KEY TEXT
1 Kings 20:28 (KJV)- And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, 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.
As Christians, we have to pass through an infinite variety of circumstances which are not always mountain top experiences but valleys.
Chapter 20 of our Key Text tells us that there is a time in Israel when Ahab king of Israel in Samaria had just experienced a great victory in battle against Ben Hadad, King of the Syrians. The Israelites had slaughtered the Syrians with a great slaughter on a mountain in Palestine, but the people of the nation of Syria said that the only reason that they had lost the battle was because they had fought it on the mountain. They claimed that the God of Israel was God of the mountain but not the God of the Valley. The Syrians believed, therefore when the two nations fought in the valley, the Syrians would soundly defeat those Israelites. “Their God cannot deliver them in the valley,” they proudly declared. However, the prophet of God said that God was going to deliver them in the battle again so that the Syrians would know that He is God.
When you are in the valley, the devil will do all he can to convince you that God is not as good to you in that valley as He is on the mountain. He will do all he can to make you think that God is not the God of the valley.
This morning, I want to let you know that God is the God of the Mountain and the God of the Valleys. Regardless of your circumstance or situation, He is still God. My title therefore this morning is – THE GOD OF THE VALLEYS.
There are 4 things I would like to share about THE GOD OF THE VALLEYS:
• The Meaning and Characteristics of Valleys
• The Ten Valleys in the Bible and Its Symbolism
• The God of the Valleys
• The Lily of the Valleys
(I) THE MEANING AND CHARACTERISTICS OF VALLEYS
The term “valley” literally means “an elongated depression in the earth’s surface” and figuratively speaking, it represents “a low spot in a person’s life.”
Are you in a low spot today?
Valleys have common characteristics such as:
• Valleys are unavoidable
They are going to happen in your life. You can count on it.
• Valleys are unpredictable
You cannot plan them or time them. They are unscheduled. They usually come at the worst time when you don’t have time and are unprepared.
• Valleys are impartial
No one is immune. No one escapes the problems of life. Everyone has problems – good people and bad people. Valleys don’t care how good or bad you are.
• Valleys are temporary
They don’t last forever. Dark valleys are not like a cave. Rather, they are like a dark tunnel with light at the other end.
• Valleys have a purpose
God has a reason for taking you through dark valleys. Whether you have a valley full of doubts, despair, discouragement or defeat, God has a reason behind it.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
(II) THE 10 VALLEYS IN THE BIBLE AND ITS SYMBOLISM
I would like to highlight 10 different valleys mentioned in the Bible which represent the different low spots in your life. You should identify which one you are in now and learn to respond correctly.
• THE VALLEY OF SIDDIM
Genesis 13:3, 8,10- And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea)……Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim…..Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them and the rest fled to the mountain.
This is the Valley of the slime pits. Here Chedorlaomer and the confederate kings overthrew the kings of Sodom and the cities of the plain.
The Valley of Siddim was on the very spot where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were. You will recall the awful story in the Bible of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-28). God looked down and saw the wickedness of those wicked and vile cities and said, “I am going to rain fire and brimstone on them.”
The Valley of Siddim symbolizes a valley where sin abounds. It represents a valley in our lives, THE VALLEY OF SIN.
Are you in the valley of sin today? Have you yet to receive Christ as your Savior and Lord? Or as a Christian, are you in the valley of sin, indulging in all kinds of perversion- homosexuality, lesbianism, immorality and pornography? Or are you BACK to the slime pit of sin after Christ has pulled you out of it? Recently Joshua Harris, author of Boy Meets Girl and Marty Sampson, a worship music writer, singer and active member of Hillsong, have publicly denounced their faith on social media. Joshua Harris has now become a LGBTQ. He is back to the Valley of Siddim- the slime pit of sin.
If you are in the Valley of Siddim, the Valley of Sin, return to Christ and receive Christ as your Savior.
• THE VALLEY OF ESHCOL
Numbers 13:23-24- And they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between the two of them; they brought also some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the VALLEY OF ESHCOL because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down from there.
Eschol is located just INSIDE the Promised Land. The Israelites came to the door of the Promised Land at Kadesh-Barnea and they appointed twelve spies. Those spies went over into the Promised Land. They said it was a land that flowed with milk and honey. They brought back some grapes that were so big that it took two men to carry one bunch. Those were the grapes of Eshcol and they were gotten in the Valley of Eshcol.
Eshcol means “cluster”.
The Valley of Eschol is where the children made the DECISION OF THEIR LIFE. It was at Eshcol where they had to decide, “Shall we go forward or shall we go backward?” It was in the Valley of Eshcol where they had to decide, “Shall we obey God or shall we go back to the wilderness?”
The Valley of Eschol symbolizes THE VALLEY OF DECISION.
Young people have some tremendous decisions to make – Who are you going to marry? What is going to be your life’s vocation? Are you going to college, if so, which college? What is going to be your attitude towards Christianity and the church?
Adults also have important decisions to make- Should I join the church or should I leave? Should I be more committed to the church? If so, which ministry should I sign up for? How many children should I have? Should I stick to this same job or should I go overseas to work and leave my family behind? Should I buy a new house or a new car? Should I invest or not?
If you are in valley of decision, still undecided which to choose, remember the outcome of the children of Israel when they chose to go backward instead of forward and they forfeited their land of Canaan. Choices and options always come to you in clusters – so many that you are confused over which to decide. If you are in the valley of decision today and you want to decide correctly, then obey God and do His will. Do not just decide recklessly – Get the commanding scripture from God just as God commanded the children of Israel to enter the land of Canaan but they disobeyed and disbelieved the choice and plan of God for them.
• THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Psalms 23:4- “Yea, though I walk through the VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”.
This is the kind of valley where the bottom is only a matter of 15-20 feet across, but the walls may rise to as high as 800 feet very close together so that at the bottom of the valley, the sun hardly penetrates it. It is a DARK VALLEY. I call it the VALLEY OF DARKNESS. Now there are plenty of this kind of valley in the Judean foothills.
These deep and dark valleys were excellent places for fugitives, just as they were excellent places for robbers. It was also a very dangerous place for sheep. This is the place where the wolves, the lions and the bears were found in Biblical times and any sheep who found itself in such a valley was in the greatest danger.
But Psalms 23 points us to the safety – “Thou art with me.” Here the sheep turned their eyes away from the dangers to the shepherd and the job of the shepherd was to deal with adversaries and foes, and the grievous wolves. If sheep were in danger, their safety was found in the Shepherd.
“Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”- that rod is something like a club, two-feet long with a bulb on the end, perhaps a nail as well and it was a tremendous weapon against wild beasts. So, if you in the hands of a shepherd who loves you so much that He is prepared to give his life for you, you are safe and that shepherd is Jesus.
The valley of the shadow of death is the VALLEY OF DANGER. It represents the whole of our pathway that is connected with danger but safety is found in Him who is our Shepherd, the God of the valley.
The good news is we can approach this valley of the shadow of death in all confidence. In Psalm 23:1-4. David speaks about the Shepherd but when he gets down to verse 4, he no longer talks about the Shepherd. He talks TO the Shepherd – “Thou art with me; thy road and thy staff they comfort me”.
If you are in the Valley of Darkness and Danger, Trust in the Shepherd of Your soul.
• THE VALLEY OF BACA
Psalm 84:5-6- “Blessed are the men whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the VALLEY OF BACA they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
The Valley of Baca will lead you to “situation unknown.”
The Valley of Baca is literally known as the VALLEY OF WEEPING. I call it the VALLEY OF TEARS.
Like the valley of Baca, there are many places of weeping, situation unknown. There are so many unexplainable situations that will cause you to cry. If you lose your husband to a coronary disease or a car accident or your wife or your child to leukemia, then you can locate the area. And there are many areas of sadness among the saints of God that are unidentified.
There are a lot of tears in this world – national disasters, weeping amongst men of the world but there is also a good deal of weeping amongst saints.
There are different kinds of tears we will shed. There are the TEARS OF REMORSE like Esau seeking the blessing with tears (Hebrews 12:17) but the remorse did not get it for him. Then there are the TEARS OF REPENTANCE exemplified by the woman in Luke 7 who shed at the blessed feet of the Lord Jesus with which she washed His feet. Then there are the TEARS OF A SERVANT – “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalms 126:6). Last but not least, there is TEARS FOR THE CHURCH like Paul writing to the Corinthians church “out of much afflictions and anguish of hearts with many tears (2 Cor 2:4). Let’s not forget our Jesus who wept over Jerusalem,
It is against this background that we can begin to appreciate Psalm 84:5: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.” David realized that he had to go through the Valley of Baca, the Valley of Weeping for the EDUCATION of his heart. David trained his heart in his journey in the Valley of Baca to find a well or a spring. He learned to find refreshment in the God of the valley. But that is not the end. “The rain also filled the pools”. Ultimate liberation came through for him.
If you are in the Valley of tears and weeping, train your heart to dig into the well of strength and refreshment in Christ.
• THE VALLEY OF ACHOR
Joshua 7:25-26- And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones; they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day; then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the VALLEY OF ACHOR.
When the children of Israel were preparing to take the city of Jericho, God had made it very clear that no one was to keep any of the possessions for their own. But Achan saw the coat and money and took them and sin came into the camp which led to the defeat of Ai. Joshua called all the people and cast lot. The lot fell on Achan and God commanded that Achan and family be taken to the Valley to be stoned to them.
That Valley is called The Valley of Achor.
The Valley of Achor is the VALLEY OF PUNISHMENT.
Divine punishment always awaits a man who violates the law of God. God punishes the sinners but He chastens His children. If you are in the Valley of punishment for your sins, then the way out is to confess your sins to God like the people in Hosea 14:2- Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips.”
God can transform our Valley of Achor, our Valley of Trouble and Punishment to become door of hope (Hosea 2:15) if we confess our sins to Him.
If you are in the valley of punishment, repent and confess your sins to God.
• THE VALLEY OF KIDRON
John 18:1- When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden which he and his disciples entered.
The Valley of Kidron is now the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
The Valley of Kidron is a big and deep valley. There are cemeteries there. Ever since the time of Josiah, it has been a cemetery. Samson, Samuel, James, Absalom and some other characters of the Bible are buried in the Valley of Kidron.
The Kidron Valley in Hebrew means “dusky, gloomy.” The Kidron Brook flows through the Valley of Jehoshaphat. It symbolizes the VALLEY OF SUFFERING.
John tells us Jesus went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Where is the Kidron Valley relative to the Garden of Gethsemane?
Between the Temple and the Garden was the Kidron Valley.
What is the significance of Jesus walking through the Kidron Valley?
The Old Testament tells us that during the period of the divided kingdom, there were at least 3 cleansings of the Temple and Jerusalem rooftops to remove the altars of the idols that had been erected during times of Israel’s great sins and spiritual backsliding. The first was ASA who destroyed the idols and burned them in the Kidron Valley (1 Kings 15:12-13). The second was HEZEKIAH who on the onset of his reign had the idols and other uncleanness removed and “carried out to the Kidron brook” (2 Chronicles 29:16). The third was JOSIAH who had Hilkiah the high priest remove the idols and reduced them to dust in the Kidron Valley (2 Kings 23:6).
The afternoon before Passover, the Priests would have been sacrificing many lambs on the altar of the temple. John MacArthur writes, “Experiencing the Passion that historical records of Jesus’ time indicate that as many as a quarter million lambs were slain in a typical Passover season, requiring hundreds of priests to carry out the task.” There would be a tremendous amount of blood drained from 250,000 lambs along with the water used in the ritual cleansings.
Where did the water and blood go?
It was drained from the altar area and carried away to the Kidron valley, just outside the Temple Mount walls. In fact, Kidron means “black brook” or “gloomy brook” perhaps named so because of its blood-stained river bed and banks.
Blood and water also flowed from the side of Jesus when “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34).
Jesus’ blood was shed for our redemption and the expiation (removal) of our sins while the water represents “the water of His resurrection life” that flows to us from the cross.
Note that Jesus had to cross the Kidron Valley to get to the Garden of Gethsemane. When Jesus walked through the Kidron Valley, it is likely that Jesus couldn’t help but to be moved by the biblical symbolism that the valley held in terms of sacrifices made “for sins”, the blood of those sacrificial lambs. Jesus knew that as “the Lamb of God”, His blood would soon flow for the sins of the whole world. His crossing the Kidron Valley was confirmation to Him concerning “the cup of the sins of the world that he was about to drink and die for” and that this was the purpose for which He came. He came to die as God’s perfect sacrificial lamb for our sins so that we might be restored to having intimate life-giving relationship with God our Father.
There is another reference to Kidron. When Absalom attempted to usurp the throne from David, 2 Samuel 15:23 tells us David fled Jerusalem and “crossed the Kidron” to the Mount of Olives and wilderness. It is there that he apparently wrote Psalm 3 and Psalm 41. Not only had his own son betrayed him, but so had his closest advisor Ahithophel. When Jesus spoke of Judas betraying him (John 13:18), he referenced that to the prophecy of David’s Psalm 41:9- “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” Ahithophel, like Judas Iscariot, hung himself when the plan fell apart and David’s son, Absalom, was accidentally hanged when riding his donkey under a tree. Of course, it was at Gethsemane, beneath the same Mount of Olives that Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus.
David crossed the Kidron and prayed and worshipped. Our Lord Jesus also prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane at the same spot that David had prayed.
Are you in the Valley of Kidron- suffering for the cause of Christ, going through betrayal by the people you fed and trusted? If so, depend on Jesus for He has gone through the Gethsemane. The cup of suffering for and with Christ is one cup you can never absolve yourself from drinking if you are Christian.
• THE VALLEY OF ELAH
1 Samuel 17:1-2- Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dam’mim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines.
The Valley of Elah was the place where David looked over and saw Goliath cursing God and the army of Israel. It was in the Valley of Elah where David took his slingshot and 5 stones and killed this mighty giant- “Then David said to the Philistines, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied”” (1 Samuel 17:45).
The Valley of Elah is the Valley of Battlefield.
Look at how David defeated Goliath. Saul’s armor could not work for him. He had to find his own weapon to defeat his giant and so must we find our own weapon from God in our prayer time. David selected 5 stones and with it, he brought the enemy down. Consider our Lord Jesus dealing with the enemy of our souls. Jesus did not use all the “five stones” in dealing with temptation. He used only three to defeat the devil in the wilderness and one in the garden when He said, “Not my will but thine be done.” In a world where man does his own will, here was a man who was utterly devoted to God’s will and that “stone” rightly directly, brought the devil down just as David stood on Goliath, drew the sword out of its sheath and with it, cut off Goliath’s head.
On returning to Jerusalem with the head of Goliath in his hand, Saul asked Abner, “Whose son is he?” Abner could not answer. But today we can answer that question- It is the Father’s only Begotten Son in whom He is well pleased- Jehovah’s Servant, God’s King. Jesus has met the adversary and defeated Him at the cross and spoiled the principalities and powers. Today, Jesus is seated at God’s right hand with all power in heaven and earth given to Him and He’s given a name that is above all names, that at His name, every knee shall bow and confess that He is Lord.
Perhaps today, there are some sin and temptation about to conquer you. Perhaps there is one temptation you feel you cannot resist. Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13- “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
If you are in the Valley of Elah, the Valley of Battle, fight in the name of Christ.
• THE VALLEY OF BERACAH
2 Chronicles 20:26 (NKJV)- “And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.
The name Beracah means “blessing” and the people of Judah surely had much reason to bless the Lord. The armies of Moabites and Ammonites and many others, had invaded their land and King Jehoshaphat had no forces sufficient to oppose them.
But Jehoshaphat had already led his people back to the Lord, and now he prayed for their deliverance, acknowledging that the Lord was “God in heaven….so that none is able to withstand thee.” Therefore God replied, through the prophet Jahaziel, that “the battle is not yours, but God’s…..stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:6, 15,17). King Jehoshaphat then instructed his people to sing PRAISES to the Lord. The enemy became confused after the people of God started PRAISING Him. God used the praises of the people to set the invading armies against each other, until all were slain, and God’s people were delivered without even lifting a sword (2 Chronicles 20:23). Jehoshaphat and his people then took three days just to carry the ABUNDANCE of the valuables and precious jewelries of the enemy, because there was so much (2 Chronicles 20:25) and therefore, the name of that place was called ‘THE VALLEY OF BERACAH (2 Chronicles 20:25).
So, the Valley of Beracah symbolizes the VALLEY OF BLESSING. We bless God in our valley by praising Him. This is a very happy valley.
Today God is still the same to His people. The battle is still His and not yours. In Him also you have an ABUNDANCE OF EVERY GOOD THING. We, like the people in the Valley of Beracah, have much for which to bless the Lord, for we also have seen the salvation of God: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12).
Therefore, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me; bless his holy name” (Psalms 103:1).
So, if you are in the Valley of Blessing, praise Him.
• THE VALLEY OF GEHENNA
Jeremiah 7:31-32- And they have built the high place of Topheth, which is the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth or the valley of the son of Hinnom but the valley of Slaughter: for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere.
In the Hebrew Bible, Gehenna was initially where some of the kings of Judah sacrificed their children by fire. During the OT, there was a fire going on in this Valley of Hinnom all the time. Thereafter, it was deemed to be cursed. The VALLEY OF HINNOM is the modern name for the valley surrounding Jerusalem’s Old City, including Mount Zion, from the west and south.
Another Greek word that is translated hell is “Gehenna”. This word is used 12 times in the NT with Jesus employing it 11 times. Gehenna is derived from the Hebrew ge Hinnom or the “valley of Hinnom”.
In the NT, Jesus used Gehenna as an illustration of the final judgment of the wicked. Gehenna is known as the waste-paper basket of Israel. Gehenna is the permanent place where both the body and the soul are reunited to spend eternity apart from God. It is located outside the New Jerusalem, the place where believers will be with the Lord.
The Valley of Gehenna is the VALLEY OF DEATH.
Death for a non-Christian can be the most horrifying event. However, for the children of God, we need not fear death because Christ has conquered death on the cross so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life in heaven (2 Timothy 1:10; Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14).
If you are facing death today, realize that death for a Christian is the gateway to eternal life in Christ. “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-56).
• THE VALLEY OF JEZREEL
Revelation 16:16- And they assembled them at the place which is called in Hebrew Armageddon.
The Valley of Jezreel is important in the Bible because in that valley, the great end-time battle will be fought.
It is in the Valley of Jezreel where Mount Megiddo is and that is where we derive the word “Armageddon.” It is in the valley of Jezreel where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought at the second coming of Christ. It is at the valley of Jezreel that Antichrist will rise up as victor and conqueror of the entire world. It is at Mount Megiddo where our Lord will descend from Heaven with His saints on white horses as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He shall slay Antichrist and his evil army assembled at the Valley of Jezreel.
The Valley of Jezreel symbolizes the VALLEY OF VICTORY.
Those of us who are waiting for Christ’s second coming, realize that He is coming back again to bring Victory to us.
(III) THE GOD OF THE VALLEYS
THAT IS WHO HE IS!
Jesus is the God of the Valley because He has Himself has gone through….
• The Valley of Siddim- the Valley of Sin
“For He made Him who knew no sin TO BE SIN for us…” 2 Corinthians 5:21
• The Valley of Eshcol -the Valley of Decision
Then he [Jesus] said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” -Hebrews 10:9
• The Valley of The Shadow of Death- the Valley of Darkness and Danger
When Jesus was crucified on the cross, his life hung between life and death – he was going through the Valley of the shadow of death.
• The Valley of Baca- The Valley of Weeping
Jesus wept for Jerusalem. Jesus wept for Lazarus
• The Valley of Achor – The Valley of Punishment
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
• The Valley of Kidron – The Valley of Suffering
Jesus went through suffering at Gethsemane, the Road of Golgotha and finally crucifixion on Calvary Hill.
• The Valley of Elah- The Valley of Battle
Jesus battled with the devil at the wilderness and won. Jesus battled with the devil at the cross and won.
• The Valley of Beracah – The Valley of Blessing
“to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory” Ephesians 1:12
• The Valley of Gehenna – The Valley of Death
Jesus descended to hell to preach to the spirits in prison – 1 Peter 3:19
• The Valley of Jezreel – The Valley of Victory
Christ will come back again at Mount Megiddo and fight the Battle of Armageddon against Antichrist and his army at the Valley of Jezreel.
(IV) THE LILY OF THE VALLEYS
THAT IS WHO WE ARE
Lily of the valley is a species of the flower that thrives greatly in valleys and among thorns.
The “Lily of the Valley” is popular in song but the Scripture does not point to Jesus as the Lily of the Valley as the song warrants us to believe.
“Lily of the Valley” appears many times in the Song of Solomon. “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys” (Song of Solomon 2:1). Here the Lily of the Valley points to the Shunamite woman and not Solomon. The Shunamite woman is a type of the church.
We, the church, are the Lilies of the Valley and if we are intimately connected to Jesus, our Lover, personified in the love relationship between Solomon and the Shunamite woman, then we will reflect the glory of the Lilies of the Valley:
• Sweet and strong fragrance
Even in our valleys, we still exude the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15)
• White and very beautiful
Purity – pure, blameless and beautiful bride of Christ (Ephesian 5:27)
• Fruitful
One root of lily may put forth 50 bulbs
Hosea 14:5- I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily……
• Tallest of flowers yet hangs its head down
Greatness of Christ yet with humility- “He who abides in me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
• Has many medicinal qualities
Brings healing to many people – “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings we suffer” -2 Corinthians 1:6
If you are in any of the following:
Valley of Sin (Siddim) – receive Him as your Savior
Valley of Decision (Eshcol) – obey Him and do His will
Valley of Darkness and Danger (Valley of the shadow of death) – Trust Him as the Shepherd of your soul
Valley of Weeping (Baca) – train your heart to dig into the well of God’s strength
Valley of Punishment (Achor) – repent and confess your sins to Christ
Valley of Suffering (Kidron) – depend on Him
Valley of Battle (Elah) – fight in the name of Christ
Valley of Blessing (Beracah) – praise Him
Valley of death (Gehenna) – realize He is there
Valley of Jezreel – wait for His second coming to bring the ultimate victory.
If you want to go through the different valleys in your life victoriously, YOU MUST KNOW WHO YOUR GOD IS– He is the God of the Valleys. You are not alone for “thou art with me”. The God of the Mountain, the God of your good times is also the God of your Valley- the God of your bad times. Jesus is there in every of your valley experience because He himself has undergone every one of the Valley Himself and therefore He is able to help you navigate your Valley victoriously.
Do not disconnect yourself from this God of the Valley but hold on to Him. Let your valley experience drive you to develop an intimate love relationship with Jesus- the Lover of your soul because out of that intimate love relationship, Jesus, the God of the Valley will make you, His bride, His church to be the Lily of the Valley. The valley will not break you but make you to be the sweet aroma of Christ, to be pure, to be fruitful, to be glorious yet humble and above all, to bring comfort and healing to others as a result of your valley experiences.
– End –
PREACHED AT ETAB 1ST ENGLISH SERVICE ON 1 SEP 2019
