Lillith Commentary

Intro

The following is a work-in-progress commentary on George MacDonald's Lillith.
www.johannesen.com/LilithComplete.htm
The book was named for the ancient Hebrew myth described here http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Topics/Lilith/lilith.html

Lilith is an amazingly profound fantasy novel; it constantly causes the reader to be thinking beyond the surface, beyond what's happening in the story, and to search for deeper meaning in the characters and narrative. For many, we enjoy good fantasy novels because they help us to understand real-life themes of good and evil. We can identify with the story's characters because we've had co-workers gossip about us and try to tear us down while we were only doing what we thought to be right; we've been tempted to lie on an income-tax form and we struggle with things like knowing how to truly care for the poor and oppressed. The theme of good versus evil often pervades the best fantasy novels. In books like Lilith, we find this theme central, as the reader is regularly invited to assess which side each character has taken.
For many people, the question of how to live a good life is very important. The Psalmist ponders "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word (Psalm 119:9). " Whose word? We'll explore that here and now. Before going further in this commentary you should examine yourself to see if you meet two basic requirements.
1. You should be honestly seeking to live a pure life before God.
2. You should be willing to consider letting your whole life become subject to God's Word.
The Holy Bible is a compilation of books written by a diverse group of authors (40 total) over the span of at least 1500 years (some of it was transmitted orally before being written). The words of these books have been inspired by God, and are His message to an age of people that has not known Him and is lost in spiritual darkness. As we look closely at MacDonald's novel, let's open our hearts and minds to what the Bible has to say, so that we might learn to keep our ways pure.
What does the Bible have to do with MacDonald's book, Lilith? Well, from what little I've read about MacDonald, I've deduced that this Word to which we're turning was his source of life and inspiration. His book seems to be as much a personal testimony as it is a fantasy novel. So, without further ado, let's begin.

Chapters I-IV -
Curiosity
Have you discovered anything in the first five chapters that resembles yourself? Notice that what starts Mr. Vane's journey is his initial curiosity at the mutilated book and the old man who keeps appearing and disappearing in the library. Do you love to read books, research things, find out answers and learn new things? Why do you think that this is the way we are? All humans share the curiosity we see in Mr. Vane. Why is there this universal curiosity about the spiritual? The story told in the Bible offers that ALL humans were made "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). We have been made to be like our Creator. Our curiosity about the spiritual dimension is there because God's fingerprints have been left on His creation. The creator is Spirit, so the creation desires to be filled by the spiritual. Paul spoke to people in Athens, saying God made us this way "so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though He is not far from us" (Acts 17:27).
As Mr. Vane describes the confusing histories of the old man who lurks around the library in chapter one, he mentions the belief among some that Mr. Raven "was probably the devil himself." Read Genesis 1-3. What biblical person do you think Mr. Raven represents?

Chapter V -
Prayer
My favorite section here is when he talks about prayer. Towards the end of chapter V: "When one says to the great Thinker: = 'Here is one of my thoughts: I am thinking it now!' that is prayer - a word to the big heart from one of its own little hearts." Have you ever prayed for something? What was it that you prayed for? Why do you think you prayed for it? What happened when you prayed?
The Bible speaks about God knowing our heart's desires as well. The Psalmist teaches "delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). Have you told God about your inner thoughts, the desires of your heart?
If you've started to trust in Jesus, you've likely been encouraged to pray, to speak your thoughts aloud believing that He hears them. His reality does not depend on how He answers prayers, because you know that He always hears your thoughts when you speak them to Him. But simply speaking them to Him is not enough. Jesus told his disciples to pray and have faith (Matthew 21:21). When you put a dollar bill into a change dispenser, there's a moment where your mind makes a quick decision - do I look down and to see the change as it's coming out, or do I keep my eyes on the dollar bill to make sure it's being taken by the machine? Most people keep a close eye on the dollar bill as it goes in, because they're afraid it will be rejected. Are you used to praying and thinking that the dollar bill is going to get stuck? With God, we can always look directly at the change dispenser, we never have to worry that our dollar bill might be rejected because it is too crumpled. Praying in faith is inserting the dollar bill and looking straight down to the change dispenser.

Chapters VI - VIII -

Fear

Fear controlled Mr. Vane and his father. Fear caused them to turn back from following their curiosity spark. Fear caused them to return to their safety zones. We said at the beginning that there is an innate spiritual curiosity found in all of us, because the Spiritual Creator made us. What drives us away from pursuing that curiosity-spark within us? This story provides an analogy for our fears of faith.
What does it mean to actually believe in something? What does it mean to actually trust something greater than ourselves? What kept me from pursuing the spark for a long time was that I knew that to turn from the fear that ruled me required becoming involved in a relationship. That relationship would require accountability and integrity. Was the darkness of my heart ready to be exposed to the inexpressible light of the Truth? I doubted.
What is there to fear, though, when in the end, all Truth will be revealed? Why fear losing what we hope and think to be true when we know that in the end what is really True about us will be revealed and exposed? (Matthew 10:26)
One summer day in high school after reading the Bible for some time, my heart began to melt. I felt a warm, burning sensation on my chest and in my arms and on my face. It was like I was on fire, but not burning, only being warmed by a presence greater than myself. It was supernatural. My fears were revealed to me one by one. The truth about my anger and pain over my Dad's mental situation, my broken relationship with him and his separation with my Mom was revealed to me - but what was given me was not a feeling of discouragement (which is what had most often been the case) - rather a feeling of courage, and freedom. I had a knowledge that there was a power greater than myself who had seen the mess I was in, and had compassion on me. He didn't scorn or deride me for reacting bitterly to a difficult situation, though He knew that I had. He only warmed and comforted me. There was nothing left to do, but to weep tears of joy. I had been walking by my own strength, and I had to start walking in His strength. He revealed the TRUTH about my condition to me. The Truth Jesus talks about being exposed at the end of all things was exposed for me right then and there. My fear was laid bare, and I was brought to a point where I had to trust, I had to walk with Him.
Has Mr. Vane's Truth revelation occurred yet?
How about yours?

Chapters IX- XIV
God's Treasure
As Mr. Vane flees the monster in the darkness, a moon appears several times. Did you notice the similarities between the moon in chapter X, and the mutilated book in the library talked about in earlier chapters? Mr. Vane says "I felt as if the treasure of the universe were giving itself to me." What happens when he tries to possess it?
The true treasure of life is like this disappearing moon. King Solomon, a man renown for his wealth and wisdom once said "it is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (Proverbs 25:2). You can be a king like Solomon, have the whole world, and still not possess the most important things of life, because they are God's, and he keeps them for those who seek Him.
William Blake wrote, "He who binds to himself a joy / Does the winged life destroy / But he who kisses the joy as it flies / Lives in Eternity's sunrise." This is the way God's treasures are - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, humility, gentleness (Colossians 3:12). We cannot take them as if they were our creations. As we cannot create a winged creature, so we cannot create a holy creature. We must be given these gifts, and hold them in open hands, accepting and knowing that they've been given us, not produced on our own.

Following Him
The moon tells us so much about the way God works! Mr. Vane complains, "she brought me light, but not guidance! She would not hover over me, would not wait on my faltering steps! She could but offer me an ignorant choice!" Sometimes that's the way we see God - we want Him to be MORE present than He appears to be. We want HIS light to follow OUR path, and because what we want is all we know, if He doesn't do what we want then He's not what he appears. We want Him to do our will, rather than us seeking His. Frustrated and obstinate, we say, like Mr. Vane: "I will not be appalled by that which only seems!" And then, like the monster in Lilith, the monstrous consequences of sin rise from the waters beneath us.
But as it is for Mr. Vane, "she whom I distrusted was indeed my defense...", so it is with us (1 John 2:1) - "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world." People often read this passage assuming that God is getting ready to send the judgment. What if God already set in place the judgment for our sins by establishing a world of moral order? For example, when I lie I feel shame, and have broken relationships. The shame and broken relationships are the judgmen, part of the the created moral order. He is our Hope, our defense against the monsters of sin and their consequences.
Jesus knew what he was saying when he told his disciples to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). John says we have to WALK in the light, as Jesus is in the light (1 John 1:7). David, ancient king, hero, and God-lover said "The Lord is my light, and my salvation..." (Psalm 27:1). As Mr. Vane had to live by the moon's light, so must we live by God's spiritual light.

Helping People
My favorite quote from chapter fourteen: "The part of philanthropist is indeed a dangerous one; and the man who would do his neighbor good must first study how not to do him evil, and must begin by pulling the beam out of his own eye" (p. 250) (a reference to Matthew 7:5). It must be difficult for philanthropists to not judge.

Chapters XV -
Living Water
Here I want to look at MacDonald's use of the imagery of water as he expounds on an analogy Jesus began. The following conversation is found on page 255.

"Then I suppose, when the little Lovers are grown, their land will have water again?"
"Not exactly so: when they are thirsty enough, they will have water, and when they have water, they will grow. To grow, they must have water. And, beneath, it is flowing still."
"I have heard that water twice," I said; " -- once when I lay down to wait for the moon -- and when I woke the sun was shining! and once when I fell, all but killed by the bad giant. Both times came the voices of the water, and healed me."

Mr. Vane is told that the water is flowing underground, hidden from view ... ever since the Princess of Bulika tried to capture all of the water. Though he can't always see it, it is flowing. In the same way, God's Holy Spirit, though we cannot always see Him, is at work in this world. The Holy Spirit has been around since before the world was created; the Holy Spirit is the Creator's spirit (Genesis 1:2). The Bible often uses the analogy of water to explain the work of the Holy Spirit. What does this all mean? What does the Holy Spirit have to do with our lives today? What can he do for me? If he's not always easy to see, how do we have access to him?

In Lilith, the Cat-woman also tells Mr. Vane that the children (Lovers) will have water "when they are thirsty enough." If you're like me, you'd look at what Cat-woman says here and wonder why God is so cruel as to wait until they are "thirsty enough." Isn't it cruel to not fill them once they show some sense of thirst? But, when we look at all the characters in the story, we see that the children are the happiest of the bunch. Even they're thirst is not yet filled, they are happy, content, and fearless in a dark world. They trust and believe that they will be filled. Would we rather be like the giants, who don't thirst and are trapped in cycles of ugliness, or like the children, who thirst and have a promise. Thus, their thirst is not in vain - because it produces hope. Jesus said that those who are thirsty will be filled by his Spirit: "To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21:6b).

Another interesting thing to note from this passage is when the times were that Mr. Vane heard the water running under him. Have you ever waited for the light while in the darkness? Or have you in a moment of a despair and pain needed a comforting hand upon you? (2 Cor. 1:3) It is mystery, but reality that God works most powerfully in our weakness. For these times of despair and pain, we have access to the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that "whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:38).

Curiosity Stepped Up
Our intellectual curiosity comes to nothing if it does not end up in a relationship with Jesus. Jesus Christ is God's way of creating a personal relationship with humanity. A relationship with God is about more than understanding, it's about more than head-knowledge. This is why Christ said the most important thing in this world is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30). The foundation for all relationship is love. And love comes from God (1 John 4:7).
Maybe you've admired some of Jesus Christ's teachings. What are some of your favorite? A seed planted must grow, or it will die (Mark 4:1-20). If we love Him, we will obey Him.

Chapter XVI -
Words, Thoughts, and Prophets

People in today's culture often speak as if their words were meaningless. God's name is spoken flippantly, as an exclamation. At the risk of sounding like an old man, or my uncle, exaggeration is en vogue among youth. To call something "awesome" does not necessarily mean that that something makes one wonder in awe, but can mean merely an approval or affirmation of the details of when and where to meet up with a friend. Words like this have lost their value, because people assume that the words they speak have little meaning or power. Proverbs 18:21 says that "the tongue has the power of life and death." Think about how God created the world: by his very word. In Genesis 1 we see that God speaks, and the world is created. Many times Christians complain or look negatively on a situation without remembering God's word about who we are and what his plans are for us. But the Bible says that it is important that the thoughts we think and the words we speak line up with His will. When the Israelites grumbled against God in the desert, he spoke to the people he had a covenant relationship, saying "As surely as I live, I will do to you the very things I heard you say" (Numbers 14:26-28).

In one of this chapter's philosophical sidebars, MacDonald explains:
"That which is within a man, not that which lies beyond his vision, is the main factor in what is about to befall him: the operation upon him is the event. Foreseeing is not understanding, else surely the prophecy latent in man would come oftener to the surface!"

Not only is what we say important, but how we think is an important part of who we are. Proverbs 23:7 is translated in the King James Version as saying "for as he thinks within himself, so he is." This is not to say that if you imagine yourself as a wealthy business tycoon, you will become such. But who we are is shaped by the way we think. This verse looks at our thoughts as they emanate from our souls. For him who thinks he's enslaved to pornography, he is. For him who has the thought pattern that says he's been freed from that sinful addiction by Christ, he is. Our minds are being renewed in knowledge (Colossians 3:10), and being transformed (Romans 12:2) to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). As the inner transformation happens, so our lives become filled with these things, not earthly riches.

So, what we say is connected to our destinies, and what we think is connected to who we are, but what is the connection between all three?
Jesus said some profound things about this. Matthew 12:33-37 "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." The good things we think turn into good things we speak, which turn into good things for the edification of others. This is the way people work.

The quote taken from MacDonald's book possesses what I believe to be a keen insight into the gift of prophecy. Those of us who haven't grown up in charismatic traditions often think of prophecy as being constrained to predicting the future. The Bible describes the gift as being to strengthen, encourage, and comfort believers (1 Corinthians 14:3), and that nothing a prophet says will go against scripture (implied in 1 Corinthians 14:29). I believe many believers possess the gift of prophecy without knowing it. Unwrap your gift! If you woke up as a child on Christmas morning and saw a bright red box that was just the right shape and size for what you'd been asking all along, would you not unwrap the present? They have the word of God in their hearts, but they're afraid to speak it at the proper time to make it relevant to people. The Spirit stirs in their hearts while praying over another, and words to strengthen, encourage and comfort come to mind. As our minds are transformed to work more like His, so God is able to use our thoughts and our words to communicate His will. Has he given you the gift of prophecy?

Love

"I began to learn that it was impossible to live for oneself even, save in the presence of others -- then, alas, fearfully possible! evil was only through good! selfishness but a parasite on the tree of life! In my own world I had the habit of solitary song; here not a crooning murmur ever parted my lips! There I sang without thinking; here I thought without singing! there I had never had a bosom-friend; here the affection of an idiot would be divinely welcome!" He goes on to talk about how he has changed as a person, having spent time in this new world.
Here Mr. Vane discovers that life for oneself is an oxymoron. It is in fact, not life at all. To live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Christ lived for others. He knew what it was to live fully. There is no life apart from Him. Have you met Christ? How has your life changed since you met Christ?

Leaving Fear With Christ

At the end of the chapter: "Not for a moment had I been afraid. It is true that whoever would cross the threshold of any world, must leave fear behind him; but, for myself, I could claim no part in its absence. No conscious courage was operant in me; simply, I was not afraid. I neither knew why I was not afraid, nor wherefore I might have been afraid. I feared not even fear -- which of all dangers is the most dangerous."
A great passage illustrating Jesus removing our burdens at the cross, or many other analogies of what it's like to be a believer.

Chapter XVII -

Suffering

" 'In this world never trust a person who has once deceived you. Above all, never do anything such a one may ask you to do.'
'Then some evil that is good for you will follow.'
'And if I remember?'
'Some evil that is not good for you, will not follow.' "
If we trust the devil and his demons, we will suffer for it. Not all suffering is directly caused by a sin, but God works for good in all suffering, even the suffering brought on by our sins. If we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7), and his destruction will have no grasp on us.

Chapter XIX -

Vomit

"'We must understand each other!' she said. "-- You have done me the two worst of wrongs-- compelled me to live, and put me to shame : neither of them can I pardon!"
Look at her disdain for life

Chapters XXI and XXII --

Life's Enemy

Woman running with child reminds us of baby moses (Exodus 2 saved from Pharoah), baby Jesus (Luke 2 saved from Herod). Revelation 12 (King Jesus saved from Satan).

p. 294 "I had learned that she was the enemy of children : the Little Ones might be in her danger!" The spotted leopardess, Lilith is the enemy of children, the same way Satan is. Think of Babylon's goddesses who required infant sacrifice.

The terror described in the city of Bulika reminds me of the terror described in Sodhom and Ghomorrah (Genesis 19) and Gibeah (Judges 19). This place needs a faith-hero like Rahab (Joshua 2), or maybe just someone to care for the people sitting at the city center

Chapter XXIII-

Work

" 'Because it is a disgrace to work,' she answered. 'Everybody in Bulika knows that!' "
The sin of this city, like Sodhom and Gomhorrah was pride. Their attitude goes directly against Proverbs that speak of the blessings of work, and Genesis 2 - God gave man work in the garden, instructions to care for it, thus work is good.

Chapter XXV-

The Cross

Lilith's description of how she got to where Mr. Vane found her is interesting. She describes a woman "by no means so powerful as myself, not being immortal, had cast what you call a spell -- which is merely the setting in motion of a force as natural as any other, but operating primarily in a region beyond the ken of the mortal who makes use of the force." Who was that woman? Probably Mara, maybe Eve. My guess is that the spell represents salvation for all who believe - the good news. The stream is God's redemptive love. She couldn't/wouldn't cross the stream. My guess is that her real motive for setting out was to reverse the spell cast at the stream. But, when she got to the stream, she was defeated. Christ defeated Satan where? At the cross - the symbol of the gospel.

Chapter XXVIII -

Weeping

" ' Why Mr. Vane, but for the weeping in it, your world would never have become worth saving!" Weeping prophets (Jeremiah). Matthew 4: Blessed are those who mourn. Jesus wept over Lazarus and Jerusalem. The best ntercessory prayer requires some grief.

Knowledge
" ' Is man's greatest knowledge more than a little? or is it therefore dangerous? The fancy that knowledge is in itself a great thing, would make any degree of knowledge more dangerous than any amount of ignorance. To know all things would not be greatness.' " states Mr. Raven.
Human knowledge tends to be spiritually empty. Having much of it, therefore can be dangerous, because it may lead to false pride. Paul warned followers of Christ: knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1).

Also, page 327, "the fact is, no man understands anything; when he knows he does not understand, that is his first tottering step -- not toward understanding, but toward the capability of one day understanding. " Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there's nothing new under the sun." This is wisdom. Whatever knowledge we attain is fleeting compared with the knowledge that begins in a relationship with God. It is "meaningless" as the writer of Ecclesiastes proclaims. But "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). This is for those seeking true knowledge, lasting, eternal knowledge.

Chapter XXIX -

New Creation

" 'but my Eve repented, and is now beautiful as never was woman or angel, while her groaning, travailing world is the nursery of our Father's children.' " Romans 8:22-26 Are Christians still in the womb? We must be born again, but is this world our waiting room for eternal life?

Why is she (Lilith) left alive after she's shrunk to a house-cat? Why does Satan exist? Why does evil happen, even though Christ won the victory on the cross? Revelation 13-18

Chapter XXXIV -

Our Victory

In the end, Lona takes the throne.
This reminds us of one of Christ's teachings about the end: the last shall become first (Mark 10:31). In his Psalms, King david went from being scoffed at in the "songs of drunkards"(Psalms) to becoming King of Israel. What do you have to share from these last few chapters?