Focus: The Valley Of Life

Text: 1Chron.14:15

"And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: FOR GOD IS GONE FORTH BEFORE THEE to smite the host of the Philistines."

The story is about the Philistines coming against the Israelites in battle, and according to verse 13 of our chapter, the battle was situated in a valley, and going by the information divulged to us by the Septuagint Bible, this valley is known as "The Giants' Valley." In Joshua 15:8 and 18:16, we also find the valley of the giants, with the same Hebrew word.

All of us live in the valley of a world where battles are constantly raging on every side. How many of us really live on mountain-tops? If at all we have people living there, they are very few. Those who have pursued the goal of reaching the mountain-top have gotten there and discovered that there is really nothing there. 

Success has a way of making us feel empty and less fulfilled, especially when the divine void within us is not occupied by God.

It has been asserted by a great sage that whatever you do without God, you either fail miserably or succeed even more miserably. And that is plain truth.

The majority of us reside in the valley, and right there we encounter different kinds of life's experiences and challenges. Life is not all rosy, be it at the top of the mountain or at the depth of the valley. God says to Israel, "The land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys" (Dt.11:11). In this world, depth of the valley experiences are real and top of the mountain experiences are possible. The man in the valley today may end up on the mountain top tomorrow, and the one on the mountain tops today may end up in the depth of the valley tomorrow. You never can tell. My point being that we are all in it together, whether we are up there or down below. It is the same world of ours. Life often nosedives when things alter.

*Sweetless life of the valley 

Now, let us focus on the valley. There are some valleys in the Bible that describe our experiences of life. Isaiah tells us about the valley of Achor, which means trouble (Isa.65:10). Hosea also tells us about the same valley, but adds that God has a door of hope for us right there in that valley (Hos.2:15). The psalmist tells us of the valley of Baca, which means weeping or tears (Ps.84:6). Very many of us are right now in the valley of trouble and tears. Ezekiel found himself in a vision, and in that vision God brought him to an open valley full of bones, and the bones were very dry (Ezk.37:1,2). It was a valley of total helplessness and hopelessness, except God worked a miracle. David paints a picture of another valley, describing it as the "valley of the shadow of death" (Ps.23:4). It is a kind of valley where if we are not careful we may not make it out alive. It is a place where we are battling for survival or escape. Ezekiel mentions the valley of passengers (Ezk.39:11). It is the valley of all travelers, their stopover motel, kind of; their place of rest along the path of life's journey. This valley shows that our valley experiences are not final. We are all passing through. Joel mentions "multitudes in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:14). This valley points to two things: one is that you are not alone in the valley. It is the place of multitudes, a sort of all comers affair. The second is that in that valley where you are, God is calling you to a decision. 

In every valley that you find yourself, you have a choice to make. You must decide for God or against Him. Interestingly, your attitudes and actions announce your decision. We have a moral choice to make, regardless of what our conditions in life are.

Jeremiah tells us about another valley. He says, "See thy way in the valley…" (Jer.2:23). God, in essence, is saying to Ephraim, Don't deny it; don't try to hide the fact that you are romantically involved with Baal. I see your moves in the valley, being so much in love with idols.' Even in our valleys we are keeping idols. We are turning things into idols and worshiping them. Let us locate those idols and banish them from our lives!

*Sovereign God of the valley

God declares to Israel, "Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (1Kgs.20:28). The enemies of God's people thought that taking the battle to the valley would mean their utter defeat, believing that Israel's God was restricted to the mountain. But God proved Himself to be the God of all places, including hills and valleys. Everywhere God is, His impact is always noticeable. 

He is the God of the mountain as well as the God of the valley. In our battles God goes before us to smite our enemies. His presence goes ahead of us, defending and protecting us.

The psalmist says, "He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills" (Ps.104:10). God is with us in the valley. His resources get to the hills as well as the valleys. God's hand of blessing is upon us even right in the valley. In the valley of human experiences God constantly exposes us to His eternal verities, invisible realities and limitless possibilities.

He turns our valley of trouble and tears into the valley of prosperity and peace. He raises an army from the valley of dry bones. He gives us a door of hope right in the valley of trouble. He works wonders in our valley. Even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with us, and He comforts us with His rod and staff.

*Success in the valley

Moses tells Israel, "The Land, wither ye go to POSSESS it, is a land of hills and of valleys." Whether hill or valley, God has given you a place to possess. Possess it; don't let it possess you! Experiences of life are our possessions, not our masters. God has placed us here to dominate, not to be dominated nor be defeated.

Isaiah says, "The burden of the valley of vision…" (Isa.22:1). Another word for burden would be ministry. Here we are dealing with ministry that is born out of vision. In life's valley we can still see visions and become ministers of God in diverse ways. Vision elevates. Vision emboldens. Vision gives one a sense of direction. Vision empowers our spirit and activates our mobility. I pray you never go blind in the valley nor become immobile and useless.

Nehemiah presents to us another valley referred to as the valley of craftsmen (Neh.11:35; also, 1Chron.4:14). It is the valley of craftsmen, of silent cunning, of mechanics, or of "the colony of artisans." This valley speaks of creativity and magical marvels. We can make the most or the best out of the life of the valley. We can work wonders and achieve the incredible. We can make it in the valley.

Solomon says, "I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded" (Song of Sol.6:11). Our valley can produce fruits. Just work on it. Isaiah says, "And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim" (Isa.17:5). In the valley of Rephaim we have harvests to gather. 

Get busy; sow your good seeds, and wait for a great harvest!

Rephaim refers to a nation of giants, but the word itself is capable of two meanings - to sink down, lower, be slack, or let drop; and to heal, repair, refresh, restore, or invigorate. So the valley is what you make of it. It is in our hands to fade, to wane; or to win and to rise.

Another valley is the valley of Berachah. The Scripture says, "And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day" (2Chron.20:26). In this valley God gave Judah victory in battle. They gathered and divided among themselves the spoils of war, and blessed the Lord. 

The battles will yield the spoils. After the battle comes the celebration. From our pain comes our gain. Moses tells us about the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees (Dt.34:3). Jericho signifies fragrance. Let us not lose our spiritual fragrance in the valley! We read of the valley of Zared in Num.21:12. Zared means exuberant in growth, and a place where the shrubberies are lined up. The psalmist says that "the valleys also are covered over with corn" (Ps.65:13). I pray you succeed and excel right in the valley!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter