Book Review: The Holy War by John Bunyan
No, it’s not a Jihad story, a treatise on the Crusades, or even a best-selling explanation of 9/11. Sorry—this book goes back to before Jihads and Terrorists were the fad and focuses not on Islam but on Christianity. The John Bunyan of Pilgrim’s Progress amazed me again with this insightful, layered tale that aims to teach us about a fight even more personal and pressing than the worldly wars around us. Did you know there’s been a battle on for your very soul?
The Holy War lays out the allegorical tale of the famous city of Mansoul, created by and for Shaddai, the King of Kings. This Mansoul has great and powerful walls, as well as five gates, fully impregnable. The names of the gates are Ear Gate, Eye Gate, Mouth Gate, Nose Gate, and Feel Gate. Mansoul has “the…most excellent law in the world…As long as the people remain true to Shaddai, their King, Mansoul enjoy[s] his presence and his protection.” Yet it so happens that Diabolus, the Prince of Darkness, and his rebels (thrown from the court of Shaddai for their treason), happen upon Mansoul and make it their task to conquer it. For they know Mansoul is Shaddai’s delight.
Diabolus’ trickery comes into full play here, as he schemes with his filthy minions on how to conquer Mansoul; for it was known to him that he could only enter Mansoul with the consent of the townfolk. Bunyan proceeds to unfold to us Diabolus’ quick entry into the city. Diabolus gives a speech to the townfolk at Ear Gate which is full of lies, and by so doing kills Captain Resistance and Lord Innocence, and his job is well-nigh over. The quickness with which Diabolus’ entrance into Mansoul occurs is both startling and sobering.
For quite some time to follow, we see Diabolus re-enforcing his position as the new king over the town of Mansoul. He shuts Mr. Understanding up in a dark place (Eph. 4:18!) and makes Mr. Conscience seem like a lunatic. Diabolus follows up his first speech with many of the same kind, promising pleasure and richness to those who follow the example of his wicked demons. The people gobble up his lies whole-heartedly. And all this time, King Shaddai and the Golden Prince Emmanuel are watching sadly—but not without hope.
With some of my favorite sections in the entire book, Bunyan transports us to King Shaddai’s court. First, King Shaddai sends out his Captains to try to recapture the town for himself. This fails, due to Diabolus’ evil armour that he hands to the townfolk, promising that it will shield them from Shaddai’s “lies.” King Shaddai calls for his Son, Emmanuel, and reminds him of their plan for the salvation of Mansoul. Shaddai’s people rejoice as “their “words…fl[y] like lightning around the court.” When the war-weary Captains hear the news that Emmanuel is coming to conquer Mansoul himself, they send up a shout that makes Diabolus quake in his shoes. The final battle for Mansoul begins.
The Captains entreat the townfolk, but Mansoul will not hear them. Emmanuel himself must press the attack—and yet in his love for the people of Mansoul he instructs his men to aim to kill Diabolus and his demons, but to do no harm to the citizens themselves. In the chapter titled “The Triumphant Entrance,” Prince Emmanuel and his Captains reclaim Mansoul, and there is great rejoicing in the city. It is to Bunyan’s great credit that the story does not end there. Rather, he continues to follow the action as Prince Emmanuel and his servants dissect those who belong to Him from those who belong to Diabolus. After a period of much joy in Mansoul, several villains such as Mr. Carnal Security and plots from Diabolus threaten again the peace of Mansoul. The rest of the book follows the continued fight for Mansoul and the final, sweet, blessed victory of the Golden Prince Emmanuel. The last chapter is titled, “A Glimpse into Paradise.”
The Holy War is, of course, an allegory. With Emmanuel as Christ, Diabolus as Satan, and the town of Mansoul as every man’s soul, Bunyan names his characters appropriately so that following the allegory doesn’t distract from the nuggets of wisdom. Bunyan’s spiritual insight and thorough knowledge of both man and the Scriptures made reading The Holy War not just an enjoyable experience, but a vision-expanding one. Three things in particular stood out to me, and I’d like to share them with you.
First, I was reminded of Mansoul’s fickleness. Despite its strong walls and sturdy gates, it was as weak as a baby without a strong Captain to guard it. Once Innocence, Resistance, and Conscience were taken away, Mansoul was left defenseless against Diabolus’ lies. How quickly did they let him in their gates! And how quickly did they turn from loving right to loving wrong! Several times during the course of Emmanuel’s siege of Mansoul, the city heard the muffled cries of Conscience and wished to surrender. Yet every time, a word from Diabolus crushed their resistance again. As Bunyan probably intended, this reminded me of Israel in the Old Testament, who continually turned away from God despite his patience with them.
Second, I was reminded of Diabolus’ craftiness. Yes, he is defeated by Emmanuel, but he still had some power of the weak minds of Mansoul. Once the people of Mansoul listened to his lies, they were held captive by them and could no longer remember King Shaddai’s kindnesses. This prompted me to keep a watch over the ears of my own soul. While Emmanuel is the Prince of my heart, Diabolus may still try to whisper his falsehoods to my soul, and I must guard my heart carefully, for “it is the wellspring of life (Prov. 4:23).” The lies of Diabolus are not brought us to us by heralds and speeches, as in The Holy War, but they ring all around us in the world and its values. We must watch out that we don’t allow Diabolus a foothold by embracing even a part of one of his lies!
Third, I was once again amazed by the Golden Prince Emmanuel’s character, love, and triumph. His character shone out when Bunyan carried us into the King’s court and let us see His words: “Your law is within my heart,” Emmanuel said to the King. “My heart has often been grieved for the miserable town of Mansoul. But now I can rejoice, now I can be glad! I had not thought that anything was too costly for Mansoul…I am glad that you, my Father, have made me the Captain of their salvation.” This small speech is just a tiny peep into the Golden Prince’s heart, which is one that loves right and loves Mansoul. This translates directly to our knowledge of our own Messiah, Christ—who also loved right and loved us, his wretched people. The love of Prince Emmanuel and the love of Christ are astonishing indeed. I often think of Emmanuel’s sacrifice and the pain He suffered for us. Reading The Holy War reminded me of His great joy in Mansoul, the delight of his eyes. The King’s Captain Judgment said, “O Mansoul! Is it a small thing indeed in your eyes that our King offers you mercy after all your provocations? Yes, he still holds out his golden scepter to you and will not allow his door to be shut against you.” Despite both Mansoul’s fickleness and Diabolus’ craftiness, Prince Emmanuel’s love triumphs over all.
It is not often that I find a book so full of applicable truths laid out in such a fresh way. Reading this lesser-known cousin of Pilgrim’s Progress was both an encouraging and a sobering experience. It prompted me to greater watchfulness and higher praise. Check it out of our Library today. Who knows what it may teach you?