We recently finished reading The Chronicles of Narnia with our kids. It’s so amazing to see how C. S. Lewis can put so many beautiful parallels to Christianity in his work. Reading the last book, The Last Battle, caused me to cry on more than one occasion and I’ve even read the book before this time! The first time I cried was when King Tirian realized his fate and the fate of those who stayed loyal to him and Aslan. The second was the last chapter of the book.
Lewis uses much from the Bible throughout the entire book. In John chapter 10, Jesus talks about being the door. In Matthew 25, we read about the sheep and the goats. These are two essential images in The Last Battle. One character talks about the significance of the stable. Lewis also beautifully describes, or better yet DOESN’T describe Aslan’s country.
Something else I found fascinating is that one of the Narnian kings or queens was missing. The other kings and queens explain who is missing and why, but they don’t dwell on it. The person just simply isn’t mentioned again. It makes me think about what it will be like not seeing some of those I love in heaven. Lewis also masterfully describes how the characters feel like they are watching something that could have been years or decades, but also how it was no time at all to them.
It seems like Lewis has an understanding about what heaven is and isn’t. Of course, he is human and can’t completely grasp the beauty and splendor of heaven. Lewis also doesn’t try to fully grasp or explain heaven which makes the description even better. He doesn’t say why the characters can run without getting tired or do amazing feats they shouldn’t be able to (Isaiah 40). He doesn’t try to explain why the food tastes better in Aslan’s country, he simply explains it as the best food you’ve tasted here is nothing in comparison. He also focuses on how the people in Aslan’s country didn’t necessarily realize they had died. I don’t know what the transition to heaven will be like; but I do love the image in the Epistles like 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians where it talks about having “fallen asleep.”
The book of Revelation gives us the best pictures we have of heaven. I know when I’ve read through the book of Revelation I find it intimidating and terrifying with all of the imagery in it. When Lewis describes the end of Narnia he captures some of the same feelings. Characters don’t necessarily understand what they see. They are often in awe, afraid, and yet not afraid. When the characters are afraid, it’s usually the fear used when we talk about God in the First Commandment. Fear meaning, respect or awe. Some of them are terrified as well, but most have this other type of fear.
In reality, none of us will know what heaven is like until we get there. We can’t comprehend the full goodness of God’s original perfect creation. The wonderful thing about heaven is, it will be greater than our imagination and comprehension. It will be a perfect place, a new creation. While some books like The Last Battle can describe a beautiful picture of what heaven will be like, we will never truly know until we are there. Even Revelation, God’s own Word, can leave us with a beautiful and confusing picture of heaven. Enjoy God’s good, but fallen creation on this earth. Remember, through Christ’s death and resurrection, there is something greater to look forward too.