HARROWING OF HELL
The Harrowing of Hell is an intense picture. But at the centre of its intensity is hope. At the centre of our intensity there is hope. There are three possible routes to hell.
One, a difficult one to digest is the hell that we create for ourselves. But, there is still hope. The second route is the hell that someone else has caused in our life. But, there is hope. And, if you are unsure why you are in hell, all I can say is there is still hope.
Hope might be the shimmering light in the distance but get ready, it brightens up, as it approaches you.
At the centre of this picture is Jesus. Jesus is hope personified. He is the light whether or not you recognised it approaching in the distance. You might have assumed that the light merely is an “it” from afar. But now you see “Him.” He comes triumphantly, not to frighten us but to rescue us.
He enters us, but he must assume the centre if you want a real solution. Only from the centre is it possible for him to rescue us. Jesus cannot be assigned a corner. From the centre with his legs firmly rooted, He rescues us.
What is he doing? The hell that seems impossible to exit Jesus unlocks it with the cross. The solution to the trap of hell is the love of Jesus. He shatters our hell with his love. In the picture we can see Jesus crushing the head of Satan, the serpent and the nuts and bolts of the gates of hell are shattered.
He can shatter the hell that we have created, or the hell that others have created in which we might have participated in; because he has overcome death, He blasts the power of hell.
He offers his hand to everyone. It is our choice to accept his offer. In the picture Adam, Eve and many others are also depicted as being rescued. Our souls are created for heaven but in hell our wings are clipped and we by our own effort are incapable of rising up. Instead, Jesus who has risen from the dead helps raise us up to what we should be.
He helps transform us, in the words of C.S. Lewis, from hellish creatures to heavenly creatures. Just as Eve reached out her hand and accepted the fruit from the serpent, here we see Eve reaching out her hand and accepting the salvation the Jesus is offering.
There is hope. Don’t give up just yet. He will come through!
