Valleys: Part 1

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

April 28, 2022

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

A valley, in the natural realm, is a low area between hills or mountains, often with a river running through it. A valley can also mean a low point or interval in any process or situation; for example, any place, period, or situation that is filled with fear, gloom, foreboding, or the like, such as the valley of despair.

About 30 different valleys are mentioned by name in the Bible. Each one of those named valleys undoubtedly has significance. Moreover, about 10 more valleys with no names are mentioned, such as the valley of salt, the valley of decision, and the valley of the giants, where spiritual warfare occurs. In this message it seemed good to start by focusing on the Maker of all true valleys ... the Lord Jesus Himself, who is the Bridegroom, and His relationship with the Bride of Christ. We could say that the sub-title of this message is "The Lily of the Valleys." In our next two messages, I hope to share with you some of the spiritual significance of several of the different valleys, such as the valley of vision, the valley of decision, the valley of Baca, and the valley of Achor.

Men like to dwell in valleys. Lot, for example, chose the well-watered plain of Jordan (Genesis 13:10). The word, plain, means a wide level valley between mountains. In addition, 80 per cent of people in the United States live within 60 miles of the coast, for example, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Jacksonville, FL., and New Orleans. In general, a valley refers to a place which may look nice to the natural eye, but not the place where the Lord desires us to remain forever.

The first occurrence in the Bible of a valley is in Genesis 11:2-4. 

"And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

Those three verses are worth a complete message all by themselves. The word "plain" in verse 2 means a valley. Verse 3 speaks of substitutes ... brick for stone and slime for morter. The modern-day church still substitutes things in the natural realm that are intended to be in the spiritual realm, such as the traditions of men and idols of gold and silver. Moreover, burning the brick instead of letting the sun dry them shows a lack of patience. Verse 4 indicates their desire to reach heaven through their own works, which of course the Lord would never allow ... the work of man instead of the work of God. "Let us make us a name" also indicates pride in self. Finally, the desire to stay together has never changed. It is reflected today by the so-called ecumenical movement.

Every human being is born in a spiritual valley. Instead of dwelling in valleys, the Lord desires His people to climb the highest mountain. That highest mountain is the kingdom of God; it is spiritual Zion, the place where God dwells. Mountains in Scripture refer to kingdoms. A number of significant events happened in mountains. The giving of the law at Mount Horeb (or Sinai); the ark after the flood came to rest on the mountains of Ararat; the slaying of the prophets of Baal by Elijah at Mount Carmel; the Mount of Olives, where Jesus frequently prayed; the mountain where Abraham was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac; the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John; and the mountain where Jesus gave His first great teaching as recorded in Matthew, Chapters 5-7.

Isaiah 40:9, "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!"

Note that both Zion and Jerusalem bring good tidings. Note also that Jerusalem speaks but Zion is exhorted to get up into the high mountain. The spiritual path of maturity or progression in the life of a believer is intended to be from Israel to Judah to Jerusalem to Zion, which is "the" high mountain spoken of in Isaiah 40:9. The use of "the" makes something unique. There is none like our God! Zion represents the place where we are simply to "be" ... Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Psalm 76:1-2, "To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. In Judah is God known: His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion. "

Neginoth means an "instrument of ten strings." That is you and me and every true believer. The Chief Musician is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Conductor. As stated before, we should begin our sharing of valleys by focusing on the Person of the Lord, who is the Lily of the valleys. We will concentrate this first message on a few thoughts from the Song of Solomon, followed by some thoughts from Hosea, Chapter 14. No doubt, many books and commentaries have been written about the Song of Solomon. Many different interpretations of the book also have been set forth. The title in the Hebrew text is "Solomon's Song of Songs," which means the greatest of songs. Deuteronomy 10:17 says, 

"For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:" 

By the same token, from 1 Timothy 6:15, He is "King of kings."

The vast majority of saints over the years agree that the book titled, "Song of Solomon," is an allegory of the love relationship between God and Israel, or between Christ and the bride of Christ, or between Christ and the Church, or between Christ and the souls of men. To reduce the essence of this book to a natural love affair between a Shulammite maiden and a male suitor, perhaps Solomon, himself, would be very tragic. I believe it is very safe to say that the young Shulammite maiden is a type of a Christian in her journey of love toward becoming part of the bride of Christ.

Now let us turn to the Song of Solomon 2:1-2.

1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

Two diametrically opposite interpretations of this verse have existed for many years. Some ministers and Bible scholars believe that the maiden is speaking here and represents the bride of Christ. For the bride of Christ to say "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys" sounds very much like a boast, but love does not boast. In my lifetime I have heard some say they are a prophet; others call themselves Reverend Doctor so-and-so. If we need to tell others our title or what our ministry is, or all that have been saved under MY ministry, that hints strongly of pride or perhaps of a lack of humility.

Further, Jesus is the only One who has the right to say, "I AM the ..." Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, said, 

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 

Those three verses help to explain what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, 

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Therefore, the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys both refer to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. To repeat, the word, "the," makes something or someone unique. The Hebrew word, sharon, means "a plain or a level place." The rose of Sharon grows in dry, unfavorable conditions. Its root system, like that of the lily, is quite shallow. This verse is saying that Jesus is Lord of all newly apprehended Christians. Other metaphors affirm that Jesus is Lord not only of every valley but of every mountain and everything at every level. Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.

Now, concerning the lily of the valleys, the Lord Jesus is the Lily of every valley. Jesus is totally perfect in His nature and personality. Jesus is perfect love just as the rose is the most perfect of all flowers in its looks, beauty and smell. A man usually does not consider giving his wife some daisies on her birthday; instead, he gives her the best roses that he can find. Jesus wants all of us to realize how special His love is for us. He wants more than anything else to be able to enter into a personal love relationship with each one of us.

Now let us consider Matthew 6:28-29. 

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

A lily is a very noble plant that grows to a considerable height. The lily multiplies exceedingly, but has a weak root and soon fades. The church is weak in herself, but is strong in Christ who supports her. The wicked, the daughters of this world, who have more self-love than love for Christ, are as thorns, hurtful and useless. But the lilies now among thorns shall be transplanted into that paradise where there is no brier or thorn. Verse 28 speaks of lilies, plural. A "lily" represents the beauty and purity of the soul in Christ by grace. Lilies, with their dazzling whiteness, represent souls in which Christ takes delight. The root of the lily lies buried in the earth a long time, when it seems as if it were dead; but suddenly it springs out of the earth, grows to a great height, and becomes very flourishing; which is not because of itself because it "toils not." Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. The bride of Christ is clothed with fine linen, clean and white, the white raiment of Christ's righteousness, and have their garments washed and made white in His blood. God's elect at natural birth are dead, but being quickened by the grace of God, spring up suddenly and grow very fast, which is not because of themselves, but because of the dew of divine grace and the bright shining of the sun of righteousness upon them. Therefore, they grow up high into their Head, Christ Jesus, rise up in faith and hope to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and become fruitful in grace and in good works.

Song of Solomon 2:2. 

2 As the lily among thorns, so is My love among the daughters.

"As the lily among thorns." That brings to my mind John 1:11, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Despite being rejected by those He came to save, He still has great love for them ... those whose thoughts and deeds were focused primarily on self. Again, "the lily" is the Lord Jesus. Lilies, plural, represent born-from-above believers. As lilies live in this world among thorns, so you and I must grow up in a sinful world. Thorns don't hurt each other. That's because they are so hard and don't feel the barbs of other thorns around them. But thorns can easily wound tender lilies. Sin will always hurt us.

Hosea 14:1-9 speaks of the will of God for His chosen people.

1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

That verse clearly speaks of repentance. The phrase, "O Israel, return unto the Lord" clearly is a message from the Lord to His church. "Return" means to come back to the sweet relationship you once had with the Lord. The church at Ephesus left their first love.

2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Verses 2 and 3 also speak of repentance on the part of God's chosen people. What are the calves of our lips? The word "calves" can be translated as "bullocks." The sacrifice was always to be a male animal as indicating strength and energy. Deuteronomy 6:5, and many more verses, says,

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." 

In Old Testament days, a bullock was the largest and most expensive animal used as a sacrifice. Therefore, "we render the calves of our lips" means the fulfillment of Hebrews 13:15, 

"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."

3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

The name "Asshur" means a level plain. It was the first town in Assyria and represents worldliness. Horses speak of the strength and power of the natural man. This verse speaks of true repentance and the desire for mercy from the Lord.

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

Verses 4 and 5 speak of the forgiveness and restoration of those who truly repent. "I will be as the dew unto Israel." The elect are those who have set their affections on things above and not on things on the earth. Unless we have renounced the mess of pottage and taken Christ to be our all, we have no well-founded hope, and we have no right to apply this promise to ourself, "I will be as the dew unto Israel." How can we lilies flourish, except we receive moisture from heaven, and the dew refreshes us that we may renew our strength? We become dry and destitute of all vigor when God withdraws His favor. Proverbs 19:12, "The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but His favour is as dew upon the grass."

He shall flourish as the lily, and he shall send forth his roots. A lily rises in one night, so sudden would be the change. But though they would be like lilies, they also would be like tall trees, which have deep roots in the ground, by which they remain firm and flourish for a long time. God will not have His people all flower and foliage. He wants us also to take deep root. We must be both growing up and growing down ... to be rooted in humility while growing up in zeal. After having grown up, the Christian "casts forth his roots as Lebanon;" that is, he gets smaller in his own esteem. That is called humility. To grow downward denotes stability. When we are first brought to God, we are like the lily, blown about by the wind; afterwards we grow downwards, and become firm. The prevailing lack of this age is not so much in respect to growing upwards as growing downwards.

We are rooted in Christ, from whom we have our life, our nourishment and fruitfulness. When we remain unmoved, by renewed acts of faith in Him, and are so strongly rooted and grounded, in Christ, then all the winds and storms of sin, Satan, and the world, cannot distract us. Paul speaks in Ephesians 3:17 of those who are "rooted and grounded in love." 

Psalm 72:6, "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth."

The dew quickens and refreshes us ... descending, Himself, into the dried and parched hearts of men, as He says, "We will come unto him and make Our abode in him" John 14:23. The grace of God, like the dew, is not given once for all, but is renewed day by day. It does not pass away.

"The dew," which comes from heaven, is a great blessing of God, and is quickening, refreshing, and fruitful to the earth. The Lord is unto his people as the dew is to plants and trees of the earth; better than life itself; and is not only the cause of quickening dead sinners, but of reviving, and refreshing the drooping spirits of His people. It is abundant and never fails.

The Christian is like a plant which cannot be watered by any water that is to be found on earth, a plant which needs heavenly watering, even the dew from above. Grace, like the dew, often comes down imperceptibly into man's heart. When did the dew tell us that it was about to fall? Who ever heard the footsteps of the dew coming down upon the grass? We see it when it has fallen; but who saw it come? Likewise, Christianity is very often imperceptible in its operations. The work of grace in man's heart is like the "still small voice." Much that God does, He does in silence. Many beautiful flowers open in silence, and no man hears the sound thereof. If the dew is sometimes imperceptible, it is always sufficient. If God waters the earth with dew, a man would be foolish to go afterwards to apply even more water. God's grace, when it comes upon man's heart, is all-sufficient. God may, if He pleases, withhold the dew, that He may make a nation fear before Him, but He always sends the dew in its appointed time. As we need and want grace, so shall we find it.

From Verse 5, the cedar of Lebanon is the most enduring living thing that the ancient Hebrews knew. Growing to a height of 100 feet, the cedar of Lebanon is also the tallest tree in the region.This evergreen tree grows slowly but steadily. It takes longer to bear fruit than most trees, but the cedar of Lebanon will continue to bear fruit for centuries after other trees have decayed.

Psalm 92:12-14, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;" 

Lebanese cedars were used to construct the temple in Jerusalem. Like the cedar that was used to build the house of the Lord, we too can be planted in God's presence. This enables us to keep on growing, regardless of storms or trials that come our way.

No one image can exhibit the manifold grace of God in those who are His own. Each image supplies a distinct likeness of a distinct grace. The "cedar" of Lebanon is noted for its strength, deep-rootedness, and uprightness. The fragrance of the aromatic plants with which the lower parts of Mount Lebanon are decked are noted for their loveliness and sweetness.

Hosea 14:6, "His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon."

The wide-spreading branches are a representation of the gradual growth and enlargement of each member of the Church. We have been a lily straight up, with no branches at all, but now our roots have struck deep into the ground, like the cedars of Lebanon. The next thing we do is to send forth branches. The little lily, which was at first a tiny plant, now grows into a tree, and his branches spread. No man can have grace in his heart and keep it a secret. "Thy speech betrayeth thee," said the maid to Peter. Our speech will betray us, if we are disciples.

Some believers are so self-absorbed that it is enough for them just to go to heaven. But true Christianity will be expansive and caring for others. The more of Christ a man has, the more useful he will be in his day. If we look at all the ministers that have been useful, they were not distinguished by great talent so much as by great grace. Amos said, 

"I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel." 

God can bless a poor, unsophisticated country man to the salvation of hundreds if he has grace; but a learned man with many theological degrees may preach in vain if he has no grace.

The evergreen "olive tree" also speaks of the unvarying presence of Divine Grace, which continually supplies freshness and produces fruit. The olive tree is an evergreen and so is the beauty of a Christian. He has a beauty which does not fade away, as it does from other trees, but lives forever. We sometimes esteem one of our members more than others because of his wealth or his eloquence or his talents, but God ranks us all according to our fruitfulness. The most beautiful tree in a garden is the one that bears the most fruit. There is a promise given to a Christian that after his branches have spread, his beauty shall be as the olive tree; that is, he shall grow and be laden with fruit. 

"I am like a green olive tree in the house of God" Psalm 52:8.

The smell of Lebanon is the sweet and grateful smell the Lord smells in His people. The smell also means the report which will go out concerning a man. It is said that the flowers of the aromatic herbs in Lebanon cast up a most delicious perfume. Was a flower ever concerned about its odor or about what people would think of it? Did a rose ever have a law-suit with a thorn, because the thorn said the rose did not smell sweetly?

Back to Hosea 14:7. "They that dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon." 

Let us consider each part of this verse. "They that dwell under His shadow shall return." The word, "return," could imply repentance. However, in this context I believe that refers to 

Ecclesiastes 12:7, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."

Psalm 91:1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

Acts 5:14-16, "And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one." 

The next phrase of Hosea, Verse 7, is "they shall revive as the corn." Would you believe that we could get almost a full message simply about the significance of corn? In the Bible, the word "corn" is used for grains in general, such as wheat, and is used symbolically to indicate spiritual goodness, abundance, and life. The word "corn" can also be translated as "increase." Many cultures regarded corn as a symbol of longevity, prosperity, and protection. With its many seeds, corn is also a symbol of fertility and rebirth. Jesus said, in John 12:24, 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." 

That specific corn of wheat speaks of Jesus. Because of His ultimate sacrifice at Calvary, He brings forth much fruit, which is all born-from-above believers. If we think about that verse in John 12:24, how can anything that is dead bring forth fruit? because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Whenever we Christians are dead to self, then the fruit of the Spirit will be made manifest in abundance. As food for thought, when a righteous man dies may he leave behind generations of Godly seeds to follow after the Lord.

Isaac prophesied over Jacob, in Genesis 27:28,

"Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:"

We might recall that Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's two dreams, wherein God said there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Therefore, Joseph stored up plenty of corn for the lean years that were to come. Corn seems to be the best staple to eat in the natural realm. Our staple in the spiritual realm is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the bread of life.

Psalm 65:9-13.

9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

How can we revive as corn? Simply removing the dead leaves from the plant will bring it back to life. After that, gradually reintroduce the plant to water. This allows it to become used to the concept of being watered once more. What an amazing God we serve! He has built resurrection life even into dead plants of corn.

The next phrase in Verse 7 of Hosea 14 is "[they shall] grow as the vine." Who is "they"? You and me and every born-from-above believer. Vines grow up by the side of walls or trees. They could not grow up themselves if there were not some prop against which they could lean for support. Grape vines must be propped up by trellises; otherwise, we could not make wine. Our Prop is the Lord Jesus. He holds us up and maintains us. The Lord also uses older, more mature Christians to help to prop up younger believers. Jesus is also the Vine. Jesus said, in John 15:5,

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." 

In other words, Christ is our all in all.

The ivy that is twisted around a tree shields a tree from the blast and helps to keep him upright. The Christian man, by a godly conversation and behavior, spreads the sweetness of perfume wherever he goes. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another" not about one another. When we meet together, there is too little talk about Christ Jesus, the glory of His kingdom, and the greatness of His power. A true Christian will leave a scent behind him in his conversation; and when he is dead, there will still be a sweet savor left. We should so live, that our name in our private circles, if not elsewhere, may be mentioned with honor, and it may be said of us, "he was one who reflected his Master's image, and who sought to adorn the doctrine of God his Savior in all things."

The last phrase in Verse 7 is "the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon." Lebanon wine country has been making extremely long-lasting world-class wine for generations. It is said of the wine of Lebanon, that if you pour some into a glass the flavor of it will remain for a long time after the wine is gone. Likewise, with the old Christian, he has got a savory conversation, He talks of the things of the kingdom, and leaves a perfume behind him which lasts for weeks afterwards and we say, "What a sweet savor there was about him!"

2 Corinthians 2:14, "Thanks be to God, which maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place."

Back to Hosea, Chapter 14 and verse 8.


8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard Him, and observed Him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Song of Solomon 6:2-3, "My beloved is gone down into His garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: He feedeth among the lilies."

Those verses speak of the second coming of Jesus. He will return to His garden to gather lilies. The lilies, once more, are all the Christians who have put their full trust in and obedience to the Lord. "He feedeth among the lilies." We are His inheritance and He desires to sup with us in His banqueting house. "He brought us to the banqueting house and His banner over us is love" (Song of Solomon 2:4). Jesus said, in John 4:32, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Jesus said, in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." And in John 15:10, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love."

Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Valleys: Part 2

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

May 5, 2022

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In our previous message we shared some thoughts about valleys in general and then about the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys, both of which speak about the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then we shared a few verses from the Song of Solomon and the 14th chapter of the book of Hosea. Among other things, we mentioned that the dew from heaven speaks of the amazing grace of God. One of the most amazing things that I personally received from that message last week is that the Lord has built resurrection life into all nature, even plants of corn, which can be revived simply by removing all of the dead leaves and supplying the water of life again to the plant.

In our message tonight I want to first of all share some thoughts with you about the valley of decision, which is mentioned only once, in Joel, Chapter 3 and verse 14. Then we will share a few thoughts about the valley of Achor, primarily from Hosea, Chapter 2.

As an introduction, we should not try to interpret Scripture based on traditions of men or by using our natural, logical reasoning. One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to shed light on the word of God. In addition, we also need to look at Scripture in context. Now let us consider The Valley of Decision.

Joel 3:14, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

Many evangelicals have drawn from this passage to challenge audiences to "make a decision" for Christ. That plea is usually preceded by some soothing song or hymn, such as "Just As I Am," which hopefully will stir the emotions of the audience and help to persuade some to "come to the altar" and receive Jesus into their heart. However, that is not what Joel 3:14 refers to. That is another example of humanism ... where we decide if we want to be a Christian. That promotes a man-centered religion and results in a mixed multitude in every church. Moreover, if the way we are born-from-above is based simply on our decision, then we don't need our conscience, which is part of our spirit, or the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin. Unless God calls us, we cannot go to Him. The good news is that many are called. The bad news is that few are chosen because few choose. Jesus said, in John 17:6-10, 

"I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them." 

The word "decision" throws us off course, because it has come to mean something different now than it did when the KJV was translated. In reality, the words "decide" or "decision" never appear in the New Testament. The only possible exception is in 1 Corinthians 6:5, 

"I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" 

The word "judge" can be translated as "decide" or to "separate thoroughly."

The valley of decision is the same as the valley of Jehoshaphat, which occurs only twice in the Bible, in Joel 3:2 and Joel 3:10. Geographers tell us it is not a natural, physical location in the middle east; it is the spiritual place where God is to execute judgment on His enemies. The name "Jehoshaphat" means "the Lord judges" or "the Lord is judge." The context of Joel 3 clarifies that this is a time when God judges the earth. Joel 3, Verse 2 says, 

"I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel." 

It is God who is making the decision, not the multitudes - separating the wheat from the chaff, a "threshing" if you will. Only He knows the hearts of men. We have to judge by the sight of the eye and the hearing of the ear. He reads the heart. The "valley of decision" in Joel 3:14 is not about humans choosing whether or not to accept Christ; it is God handing down His decision of judgment at the end of the tribulation. Wickedness will be dealt with decisively, swiftly and justly. Joel's prophecy of the valley of decision finds its New Testament counterpart in the separation of the sheep and the goats as recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. In the parable of the good seed and the tares, Jesus said, in Matthew 13:30, 

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

The focus of Joel 3 is on the future day of the Lord. This time will include a gathering of the nations (verse 2), a judgment on wickedness (verse 13), and when the sun, moon, and stars shall be darkened (verse 15).

Immediately following the prophecy of judgment, Joel transitions to a description of the Lord's millennial reign, a literal 1,000-year time period that follows the tribulation. During the millennium Christ rules as king. Many passages, including Joel 3:18-21, describe this time in great detail. Further, Revelation 20:1-7 refers to "1,000 years" six times. It seems that God desires us to know that the millennial kingdom is a literal time period. This should be of great interest to every true believer in Christ, because Scripture indicates that only the overcomers, the remnant, will rule and reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years.

All of what we have just shared does not mean that born-again Christians have no decisions to make. Quite the contrary. When God created man, He gave man a free will. Angels also have free will, otherwise no angel, like Lucifer, would ever have fallen. God could have created robots ... those who would always do His will, but apparently that would have given Him no pleasure. God so loved the world that He created ... God said everything that He created was very good. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Because we have a free will, we always have a choice. The natural man always chooses things for his own personal benefit. After man is born from above, he still has a free will. Sadly, too many professing Christians still choose things for their self, based on what we think will result in our greater personal benefit. That is called human nature. That is also called unbelief. Although we may all say that we want to do the will of God and that we want the Lord to make our difficult decisions for us, our actions often indicate something different. 

Romans 2:13, "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

We all make decisions every day. Some of our decisions are rather inconsequential, such as what clothes should I wear today or what, if anything, should I eat for breakfast this morning. Many long years ago a Christian woman was in our home one day. She had not eaten any food for a while. My wife asked her if she would like to make a sandwich for herself. She said "yes," so my wife got out plenty of food to make a nice sandwich. The woman stood in the middle of our kitchen, looked up to the ceiling, and said, "Lord, shall I put the mayonnaise or the mustard on the bread first?" We said nothing but I doubt that the Lord cared which of the two she put on the bread first. Other decisions are much more important, such as who we should marry, if anyone; what job should we pursue; where should we live; and what church should we attend.

About 25 years ago I read a large book by Janis and Mann titled, "Decision Making: A psychological analysis of conflict, choice, and commitment." That book is considered a classic and presents a general descriptive theory of decision making under stress. After I read that book, I recognized that I do not make decisions based on the model the authors present. Therefore, as part of a graduate course I was taking, I wrote a 32-page paper describing the spiritual aspects of decision making.

Jesus, as a Man on earth also had a free will.

Luke 22:39-43.


39 And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the mount of Olives; and His disciples also followed Him.

40 And when He was at the place, He said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work."

Hebrews 10:7-9, "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said He, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second." 

 

Matthew 7:21, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Matthew 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

About 10 or 12 years ago I met a good brother at our local post office and he invited me to visit the church in Washington, D.C. that he attended. One Sunday morning I went to that church. A middle-age woman was the teacher. At some point she said that it was possible for Jesus as a Man to sin. Then her mother interrupted and said that no, Jesus could never have sinned. The mother then said that she was the pastor of that church and that whatever she said was true. The rest of that gathering was consumed with the arguing back and forth between the daughter and the mother. I wanted to get up and leave, but I endured all things. However, I never went back to that church. Perhaps we should ask that same question. Was it possible for Jesus, as a Man, to sin? My answer is yes, of course, Jesus could have sinned. Like us, He had free will, either to do what is right or to do what is wrong. He had taken on the humanity of man. He was tempted to anger at the hypocritical Pharisees. The devil is not stupid. He may know more scripture than we do. After all, the devil was in the presence of the Lord before God created man. Also, if Jesus could not sin, then there was never any need for Him to be tempted, but we know that He was tempted by the devil 6 times ... 3 times as recorded in Luke, chapter 4, which then says the devil ended the temptation for a season, and then 3 more times as recorded in Matthew, chapter 4, after which the devil left Him. Although Jesus could have sinned, He never did. 

2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

1 Peter 2:20-25, "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

Jesus said, in John 7:17, "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

It is no secret that Christians argue about the doctrinal significance of a number of Scriptures. From John 7:17, apparently that implies that some Christians do not will to do His will. There will come a decision in which the true believers will be separated from those who were not sold out to God.

What is the "decision" that we born-again Christians must make from time to time? It is the same decision that man has always been faced with. It is the same decision as in the time of Moses, recorded in Deuteronomy 30:15-20. 

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Exodus 32:25-26, "And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him."

The people were naked ... they were not clothed upon with the garments of righteousness provided by the Lord. Aaron had made them naked. Aaron yielded to the will of the people rather than the will of God. This may prophesy of the "ministers of the house" (Ezekiel 44) who have not fed the people with the whole truth of the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 5:1-4. 

1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

The decision always is, "Who is on the Lord's side? Who is "all in" that the Lord might have His way?" Only the sons of Levi gathered themselves to Moses. That is why, "And He shall purify the sons of Levi" (Malachi 3:3). What about the sons of the other 11 tribes? They have been, are, and will be in the valley of decision. Further, what happened to all of those 3000 folks who did NOT step forward and declare they were on the Lord's side? They were slain with the sword (Exodus 32:27-28).

We read of this same truth with respect to Elijah.

1 Kings 18:21, "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word."

Amazing! The people answered him not a word! Then (1 Kings 18:22-38) the power of God was demonstrated in a mighty and dramatic way through Elijah. After the people saw that demonstration of the power of God, "they fell on their feet, and they said, The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God" (1 Kings 18:39). Then the false prophets were slain.

The event with Moses speaks of the Law; the event with Elijah speaks of grace, based on our decision. Under the Old Covenant, only a few responded to the Law of God through Moses. Only a few responded to His grace until they saw the power of God being manifested through Elijah. Human nature has never and will never change. But it is better to fall on the Rock now than to have the Rock fall on us later! 

17 And He beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Luke 20:17-18

Malachi 3:16-18, "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern [see clearly] between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."

There is a vast difference between those who serve God, and those who joyfully bask in the sunshine of His forgiveness, and neglect the personal refinement which He offers to them.

2 Timothy 2:19-21, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the LORD knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

Our churches are made up of two companies of people - one within the other. Like an expectant mother, there is a smaller body within the one which is presently carrying it. This smaller group are the overcomers of the seven churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. They are individuals within the corporate body who are meeting God's requirements for their lives in the day they are living. They have made Jesus their LORD in reality. They are more concerned with what His Word requires of them than they are about church buildings, ceremonies, rituals, programs and social activities connected with the present set up.

The corporate body is not yet meeting those requirements - never has - never will. It has a huge "machine" running, and it requires so much energy (money, time, maintenance, etc.) to keep it going - there is very little being accomplished other than fueling and maintaining machinery. Personal consecration to the will and nature of God in the life of the individual has fallen by the wayside. That energy is now required to fuel the "machine," which has become big business. We must now sign petitions, march in a demonstration, and write our congressman, instead of "praying through" to personal victory. Only the Lord knows how many millions of dollars have been spent in law suits between opposing factions within the same church to see who gets to control the machine. Many churches of the larger variety are having difficulty hiring financial and technical employees because the would-be employees could get more pay working in more worldly jobs.

Run-of-the-mill Christianity will never attain to becoming an overcomer, and there are very few promises given to this class of believers. The promises are to the overcomers. Overcoming is not as easy as it sounds, and we can certainly not do it in our own strength. We must have the Spirit of God actively working in our lives, guiding, strengthening, and energizing us.

Overcomers are usually outside the camp of organized religion because they simply do not fit into the modus operandi. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God - "

The Valley of Achor

When the Israelites were about to plunder Jericho, the epitomy of evil, the Lord warned them not to take any of the natural plunder from Jericho. However, Achan, of the tribe of Judah, trespassed by taking some silver and gold and a garment from Jericho. That kindled the anger of the Lord and Achan, his family, and all his possessions were destroyed in the valley of Achor, which means the valley of trouble.

Joshua 22:20, "Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity." 

Wrath fell on ALL the congregation of Israel! That verse emphasizes the importance of each member of the body of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 12:22-26, "Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." 

Isaiah 65:8-10. 

8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for My servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and Mine elect shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there.

10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for My people that have sought Me.

Hosea 2:14-15. 

14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

Hosea 2:14 declares God's elect company to be scattered in the wilderness; and the rest of Hosea 2 corresponds to the gathering, as in Isaiah 40. Notice that the Lord says, in Hosea 2:15, that He will give His remnant in the wilderness "the valley of Achor (trouble) for a door of hope." The Lord today has scattered His remnant into the wilderness for the same reasons as in Isaiah 6, when Isaiah was allowed to see the glory of God, after which he repented. But the Lord is using suffering, trouble, and difficulties of all kinds to press those in the wilderness into Christ. He is refining His remnant in the wilderness as silver is refined by the fire.

The eighth beatitude is, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven ... present tense.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

John 16:33

Why will believers who are walking in kingdom principles be persecuted? Not for any crimes they have done, and not for being unrighteous and committing the acts of those who practice evil or wickedness, but because of their righteous and Godly conversation and Godly actions which in turn brings upon them the hatred and enmity of the men of the world. For by living righteously believers separate themselves from the world and profess themselves not to belong to the world. The Godly life of true believers places a brand upon them that distinguishes them from the rest of the world.

There is much evidence that millions of Christians around the world have been martyred for their faith. Those who live in the United States may think that the idea of persecution of Christians is not very relevant today. We are not experiencing much persecution here in this country. But as you look around in this country, you can't help but see many great evil inroads that have been made into destroying anything having to do with Jesus Christ, the Bible, or the laws of God. The greatest assaults against Christianity have been the many laws that have been passed recently, all with the idea of suppressing Christianity in all areas of society.

But why is there such persecution in the world, and why is God so offensive to so many? because the Word of God is a stumbling block to ungodly people. The reason why ungodly men persecute Godly men is because of the spirit that the Creator has placed within each one of us. When the unbeliever sins, the Holy Spirit is convicting the spirit of that sinner and this causes the sinner to know that he is doing wrong and that his actions are against the laws of God.

Jesus told us in John 3:20 that, "Everyone who does evil hates the light," This can be summed up by another verse in John 15:20. "If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." 

If we are not being persecuted, we should ask, "Why?" It is our Godly life that causes the other person to get heated up, upset, and unhappy. The truth is, everyone who lives a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. If no one is persecuting us, perhaps we are not living the Christian life and shining as lights in the world.

In Luke 6:26 Jesus said,

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."

It is very true that persecution is one cost of being a Christian, because the believer must reckon upon hardships and troubles much more than other men. But even though persecution usually isn't pleasant, it does have a great many rewarding advantages, not the least being that ours is the kingdom of heaven.

Up to this point we have implied that the persecution against believers who are walking in the kingdom comes from those in the world. That is certainly one large aspect of the source of persecution. However, persecution also arises from other Christians. Historically, each new generation of believers, who have been exposed to more light, have been persecuted by the older generation.

12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Psalm 55:12-14

Those verses refer specifically to Ahithophel, who had been David's counselor, but who conspired with Absalom to overthrow the reign of David. However, they have a general application. Who crucified Jesus? the religious elite of the day. One of the end-time signs is recorded in 

Matthew 24:10, "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another." 

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:1-5

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

2 Corinthians 12:10

2 Timothy 3:10-12. 

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

The Lord willing, our next session together will focus on the valley of vision, the valley of Baca, and the valley of the shadow of death. May we be encouraged as the Holy Spirit guides, strengthens, and refines us as we travel through our valleys. The Lord never purposed that we stay there forever.

The circumstances of your valleys and my valleys are different and personal. However, the end product is the same, Christ in you the hope of glory.

Valleys: Part 3

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

May 12, 2022

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

This is Part 3 of our messages on valleys. In Part 1 we shared about the Lily of the valley, who is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. Jesus is Lord of both the valleys and the mountains. In our previous message we shared some thoughts about the valley of decision and the valley of Achor or the valley of trouble. In this message we want to look at the Valley of Vision.

As an historical introduction, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, took them and dismantled them. Then, around 700 B.C., he set his sights on destroying Jerusalem. Hezekiah, king of Judah, then cried out to the Lord and the Lord honored his plea for help. The Lord said, in 

2 Kings 19:34-36, "For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh."

Now let us turn to Isaiah 22. I will read the first 8 verses and then come back and comment on each verse. 

1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

2 Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

3 All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

4 Therefore said I, Look away from Me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort Me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of My people.

5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

7 And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 And He discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

In the natural realm, I believe that the burden of the valley of vision refers to the attempt made upon Jerusalem by Sennacherib, but is prophetic of the soon coming destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. However, I have very little interest in simply historical events that actually happened 2600 years ago. We should always be interested in what Scripture says to us Christians today. Toward that end we should always remember that God is no respecter of persons and because human nature never changes, history repeats itself. We mortals never seem to learn from history. Neither do we learn from the experiences of other saints. The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God we read about in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

We can only understand the burden of Jerusalem, here called "the valley of vision," if we see its prophetic significance and fulfillment as it applies to us. Although the city is not literally in a deep valley, it is surrounded by mountains. Jerusalem is also called a "valley" and a "plain" in Jeremiah 21:11-13. 

Psalm 125:2 says, "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even for ever."

These eight verses in Isaiah 22 speak of Jerusalem, both in the natural realm in that day and in the spiritual Jerusalem today. Why is Jerusalem called the burden of the "valley of vision?" I believe the "valley of vision" is a valley of self in all its ugly forms into which the chosen people of God have gradually fallen over and over again. It speaks of a wretched valley in Jerusalem at the very moment when God's merciful grace was no longer able to contain and overlook their wretched sins. Isaiah described the sins of Jerusalem and Judah in Isaiah, Chapter 3, but I will read only the first 12 verses. 

1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.

8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory.

9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Verse 10 says that the Lord will always have a remnant that will be faithful to Him. 

11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

Those 12 verses describe the church world today in the United States. How do I know that? because I have seen examples of it first hand with my natural eyes. Now let us return to Isaiah, Chapter 22 and Verse 1.

1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

"The burden of the valley of vision." What is that burden? In the natural realm a burden is a heavy load or weight. A professing Christian's burden may indeed be heavy, but Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Christian man's burden is a sensing that our relationship with the Lord is not what it should be. Our spiritual eyes and ears are not as sharp as they should be. Apparently, few know what to do about it.

Those believers who dwell in the valley, who see the things of the Lord in only the natural realm, who mind fleshly things (Romans 8:5), like Lot did, will gradually get pulled into the ways of the world and are subject to the giants in the land. No one can see very far in a valley, but from a high mountain our vision is greatly expanded. We need a greater vision in this hour. My vision is too small; your vision is too small. More accurately, we need THE Vision in this hour. We need to know where we are going and how to get there.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 29:18 

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation [or judgment] to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

1 Corinthians 11:29-30 

In Verse 29, the word "unworthily" does not appear in the original texts. The judgment of God is that many are weak and sickly and many sleep because they do not discern the Lord's body. Verse 29 has no relationship whatsoever to what men call a ritual of communion. If we read the verses that precede Verse 29, Paul is clearly addressing the fact that when the saints in Corinth gather for an agape feast, the rich are gorging themselves on scrumptious food and the poor have very little to eat. The more prosperous do not discern the Lord's body; they have no concern for those less materially fortunate. I witnessed a dramatic occurrence of that truth forty-seven years ago at an evening meal where every believer brought some type of food or drink to be shared among all. I was the next-to-last person (except for the hostess) to go through the food line. I could easily see that there was not enough food left for all of us. But the young man in front of me piled his plate as high as possible with food. When that happened, I saw the hostess pull out a jar of peanut butter. She had a peanut butter sandwich for her meal. The Lord took that young man home when he was 51 years of age.

So, where there is no vision, the people perish. Where there is little vision, the people are weak and sickly and many sleep. It is true that the valley looks very prosperous and appealing to the natural eye. We are all born in the valley, but in the valley, there is little or no vision.

A passage in Haggai 1:1-13 says the same thing as in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 and much more.

1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of Mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.

13 Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.

Verses 4-11 are current events which will become more evident in the very near future. The judgment of God will soon be poured out in increasing abundance on America and on the churches. The economy in America will go bust. Prices of food and other necessities will soar even more. Jobs will become more scarce. When people get hungry there will be riots in the streets. That has been said many times before, but even Spirit-filled believers in America still find that difficult to believe. We still dwell in our cieled houses. We are still living prosperously. We are very comfortable. We cannot believe that more intense disasters are just around the corner. We accept doctrinally that "Judgment must begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17), but our actions indicate that we do not believe it. Further, if we store up six months of food and water in order to "save" ourselves, I believe the Lord will cause it to rot.

So what is the answer? Note that Verse 8 says to "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house." That word has nothing to do with the natural realm. "Wood" speaks of humanity. What is wrong with wood from the valley? It is too polluted with flesh. Also, the word does not say, "Go up to a mountain." "The mountain" is the kingdom of God. Only the wood which comes from "the" mountain can build the house. Jesus said, in 

Matthew 16:18, "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." 

Man always gets into trouble when we try to build the Lord's church.

Verse 9 is, "Birds of a feather flock together." We like to be with those believers who see things the same way we do. It is a very comfortable place to our flesh. That is a re-run of Genesis 11, which resulted in Babylon.

Those verses in Haggai are rather amazing! Haggai spoke the word of the Lord to the remnant of Judah and the people not only instantly believed him but the people did fear before the Lord. They repented, in Verse 12. They recognized the voice of the Lord in the words of Haggai. That could never happen today in the fragmented, divided churches in America. There is NO ONE in America today who could say what Haggai said and get the same results. Every reasonable Christian believer today will affirm that the fragmentation of churches in America is a bad thing ... an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. But who knows what we should do about it? Some might say, "Well every believer is welcome in our church." That is no solution at all. The "so-called" ecumenical "movement" is a work of the flesh. I have seen a gathering of quite a number of Spirit-filled pastors who fervently announced that they were going to do something about the fragmentation. Good luck! The coming together will occur only the Lord's way and in His time.

Back to Isaiah 22, verse 1 and the phrase, "What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?" "What aileth thee now" seems to imply that the chosen people of God had ailed before. It is like the Lord is saying, what is your problem now? I sovereignly delivered you, O Jerusalem, from the otherwise certain defeat at the hands of Sennacherib. Moreover, I told you many times, and in many ways, even during the time of Moses, what you should do. One of those times is recorded in Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

What is the cause of the commotion and tumult that exists in the city? The prophet throws himself at once into the midst of the excitement, sees the agitation and tumult, and the preparations for defense which were made, and asks the "cause" of all this confusion.

The Lord is still saying the same word to us today that He said to His chosen people in the time of Moses. The Lord still asks His chosen people the same question ... Why do my people seek me only when they get themselves into difficult situations? Therefore, the Lord says, in 

Hosea 5:15, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early."

Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:" 

David said, in Psalm 27:8, 

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek."

In times of great confusion and consternation, the Jews went up to the housetops, that they might mourn, and look, and cry to Heaven for help. We might recall, from 

Acts 10:9, "On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:" 

Apparently, it must have been a Jewish custom to go up on the housetop to pray when things seemed a bit off. Perhaps being on the roof gave them a sense of being closer to God. That may be related to church structures which have tall steeples ... a symbol of man's attempt to reach heaven. Peter apparently was still enmeshed with some Jewish traditions at that point in his life.

John 4:21-24, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

Back to Isaiah 22 and verse 2.

2 Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

This verse depicts the inhabitants of Jerusalem in a state of boisterous merriment. They were full of stirs, of tumult, of commotion, of alarm. It was formerly a city distinguished for the hum of business, and for pleasure; a busy, active, enterprising city. This verse indicates mingled alarm and consternation, and at the same time a disposition to engage in riot and revelry.

A joyous city - a city exulting, rejoicing, given to pleasure, and to riot. Isaiah speaks of the tumult, the alarm, and the rejoicing, in the same breath. This was undoubtedly because of the grace of God which sovereignly had delivered them from the hands of Sennacherib. Following the miraculous lifting of that siege because of the death of Sennacherib's army in a single night, instead of responding with an outpouring of thanksgiving to God and a renewal of faith and devotion, Jerusalem wholeheartedly engaged in a boisterous, sensuous outpouring of merriment and celebration, marked by scandalous and irresponsible behavior.

Back to Verse 3 of Isaiah 22.

3 All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

All thy rulers are fled together. The general idea in this verse is designed to describe the consternation which would take place on the approach of the invader and especially the timidity and flight of those on whom the city relied for protection and defense. Instead of entering calmly and firmly into the work of defense, the rulers of the city are represented as fleeing from the city and refusing to remain to protect the capital. The phrase rendered "thy rulers" in the natural realm denotes either the civil rulers of the city or military leaders. They are bound by the archers. Strong passion many times has a controlling or disabling influence over the mind and body, where it takes away the energy of the soul, and makes one timid, feeble, helpless, as if bound with cords, or made captive - to imprison and then to bind with fear or consternation.

In the spiritual realm it means what we read earlier in the first four verses of Isaiah, Chapter 3. To repeat those verses ...

"For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them."

Let us go back to the last phrase in Isaiah 22, Verse 3, which says 

"All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far." 

The correct translation is that all thy rulers have fled far away.

In the spiritual realm, "thy rulers" speak of leaders in our organized churches. All of our leaders are fled together ... fled from what? from the whole truth of the gospel of the kingdom of God.

All of our leaders are bound by the archers and all are bound together. Who are the archers?Instead of using our carnal mind to try to figure out who the archers are, why not let the Bible tell us in black and white who the archers are? Would that be a good idea? A good principle when we are interested in the significance of any word or phrase in Scripture is to go back and see when that word or phrase first occurs. The first occurrence of "archer" in the Bible is found in Genesis, Chapter 21 and Verse 20. Everyone is familiar with the fact that Sarah told Abraham to, 

"Cast out this bondwoman [speaking of Hagar] and her son [who was Ishmael]: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." 

Then the Lord told Abraham to do what Sarah had said. Abraham obeyed the Lord. It may also be worth saying that Sarah herself did not cast out Hagar and Ishmael. That would have been out of God's order. That also emphasizes the importance of the father in every Christian family. Verse 20 says, 

"And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer." 

Now it is true that Ishmael, who had 12 sons, became the father of Islam and was venerated by Muslims as a prophet. But the real significance of Ishmael is that he represents all false religions, including every man-made religion. Why did God allow the archers to proliferate? For the same reason that God raised up Pharaoh ... to see which of those chosen by God would be faithful to Him. Today, we hear much off-center, humanistic teaching in our churches. They are all bound together. There is nothing new under the sun.

John 10:12-13, "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." 

What is a hireling? Someone who gets paid for what he does. What is the true reward of every Christian? the Lord Himself.

Back to Verse 4 of Isaiah 22.

4 Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

In this verse Isaiah pours out his heart in great sorrow on behalf of his fellowmen ... those in Jerusalem who should know better. He is saddened by the hardness of heart that makes the city refuse to hide under wings of the Lord. He joins Moses, Ezra, Nehemiah, Paul, and many other saints over the centuries who have identified with the Lord and with God's chosen people in real intercession. But Isaiah was simply echoing, by his words, the voice of the Lord.

Isaiah is appalled beyond words because he foresees the coming destruction of the city, which actually happened about 100 years later. Jerusalem was not taken by Sennacherib and Assyria in the days of Hezekiah. By a miracle of God's merciful intervention, the city was spared. However, it did not bring the inhabitants of the city to repent and return to God. Therefore, the city will be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

The behavior of the people was what caused Isaiah's bitter weeping, because he realized that the inappropriate response of the people would displease the Lord and that the sure punishment and destruction of the city would follow, "because of the spoiling" - the desolation - the ruin that is coming upon them. In spite of all the terrible hardship and disasters that had come upon the Jews, they were still insensitive to the true demands of God. In the midst of their light-hearted festivities, therefore, he asked to be left alone that he might weep bitter tears over their coming destruction when he saw God's judgment coming against His chosen people. "Bitter" sorrow indicates excessive grief. The sense is, "My grief is so great that I cannot be comforted. No topics of consolation can help me. I must be alone, and allowed to indulge in deep and overwhelming sorrow and intercession at the calamities that are coming upon our nation and people." Isaiah said, "Look away from me." Do not look upon me. If God's people are going to behave like the heathen nations, they must suffer the same consequences for their behavior.

Why is Verse 4 so important to the modern-day church? because we are repeating the same mistake that the Jews in Jerusalem made 2500 years ago. We are now in the third year of the Covid pandemic, a pestilence which has killed one million people in the United States. During that time period, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of professing Christians have undoubtedly prayed that the Lord would take away the virus so we can continue doing our traditional church activities. That represents a total lack of understanding of the ways of the Lord. The Lord says to His chosen people, "If you will ... then I will ..." 

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 

We Christians love to quote that verse, but walk in that truth? probably very few of us do that because we still do not see the need or we are deceived and believe that verse applies to many others but not to me. That attitude also reflects the lack of understanding of the body of Christ.

Many Christians have adopted the idea that God is on our side so we don't need to wear masks or get vaccinated. But Scripture is very clear from these eight verses in Isaiah 22, and from many other passages in the Bible, that God is on our side only if we are first on His side.

Back to Verse 5 of Isaiah 22.

5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

It was a day of trouble ... the valley of Achor. It was a day of treading down when our enemies trample on everything sacred and dear to us and endanger all our best interests ... a day full of spiritual warfare, tribulation, and persecution. It was a day of perplexity in which they knew not what to do or where to look for relief. It was Divinely ordained by the LORD God of hosts; it came upon them under His providence and by His direction. It was a day of crying to the mountains for help. The shout or clamor of those engaged in building or defending the walls reached to the mountains. Where are the sons of Issachar today, men who have understanding of the times, who know what spiritual Israel ought to do?

6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

Isaiah sees the enemy preparing to invade the land. In the future, Nebuchadnezzar's army that attacks Jerusalem consists of an alliance of many peoples, including Elam and Kir. Elam is known for his archers, while Kir speaks of Medes with uncovered shields ready for battle.

7 And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

"Thy choicest valleys" were the most fertile and valued lands in the vicinity of the city, but they would be occupied by the armies of the enemy.

The Babylonian destruction is certainly in view here, for Sennacherib did not break down the walls and destroy the people. Isaiah strongly implies that the preparations Judah will make for that ultimate destruction will be just like those of Hezekiah; that is, they will depend more upon their own ingenuity and diligence than upon the blessing of the Lord.

Back to Verse 8 of Isaiah 22

8 And He discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

The Lord uncovered or made them naked. As a result, the invading army exposed Judah to every kind of reproach. The land was thus laid bare, and unprotected. Judah looked to their armor and their planning as the last resort and as the only hope of defense. All kinds of precautions were taken to defend against a possible attack from the enemy. A city that foresees a long siege has to provide weapon supplies, water supplies and reinforcement of the walls. Their precautions were based on good intentions, but they depended on their planning instead of trusting in God. The people had no faith. They did not depend on Him who made all things. They never considered that all this came over them from His hand to bring them to repentance. They looked to human certainties and not to the LORD. It is the "destruction" of Jerusalem that will take place in the event prophesied here as indicated by the words, "God took away the covering of Judah," a disaster that did not take place during Sennacherib's siege, but in that of Babylon's a century later (586 B.C.).

Back in the late 1960's and early 1970's of the New Testament house church in Northern Virginia that we were part of, there seemed to be a sense that our "covering" was the local church itself. Then the Lord quickened to me the significance of Verse 8 of Isaiah 22. The "armor of the house of the forest" speaks of the "covering" by and of the body of Christ. Then, in Verse 11 of Isaiah 22, the Lord says, "but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago." In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ is our covering, not any man or group of men. He is the head of the body. To say that the Pope is the head of the church is blasphemy. Likewise, to say that all those who join the Catholic church will go to heaven is gross error.

Agape love can only be experienced as Jesus is the center and is uppermost in all things. When the security in Christ alone is substituted by the fellowship and security of the body, the agape love becomes united with or substituted by phileo love; until what we have left is but a shadow of what God intended. We begin to treasure what He has for us, above Himself alone.

Someone said that "God always starts with a Man and uses him to begin a movement. Finally, and invariably, as it loses its simplicity and childlike faith and love, it becomes a machine, then a monument, and wists not, like Samson, that the Anointing has begun to wane." It has been said that the steps to spiritual downfall of groups during the ages have always followed this cycle:

Revelation, Inspiration, Evangelization, Organization, Education, and Stagnation, with this generally happening in less than one generation.

We are constantly straining to devise new methods, new plans, and new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the Gospel. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. He does not anoint plans, but men of prayer. This is a day when few voices cry for repentance.

Next week, the Lord willing, I plan to conclude our series on valleys with some thoughts about the valley of Baca.

Until then, may the Lord continue to bless you as you both labor and rest in His vineyard. Amen.