(1 Kings 20:28)

The army of the King of Syria had suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the forces of Ahab, King of Israel. The battle had been on the high ground, where the horses and chariots of Syria had been of little advantage to the northern nation. To comfort their monarch his servants had said of Israel, "Their gods are of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they" (ver. 23).

Thus it came to pass that another campaign was commenced, and at the return of the year Ben-hadad went up to Aphek, and launched his new attack against his foes. The Syrians "filled the country," but the children of Israel were only like "two little flocks of kids." "But God"-. What a change is produced when those two words are introduced! Jehovah was for His people and His glory was at stake, so we read, "And there came a man of God, and spake unto the King of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (ver. 28). And so it came to pass. The great host of Syria was overwhelmed, and utterly routed.

The God of the hills was the God of the valleys then, and He is just "the same" for us now. The heights are His and the depths also. The hills of light and the vales of darkness are alike under His control.

"He everywhere hath sway,
And all things serve His might;
His every act pure blessing is,
His path unsullied light.

When He makes bare His arm,
Who shall His strength withstand?
When He His people's cause defends,
Who then shall stay His hand?"

In the days of His flesh the Lord Jesus was all-sufficient, on the holy mount of transfiguration, to fill the hearts and thoughts of those privileged to be there. They listened to the Father's voice as honor and glory were conferred upon their Lord, "when there came such a voice from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

But the mount had to be left for the vale, and suffering and sorrow were there, and the failure of the apostles to succor the distressed. But the Lord was enough for the valley-gloom as He had been for the hill-top glory, and relieved the pressure of broken humanity with His word.

We are apt to be satisfied with the hills and to murmur in the valleys. Is it not so? Let us ask our hearts, Do we believe that our God is "the God of the valleys also?"

The seasons of prosperity in temporal things appeal to us as being good and profitable. The times of adversity are judged to be evil and unprofitable. But it may be that our God who knows the end from the beginning in all things sees that the valley is better for us spiritually than the hill.

The history of Hezekiah's sickness which he himself gives to us when he was recovered shows this clearly. When in the valleys of trial and weakness he had turned his face to the wall and "chattered like a crane or a swallow." But he learned that God was the God of those valleys of suffering and pain. "O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit!" he cries, in the end. He has learned the invaluable lesson that the most contrary things, as they may seem to nature, are the most favorable for our truest advantage.

If we turn to Ps. 84 we shall find there that the hilltops of rest and praise give place to the valleys of exercise and prayer. The valley of Baca-of tears-has to be passed through, but it is made to contribute a well spring of refreshment, while the rain from on high covers the arid desert ground with the flowers and fruits of richest blessing. So the valley of Achor-of trouble-becomes a door of hope for Israel ultimately, as the valley of Elah-of the curse-yielded victory in the past. God is the God of the valleys.

So if passing through the deep gloomy canyon, where wild beasts may lurk and wicked bandits hide, we need not be dismayed. The valley of the shadow of death will know the light of His presence with us until the end, and then the hills of glory-"the house of the Lord, for ever"-will be our portion. Inglis Fleming