| The Christian Life | June 1947 |
Through the Shadows
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.”—Psalm 23:4
THE May article considered the Psalmist’s reference to the “paths of righteousness” through which the Good Shepherd leads his sheep. We found that these paths are ofttimes narrow and difficult in which to walk. In our present study we find ourselves still traversing these difficult “paths of righteousness,” and we discover that they lead through what David describes as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Thus is emphasized not only that the paths themselves are rugged and hazardous, but that the territory through which they lead is fraught with danger. But how true it is that if we have faith in the ability of the Good Shepherd we “fear no evil”! We fear no evil because we know that the Good Shepherd is abundantly able to care for us in our every time of need, and that he is ever near—“a very present help in trouble.”—Psa. 46:1
The expression “shadow of death” suggests danger. A valley that is overshadowed by death is one in which the possibility of death is alw4ys present. To walk through such a valley safely is possible only by keeping close to the Good Shepherd and listening attentively to his every directing word. It is well to rejoice in the green pastures to which the Good Shepherd leads us, and we are strengthened and satisfied as we drink the still waters of refreshing truth which he finds for us; but we must also learn to depend upon his protecting care when danger is near; and in reality there is no time when a Christian is out of danger.
The world of mankind has been in the valley of the shadow of death ever since our first parents transgressed the divine law, and the sentence fell upon them, “Dying thou shalt die.” (Gen. 2:17, margin) It has been a dark valley in which the dying race has groped its way along as best it could, but all the while getting further and further away from God and from the source of life he has provided through Christ. The valley has been so continuously dark that the entire period during which mankind has been walking in it is described in the Bible as a nighttime.
And it has been a night of weeping for the poor groaning creation. David speaks of it, saying that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) To each generation of the fallen race there has seemed to be no end to the night, no morning of brightness and joy. Man himself has utterly failed to dispel the darkness and gloom with which he has been surrounded. Despite his best efforts he has continued to suffer and to die. David wrote that in God’s favor is life, and since man lost God’s favor, it is impossible to escape death except through a provision of grace whereby divine favor is restored.
And it is just this that ultimately will scatter the mists of darkness that enshroud the “valley of the shadow of death.” It can be accomplished only through the provision made by the Creator. That is why it is well to seek the Lord, for he alone is able to lead one through the “valley” of death and darkness into light aid life. The prophet writes, “Seek him that … turneth the shadow of death into morning.” (Amos 5:8) What joy will come to the sin-sick and dying world when the “valley of death” with all its darkness and gloom will be turned into “morning” through the rising of the “Sun of righteousness,” and there will dawn the glad new day of Christ’s kingdom!
But by faith the followers of the Master, the Good Shepherd, even now escape the great enemy Death that stalks up and down in the “valley of the shadow of death.” Through faith in. the Redeemer they pass from death unto life, and death has no more dominion over them. Nevertheless they are still in the valley, and still surrounded by death. They are in the world, but not of it. As the world views these they are not different from others, for they “die like men.” (Psa. 82:7) Actually, however, what the world does not know is that the Lord’s sheep die, not because they are under condemnation, but because they lay down their lives in sacrifice, walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
Death Still Threatens
While the Lord’s people, the “sheep” of this Gospel age, have passed from death unto life, they are still in danger of death—not adamic death, but the second death. Even Jesus, the perfect One, who walked through the “valley” before us, sensed this danger. Near the close of his life of sacrifice, when the possibility of failure bore down upon Jesus, he “offered up … strong cryings and tears,” and the apostle tells us that he was heard in that which he feared. (Heb. 5:7) He did not fear the Jews, nor the Roman soldiers. He did not fear the cross, but he did fear that he had not been wholly faithful to his vows of consecration, hence that he would lose life altogether. When he was assured of victory, Jesus was calm and satisfied.
As new creatures in Christ Jesus we stand in a somewhat similar position, but we have the advantage of enjoying the good offices of Jesus as our “Advocate with the Father.” (I John 2:1) We therefore do not have the same need of fear. As the Psalmist puts it, we “fear no evil,” for the Lord, the Good Shepherd, is with us, hence we are not endeavoring to find our way alone through the valley of darkness and death. As the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, we can depend upon him to supply all our needs, even our need of forgiveness when we come short of the glory of God.
Our lack of fear is not because we are not surrounded by danger, but because of our faith in the ability of the Good Shepherd to care for and protect us against all. the threatening evils which, without his help, would be certain to engulf us. Our faith in the Good Shepherd’s care is based on the assurance of his love for us as his sheep. Knowing of his great love, a love that caused him to lay down his life for us, we can say with the apostle:
“I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:38,39
With such a blessed assurance there is no room for fear. “Perfect love casteth out fear,” says the apostle. (I John 4:18) “Fear hath torment,” he declares. If through lack of faith in the Good Shepherd’s loving care, we become fearful of the enemies which threaten from every side, we certainly will be robbed of the joy and peace which properly is our heritage as new creatures in Christ Jesus.
Fear originates with a lack of faith. Neither the Heavenly Father nor his beloved Son, our Good Shepherd, create fear. The apostle wrote, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (II Tim. 1:7) He gives us the spirit of love through the exhibition of his own love. Divine love is further shed abroad in our hearts by the self-sacrificing interest of the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. The more we contemplate what the Father and the Son have done for us, the greater should be our appreciation of their love, and the more determined we should be to be filled and governed by that same spirit of love.
And we have also been given the “spirit of power.” The source of our strength is the Lord. “My grace is sufficient for thee,” he said to the beloved Apostle Paul, “for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (II Cor. 12:9) This same blessed assurance applies equally to us and to all the sheep who are following the Good Shepherd through the “valley of the shadow of death.” When we think of self we tremble, but when we look to the Lord, and depend upon him, we are strong, and we feel secure—we do not fear. It is then that we are able to say with the apostle, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”—Phil. 4:13
The Lord has also given us the “spirit of a sound mind,” the apostle declares. There is nothing which contributes to fear, hence to ultimate defeat, more than unsoundness of mind. To be of unsound mind as Christians, or “sheep,” does not imply insanity in the ordinary sense of the word, but rather a condition in which one fails properly to consider the issues involved, hence becomes frightened and panicky when surrounded by danger. But panic gives way to quietness and peace when one hearkens to the reassurances of the Good Shepherd, saying, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”—Heb. 13:5
There is no time when one is in greater danger of falling than when seized by panic. Under such conditions a Christian is unable to weigh the issues and thus to be assured that “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” and “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (I John 4:4; Rom. 8:31) When a Christian is filled with fear all he can see are the enemies which surround him and all he can think of are the fierce attacking power and the deadly intent of those enemies. The more his mind dwells on these, the more fearful he becomes. There is only one escape from this tragic condition of mind and heart, and that is by faith and prayer to lay hold more firmly upon the exceeding great and precious promises and to keep one’s attention focused More resolutely upon the Good Shepherd, knowing that he is a very present help in every time of need.
“Let Us Therefore Fear”
There is a fear which serves as a very valuable asset to Christian faithfulness in following the Good Shepherd through the “valley of the shadow of death.” The apostle wrote, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Heb. 4:1) Here the word fear does not have the thought of dread, but rather of extreme carefulness and watchfulness lest we fail to carry out any part of the divine will for us. It implies earnest watchfulness and prayer, that we may be alert to every move of the Good Shepherd, and to the slightest indication from him as to the direction in which we should go.
Spiritual alertness is most essential if we are to walk safely through the valley of the shadow of death. It cannot be done in a listless, indifferent sort of way. It is not a “part-time” undertaking. It is not a journey with stopovers and resting places. It is not a case of following the Good Shepherd merely when we are in the mood to do so, and going our own way when it suits us better. We can’t insist on having liberty to wander through the “valley” at will. Attitudes such as these will lead to disaster, for there are many enemies ready to pounce upon and strike us down the moment we fail to follow the Good Shepherd closely.
Let us therefore fear, that is, be on the alert, to give heed to every instruction of the Lord, to obey every command, to fulfill every condition of the narrow way in order that, as we follow him through the “valley of the shadow of death,” we will be safe and secure from all harm. Many promises have been left us, but attached to most of these are conditions. If we come short of those conditions, the promises become ineffectual. Let us therefore make sure that we do not come short. Let us make sure by watchfulness, by prayer, by earnestness, and by zeal for knowing and doing the will of the Good Shepherd.
“There Shall No Evil Befall Thee”
The Psalmist wrote, “I will fear no evil.” No evil, can befall those who trust fully in the Good Shepherd and walk obediently in the way he leads. The apostle asks, “Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” (I Peter 3:13) This great fact of divine care has been true of the Lord’s people in every age, but it is manifested differently in this age than it was in the Jewish age. The natural house of Israel, dealt with by God under the terms of the Law Covenant, were cared for and blessed along material lines in proportion to the degree of their faithfulness. But material blessings are not promised to spiritual Israelites, the Lord’s “sheep” of this Gospel age.
When we take to ourselves the promise that no evil shall befall us, we must understand it to apply along spiritual lines. To appreciate this thought fully we need only to consider Jesus, who is not only our Good Shepherd, but our Exemplar as well. We are following in his footsteps, and we should not expect to fare better in “this present evil world” than he did. (Gal. 1:4) The Heavenly Father permitted the cruel hand of persecution to come down upon Jesus, and it crushed him even unto death.
Nevertheless, it was true of the Master that no evil befell him. To use the language of the apostle, Jesus was a “follower of that which was good.” Jesus in fact laid down his life doing good. It was true of him also that none could do him harm. We know, of course, that Jesus was persecuted. He was tried and falsely accused. He was spat upon and beaten. A crown of thorns was placed upon his bleeding head. He was cruelly nailed to a cross, jeered at and mocked. He died upon that cross—killed by his enemies. Yet Jesus was not harmed as a new creature—no evil came upon him in the sense that his spiritual and eternal interests were impaired. The worst that the enemies of Jesus could do to him was unwittingly to change his cross for a crown; and when viewed by the vision of faith, this could not be considered as an evil.
So it is now with those of us who are following the leadings of Jesus our Good Shepherd. No evil can befall us. No one can do us harm. This does not mean, however, that we will be spared from material loss or physical suffering. It does not mean that all men will think well of us and that we can go through life having everybody’s smile of approval upon us. Following the leadings of the Good Shepherd does not bring immunity from any of these things which the world and the worldly may construe to be “evil.”
As we walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” we will have much the same experiences along material lines as those which are common to mankind in general. We will not be protected from pain, or persecution, or loss, simply because we are following the leadings of the Good Shepherd. Viewed from the standpoint of the natural man, we will eventually succumb to the hardships of the “valley” even as do our neighbors and friends. Our outward man will indeed perish. We will “die like men.” None of the experiences, however, nor the sum total of them all, can do us harm, but rather, good. The reason for this is that while the outward man is perishing, we have the assurance that the “inward man” is, being renewed day by day. (II Cor. 4:16) And after all, this is the important consideration for us. Let the hardships come, if they will. Let the world, the flesh, and the devil combine to inflict hardships upon us, yet we will fear no evil, for no evil can befall us—that is, no evil that can touch the new creature.
Instead of viewing the hardships which may befall us as evils, we will be thankful for them, knowing that these are the very means by which we are tested and prepared for heavenly glory and joint-heirship with the Master in the kingdom. We will die in the “valley of the shadow of death,” but by grace and power divine we will triumph over death. Being planted together in the likeness of Jesus’ death, we will also be in the likeness of his resurrection.
So we continue on through the darksome valley of death, the valley in which fear blights the happiness of nearly all who traverse its hazardous path, but we do not fear. We do not fear because we know that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”—II Cor. 4:17,18
I will fear no evil, David wrote, because “Thou art with me.” What comfort there is in this thought! Can any harm come to us while in the company of the Lord? The very thought of his presence dispels all fear, all anxiety. Knowing that he is near, we can abandon ourselves entirely to the doing of his will and to the enjoyment of his sweet fellowship. We may not know, indeed, we cannot know, the experiences which await us from day to day. All we know is that if we follow closely where the Good Shepherd leads, he will be with us in our every time of need. And after all, this is all we need to know. Truly did the poet write:
“So on I go not knowing,
I would not if I might;
I’d rather walk in the dark with God
Than go alone in the light;
I’d rather walk by faith with him
Than go alone by sight.”
How comforting indeed is the assurance of the Lord’s presence with us while walking through the “vale of shadows.” To us he is more than friends, or the material comforts of life. His fellowship means more than worldly pleasure, more than fame or ease. The allurements of the world seem nothing when compared with the blessedness of his presence and fellowship. Traveling through the “valley of the shadow of death” many troubles are bound to assail us. Dangers will loom up at almost every step of the way. Our unbelieving friends will forsake us, and our foes may unite to do us harm. But we will fear none of these things, knowing that our Good Shepherd who leads the way is ever near, a very present help in every time of need.
But in order to enjoy fully the consciousness of the Lord’s presence, our faith must lay hold upon all the wondrous promises which he has made to sustain us. If we begin to think of our own weaknesses and imperfections, we will falter and perhaps fall by the wayside. Instead, we must continue to look to him who is our strong tower of support, the One who not only leads us through the “valley of the shadow of death,” but also gives us strength to walk in the pathway which he has pointed out to us.
Earth-born shadows are certain to arise temporarily to obscure our vision of the Good Shepherd, and to dim our realization of his presence with us. At such times the pathway will seem especially difficult and treacherous. Fears may begin to take hold upon us. It is at such times that we need to lay hold afresh upon God’s promises, for those promises can banish fear. They can part the clouds which obscure faith’s vision, and through the parting we will again see the smiling countenance of the Good Shepherd, and hear his loving and reassuring, “Follow me.”
“Thou ever present aid in suffering and distress;
The mind which still on thee is stayed, is kept in perfect peace.“The soul by faith reclined on the Redeemer’s breast,
’Mid raging storms, exults to find an everlasting rest.“Sorrow and fear are gone, whene’er thy face appears;
It stills the sighing suffers moan, and dries the widow’s tears.“Stripped of each earthly friend, I find them all in One;
And peace and joy which never end abound in Christ alone.”