069 River of Death

Facing the reality of death is the ultimate test of true faith. Many faithless souls face death with ignorant defiance and are devoured by their eternal consequences. For Christians however, it is the final moment of reality that takes them back to the very basis of their faith. Exactly what is it that they are trusting in, in order to safely navigate through the River Death and to safely arrive on the shores of the Celestial City.
True faith is a faith that fights. In the scene before us, we see Christian and Hopeful facing the River Death with the confidence of those who have a firm foundation.
The interaction between Christian and Hopeful here is so wonderful. As Christian struggles, Hopeful continually reminds him of what is true, holding Christian's head above water. Christian begins to despair, and then, when all hope seems lost, reality dawns upon him again. With great joy, Christian and Hopeful arrive at the Celestial City!