The Pilgrims finally get over the Enchanted Ground and enter beautiful land, the country of Beulah, where the air is pleasant and sweet. Birds sing, flowers bloom, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land (The Song of Solomon is quoted several times in describing this land). The sun always shines, and the land is out of reach of villains such as Giant Despair or the monsters lurking in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. They are also within sight of the City where they are going, though the glory is so great they cannot look directly at it. Inhabitants of the country are met, Shining Ones who walk here because it is next to the border of Heaven.
They meet a Gardener who tells them that the beautiful vineyards and gardens are the King's are are planted there for His own enjoyment and for the comfort of Pilgrims, so they refresh themselves with delicacies from the gardens. They get to sleep finally, and when they awake, they purpose to go straightway to the City, and on their way, they meet two Shining Ones who wish to accompany them. The Shining Ones inquire about their journey, as has happened so often before, but the Shining Ones have words for them, "You have only two more difficulties to experience, and then you are in the City."
Christian and Hopeful ask the men to travel with them, and the men are willing to do so, but state that their goal must be obtained by their own faith. They go on until they are in sight of the gate. Before them is a River. There is no bridge over it, and the River appears to be deep. The Pilgrims are astounded, and they are told, "You must go through, or you can't arrive at the gate." The Pilgrims ask if there is another way, but are told that only two men have ever entered the city without going through the River, "nor shall there be until the Last Trumpet shall sound." Then the Pilgrims, especially Christian, begin to despair. They ask if the River is always the same depth, and are told no, but are denied any further help in the matter. "For you shall find it deeper or shallower as you believe in the King of the place."
Christian enters the water, and begins to sink. He cries out to Hopeful, "I'm sinking in deep waters! The breakers go over my head! All the waves go over me." Hopeful responds, "Be of good cheer, my Brother! I feel the bottom, and it is good." Hopeful's encouragement doesn't help Christian as he is overcome with a great darknes and horror. He is afraid he will die in the river, and never enter the gate. He doesn't remember the events of his pilgrimage and has troublesome thoughts of the sins he has committed. Hopeful holds Christian's head above the water, with much difficulty, and endeavors to comfort him, telling him he sees the gate and people to welcome them. Christian is sure they are waiting only for Hopeful, but Hopeful says, "These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters are no sign that God has forsaken you, but they're sent to try you, to see whether you will call to mind that which you've received before of His goodness and depend upon Him in your distresses." Christian listens, seeming to get it finally. Hopeful adds, "Be of good cheer! Jesus Christ makes you whole!" Christian cries out with a loud voice, "Oh! I see Him again! and He tells me, 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.' " They both take courage, and soon find solid ground to stand on. The rest of the River is shallow.
On the other side, the two Shining Ones are already waiting for the Pilgrims. They admit their role in waiting, "We're ministering spirits sent to serve those who wil inherit salvation." The City stands upon a mighty hill, but they climb with no difficulty due to the assistance of the two men. The mortal garments (which I think means Christian's armor as well) were left behind in the river, and they emerge without them. They all talk about the glory of the place they are going to, "You are now going to the Paradise of God, in which you'll see the Tree of Life and eat of the never-fading fruits of it. And when you arrive there, white robes shall be given you, and every day your walk and talk shall be with the King, even all the days of eternity. You'll not see there again such things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the earth -- that is, sorrow, sickness, affliction, and death, 'for the old order of things has passed away.' "
The Pilgrims then ask what they must do in the City, and are told that they must receive comfort for all their toil and joy for all their sorrow. They will wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the Holy One, 'for we shall see Him as He is'. They will serve Him with praise, shouting, and thanksgiving, and will be delighted in seeing Him. They will enjoy the company of friends who have gone before them, clothed with glory and majesty. When He comes with the sound of a trumpet in the clouds, they will come with Him. When He passes sentence on the workers of iniquity, they will have a voice in that judgment because "they were His and your enemies."
As they draw near the gate, a company of the Heavenly Host come out to greet them. The Pilgrims are introduced by the two Shining Ones, and the Heavenly Host cry out, "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" The King's Trumpeters come out to meet them. Everyone travels together with much shouting, rejoicing, the salutes of trumpets. They reach the gate. Above the gates are written, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." Shining Ones look down from above, Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and others.
The Pilgrims present their Certificates (yes, Hopeful had one too), and the Certificates are taken to the King, who orders the gates opened that the righteous may enter. In they go, and as they enter, they are transfigured and given new robes to wear. They break out into praise, singing with a loud voice, "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
Now the gates are shut, and the narrator expresses the wish to be among those inside, but as he turns his head (in his dream), he sees another approaching the city, Ignorance. Ignorance approaches alone, with no guides to help him, but finds easy passage across the river, as a ferryman named Vainglory shows up with a boat. Ignorance walks up to the gate and knocks. Men look down on him from above and ask him who he is and what he wants, and then ask for his Certificate. Ignorance fumbles in his coat but produces nothing. When the King is told there is one at the door without a Certificate, He orders that Ignorance be bound and taken away. The Shining Ones who assisted Christian and Hopeful carry him to the door in the side of the hill (seen at the Delightful Mountains), the way to Hell.
Thoughts on this chapter
We're home at last! Do you ever think about Heaven, how great it is, how great it will be? I saw an episode of Touched by an Angel, where the angels were helping a family whose father was dying. The angels were trying to tell them that their father's death was actually a blessing, that it was only a transition. The quote I remember is that our lives are only a preparation for eternity. One objection to Christianity I've heard from skeptics is that we're too concerned with "pie-in-the-sky" stuff, not concerned enough with the here-and-now. Well, that may be a valid concern, or not, for about seventy to a hundred years, but we all die someday. Will that be a valid concern a thousand years from now? Think of yourself a thousand years from now, wherever you may be, looking back at your life. Are you going to be glad for the decisions you made, or regretting them?