2 Chronicles 20:25 -26 [NIV] ‘There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.’
DAILY READING; • Colossians 1:24-2:19; Ezekiel 27-28; Isaiah 54
Today, there is an area in the Golan Heights named ‘The Valley of Tears’. This place was so named because it was the site of a fierce major battle in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
The Yom Kippur war began on October 6, 1973, when Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise attack against Israel on the holiest day on the Jewish calendar known as Yom Kippur.
Taken by surprise, the odds were clearly against Israel. But, through a series of miracles, the tide of the battle turned in their favor and they eventually emerged victorious.
One of these miracles occurred in the place called the ‘Valley of Tears’ where just 3 Israeli tanks found themselves battling against over 150 Syrian tanks on the Golan height.
Though these few Israeli soldiers fought bravely, they were soon totally out of ammunition. Believing they were about to be all killed, one soldier took a shell casing and etched their names into the bunker wall, so that they would be remembered after their death.
However at this point, when it seemed all hope was lost, inexplicably, the Syrian soldiers all turned around and quickly began heading back to Syria. Some even jumped down from their tanks and began running in fear.
The Israeli soldiers couldn’t believe their eyes as they saw the Syrians retreating without attacking them. The reason for this Syrian soldiers’ actions remained a big mystery.
However, years after the war, Israeli secret police had opportunity to interrogate the commander of the Syrian Army Division that had fought in that battle.
When asked why he didn’t take out those last Israeli soldiers, he told the interrogator, that a whole host of white angels were standing right on the missile lines and a white hand from heaven signaled them to stop right there. On seeing this, they had all turned around and taken to their heels.
The site of the battle ground became known as the Valley of Tears. Today it hosts a Jewish National Fund memorial site.
For Israel, it was a place where tears of sorrow was turned into tears of joy through God’s astounding miracle of deliverance.
Psalm 84 talks about the Valley of Baca. The Hebrew word baca refers to tears or weeping.
Psalm 84:5–7 [ESV] says “Blessed are those whose strength is in you…As they go through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion”.
This Psalm is saying that when those who have God as their strength walk through what should be a valley of tears, it turns around to become a place of blessings for them.
In 2 chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a battle in a valley where his army was greatly outnumbered and it looked like defeat was inevitable. But when he obeyed God’s instruction and switched to praise, God gave them miraculous victory over their enemies and it took them three days to gather all the spoils of war!
King Jehoshaphat named the site of this battle “Valley of Berachah.’ Berachah means “blessings.”
Though it should have been a valley of tears through God’s miracle it became a valley of blessings for them.
Just like king Jehoshaphat, any time you are faced with battles greater than you, do not be afraid nor dismayed because the battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.
Rather than fear, what you do is to rightly position yourself in drawing closer to God, through in-depth study of the Word, prayers and intimate fellowship and worship.
As you stand strong in faith, God will turn your battlefield into your blessing field.
We need to always remember that we serve the God of divine turnaround who can suddenly change our story. He can turn what looks like a valley of defeat into a valley of victory. What looks like a valley of stagnation can become a valley of promotion. And what looks like a valley of sickness can become a valley of restoration.
Indeed God can use what should have defeated you to increase you.
Therefore today, no matter how tough any situation before you, keep your eyes upon Jesus and stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.
As you switch to high praises, you will certainly experience God’s fearful and tearful blessings. Indeed what the enemy meant for your harm, God will turn it all around for your good.
PRAYER: Lord, I truly thank You for Your many blessings in my life. Please grant me the grace to remain ever grateful and to give You worthy praise always, for I know that You are indeed turning every mourning into dancing for me in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE
The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222.