Season 5 Podcast 64 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 17 Chapter 4 A, “Apollyon.”

In last week’s episode, Christian is shown The Delectable Mountains or Immanuel’s Land, which held the gate of the Celestial City. In this week’s episode he must begin his journey through The Valley of Humiliation.

“But now, in this Valley of Humiliation, poor Christian was hard put to it; for he had gone but a little way before he espied a foul fiend coming over the field to meet him: his name is Apollyon.”

This, of course, is a reference to Revelation 9. Abaddon means “destruction” or “doom” and Apollyon means “Destroyer” which in Jewish theology refers to Satan. Though in Revelation Abaddon and Apollyon refer to the same person, Abaddon historically refers to a place such as hell or Sheol or Hades, the place of the dead; Apollyon refers to a person such as Satan or Belial.

“And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.” (Revelation 9:7-11)

In the Palace, Discretion, Piety, Prudence, and Charity dress Christian in the Full Armor of God as described by Paul. Bunyan plays with the image. When Christian meets Apollyon, his first thought is to run; however, his armor doesn’t protect his back. It protects only his front; therefore, he thinks it better to face his enemy.  Bunyan suggests that a true Christian must be valiant. Remember earlier that Mistrust and Timorous ran down the Hill Difficulty because they saw a lion, unaware that the lion, set to guard the palace, was heavily chained. He was placed there to test the faith of those who entered the Palace. Mistrust and Timorous, though they had endured the journey up to that point, failed when they were at the very door of success. In the Palace they, like Christian, would have also seen the gate of the Celestial City and also dressed with the Full Armor of God.

Because he had the armor, Christian faced Apollyon.

“Then did Christian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go back or to stand his ground. But he considered again that he had no armor for his back, and therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give him greater advantage with ease to pierce him with darts; therefore he resolved to venture and stand his ground; for, thought he, had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life, it would be the best way to stand. So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now, the monster was hideous to behold: he was clothed with scales like a fish, and they are his pride; he had wings like a dragon, and feet like a bear, and out of his belly came fire and smoke; and his mouth was as the mouth of a lion.”

Apollyon was frightful to look at; however, rather than attack, he challenges Christian and tries to win him back. He is very cunning.

“When he was come up to Christian, he beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and thus began to question with him:”

If you recall Piety, Prudence, and Charity also interrogated Christian before he was allowed to enter the Palace. This is clearly a parallel of opposites. It was Christ who built the Palace which was a temple for Christians weary of their journey.