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There can be no gloom quite so oppressive as that which comes from a fear that God
has forgotten one, or no longer `cares'. The gloom deepened with each step, for
Habakkuk complains that he was `shown iniquity, and caused to behold grievance' yet
judgment never seemed forthcoming (Hab. 1: 3, 4). Yet that dark valley of the shadow
became to him "The Valley of Vision".
"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what
He will say unto me . . . . . Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may
run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall
speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not
tarry" (Hab. 2: 1-3).
The valley of the shadow--"Thou wilt not hear"; "Thou wilt not save"--is
transformed. "It will surely come, it will not tarry." The lesson that brought light in the
darkness, is the lesson of the ages. God has an appointed time, and prayer must not be
abused. We must not act as though by our continual crying unto God, we can or should
attempt to persuade God to alter by a single line His great and glorious purpose.
Habakkuk summed up the lesson in the pregnant words:
"The just shall live by his faith" (Hab. 2: 4).
If we may be permitted to speak of a mountain-top experience as a passing through the
valley of the shadow of death, then Abraham trod his path when he rose up early in the
morning with knife and wood and fire to obey the heart-searching command:
"Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest . . . . . and offer him . . . . .
for a burnt offering" (Gen. 22: 2).
When Abraham said to Isaac "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb . . . . ."
(Gen. 22: 8), he used a word that meant `to see' even as `pro vision' means "to see
beforehand". This became most gloriously true, for after the testing, came the naming of
the mountain "Jehovah-jireh"; as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it shall
be seen". Abraham's valley of shadow became a valley of vision, he rejoiced to see the
day of Christ, he saw it and was glad.
Job passed along the valley, until darkness gave place to light and he could say:
"I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth Thee" (Job 42: 5).
Darkness and light are both the same to the Lord. Darkness especially when used in
the spiritual sense depends far more on that which is within than which is without. The
very darkness that is without may but lead the spiritual eye to see the better. Let us
therefore never forgat that if the Valley of Trouble can become a Door of Hope so the
Valley of the Shadow may be so blessed that it becomes to us "The Valley of Vision".