The Last Battle

she-elfwarrior19

she-elfwarrior19

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Ok, we know that the Magician's Nephew relates to how God created the world right? Well thats what i think the Magicians Nephew resemble's, anyways, and how The Lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe resembles Jesus dying for us and all, well in a way i belive that the Last Battle resembles the last day when Jesus comes, and all that, and when we go to heaven and all, would the Last Battle resemble that day aswell?
Because
1. Jesus comes down to earth on the last day, when the trumpets sound ect.
2.Aslan comes, but, to help King Tirian as well
3. Aslan destroys old narnia
4. Does it not say that after like everyone is dead and gone, and when Jesus comes and stuff then the earth will like..whats the word, not be destoyed, or die but, just be silent and still and dark? Like how it was at the beginning when God first made everything on the earth?
Well, in a way that The Last Battle reminds me of that scripture when it talks about when Jesus returns, and everything like that.
What are your further thoughts about that? :rolleyes:
 
Oh I agree with you guys. I think the LB has a lot of symbolism in it for the end of times in the bible. I think it's obvious that the new narnia represents the new heaven and earth mentioned in the bible.

She-elfwarrior....When God made Noah a promise about never destroying the earth with water or flooding again, he said the next time he destroyed the earth it would be with fire.
 
she-elfwarrior19 said:
4. Does it not say that after like everyone is dead and gone, and when Jesus comes and stuff then the earth will like..whats the word, not be destoyed, or die but, just be silent and still and dark?
Click to expand...

Hope was explaining to you about what the Bible says about the end of the world, in response to your comment about it being still and dark.
 
It seems like TLB, in a way, follows the same kind of end-times prophecy scenario that many evangelical Christians believe in:

They think there will be an Anti-Christ and a False Prophet working together to deceive people -- that would be Puzzle and Shift.

They think there will be seven years of Great Tribulation, when all kinds of disease, plagues and natural disasters will happen -- this is like what happens when the Calormenes enslave Narnia and begin felling the Talking Trees.

They believe only a faithful few will recognize the Anti-Christ and stand faithfully for Jesus in these tulmultous times -- this is like the few faithful animals who rally to Tirian.

They believe at the climactic moment when it appears that all is lost and the faithful will perish, Christ will return and rescue His people in the end-of-the-world battle at Armageddon -- which can be scene as the battle at the stable.

The only thing missing is "the Rapture," the idea that Christ will come before the appearance of Anti-Christ thing and take all His believers to heaven, then a few people who weren't believers will realize what has happened and switch their allegiance to Christ and live for Him in the Great Tribulation, at risk of their own lives ...
 
Well, the Rapture is a recent development in Christian theology, and pretty much confined to a small portion of American evangelicalism. I doubt if the classically educated Lewis knew much about it, or would have thought much of it if he did.
 
How about Susan not being able to join the others? Is it like when supposed believers, in the end times, backslide and turn their back on Jesus?
 
Good point, Nenya! People think that is part of Bible prophecy, too, apostasy or falling away from the truth.

Welcome to the site, Nenya. I didn't see you post before. :)
 
I think Lewis' point was that Susan chose her path. ("My sister Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia.") From the perspective she chose, it was not backsliding, but "progress". (Note how she justifies it: "Fancy you thinking about all those funny games we used to play as children.") This is congruent with his entire theology: men are not condemned to their fate. They choose it, but do not always like what they have chosen.
 
Yah, there was a chapter in that Finding God in the Land of Narnia book called "All Get What They Want ... But Not All Like It." So true!
 
Yet is there still not hope for Susan? "Once a king or queen in Narnia always a king or queen in Narnia." Right? On a theological side note, did Lewis believe in once saved always saved? I mean that is the most widely used belief among the Christian demoninations (spelling?) right?
 
In all the reading I've done, I never read anywhere that he weighed in on that question in precise theological terms. I suspect in answer, he would point to the example of Susan. God forces himself on noone, even those who change their minds.
 
You can only judge so much of Lewis' theology based on children's books, but it seems to me that he thought you could lose your relationship with God, Susan certainy had lost her relationship with Aslan. But she was still alive, so I think she found her way to Jesus and at last into Aslan's country.
 
I think that the "later Susan," to speak in literary terms, is a character that embodies something Lewis wants to communicate to us. And he is not shy about communicating unpleasant truths, because in the end it is the truth that frees us and keeps us free.

Susan typifies what can happen to people who once knew God, but are overcome by a sort of creeping worldliness. To mask their loss of faith and joy they attribute their once-held beliefs to a childishness now "wisely" abandoned. Of course, for Lewis this is bitter irony, because from his preface to LWW to the characterizations woven throughout the wholes series, it is children that have the edge when it comes to seeing Narnia in general and Aslan more specifically. Of such are the Kingdom of Heaven.

If I may tender the suggestion, my personal hopes for Susan aside, there are plenty of Susans--whether we may be able to find evidence to the contrary in the Chronicles for this Susan--that adopt this attitude and never open their eyes to see Aslan again. What Uncle Andrew did from the get go with Aslan's song, they do after having not only heard the Song, but revelled in it. They never see Narnia again. I know this messes with the theology of some, and I myself believe very strongly in God's keeping power, but I think this is Lewis' message here.
 
Another sobering thought: once you reached a certain age, you could no longer come to Narnia. Don't forget what Aslan told Edmund at the end of Dawn Treader - "there [i.e. in our world] I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there." It is harder to see Aslan in our world - in fact, the wonder and magic of Narnia makes it easier to see him there - but here is where we must look, even though we run the risk of being distracted and forgetting all about him.
 
I think that Lewis quite clearly thinks you can lose your salvation--Susan being the prime example. I would also think some of the Dwarf's, and also Ginger the cat demonstrate that, in a small way.

Personally, I hold this belief myself. I've never understood the whole-once saved always saved thing.

I do hope that Susan in CoN found her way back (after all, losing her entire family to a train wreck certainly may be a wake-up call); but many, many people simply close their minds and like Uncle Andrew, or the Dwarves in the stable, will refuse to see it, no matter what happens.
 
I remember crying after reading that Susan didnt get in and didnt join her family and Aslan. I understood it to be her decision as well... I'm sure when the TLB is shown on the screen I'm gonna cry again.

I agree that Susan chose her path. She chose to live by sight, not by faith anymore. I guess she found Narnia already too "cheesy", corny, childish. I also do not hold the OSAS (once saved always saved) doctrine.

Turning one's back on Jesus is a decision of dire consequences. I had the "opportunity" to do so myself, but I figured I'd be more lost (I was already feeling lost then) if I go away from Him, so I had to decide right there that I''d rather go through the testing, with Him.

Probably there are Susans in every age, not just in the end times. That was what Lewis was saying.
 
Nenya said:
Probably there are Susans in every age, not just in the end times. That was what Lewis was saying.
Click to expand...

Good point, and I agree with Prince of the West ealier point about progress. I have notice Lewis was not impressed with "progress" between the TLB comment and a comment about schools in the Silver Chair. Interesting to note that Susan was also decieved about "progress" in The Horse and His Boy when she fell for the Calormen (sp?) prince.

Hey maybe I think to much, but is it possible that Susan's experience in HHB would help to lead back to the Truth? Hmmmm.... that would be an interesting short story.
 
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