Adventures in Odyssey

John Avery Whittaker: Last time on Adventures in Odyssey.

Guest (Male): This is the story of a young man who lived in the township of Evil. He carried a book in his hand and a great load on his back.

Christian: This book, it says that our city is going to be destroyed. Burned with fire from heaven.

Evangelist: You need to go to the Celestial City, the place of ultimate safety and rest. The journey is very dangerous, filled with many enemies.

Hope: Earthquake!

Evangelist: Why are you here instead of on the path?

Hope: When you come to the gate, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

Christian: Can't be that simple.

Christian: Let me in! Is this the place of deliverance?

Evangelist: Yes.

Christian: A cross.

Evangelist: Go stand beneath it.

Christian: The burden is gone.

Hope: Gone?

Evangelist: If you keep strictly to the beam of light, they can't reach you.

Christian: The birds have stopped singing.

Apollyon: I am Apollyon, shark of the devil. Prepare to die.

John Avery Whittaker: Apollyon moved forward, belching fire, the ground quaking at every step. Hope and Christian trembled with fear but stood their ground.

Christian: Stand aside, foul Apollyon. We're going to the Celestial City to live with our king.

Apollyon: Fool. I am your king.

Christian: You were. We're loyal to another now, and we can't break our promise to him.

Apollyon: You broke your promise to me!

Hope: Because we learned the truth. We now serve our new master wholeheartedly.

Apollyon: You are wrong. You have already been unfaithful to him. You, girl, desire fame. And you, boy, fell in the bog of discouragement, climbed the volcano of folly, and were distracted by busywork.

Christian: We know we've done wrong, but our king will forgive us.

Apollyon: I am the enemy of this king. I hate him and his people. And I am not one who easily loses his subjects. Reject him and come back to me, and I shall double your wages.

Hope: No! Yours are the wages of death. We're now on the way of holiness and light.

Christian: Yes, move aside and stop hogging up the path.

Apollyon: So be it. By my infernal den, you shall go no further. Here will I spill your soul!

John Avery Whittaker: The monster lurched forward. Christian ran to meet him as Hope fitted an arrow of truth into her bow. The demon shot a hail of fiery darts at Christian.

Hope: Christian, look out!

Christian: Good old Shield of Faith.

John Avery Whittaker: Suddenly, the demon screamed in pain as Hope's arrow found its mark in its side. A sweeping blow from Apollyon's wing knocked Hope to the ground, dazing her.

Sword raised, Christian attacked. Apollyon rained down blows on him as he slashed madly with his sword. The battle raged fiercely for what seemed like hours. Christian fought bravely but could not match the demon's strength.

Apollyon: Now I have you. Your weapon is out of reach. Your strength expended. And so, worm, your end has come. You are mine!

John Avery Whittaker: Apollyon slowly raised a sinister claw. But before he could bring it down, an arrow plunged into his neck.

Hope: Christian, your sword!

Christian: Got it. Now monster, die!

John Avery Whittaker: With all his might, Christian drove his sword through the demon's chest. Apollyon staggered back, mortally wounded. He turned and flew away, dripping blood over the fields as he went. Hope rushed to Christian.

Hope: You defeated him.

Christian: No, we did. You're hurt. Let me help you.

John Avery Whittaker: They left the Valley of Humiliation, relieved for the moment, though far worse things lay ahead.

What if everything you thought you knew about the epic battle between Dr. Regis Blackard and John Avery Whittaker was just the tip of the iceberg? What if there's much more to the story than anyone ever realized? And what if Blackard and Whittaker knew it all along?

If you love Adventures in Odyssey, you'll love the way the Blackard Chronicles book series enhances the story. Find the books at focusonthefamily.com/store. That's focusonthefamily.com/store.

After Christian and Hope washed their wounds, the path took them to the darkest and most foreboding valley yet. Christian's book called it the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Hope: What else does it say?

Christian: To the narrow path, you must stay aware and deft, and do not stray for just to the left is a marsh so thick that once sucked in, a person will never be heard from again.

Hope: Well, I can see we won't be going to the left.

Christian: Wait, it continues. To the right, a deep ditch tumbles straight down to hell, and further in lie other dangers as well.

Hope: Anything else?

Christian: One thing more. Be sure of foot and of one accord, your safety is found in the strength of the Lord.

Hope: Good advice. Come on.

John Avery Whittaker: Darkness enveloped them, so heavy they nearly cried out for light, any light. After they had gone some distance.

Hope: Look! Up ahead. Light! Oh, Christian, maybe the worst is over.

Christian: I don't think so. Smell.

Hope: Sulfur. That might be coming from a fire. Does the book say anything about this?

Christian: Wait. Yes. The fires you see all too well burn hot and bright from the pit of hell.

Hope: What do we do?

Christian: We keep going.

John Avery Whittaker: The pit belched clouds of evil-smelling smoke that stung their eyes as they passed. Then, a new danger.

Hope: What is that?

Christian: The souls of the lost. Hurry!

Hope: Too late! Here they come. My sword goes right through these things!

Christian: Whoa, they're trying to knock us off the path! Go away, demons. Go away!

Hope: Help! Help! Christian!

Christian: I'm coming! I'm pressed down on every side! The fire! I can feel the fires of hell! Hang on! I'm almost there! Reach out to me, Hope!

Hope: I can't! So tired.

Christian: Hope! I can't make it without you. Reach out, please! That's it. Just a little more. I've got you. There.

Hope: Thank you, Christian.

Christian: Let's get out of here, and this time keep going.

John Avery Whittaker: They continued on until at last the apparitions departed, and they left the Valley of the Shadow of Death. They no longer had their weapons, for when Hope fell, the sword and arrows were dropped in order that she might be saved.

They rested briefly, then again started down the path, which after a while ran alongside a fenced-in meadow. And here the road became.

Christian: Ow! Rough.

Hope: Uh oh, rain.

Christian: Oh good, it'll refresh us. Look, a man up ahead, and he's going through a break in the fence.

Hope: Yes, but we should keep to the road.

Christian: I think it's a shortcut. Yeah, see how the road curves around? Let's cut across that meadow. It'll save us time.

Hope: Maybe, but.

Christian: There's a clump of trees in the distance too. We can get out of the rain.

Hope: What if we lose our way?

Christian: If we can see the trees from here, then we'll be able to see the path from there. Come on, Hope. I don't want to get all wet.

Hope: Well, I suppose shelter from the storm would be nice. All right then.

John Avery Whittaker: They went through the break in the fence and ran across the meadow to the trees just as the rain began to fall. And the going was easier. But they soon realized they'd made a terrible mistake.

Hope: Christian, it's getting dark.

Christian: I know. And this isn't a clump of trees. It's a forest. A huge forest.

Hope: I know, I know. I think we should turn back.

Christian: Yeah, maybe you're right.

John Avery Whittaker: But the darkness confused them, so they stumbled further into the forest.

Hope: I can't see the path! The rain washed it away. We're lost, Christian, and the storm is getting worse. What should we do?

Christian: Over here, under this ledge.

John Avery Whittaker: They sheltered themselves as best they could and fell asleep. The next morning, they were awakened by shaking ground.

Hope: What's going on?

John Avery Whittaker: The misty light was blocked by a huge shadow. A pair of enormous boot-clad feet stopped directly in front of them, and an ugly face stooped down to look at them. Its grim and surly voice boomed.

Giant Despair: What are you doing on my private grounds? Stop that racket and answer me. What are you doing on my private grounds?

Hope: Please, good giant, we're poor pilgrims who are lost.

Giant Despair: I am not a good giant. I am Despair, Master of Doubting Castle. And you are trespassing.

Christian: We didn't mean to.

Giant Despair: That is no excuse. You have trampled down my fields. I'll have to teach you a lesson.

John Avery Whittaker: The giant snatched the travelers up roughly.

Giant Despair: Gotta get inside before the sun breaks through the clouds. I'm allergic to sunny days.

Hope: Where are you taking us?

Giant Despair: To the dungeons of my castle. And you're doomed!

John Avery Whittaker: Giant Despair threw them into his dungeon and chained them to the wall with heavy chains.

Hope: Oh, please, sir, we meant no harm. Let us go.

Giant Despair: No.

Christian: Can we at least have something to eat?

Giant Despair: Eat? No. Not a crumb of bread or a drop of water. I'll teach you to trespass. Come here. See that big pile of bones out there?

Hope: Yes, they're hideous.

Giant Despair: Right you are, young lady. Those are the bones of other travelers who've trespassed on my property. I tore them to pieces. And tomorrow, I am going to do the same for you.

John Avery Whittaker: The travelers, sore and weary from their journey, tried to make themselves comfortable to wait out the long night ahead. Merciful sleep finally came to Hope. But Christian lay awake the whole night, upset over the trouble he had caused.

Christian: Oh boy. Hope? Sorry. Go back to sleep.

Hope: What time is it?

Christian: I don't know. A little before morning, I think.

Hope: Haven't you slept?

Christian: I didn't feel like it.

Hope: Why?

Christian: Because I got us into this mess. Let's cut across the meadow. I want to get out of the rain. And now I've ruined it for both of us.

Hope: I came of my own accord. You can't blame yourself for that.

Christian: Thanks, but I think we both know the truth. We'll never get out of here.

Hope: Don't let despair pull you down. Apollyon couldn't crush you, nor could the Valley of the Shadow of Death. There's a way out of this as well.

Christian: We're in a dungeon chained to a wall, so hungry and bruised we can hardly move.

Hope: But our strength comes from the Lord. Look, your book says it well: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Here, you try.

Christian: In you, O Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in your righteousness. Deliver me speedily. They are nice words. What's that?

Hope: I don't know. It fell out of the book. Hmm, a key. There's a word written across the top of it: Promise.

Christian: It's been here the whole time. Christian, try it on the locks on your chains.

Christian: Hope, it won't work.

Hope: There's no harm in trying.

Christian: Okay, but you can't just fit a strange key into a lock and expect it to. Open! I don't believe it!

Hope: It's the key of promise, Christian! Now my chains. Oh yeah, right. Now the dungeon door, hurry! But this can't work. It can't. It worked! Let's get out of here. Open the door quietly. We don't want Despair to hear us.

Christian: Right. Great, he's completely deaf. He'll never know we're gone.

Hope: Which way do we go?

Giant Despair: What gives here? How did you escape?

Hope: Get out of here!

Christian: Not that way, come on!

Giant Despair: You won't escape!

Hope: He's gaining on us! There's a light ahead! A door to the outside!

Christian: Yeah, a door with a gate!

Giant Despair: I'll crush your bones with my bare hands!

Hope: Try the key!

Christian: I'm trying! It's open, the key worked!

Giant Despair: I got you now! Let go! Let go, you big bully! Stop squirming before I! Oh no, no! No, not the sun! No! No!

Hope: What happened?

Christian: The sun! He's allergic to it, remember?

Hope: Yes! Let's get out of here!

Christian: Right behind you!

John Avery Whittaker: The travelers found the path that led to Doubting Castle, ran back across the meadow to the break in the fence. There, they fashioned a sign.

Hope: Through this break is the way to Doubting Castle. All trespassers will be destroyed. Take warning.

John Avery Whittaker: They fixed the sign to the fence and continued on where they'd left off. A day's travel lost, but an abundance of wisdom found.

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John Avery Whittaker: The travelers had now reached the Delectable Mountains. They washed in clear streams and ate fruit off the trees. Christian read from his book as they walked on.

Christian: Hey, according to this, we're almost there!

Hope: Then let's hurry!

John Avery Whittaker: Just ahead, they saw where a crooked lane met the path. And on that lane was a brusque man named Ignorance.

Ignorance: I'm from the county of Conceit!

Hope: You're on your way to the Celestial City?

Ignorance: Yep. Started on this path this morning.

Christian: Oh, you didn't come by the way of the place of deliverance?

Ignorance: No. You expect me to go all the way back there?

Christian: Why, you must! You're still in your filthy rags.

Ignorance: So?

Hope: The ruler of the Celestial City will take you to be a robber or a thief.

Ignorance: Why? What would I ever do to him?

Christian: You don't understand.

Ignorance: Look, I just want to hook up with some friendly faces on the way to the Celestial City and not to get the third degree. But I'm sure what you believe is fine, but it's just not for me. So if you just believe what you want to believe and I'll believe what I want to believe, and I'll see you there.

Hope: But. Poor fellow. He's in for an awful shock.

Christian: Maybe.

Hope: Maybe? You know there's only one path to the Celestial City.

Christian: And he's on it now.

Hope: But he got on it by breaking the rules of the journey.

Christian: So? We can't expect everybody to do things our way. Come on, I want to make good time while it's still cool.

John Avery Whittaker: Christian walked off and Hope followed, fearing that Ignorance had somehow gotten hold of her friend. They soon reached the top of a peak where stood a golden telescope. A sign there read: "From here you may see the City of Light, if you have the skill to look through me right."

Hope: How wonderful! Yes, yes, there it is! I see it!

Christian: Let me try. Isn't it beautiful, Christian? I don't see anything.

Hope: What? But it's there, sitting amongst the clouds. Try again.

Christian: Well, I see the clouds.

Atheist: And that's all you'll see because nothing else is there.

Hope: Huh? Who are you?

Atheist: My name is Atheist, and the Celestial City is an illusion.

Hope: No! Don't listen, Christian.

Atheist: Yes, Christian, do listen. I've been looking for the Celestial City for 20 years and have never found it. It doesn't exist.

Hope: It does! I saw it!

Atheist: Deluded child. That sort of belief is just a crutch. But smart fellows like Christian and I know better.

Christian: We do?

Atheist: Yes. Life is a struggle, you've seen that. Would a king who loves his people allow them to suffer so?

Hope: Well, he allows us to go through struggles to refine us, as gold is refined in the fire.

Atheist: Poppycock and balderdash! Is this what you want, Christian? Old wives' tales? Come with me and gain true knowledge.

Hope: You're wasting your time here. We will continue on. Right, Christian? Christian?

Christian: But what if he's right, Hope?

Atheist: Good boy.

Hope: After all that's happened, how can you say that?

Christian: That's just it. I went through all those things, and when I finally get to the place where I'm supposed to see the Celestial City, it's not there.

Atheist: Right you are, my boy, right you are. Let us be off.

Hope: No! Christian, just because you didn't see it doesn't mean it isn't there.

Atheist: Nonsense, of course it does.

Hope: You don't see the air. How do you know it's there?

Atheist: Because I breathe it. If I didn't, I'd be dead.

Hope: And so would we without the king. Christian, think of all those times you were trapped and always managed to escape.

Atheist: He's always had good fortune.

Hope: No, those things weren't accidents. Christian, your life has a purpose. Please, look again in the telescope.

Atheist: This is ridiculous.

Hope: If there's nothing there, then you have nothing to fear. But there is something there. I know it. Please, Christian, look and believe.

Christian: Okay, Hope. I'll look for you.

Hope: No, Christian. Look for you.

John Avery Whittaker: Christian walked back up to the telescope, took a deep breath, and slowly peered through it.

Hope: Please, help him to believe.

Atheist: Well?

Christian: I still see clouds.

Atheist: As I told you. Nothing. Now let's be off.

Christian: Wait. They're different.

Atheist: Well, clouds do change shape.

Christian: Not their shape. Their color. Now they're gold! Yes, yes!

Atheist: No! White, gold, what difference does it make?

Hope: All the difference! Christian, you're seeing the Celestial City!

Atheist: He's seeing the sun reflecting off the clouds.

Hope: The sun is still high in the sky. Believe, Christian! You must believe!

Christian: I do! I believe!

Hope: Oh, Christian, Christian!

Atheist: Fine! Chase after fairy tales.

Christian: What's the matter with me? I'm sorry, Hope.

Hope: You don't have to apologize.

Christian: Then thank you.

Hope: Come, Christian. Let's go home.

John Avery Whittaker: They ran and at the top of the steep rise, their belief was rewarded. For before them was the Celestial City. It was higher than the clouds with dazzling walls and towers. They raced to it, but just as they imagined they were safely in, they suddenly came upon.

Hope: A river! It's so dark and misty. Looks pretty dangerous.

Christian: There must be a bridge around here somewhere.

Evangelist: There's no bridge.

Hope: Mr. Evangelist!

Evangelist: You must pass through the river.

Hope: Is it safe?

Evangelist: No, but it's the only way to enter the Celestial City. It's the river of death.

Hope: Death?

Evangelist: Here. This will give you strength. Summons from the king. You are to appear before him immediately.

Hope: Thank you, kind sir. Thank you. Come on, Christian! I'll see you there, Mr. Evangelist!

Evangelist: Well, someday, Christian. Someday. You go now.

John Avery Whittaker: Christian followed Hope into the river. The swirling water was strong, and more than once they thought they would drown. But soon the water became less deep and they reached the other shore, where they heard a familiar voice.

Ignorance: Hello!

Hope: Ignorance!

Ignorance: You two are soaked.

Hope: Didn't you go through the river?

Ignorance: Through it? No, I hired Vain Hope the ferryman to take me across in his boat.

Christian: But you must cross through the river. And where's your summons?

Ignorance: Are you guys going to question me even now? Come on, the city gates are just up the hill there.

John Avery Whittaker: Ignorance ran ahead of them to the great city gate.

Ignorance: Hello! I'm here! Let me in!

John Avery Whittaker: The gatekeeper looked down from on high and asked.

Gatekeeper: Show me your summons, my friend.

Ignorance: Summons?

Gatekeeper: Yes, to prove you have come by the right road.

Ignorance: Yeah, well, I must have it here somewhere. Can't you just let me in without it? Please.

John Avery Whittaker: But there was no answer. Ignorance, unable to bear the silence, turned and walked away sorrowfully. But for Christian and Hope, the story was different.

Christian: We have our summons! The king has sent for us!

Gatekeeper: And see him you shall. Enter into his rest.

Hope: This is it, Christian!

John Avery Whittaker: With crowns on their heads, in they walked through the gates on streets of gold. The bells of the city rang out joyously. For Hope and Christian had arrived. At long last, they were finally home.

Thank you for tuning in to Kids Radio's Playhouse of the Airwaves. "Pilgrim's Progress Revisited," based on the allegorical tale by John Bunyan, featured Sam Johnson, Lucy Cunningham-Schultz, Bernard Walton, Tom Riley, Eugene Meltsner, Connie Kendall, Bart Rathbone, and Harlow Doyle.

Chris: Private eye, unquote. With engineering by Bob Davis, for all of us here at Kids Radio, this is John Avery Whittaker saying goodbye.

Whit called this story an allegorical tale. Do you know what that means? Well, an allegory is a story where the characters and situations are symbolic of a deeper spiritual truth. Can you think of some of the spiritual truths found in the story?

If you can, think hard about how they apply to your life. And then write to me here in Odyssey and tell me what you've learned. Our address is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. Or in Canada write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC V6B 4G3.

And when you do, don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called "Pilgrim's Progress Revisited." That address again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995.

Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "Pilgrim's Progress Revisited" was written and directed by Phil Lollar. Our production engineer was Dave Arnold and our executive producer, Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.