Jehoshaphat – Part 15
The Great Spoil
And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. (2 Chronicles 20:24)
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. (2 Chronicles 20:25)
And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah;* for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. (2 Chronicles 20:26)
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. (2 Chronicles 20:27)
And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 20:28)
* the valley of Berachah — the valley of blessing
The Moabites were a vengeful people; even though they had been defeated in the valley of blood they had not lost their sovereignty. They were allowed to strengthen and to obtain confederates so that their combined military was once again a large and fierce adversary for any nation. When Jehoshaphat heard of their movement into the land he proclaimed a great fast, and drew the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the temple of their God.
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (2 Chronicles 20:3)
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. (2 Chronicles 20:4)
The Valley of Death Past and the Valley of Death Future
After the great victory of Jehovah over their enemies in the valley of death, they returned to the house of the Lord. They began their journey with the Lord at His house; and they completed their journey at His house where there was great joy in Jerusalem as they had received a great spoil at the hand of the Lord. The more that the Old Testament is examined, the Holy Spirit opens the treasure chest of new treasures. In this section concerning the annihilation of the Moabites we get a glimpse of Israel’s future deliverance from the nations of this world. In the end times, the Spirit of God will awaken them and deliver them out of their sorrows by the supernatural deliverance of the Lord. Consider these verses:
Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, (Zechariah 8:1)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. (Zechariah 8:2)
Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. (Zechariah 8:3)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. (Zechariah 8:4)
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. (Zechariah 8:5)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 8:6)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; (Zechariah 8:7)
And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. (Zechariah 8:8)
Second Advent or Millennial Reign of Christ
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:18)
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:19)
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. (Zechariah 14:20)
First and Second Advent Connected
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zechariah 13:6)
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. (Zechariah 13:8)
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.(Zechariah 13:9)
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.(Zechariah 14:1)
The Last Battle Before the Reign of Christ for a Thousand Years
And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. (Zechariah 14:12)
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. (Zechariah 14:13)
And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. (Zechariah 14:14)
Compulsory Worship
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16)
Last Pre-Millennial Battle Against the Nations
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. (Joel 3:2)
Supernatural Deliverance
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. (Joel 3:12)
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. (Joel 3:13)
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.(Joel 3:14)
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. (Joel 3:15)
Fulfillment of the Prophecies Given Previously
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; (Revelation 19:17)
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (Revelation 19:18)
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13)
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. (Revelation 14:14)
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. (Revelation 14:15)
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14:16)
The verses from Zechariah were given to Zechariah approximately 400 years after the reign of Jehoshaphat. These verses contain the final deliverance of Israel from their enemies, or the nations of the world. Note: The familiarity of the scene and the power of the Lord in that we see a supernatural deliverance for the people of Israel. If you would like a better understanding of this end time deliverance than study the Book of Zechariah with the Book of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ beginning at Chapter 4 of the Book of the Revelation.
The Great Spoil
We will now consider the great spoil of Jehoshaphat and the people of Jerusalem as they looked over the dead bodies. God gives us a witness concerning three days. Even though they were gathering the spoil, they could not at one time view or take in all the corpses on the hills and valleys. These hills and valleys were full of the dead and their blood. The Moabites and the children of mount Seir (once comrades in arms) now lay silent by their own hands and swords: man against man. The Holy Spirit is bringing out the true heart of man, and the true heart of man is the heart of Cain. It is said of the adversary (the devil) that he was a murderer from the beginning.
The Horizontal and The Vertical
The people of Israel began to collect the great spoil. This was the Lord’s work, and they were doing it amongst the dead. If we examine the work of the Lord on the cross we have the horizontal and the vertical. The vertical is for God; for God so loved the world. The vertical is also the dividing point between grace and judgment, and it is Christ who is at the point of division, He is the center point of all God’s dealings with man. It is not the cross that divides man, it is the Christ of the cross that divides man. The vertical is also the tearing of the veil in the temple, opening heaven for man. It was from heavens glory that Christ came to earth “bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood; sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Savior!” *** The horizontal beam of the cross represents both grace and judgment. The thief on the right hand of the Lord received grace. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.(Luke 23:43)
SIDE BAR: The Right Hand
This side bar is to help expand your understanding of why I wrote that it was the thief on the right hand of Christ who received grace. Scripture does not say which thief received grace, so why would I write that it was the thief on the right hand of Christ? Use Scripture to prove Scripture, and also use Scripture to prove comments and thoughts. If we search the Scriptures we will find the place of blessing is at the right hand of God. The following verses are just a few examples of ‘the right hand’ in Scripture.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. (Psalm 118:15)
The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. (Psalm 118:16)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22)
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:32)
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:33)
The Horizontal Continued
The thief on the left received judgment from God, for God’s Son is not only the minister of grace, but the minister of God’s righteousness. The vertical is the designation of the righteousness of God both in grace and truth; in this we see grace for all men, but it is only to those who believe. We also see in the horizontal the judgment for all men, and those who will not believe. The designation of the horizontal is the work of the Son of God.
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34)
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)
This statement in the Gospel of John identifies two classifications of mankind: those who believe, and those who do not believe. Prior to this statement the Lord explained to Nicodemus His work upon the cross. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:(John 3:14) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15)
We cannot see or fathom the work that took place by the Son of God on the cross of Calvary; we can only examine the written word by the Holy Spirit of God. And even then we cannot comprehend the depth and the judgment that was placed on the Son of God. We can only (by faith) believe that it was for me; this, of course, applies to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The theological world and the world church despises the judgment of God and the righteousness of God. They dictate a savior who walked amongst men doing miracles and giving grace to all men. This is not the complete gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Compare the two thieves and what they had to say. There is a difference between light and darkness, from one heart to the other. One thief saw the Lord Jesus as the minister of grace, the other could not fathom that grace. Christ became the minister of grace and the minister of judgment in those last words, ‘It is finished.’ (John 19:20) Let us lay hold of the complete sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact is that the whole world has already been judged in Christ. The Lord Jesus was three days and three nights in darkness. He was gathering up the spoils in His unsearchable riches. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8) The jewels of heaven have been forged in the fire of God’s judgment upon His beloved Son. Each thief contributed to the suffering of Christ. The judgment upon the Son of God was equal for each thief and for us.
The Dead Among Us
We walk amongst the dead every day. It hit me recently when I met a man and he reached out to shake my hand; we were both strangers to each other, and the Holy Spirit opened my heart to the fact that I was shaking the hand of a dead man. It was so real that I immediately had to testify for the Lord. Each and every day as we travel through this world we walk amongst the dead: the lost souls of this world. They are dead in transgressions and sin, they are dead to God, and we can offer life to them through the message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Chriist.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13)
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (Colossians 2:14)
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)
There is so much in the word of the Holy Spirit in both Colossians 2 and Ephesians 2. We walk among the dead with all the unsearchable riches of Christ. Our enemies have all been defeated in our beloved Savior, and we are the treasure or spoil hid in Him.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44)
If we understand the words of the Holy Spirit in Colossians 3, we are a purchased treasure that Christ has hidden in God. We are there purchased by Christ Matthew 13:44. We are the treasure of great price, and that great price was the blood of God’s dear Son.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11)
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)
As we examine Revelation 2 and 3 we find gifts given to the overcomer. We receive a name that is only revealed to us and the Lord. This is our hidden treasure that He has given to us by His death on the cross of Calvary. He rewards us for our faithfulness to Him, may we appreciate the suffering that transpired by the Lord in the gifts. For they are truly bought in the valley of death by our blessed Lord.
The King and His People
And when Jehoshaphat and his people — notice the specific words from the Holy Spirit of God. How simply the Holy Spirit recognizes both the people and the king. They are linked together both king and people there is no further need to distinguish them individually. It is not a question of sovereignty or power, it is his people.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.(1 Peter 2:10)
We have a Sovereign who walks amongst the candlesticks. He ministers to the collective church as well as to the individual. His compassion for us is that He recognizes us as His brethren. I believe that with Jehoshaphat the Holy Spirit was giving us a glimpse of the Lord Jesus in the time of grace. We gather with Him and by Him. He is Sovereign, yet Savior; His compassion fails not.
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Matthew 13:11)
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (Matthew 13:12)
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:23)
We Are A Great Spoil
In the context of our chapter in 2 Chronicles 20, we have a great spoil. In Matthew’s gospel, we are that great spoil. We have this treasure in an earthen vessel because this treasure of God has divinely been hidden in us. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7) The treasure of grace cannot be measured by mortal man for, truly, they who are of the earth are earthly, and they who are of the spirit are heavenly in Christ. Our Savior has bought us unto Himself, He has redeemed us that we might sit down with Him in grace. We are translated into His kingdom by the power of God. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13). By sitting down with Him we see Him as King, He sees us as His bride or the pearl of great price.
We see the gathering in of the great spoil in Jehoshaphat and his people. Both jewels and riches were in abundance, but these riches were among dead bodies; these riches had to be severed from the dead. Remember: these were the fallen bodies of the enemies of God.
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,(Jude 1:20)
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:21)
And of some have compassion, making a difference: (Jude 1:22)
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 1:23)
There is no mystery of who these are in Jude. They are the recipients of the faith once delivered to the saints. ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3) God the Holy Spirit constantly reminds us throughout the entire Scriptures that we have one God. We also have one Savior, and one Spirit. We have one faith, and one grace delivered to us by the ministration of the Spirit of God. God has designated all these in one Person, and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. For He is the true God and eternal life. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20) Through the miracle of grace we have compassion on those who are lost. We realize the fires of judgment awaiting them, we do not stand above them for we have been redeemed out of their same plight. We understand through the Scriptures the dreadful judgment waiting for them. We are instruments as the people of Judah and Jerusalem. In the Book of Jude, there is a direct reference of the faithful plucking the unsaved out of the fire. Notice in Jehoshaphat that the riches and jewels were in abundance, in fact, they could not carry it all away. Even though they spent three days, they could not gather all the treasure.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. (John 21:3)
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. (John 21:4)
Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. (John 21:5)
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. (John 21:6)
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. (John 21:7)
And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. (John 21:8)
As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. (John 21:9)
Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. (John 21:10)
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. (John 21:11)
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. (John 21:12)
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. (John 21:13)
This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. (John 21:14)
In the Gospel of John it is the third time that the Lord revealed Himself to them. The great draught of fishes was an example of the great number of souls who would be gathered in the day of grace. With the people of Jehoshaphat, they were three days in gathering. This treasure was gathered by a great host: we have the people of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, all of Jehoshaphat’s military, and a great number of the Levites, and they still could not carry away the treasures. In the dispensation of grace, we have a great number redeemed by the Lord. We have an example of the Lord’s jewels and treasures in Revelation 5:9-12.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (Revelation 5:11)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.(Revelation 5:12)
As the Holy Spirit opens heaven for us we see a great company, and that company is the fruit of God’s grace. Multitudes upon multitudes, but there is only one Savior. The Holy Spirit presents Him as the Lamb of God for the sacrifice for our sin. It is He, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us from all our sin. Going back to Jehoshaphat, after the mention of the dead bodies there is no more remembrance of them. They are not mentioned as the Moabites, or the children of mount Seir, or the Ammonites, for death has passed and all is joy in the hearts of the children of Judah. They are simply designated as Jehoshaphat and his people. Zechariah 14 reveals the defeat of the nations by the Lord. Isaiah 63 and 64 describe the same defeat and the recovery of the nation of Israel. When we read them together we get a full picture of the supernatural defeat of the enemies of Israel, and the complete restoration of Jerusalem and Israel. As Jehoshaphat and his people gathered the spoil, the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts. All around them was death, could they not grasp the 23rd Psalm? Was not this valley of death real to them? Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
They were gathering wealth from among the dead, they were walking through the valley of death with joy in their hearts for Jehovah had given them a great deliverance. The dead bodies were a witness of God’s great power. And what about us in this world, today? For many are called, but few [are] chosen. (Matthew 22:14) This is truly a tribute to God’s grace because we live and walk in a world of darkness and death. Remember that the life of the world, the Lord Jesus, was thrown out of this world by evil and unrepentant man. He is now the minister of light from heaven. He performs His ministry by the Holy Spirit of God, and it is the Spirt of God who comforts us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death every day. How great is the darkness!
The valley of Berachah on the 4th Day
On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah,* or the valley of blessing. One should remember one’s position in grace, and by grace. We are saved by grace, and we live in grace. It is the same grace that saved us that keeps us. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Through the life of Paul we see the revelation of the Spirit of God. What is the Spirit of God presenting to us? that God’s grace is sufficient for all our sufferings, our daily trials, the things that hinder us, the things that burden us, and that His grace every day is sufficient for all. Paul not only ministers the grace of God in his gospel, but was a living witness of God’s grace every day.
Once again we return to the fourth day after the victory of Jehovah over the Moabites. Both Jehoshaphat and the Levites are not mentioned in verse 26 of 2 Chronicles 20. It was simply ‘themselves.’ This was the whole congregation. It was one and all who came to bless the Lord for His great deliverance. This is the power of this verse. I am not of Jerusalem, I am not of Judah, I am not poor, and I am not of the rich, I am not a Levite, nor a king as Jehoshaphat, I am here among the dead to bless the Lord, praise ye the lord for his mercy endureth for ever. The valley of death would become the valley of Berachah* and would be remembered by the Israelites as their great deliverance by the Holy Spirit of God. They were given life from among the dead. They beheld the blessing of the Lord among the dead. They gathered themselves to the Lord of blessing in the valley of death. They named the valley Berachah,* and the valley of death became the valley of blessing. In Psalm 23 we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and we fear no evil for the Lord is with us.
The Supernatural Battle of Psalm 22
In Psalm 22 we have the great supernatural battle of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. It was there that He fought against the wild bulls of Bashan, and the rulers of darkness.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. (Psalm 22:11)
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. (Psalm 22:12)
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.(Psalm 22:13)
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. (Psalm 22:14)
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. (Psalm 22:15)
At the end of Psalm 22 we have the result of the Lord’s death and His mercy towards them who will believe on Him. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.(Psalm 22:30) They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. (Psalm 22:31)
Psalm 23 — The Valley of Death
In Psalm 23 we realize that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death with Him as in Galatians 2:20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. It is only through death and the valley of death that we can sit at the Lord’s table. There is no fellowship with God for the children of darkness. They are of the earth, earthly, and they will stand in the judgment of God at His great white throne. Psalm 23 depicts the Lord Jesus as a shepherd, He is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10) Those who believe in Him walk with Him in the green pastures. In the close of church history we have the Laodicean church in Revelation, Chapter 3, and it is to the overcomer who the Lord comes to, and He sits and sups with him. The overcomer is brought into communion at the table with the Lord. In our pathway through this world (as children of light and the sons of God) we walk with Him and represent Him. The world church has (for a long time) denied our rights as the sons of God. We are not of this world, we belong to heaven’s glory and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Psalm 23 we see the earthly existence of the children of God. He walks with us and cares for us. We realize our position in Him, and we are truly in the valley of blessing.
Psalm 24 — The King and Worship
In Psalm 24 we see the Lord Jesus as the exalted, high and holy one. We see Him in His rightful place over all creation in verses 6-10.
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6)
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:7)
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:9)
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalm 24:10)
In the valley of Berachah* we have the people of God with a full heart for Jehovah. The Holy Spirit has brought them to a position of worship of the Almighty God. Remember these same people worshiped Jehovah before their deliverance, trusting in Him to deliver them, and now in this valley they worship Him as a result of that real deliverance. I see two things here: One, before their deliverance they had trust in God that He would deliver them. I compare this with the Christian today walking on this earth. He knows that he has been delivered and he is trusting God that He will yet deliver him. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;. (2 Corinthians 1:10) Two, after their deliverance they worshiped the Lord in a new way for they had experienced their complete deliverance, all three phases of their deliverance is brought to pass. I compare this with Revelation 5:9-12.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (Revelation 5:11)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.(Revelation 5:12)
We, the children of God, bless the Lord Jesus for His great deliverance that He has given to us by His death upon the cross of Calvary. Psalm 22 enters into the depth of this great deliverance, this supernatural deliverance that He accomplished for us by His death. Now we recognize that wonderful deliverance as we walk in Psalm 23 through the valley of the shadow of death. We then exalt Him with a full heart, with a heart of worship in Psalm 24; then in Psalm 25, each soul who names the name of the Lord Jesus Christ now gives his personal (not collective) heart felt worship and thanksgiving. For we are to the Lord the generation that seek His face. Through all Church history, we are marked out as one generation, and that is the generation of Jesus Christ. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.(Matthew 1:1) In Psalm 22 verses 30 and 31 we are the seed that He has planted and we have been quickened by the Holy Spirit of God to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are born of the Spirit of God are accounted to the Lord for a generation. Peter, James, and John, and the apostle Paul and Timothy, and those of us who belong to the Lord Jesus today are of that same generation. How can this be? Simply: we are a heavenly generation. We are born unto God by His Spirit to inhabit His eternity; therefore, we all are placed together in that same generation: the generation of the glory of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Verse 31 of Psalm 22 (speaking of this generation of righteousness) we will come and we will declare His righteousness unto a people who shall yet be born. And what do we declare? We declare that our Savior died on the cross of Calvary to give us new life in Him. Psalm 22 ends with this great declaration, He (speaking of the Lord Jesus) has done this. Read the last verse first when you read Psalm 22, and then consider the whole psalm. Each and every verse, you can say, He has done this.
And who shall declare his generation?
In Isaiah 53:8 we read, He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. The Lord Jesus was taken from prison and from judgment. In the halls of judgment, both Pilate and Herod were made friends. (Luke 23:12, Acts 4:27, Psalm 2:2) The Jews cried out to Caesar as their king, all the evil in the heart of man was displayed at Pilate’s judgment seat. Both Jew and Gentile bear the responsibility of the death of Christ, and both forms of government have been under the judgment of God since the crucifixion of God’s dear Son. This part of the gospel is rarely spoken of, and yet the reality of this judgment is lived every day in this world. And who shall declare his generation? Only those who are born of the Spirit of God shall declare his generation, they will herald that He was cut off out of the land of the living; and the reason for His death was our transgressions. In verse 10 of Isaiah 53 we have the beginning of the determinate counsels of God in our Savior’s death. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. In our justification before an Almighty God it is not man who had to be satisfied, but God Himself had to remove the distance of sin so that He might commune with man. In verse 11 and 12 in Isaiah 53, we have both the work of the Son of God in justifying many by bearing their iniquities, and in verse 12 we have God the Father dividing a portion with Him amongst the great.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.(Isaiah 53:11)
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
Our Valley of Berachah
Our blessed Lord was lifted up on mount Moriah to die for us. (Genesis 22:2, 2 Chronicles 3:1) He took our guilt and our transgressions down into the valley of death to bring us life: life everlasting to all those who would believe in Him.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9)
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10)
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (Colossians 2:11)
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12)
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13)
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (Colossians 2:14)
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)
When you read this section of Colossians it is the deliverance that you have gained from the fulness of the Godhead bodily. It is Christ who is the fullness of God, and ye are complete in Him. He has brought you through the valley of death to the valley of Berachah* and given you blessings in heavenly places. Your old man has been buried and ye are risen with Christ through the operation of God’s faith that He has given to you. You are quickened through the power of the Spirit of Christ, and you can rejoice in the valley of blessing.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Ephesians 4:5)
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.(Ephesians 4:6)
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7)
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Ephesians 4:8)
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (Ephesians 4:9)
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. (Ephesians 4:10)
In Ephesians, Chapter 4, we are surrounded by continuous blessings. In the valley of Berachah we are made to behold the treasures that are ours in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is one body that can never be separated. There is one Spirit anointing and preserving that body. There is one hope that has been fulfilled in the blood of Christ. There is one Lord, our blessed Savior. There is one faith, and we have been baptized into one baptism: the baptism of the Holy Spirit into our blessed Savior’s death. There is one God, not a multiplicity of gods. There is one Creator of all things both seen and unseen. There is one Father, and that is our heavenly Father, and He is above all and through all, and in all. We have been given grace by our Savior, it is a gift of Jesus Christ to us. In His death, and during the three days of darkness, He not only ascended on high, but descended into the lower parts of the earth. But not only did He descend in death He ascended in resurrection glory. He ascended on high and led captivity captive. In verse 10 of Chapter 4, He ascended up far above the heavens. You cannot reason or understand the fulfillment of this, but if we look at eternity we will see that He fills all things. Eternity was there before the creation, and He and God the Father, and the Spirit of God inhabit eternity. Now in the fullness of God, the Lord Jesus fills all things. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)
Rejoice in the valley of Berachah* for death has given way to life and blessing. In the Lord Jesus we can cry out the great heavenly anthem; “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.”** We have the blessing of our own redemption, the Lord through His death allows us to rejoice in His finished work on Calvary, and because we are redeemed, we love to proclaim this redemption. We will declare our redemption and or position in the valley of blessing to a dying world in the valley of the shadow of death. We will declare it with gladness of heart and soul as we are blessed in the valley of Berachah* by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me. Amen.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.(Revelation 22:16)
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)
Amen
* the valley of Berachah, or the valley of blessing.
** Redeemed, words and music of this hymn by Fanny J. Crosby and Wm. J. Kirkpatrick.
*** From the hymn ‘Hallelujah, What a Savior! words and music by P. P. Bliss
© Copyright 2016, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)