemy to Pilgrims has; wherefore it is, as you see, placed almost at the end of the way, and so it standeth against us with the more advantage. For when, thinks the enemy, will these fools be so desirous to sit down, as when they are weary? and when so like to be weary, as when almost at their journey's end? therefore it is I say, that the Inchanted Ground is placed so nigh to the Land Beulah, and so near the end of their race. Wherefore let Pilgrims look to themselves, lest it happen to them as it has done to these, that, as you see, are fallen asleep, and none can wake them.
Then the Pilgrims desired with trembling to go forward; only they prayed their Guide to strike a light, that they might go the rest of their way by the help of the light of a lantern. So he struck a light, and they went by the help of that through the rest of this way, tho' the darkness was very great.
But the children began to be sorely weary, and they cried out unto him that loveth Pilgrims to make their way more comfortable. So by that they had gone a little further, a wind arose that drove away the fog, so the air became more clear.
Yet they were not off (by much) of the Inchanted Ground, only now they could see one another better, and the way wherein they should walk.
Interpretation:
In our spiritual journey, we have to pass through many hurdles, pits, mire and mud and at times with little light on our path. It is our individual journey and we have to consult our Book or Map to take our next step towards the Land Buelah. Only those ministers likened to Great-heart who constantly guide us can help us. In the event of any minister not guiding us, we do have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us in this dreary journey. But we should not stay in the Inchanted Ground at the end of our journey as it is a trap set by the False Prophet to capture us in his den. In this Inchanted ground, we are susceptible to all kinds of deceits. We get deceived by seeing the signs and miracles being performed in the Name of Jesus Christ but truly these signs and miracles are not of the Lord of the Land Buelah. We are being deceived in the Name of our Lord.
Heedless one and Too bold are two characters who were deceived in the Inchanted ground and fell therein. There are thousands in Christendom who do not heed to the truth of the New Testament truths or to the warnings being given by the apostles and prophets. There are also thousands who are too bold or being over confident that they do not hearken to the words of warning in the Word or the Map. They are being held captive by the False Prophet (Slay-the-good Giant) in this Inchanted ground when they take refuge in this Inchanted arbor. They attend the meetings of false teachers and get gravitated to the signs and wonders being performed in their meetings and embrace another jesus.
In a metropolican city in India where a dear pastor, who had been glorifying God in the past, was deceived to believe in the signs and miracles being performed in the Name of Jesus Christ by a preacher from abroad. During the meetings held in his church, the preacher turned water into sweetened water claiming to have performed a similar miracle akin to the miracle performed by Jesus in the marriage of Cana. When he prayed, money purses of some people were filled with currency notes and some people received messages on their mobile phones from banks showing deposits of money in their bank accounts. These miracles happened in the Inchanted ground to deceive those children of God. There was no need to show a miracle of converting water into a sweet drink among believers and to make them rich by the Mammon of Unrighteousness inside a church.
"The Pilgrims desired with trembling to go forward; only they prayed their Guide to strike a light, that they might go the rest of their way by the help of the light of a lantern. So he struck a light, and they went by the help of that through the rest of this way, tho' the darkness was very great..."
We need to walk with the light of a lantern in our hands, memorizing those words of Jesus Christ and His apostles who warned us about the great deception in the last days. The darkeness would be of course very great as we have to walk through the Inchanted ground. Let us not rest in any arbor here. We may not be able to see one another in this Inchanted ground if we do not take care to show the lanterns to one another in our hands. We should warn and help one another.
Let us know the salient Bible verses about deception.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:24,25 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.Behold, I have told you before."
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:1,"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons"; again in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
Paul writes again in 2 Thessalonians 2:3,"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction"
"Take heed that no man deceive you." (Matthew 24:4), thus Christ shows that deception will play a very big role in this last days, for the "...devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."(Revelation 12:12).
In the Book of Revelation 16:13,14 under the sixth plague, we are presented with the following words from inspiration; "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Please note that the miracles which are performed during the last days are performed by devils, that is demons, yes, fallen angels to the "kings of the earth and of the whole world" to prepare them "to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." This shows that Satan and his angels have power also to perform miracles. But before that time comes, Satan is using deceived preachers men to deceive believers through "great signs and wonders" and also through unsound doctrines. The Bible is explicit: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you." (2 Peter 2:2). These preachers arise among the professed Christians.
Listen to what Peter said in verse 4, "and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you." verse 3.
Christ has said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23).
What a tragedy! These individuals call Jesus "Lord, Lord" which shows that they are professed Christians, and note that Christ says "Many of them" not a few and this miracle working preachers say they perform the miracles in Christ's name which also indicates that they come to the people as though they are followers of Christ but Christ tells them; "I never knew you".
It is thus seen that the power behind the miracles performed by them is not of God but of Satan.
Should we be deceived like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon? "But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God."- Acts 8:9,10. It is no wonder Paul says, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15).
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