Job, in his valley of the shadow of death, cried: “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat! I would lay my cause before Him and fill my mouth with arguments… But He knows the way that I take. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold… for He performs for me, and of many such matters He is mindful” (Job 23:3-4,10); “Know that God has overthrown and put me in the wrong and has closed His net about me. Behold, I cry out, Violence! But I am not heard; I cry aloud for help, but there is no justice. He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and I am gone; my hope has He pulled up like a tree” (19:6-8). Haven’t we felt like Job in our valley of suffering to the point of giving up? The Bible says that “no temptation has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man. But God is faithful and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently” (I Cor. 10:13).
The psalmist in his trials, directed this question to his soul: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my help and my God” (Ps. 42:5). “Yet, the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (vs.8). YAHSHUA assured the disciples that tribulation was coming their way, but to be of good courage, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He has not left us to suffer alone in the valley of darkness; Acknowledging His presence, believing His word, we lose focus of our pains while in the valley. The words from the chorus, by Helen H. Lemmel, “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace,” leads us to “reflect the Lord’s glory, being transformed into His likeness” (2 Cor. 3:18). There is no better place than in the valley of sufferings of the shadow of death to experience His glory, when we are in tune with His words and with His presence. Life is not roses without the thorns; it bears many of them, showing the reality we must face growing up. Born to die because of sin, we are destined to suffer. The difference life makes however, is when we are “born again; born of Spirit; born anew from above.” But we still have to confront the ups and downs of life and yes, the final valley of death which we all must pass through to eternity. However, for the believer, there is joy passing through that valley, for our hope of eternal salvation is beyond that. Death is for the believer, just a transfer from earth to heaven. At that time, the presence of our Shepherd comforts and guides us. There is no need to fear with Him by our side. We will not walk alone, but He will walk with us to our heavenly destination. Psalm 116: 15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” He wants us to be with Him, and the only way is through death. Many saints have gone through the literal “valley of the shadow of death” when they took their last breath. David said in his psalm 17:15: “As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness; I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].” Paul expresses his yarning to be with the Lord, saying, “But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far, far better.” (Phil. I:23).
We read in the Bible that only two people did not experience death: Enoch and Elijah. They did not have to go through “the valley of the shadow of death.” They were taken to heaven alive; Moses died in the presence of the Lord. He went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah that is opposite Jericho and the Lord showed him all the land- from Gilead to Dan… “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord; and He buried him in the valley of the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor, but no man knows where his tomb is to this day.” (Deut. 34:1,5-6) Many of us may not experience physical death, if the rapture happens in our time. The transformation that will take place in our body when YAHSHUA calls us up will be glorious. We will be as He is when we see Him as He is; and everyone who has this hope in Him cleanses himself just as He is pure (I John 3:2-3). Do you have this hope, my friend? Blessed are you.
Light from the Word 