The kids and I have been listening to C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia in the car on the way to school in the mornings. Lewis, of course, weaves a lot of Christian themes and allegorical connections to Scripture all throughout his stories.
Well, we just finished listening to The Magician’s Nephew, which describes how the world of Narnia was first created when Aslan—a lion who is the Christ-figure in the series—speaks, or rather, sings Narnia into existence. Now there’s this other character in the novel—Uncle Andrew—who represents this kind of materialistic, unbelieving skeptic. And when Uncle Andrew finds himself in Narnia witnessing the very moment of its creation through the song and words of Aslan, he convinces himself that it’s not real. His skeptical mind can only hear Aslan’s song and reply, “Who ever heard of a lion singing?” When at last Aslan shouts the command, “Narnia, awake!” Uncle Andrew hears no words. His unbelief darkens his mind to their meaning. Aslan’s words of life sound to Uncle Andrew’s ears only “like a snarl.”
As we look forward to the return of our Ascended Lord, Jesus Christ, we shouldn’t be surprised that the rest of the unbelieving world is carrying on in its materialistic haze--as if this world will just go on spinning on its axis forever. Like Uncle Andrew, they have stopped their ears to the sound of Christ’s voice. They don’t want to hear the sound of all creation groaning as it eagerly awaits its redemption. They mock the confession that one day the creator of this world—the one to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given—will return to judge the living and the dead and establish his Kingdom which will have no end. As it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so it will be until the day that Christ is revealed. This unbelieving world will go on eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building until the day that the sudden appearance of Christ and the sound of his voice will jolt them out of their reverie and fill their hearts with terror—because, like Uncle Andrew, it will sound to them like the snarl of a lion just before he pounces.
Therefore, do not lose heart. Do not be discouraged when you see unbelief and skepticism and indifference growing. Don’t be dismayed when if it seems like the kingdom of darkness is winning. All these things must take place, but when you see them happening then look up, because your redemption is drawing closer. Christ your Savior is returning. His Kingdom, which even now is already here, will not remain invisible. On that day it will be as obvious as a bolt of lightning that flashes across the blackness of a night sky. Midnight will become as bright as noonday. On that day, the Lion of Judah will roar. On that day, his mighty voice will rip open your grave and awaken you into everlasting life. On that day, we will join with all the angels and archangels, the cherubim and the seraphim, the prophets and apostles, and all the Holy Church in one never-ending song of praise to our King who has come again to reign.
So let’s start warming up.
(We stand to sing the Te Deum.)
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