THE VALLEYS OF LIFE

TEXT: Psalm 23:4

INTRODUCTION: There is a beautiful story about a great crowd of people who had gathered around where a great actor was reciting some choice bits of literature.  Someone said to the great actor, "Do you know the twenty‑third Psalm?" "Yes I do." "Would you recite it for us?" "Yes, I will but on one condition, and that is that the old, gray‑haired preacher sitting here on the front seat recite it after I do.  I wonder if this man, who has been a veteran of the ministry all these many years, will recite it after I do."  The old gray‑haired preacher nodded his head that he would, and then the actor began to recite the Psalm.  His elocution and intonation were absolutely perfect.  His speech was brilliant.  When he finished, the people stood to their feet and brought the house down with applause. When the applause had died down, the old veteran of the cross rose to his feet, walked to the platform and he too began to recite the twenty‑third Psalm.  As he went through the Psalm, you could see him walk arm in arm with Jesus.  When he had finished the last verse, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, " there was no applause, but there was not one dry eye in the house.   People drew out their handkerchiefs and wiped away their tears.  Then the great actor stood to his feet and this is what he said: "I know the twenty‑third Psalm as well as anyone, but this dear man knows the Shepherd of that Psalm as well as any man can know Him."

These are the words of a man who has lived much and thought much, who has sinned greatly and has been greatly forgiven.  The main thought of this Psalm is that God will provide for me, and that he will never leave me in want.  Even in the valley of the shadow of death He will be ever with me.

There are seven valleys mentioned in the Bible.  Each of them has a name that I believe to be significant.

I.           THE VALLEY OF SIDDIM.

A.        This is the valley of the slime pits.

1.      The valley of Siddim is on the very spot where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were.

2.      You recall the awful story in the Bible of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

3.      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."

4.      This is a valley where sin abounded. 

B.        This represents a valley in our lives, the valley of sin. 

1.      It doesn’t matter what your sin, no matter how great your sin, God is still there!

2.      It doesn't matter where you are, or how deep you are in sin, He is there.  If you are in the valley of Siddim, he is there.

II.         THE VALLEY OF ESHCOL.

A.        Eshcol is located just inside the Promised Land.

1.      Do you recall the grapes of Eshcol?

2.      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.  They were gotten in the valley of Eshcol.

3.      What is the valley of Eshcol? 

a)      Eshcol is where the Jews made the decision of their life. 

b)      It was at Eshcol where they had to decide, "Shall we go  forward or shall we go backward?"

c)      It was in the valley of Eshcol where they decided, "Shall we obey God, or shall we go back into the wilderness?"

B.        The valley of Eshcol is the valley of decision.

1.      Young people have some tremendous decisions to make:

a)      Who are you going to marry? 

b)      What is going to be your life's vocation? 

c)      Are you going to college?  If so, which college? 

d)      What is going to be your attitude toward Christianity and the church?  These are tough decisions, but God is there!  He will help you through that valley.

C.        Adults have other types of decisions:

1.      Should I join a church?  If so, which church should I join?

a)      By the way, church membership will continue to decline.  Not because people are no longer accepting Christ, but because they don't want to commit to any one church.  George Bama in his book, THE FROG IN THE KETTLE, says that people will eventually choose about five churches that they enjoy attending, and will choose each Sunday among those five. 

b)      Commitment will decline.  In fact, it is declining.  Not only will folks refuse to commit to something, but if they do commit to something, they will more than likely fail to follow through on that commitment.

2.      Not only will we make decisions concerning church, but concerning job, and job changes.

a)      No matter what the decision is, God is there.

III.       THE VALLEY OF KIDRON.

A.        The valley of Kidron is called now the valley of Jehosophat.

a)      It is the valley just outside the east wall of the city of Jerusalem. 

b)      It is the valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.  The valley of Kidron is a big, deep valley.  There is a cemetery there. Ever since the time of Josiah, it has been a cemetery.  Samson is buried there. Samuel is buried there. James is buried there.  Absalom is buried there.  Many others are buried there in this cemetery in the valley of Kidron. 

B.        This is the valley of suffering. 

1.      David says, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. "

C.        God is in the valley

1.      Of Siddim, the valley of sin. 

2.      Of Eshcol, the valley of decision. 

3.      He is also there in the valley of suffering.

a)      I do not believe that God directly causes a person to suffer.

b)      For example, I do not believe that God says, "I think I will give this brother cancer, this brother a heart attack, or this person a stroke." You see, we are in an earthly house that is prone to all kinds of maladies, and sometimes God permits things to happen to us with a specific purpose in mind.

c)      You will remember the case of Job.  In each of those incidents, whether it was loss of property, loss of family, or loss of health, God permitted the attack by Satan.

d)      You will never know all the cruel things Satan would like to do to you, but God won't let him!  But occasionally God permits Satan to do something to accomplish a particular purpose.

e)      Just remember that God is with you in the Valley of Suffering.

IV.      THE VALLEY OF ELAH.

A.        The valley of Leah is the place where David looked over and saw Goliath cursing God and the army of Israel. 

1.      It was in the valley of Leah where David took his slingshot and killed this mighty giant. 

2.      The valley of Leah was a battlefield, and God was there.

3.      There are times when you and I must battle. 

4.      Perhaps some sin is about to conquer you. 

a)      Perhaps there is one temptation you feel you cannot resist. Remember, God is there.  I Corinthians 10: 13 says, "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."

V.        THE VALLEY OF ACHOR

A.        Achor is the valley of punishment. 

1.      Achor is the valley where Achan was stoned to death. 

2.      When the Israelites 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.  Previously, they had been given that privilege.   Achan saw a coat and said, "My wife sure would like to have that coat." The Lord said not to take anything.  He knew he shouldn't.  Achan saw $185 and said, "I sure could use that.” Achan took the money and the coat, and sin came into the camp.  Then the battle of Ai was lost.  Joshua called all the people and cast lots.  The lot fell on Achan.  God said, "Take him out to the valley and stone him to death." They stoned Achan and his wife and his children.  They named that place the valley of Achor.

B.        Divine punishment is never sent for the good of the sinner.

1.      It is sent because he has violated His law and refused His Son.  Punishment is never for man’s good because it only separates him from God. 

2.      The sinner will go to hell as punishment not rehabilitation. 

3.      God chastens His children, and punishes the sinner.

VI.      THE VALLEY OF GEHENNA

A.        Gehenna was the garbage dump of Jerusalem. 

1.      There was a fire going on there all the time.  When our Lord spoke about hell, He said there shall be "eternal Gehenna.  “In order words, there is going to be eternal fire there.  That is the way it will be forever.  For those who will die without God, I am calling this the valley of death.

2.      Death for a non‑Christian can be a most horrible event.  However, for the child of God it need not be feared.  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.  "

B.        Death is overrated as an enemy. 

1.      It is no enemy at all!  Do you know why?  Because He is there!

VII.    THE VALLEY OF JEZREEL.

A.        The valley of Jezreel is important in the Bible because in that valley the great end‑time battle will be fought. 

1.      It is in the valley of Jezreel where there is found Mount Megiddo, from which comes the word "Armageddon."

a)      It is in the valley of Jezreel where the battle will be fought.

b)      It is in the valley of Jezreel where the Antichrist will rise up as the victor and conqueror of the entire world. 

c)      The man of sin shall be king of all the world. 

d)      The valley of Jezreel is where our Lord shall descend from Heaven and shall come back with His own people, coming back riding on white horses.  He shall come back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and forever we shall be with Him. 

B.        Even in the valley of Jezreel He is there.  It is the Valley of Victory

CONCLUSION

.          If you are in the valley of sin, come to Christ; trust Him as your Saviour. 

.          If you are in the valley of decision, obey Him; do His will.

.          If you are in the valley of suffering, depend on Him.

.          If you are in the valley of battle, fight in His energy. 

.          If you are in the valley of punishment, confess your sin to God.

.          If you may be facing death, realize that He is there. 

 .        Realize, too, that He is coming!  He will bring Victory

                   When He shall come with trumpet sound,

                 O may I then in Him be found,

                 Dressed in His righteousness alone,

                 Faultless to stand before the throne!

As long as there is a Heaven, as long as God lives, as long as the eternal God Who was and is and shall be forever, as long as God lives, He'll be with you.  In the valley or on the mountain top, He is there.