THE GLOOMY VALLEY

PSALMS 23:4

A. "YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; FOR THOU ART WITH ME"
  1. The words of the text do not necessarily refer to death:
    1. The valley is not the valley of death, though death may come in the valley
    2. The emphasis is on "the valley"
  2. The picture is that of a shepherd leading his sheep through the narrow and dark gorges:
    1. The haunts of wild beasts of prey, where known terrors may lie in wait
    2. It is a valley of deep gloom through which they must pass
    3. But the shepherd is with them all the time, and his presence is their stay and support B. THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
  3. Meaning of this expression as used in the Bible:
    1. In Job 28:3 we read about the stone of darkness, and the shadow of death" - Job 28:3
    2. And in Job 12:22 we read again, "He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death"
    3. In Job 34:22 we read, "There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves"
    4. And, finally, in Amos 5:8 we are told to seek him that...turneth the shadow of death into morning"
  4. Few people entirely escape having to pass through the valley of deep gloom:
    1. Just as the night follows the day, so paths of darkness succeed paths of light
    2. Divine manifestations and approbation at the baptism of Jesus were followed by forty-days and nights in the wilderness with temptation from the devil
    3. There are times when night gathers round the soul, if not in the soul
    4. Life was never meant to be all light; lands of perpetual light are lands of stagnation
    5. The journey's end is never reached without some traveling in the dark valley C. COMFORT FOR THE PILGRIM THAT PASSES THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
  5. He is not alone:
    1. The good shepherd is with him - Is. 44:8
    2. He hears and knows His voice and that takes fear away - John 10:4-5
    3. The all important thing is that God is with us when we pass through the valley of deep gloom and if God be for us, who can be against us - Rom. 8:31-38
  6. The good Shepherd will not lead us through the valley of gloom:
    1. Save it be that he wants to teach us to learn to trust His care; a mother will take her sleepy child to the dark bedroom not to frighten it but to put it to sleep
    2. God allows us to pass through dark experiences not to hurt us, but to draw us closer to himself
    3. When trials and temptations befall us we sense our need of being closer to God and He knows that, therefore, he brings these experiences to us for us to become closer attached to Him
    4. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which is to try you, as though a strange thing happened unto you" - I Pet. 4:12
  7. We know, also, that the gloom of life:
    1. Does not last forever; it will soon be replaced by the sunshine of God;s eternal glory
    2. Job passed through the valley of gloom, perhaps more so than any other human being, save the Son of man, yet look at the end of his experience - Job 42:10-12
    3. David passed through the valley of gloom yet we see the end of it; God place him upon the throne of Israel
    4. Joseph passed through dark, dark days, yet note the end of these days - he became a ruler in Egypt
    5. John, the beloved disciple, was cast into hot oil, he was banished to the Isle of Pathmos, only to receive a panoramic picture of the great triumph of the cause of Jesus Christ
    6. For the moment I may not know why my path leads through the valley of the shadow of death, but someday I will understand and be satisfied


Design © John Bryant 2011