Yesterday, I was talking about my favorite C.S. Lewis
book, The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe, and today I’d like to talk about something else I love about this
book…its symbolism.
In this book, the Lion, Aslan, is the figure of Jesus Christ.
We find from other of the Narnia novels that Aslan created Narnia from the
breath of his mouth, and that he established rules that would hold for all
eternity in the Narnian realm. As the White Witch had plunged Narnia into a
curse where it was always winter, but never Christmas, there was only one thing
that could break the curse…Aslan’s coming.
As the four children arrived in Narnia, the curse began
to break and spring was coming to the land. The snow was melting and the trees
were waking up. But Edmund, the brother who had issues with his honesty, had
betrayed his sisters and brother to the White Witch, and as such, he was now
her property, by the laws of Narnia. So Aslan, in an act of true love for the
betrayer, Edmund, offers himself in his place.
As a result of that transaction, Aslan is killed by the
witch at the stone table. He’s is killed and the girls, Susan and Lucy watch it
happen. After all the evil horde leaves the site and Aslan lays dead on the
stone table, the girls go up and weep over him. Mice come and, at first, the
girls are horrified and try to keep them away from Aslan. But then they find
that they are simply gnawing away at his restraints. Once the ropes had been
removed, a great earthquake shakes the ground where the girls sit.
They spring up at once and the stone table cracks in
two. When they get their wits about them, Susan and Lucy see that Aslan is
gone. Terrified, they look about and a beam of sunlight pierces the darkness
and they see him, Aslan, alive again and whole! He rejoices with them, but the
quickly sets to work making Narnia as it was supposed to be. He seats Peter,
Edmund, Susan and Lucy as Kings and Queens of Narnia and they rule there for
years with love and goodness.
The reason I love this book so, is that it so clearly
portrays who we are in Christ. We were Edmund; bitter, cold and calculating. We
were the ones who had betrayed the family, who had given in to our selfishness
and sin. We deserved to be handed over to enemy. But Jesus stepped in and took
our places. He paid the punishment for sin that we could not, but He didn’t
stay dead. Oh no! He rose! He is alive and He has seated us as His co-heirs in
both this life and next. He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us. He has
given us our spiritual gifts to help us accomplish the tasks that He has for
us.
I guess that’s why I love this book so much. Because I
see myself in it, and hope that you can, too. If you’ve never read the book, I
would encourage you to do so, either to yourself, or to your kids or grandkids.
You won’t be sorry you did, nor will they!
God bless you all and we’ll see you on Sunday!
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