DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PILGRIM'S PROGRESS -- BEULAH

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS – BEULAH

"You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of the your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken. Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate. But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married" (Isaiah 62:3-4).

"Now I saw in my dream that by this time the pilgrims had passed over the Enchanted Ground and entered into the country of Beulah …. Here they were within sight of the City to which they were going."

Christian and Hopeful were nearing the Celestial City when they came to Beulah. The name Beulah is used only once in the Bible, and the reference in Isaiah is about the city of Jerusalem in the end times. Bunyan used this as a metaphor of the time in the Pilgrims' lives just before they go to heaven – the end of their time here on earth. It is a wonderful time beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and where the Giant Despair is no longer a threat. This is a glorious time in life when all of the challenges and trials of the Christian life are past. Here on the edge of heaven the birds sing, the sun shines night and day, the flowers are beautiful, and the Shining Ones (angels) walk. In the words of Isaiah, no longer will Pilgrims feel forsaken or desolate. The term Hephzibah means "my delight is in her," and Beulah (baal, used twice in this verse as "Beulah" and "married") means "to marry or be married." In this land of comfort, the lovers find their delight in each other grows. The New Living Translation translates this verse: "Your new name will be "The City of God's Delight" and "The Bride of God," for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his bride."

There comes a time in the Christian's life when he rests in the Lord. The battles and tribulations of the Christian life are over. The love-relationship flourishes, and he relaxes in the love of Jesus, His Bridegroom. I confess that I have not yet reached Beulah, but I must say that, even though I experience challenges, they are not as intense as they once were. I am resting in the love of my Savior. I know that soon I will cross the River, and I am convinced that as I draw nearer to it, I will discover even more of the delightful land of Beulah. For now, I am just entering that land. I do know the joy and peace of trusting Jesus completely. He is a wonderful Savior.

We used to sing an old song, "Beulah Land." The chorus of the song says, "O Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land, as on the highest mount I stand. I look away across the sea where mansions are prepared for me, and view the shining glory shore, my heaven, my home, forevermore." I think that this is the essence of what Bunyan was writing. The closer I get to heaven, the clearer the view.

Love, Dad