Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For a long portion of reading 'Out of the Silent Planet', I felt like a boy enjoying an entertaining science fiction. It was only towards the end of the book I realised, CSL is still in the allegory mood... Amazing truths embedded in a science fiction sounding story. It is in my second glance of the story that i am grasping a little bit of the parallels to the Biblical picture regarding the earthly, the heavenly, the demonic and the human perspectives. I will cover three specific conversations which stand out in my mind:

Ransom, the protagonist is having discussion with a friend from one of the three perfect human races (represented by hross) from this planet he has come into. The subject of the conversation is their love life and sexual pleasures. He was told that people of this race were naturally monogamous and content to have the pleasure of sex only to the extent of producing one offspring in their lives. They do not need to want that pleasure again and and considered everything that preceded and followed in the relationship as part of the love they experienced. It intrigued Ransom as to how these creatures could enjoy the remembrance of that pleasure as same as the pleasure itself and be fully content. It seemed so hard for hross to comprehend how the sinful human beings (bent humana) longed for more when Ransom explained the life on the Earth. How could these species so easily live the unattained ideal of the fallen man? Hrossa answered, "Christ (Maleldil) made us so.... How could we endure to live and let time pass if we were always crying for one day or one year to come back - if we did not know that every day in a life fills the whole life with expectation and memory and that these are that day ?" This is God's design for man before the fall. What a lesson for us to live our today with God in total contentment.

Later on the Hross recollects something from his past. "I will tell you a day in my life that has shaped me; such a day as comes only once, like love... Then I was young, when I went far, to the land where stars shine at midday and even water is cold. ..... There is the fall called the Mountain of Water. Because I have stood there alone, Christ (Maleldil) and I, for even the Archangel (Oyarsa) sent me no word, my heart has been higher, my song deeper, all my days. But do you think it would have been so unless I had known that in Balki dangerous evil (hnéraki) dwelled? There I drank life because death was in the pool. That was the best of drinks save one." "What one?" asked Ransom. "Death itself in the day I drink it and go to Christ (Maleldil)." I could see the parallel of the day of salvation of a believer and then the sacred expectation of meeting Christ on his death. Like Apostle Paul's words, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Finally the climactic conversation occurs between Ransom and the ruling archangel of the planet (Oyarsa) in the story. Oyarsa expresses his desire to look into the details of the battle between the devil (Bent One) and Christ (Maledil) on the Earth and the nature of people who live here. The archangel explain to Ransom, "Christ (Maleldil) does not make them long-livers - but for the things which the lord of your world, who was not yet bound, put into their minds. He would have made them as your people are now - wise enough to see the death of their kind approaching but not wise enough to endure it." If we understood that death is our door to eternity with God, we would welcome it.  Oyarsa continues, "Yes, but one thing we left behind us : fear. And with fear, murder and rebellion. The weakest of my people (heavenly, unfallen beings) does not fear death. It is the devil (Bent One), the lord of your world, who wastes your lives and befouls them with flying from what you know will overtake you in the end. If you were subjects of Christ (Maleldil) you would have peace."

On his way back to Earth, Ransom is commissioned, like we Christians are called to walk as pilgrims and strangers, "The journey you go on is your pain, and perhaps your cure: for you must be either mad or brave before it is ended. But I lay also a command on you; you must watch... They may yet do much evil in, and beyond, your world. From what you have told me, I begin to see that there are demons (eldila) who go down into your air, into the very stronghold of the devil (Bent One); ......Watch t..... Be courageous. Fight them. And when you have need, some of our people (angels) will help. Christ (Maleldil) will show them to you."

There is a revelation, a commission laden with many promises. Amazing!

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