Tags
agony, Charles H. Spurgeon, comfort, darkness, death, dying to self, experience, Jesus Christ, light, pain, peace, the cross, the dark night of the spirit, the valley of the shadow of death
Covered under His Wings…
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)
The following Scripture both refers to the believer who faces physical death as it refers to the one who was chosen by God to walk through that same valley while He is still alive on earth.
“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.” (Ps 23:4 KJV)
Jesus confirmed those two different possibilities of dying when He answered Martha,
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25-26 ESV)
Although I am aware of the fact that most expositions on the latter verse where Jesus mentioned the one who lived believing in Him that should never die point to the second death (which is eternal), I believe that Jesus also pointed out the possiblity to enter His kingdom while still living in this world.
I found the following thoughts from Charles Spurgeon quite helpful and enlightening as for explaining the valley of death in which we meet tormenting fears we might have suppressed all our life. However, God meets us there in a new way and we learn to be patient despite stormy weathers and horrible attacks by Satan. God is greater than all our fears might ever be. Yet I need to admit that it is anything but fun – it is horrible (!) – to say YES to that process of dying to our self-will and let God do with us as He sees fit. As soon as He has helped us accept His ways of killing the self, peace sets in. Let’s read Spurgeon’s thoughts on this issue now.
Verse 4. […] Observe that it is not walking in the valley, but through the valley. We go through the dark tunnel of death and emerge into the light of immortality. We do not die, we do but sleep to wake in glory. Death is not the house but the porch, not the goal but the passage to it. The dying article is called a valley. The storm breaks on the mountain, but the valley is the place of quietude, and thus full often the last days of the Christian are the most peaceful of his whole career; the mountain is bleak and bare, but the valley is rich with golden sheaves, and many a saint has reaped more joy and knowledge when he came to die than he ever knew while he lived.
And, then, it is not “the valley of death,” but “the valley of the shadow of death,” for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains. Someone has said that when there is a shadow there must be light somewhere, and so there is. Death stands by the side of the highway in which we have to travel, and the light of heaven shining upon him throws a shadow across our path; let us then rejoice that there is a light beyond. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Let us not, therefore, be afraid. “I will fear no evil.” He does not say there shall not be any evil; he had got beyond even that high assurance, and knew that Jesus had put all evil away; but “I will fear no evil;” as if even his fears, those shadows of evil, were gone for ever.
The worst evils of life are those which do not exist except in our imagination. If we had no troubles but real troubles, we should not have a tenth part of our present sorrows. We feel a thousand deaths in fearing one, but the psalmist was cured of the disease of fearing. “I will fear no evil,” not even the Evil One himself; I will not dread the last enemy, I will look upon him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed, “For thou art with me.” This is the joy of the Christian! “Thou art with me.” The little child out at sea in the storm is not frightened like all the other passengers on board the vessel, it sleeps in its mother’s bosom; it is enough for it that its mother is with it; and it should be enough for the believer to know that Christ is with him. “Thou art with me; I have, in having thee, all that I can crave: I have perfect comfort and absolute security, for thou art with me.” “Thy rod and thy staff,” by which thou governest and rulest thy flock, the ensigns of thy sovereignty and of thy gracious care–“they comfort me.” I will believe that thou reignest still. The rod of Jesse shall still be over me as the sovereign succour of my soul.
Many persons profess to receive much comfort from the hope that they shall not die. Certainly there will be some who will be “alive and remain” at the coming of the Lord, but is there so very much of advantage in such an escape from death as to make it the object of Christian desire? A wise man might prefer of the two to die, for those who shall not die, but who “shall be caught up together with the Lord in the air,” will be losers rather than gainers. They will lose that actual fellowship with Christ in the tomb which dying saints will have, and we are expressly told that they shall have no preference beyond those who are asleep. Let us be of Paul’s mind when he said that “To die is gain,” and think of “departing to be with Christ, which is far better.” This twenty-third psalm is not worn out, and it is as sweet in a believer’s ear now as it was in David’s time, let novelty-hunters say what they will.
(Spurgeon Bible Commentary on Psalm 23:4)
Entering the Promised Land 
Our physical death is a reality and we will experience it unless we are of those who get taken like Enoch or Eli but one way or the other we will depart–I will let the Lord make that decision and not fret.
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Yes, our physical death is a reality, for sure, Kenneth. As for me, I do not believe in getting taken like Enoch or Eli.
Regarding my post, I referred to the reality of completely dying to our old Adam nature, so that we might find ourselves IN Christ continually. I wrote about that blissful condition before which I had come to know as a pretaste only. If you like, see https://enteringthepromisedland.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/the-dawning-of-the-new-creation/.
Thanks for your comment, my brother.
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OK I get it–Yes you are so right–We must be dead to our own self trying to live life and rest into letting Christ be our umpire–He is the only one who knows how to call the shots the way that His Father wants them to function.
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Yes and amen, Ken. 🙂
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Susanne, I am so glad that Spurgeon brought out that part about the shadow of death. So many of us are afraid of our own shadow when it comes to death. Yet, it is only death’s shadow we go through where God finally takes away all our fears. It is here in this troubling time of enduring the crucifying of our flesh that we experience His rod of chastisement. It is here that we finally realize His perfect love and embrace His chastening as much as we embrace His blessings, because they both come from the One who loves us and we come to accept that love in what ever form He sends it to us. Like Spurgeon said, we only pass through the porch of death. We don’t enter into its house.
Like I have said before, the darkest time of our life is when we are under the shadow of our Father’s wings for they are so massive, but He is there! It is here that we learn that darkness and light are the same to Him (Psalm 139:12) for He created it all for His purposes. Under the shadow of His wings like that porch in your picture that covers us even when we cannot see His light from above. We are never closer to Him than when He broods over us like a mother hen that gathers her chicks under her wings. We have a glorious promise, my sister…
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.”
(Isaiah 9:2 KJ2000)
Still your heart, His great light will dawn gloriously upon you after this shadow has passed and I have this great hope for you.
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.
(Isaiah 60:1-2 KJ2000)
Your friend,
Michael
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Oh yes, Michael, those shadows which are merely caused by His light and which only detect the undiscovered areas in our soul, frighten us tremendously at times. You know that I love the Scripture you recently gave me that says,
“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” (Ps 34:4 NLT)
It has been the only promise I have been able to cling to as I have been walking through that valley with those frightening shadows where I got the feeling I could never escape from that darkness….unless God helps me. I am still in it, but meanwhile I can say I found some comfort under His wings. You, my dear brother, confirmed my recent experience from today when you wrote above,
“It is here that we finally realize His perfect love and embrace His chastening as much as we embrace His blessings, because they both come from the One who loves us and we come to accept that love in what ever form He sends it to us.”
My recent experience was that I, though unable to pray as I used to beforehand, felt God suddenly in the midst darkness and pain and I knew I loved HIM. Before I was really fighting against the way He dealt with me until He gave me patience yesterday. I really do know that I never loved God unless He poured some love into my heart before. So, it seems He has changed something in me because lately I was almost done with God. I wanted to leave Him because of those tormenting pains, as you know. However, what is impossible with man is possible with God. We cannot change our hearts, but the good news is, it is not necessary to keep trying it. Instead, God gives us a completely new heart.
And yes, Isaiah 30:1-2, that is one of my favorite Scriptures since He gave it to me on that very day when I came to know Jesus.
Since you mentioned my picture above, I want to tell you that it shows the view from one of my first prayer benches in the woods with a roof above where I began to write and pray after God had led me into the dark night of the soul (the night of the senses) in 2000. I recall sitting there, weeping, with an old notebook from my daughter on my knees, and writing down my pains and fears and hopes. Soemtimes I wrote poems or songs too. But mainly I was there when I felt rather low. Today I am grateful for that place where I felt even physically protected against “bad weather”. 😉
Still hoping to see that great light whenever He wills…
Thanks a lot, my dear friend,
Susanne
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Oh Susanne! God put Isaiah 9:2 on my heart as I prayed for you about your dark night. I have a vision in my heart for what He yet has in store for you. And now He assured me of what it to come with this, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJ2000).
Though it tarries, wait for it; because IT WILL SURELY COME, IT WILL NOT DELAY.”
You are in my prayers and in my heart,
Michael
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Thanks so much for your prayers, Michael!
Yes, it tarries… How often I thought in the past that IT would be soon (over). Yet, I was always wrong since God’s doing cannot be predicted. Sometimes He even gives us visions which have been awaiting fulfillment for decades (am also just reminded of Joseph in the OT, for example). The doing is His, the waiting is ours… 😉
Yes, thank God, I do not doubt that it will come and I am glad that God gave me a bit more patience yesterday since before I had NONE. 😛
You are in my heart and prayers, too,
Susanne
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Susanne,
Thank you for sharing the story behind your picture on this blog. I am glad you found shelter there even in the midst of your troubles (see Isaiah 4:6). God is so good. I would love to read the note book you wrote during that time. I am sure that ever word you wrote from your heart is precious to our Father.
Spurgeon wrote about men taking refuge in the valleys, not on the stormy mountain tops. That is true of this life in this world for sure. During that great earthquake in Nepal a short time ago, all the villages on the mountain tops were badly damaged. Even the base camp high up on Mount Everest was destroyed. I only know of one enduring city on a mountain top, the rest are in the valleys, and THIS city’s Builder and Maker is God.
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” (Psalms 48:1-3 KJ2000).
In this life we inherited from Adam we know many valleys, but in His eternal life inherited IN Christ, we dwell in Mount Zion. In our Father’s house are many palaces of refuge that Christ has prepared for us and we can know and dwell in them now, even before we die, for “God is known there.” Jesus said He was leaving to prepare a place there for us and now His Father is preparing a people who can dwell there. Though this “preparation” is grueling at times, it is worth it.
“And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a covering [Jesus Christ]. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and from rain.” (Isaiah 4:5-6 KJ2000)
What a great salvation we have IN Christ!
Michael
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You’re very welcome, Michael!
Well, as for my notebook, it was the first one which I began in 2000 and I filled some more until 2008. I called those notebooks “Ma Noche Oscura” part 1/2/3/4 and 5 (you know, referring to John of the Cross’s Dark night).
Of course, you could read them, but they are mainly in German, sometimes in English, in Spanish, even in French, but more German than any other language. And it’s handwriting at that, you know… Sometimes even tears brushed away what I had written. From hence, it’s a personal thing, indeed. 😉 I do not like to give it away, I admit, so you should come over and read them here. 😀
Much love,
Your Susanne in HIM
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Thank you for the invitation and your willingness to share your writings with me. I will make it a matter of prayer and seek our Father on the timing of such a thing.
As for my comment above where I quoted Hab. 2:3… what God has for you in the glory of Christ WILL surely come to pass. Yes, when God says, ” though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay,” you can believe that it might look like it tarries, but all of a sudden He kicks it in gear and in a moment it happens.
I know that He will answer our prayers, dear sister! ⭐ We have a wonderful Daddy that gives only good gifts to those whom He loves.
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You’re very welcome, Michael. Yes, a meeting needs to happen according to His plan and we both know how often He heard our prayers in the past when we prayed as ONE (which was God-given too).
Your exposition on Hab. 2:3 truly hits home, esp. that sentence:
“…you can believe that it might look like it tarries, but all of a sudden He kicks it in gear and in a moment it happens.”
Thank you, my dear brother, that was a message directly from Him. 🙂
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“Meanwhile, these three remain, FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE…” The more I grow IN Christ and His love, the more I see that He is growing His faith and His Hope in me too! Wow… what an answer to prayer! Faith and hope have been lacking in me, but that is changing. Thank you for your prayers for me, dear sister! You are such a blessing… more than you will ever know.
Michael 🐻
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You are most welcome, Michael! 🙂
And you are a blessing as well!!!
Susanne 🐱
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I appreciate the post, and the truth that it covers. I am not sure what is in my heart concerning death. Once I heard a Christian sister say that old people have two fears: one fear is that they will die, the other fear is that they will not die. Perhaps dying to self is also a see saw desire. I do want to die to myself, but I know that in the past I have at times interfered with the process – wittingly or unwittingly.
Paul said that if in this life we have hope only , we are of all men most miserable. I am taking the comment above a bit out of context, to now refer to the blessed hope. But I believe that the blessed hope is life out of death: both of the self and the natural body.
I love and appreciate you, my sister,
Pat Orr
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Very well said, all of it, dear Pat! 🙂
I heard a similar saying you did and it seems to be true that we fear what we do not know yet about what lies ahead of us beyond the visible realm we are used to. But we also fear that we might have to live “eternally” in a body that not only withers, but causes more and more pains when we are aging.
YES! You said,
“But I believe the blessed hope is life out of death: both of the self and the natural body.”
Amen, my dear sister. ⭐
I love you, Pat! ❤
Your friend and sister,
Susanne
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Yes, Spurgeon referred to the possible joy of a Christian’s last days of life.
Of course, you must have witnessed several people dying before your eyes. I also heard that most deaths are peaceful, only a few seemed not to be so. As for my own NDE, I can say it was a very peaceful experience as well. I only wanted to stay there, in His light and never return again.
Singing joyful hymns at a funeral must be God-given, I believe. Not everyone might like that. But as you said that it was rather a celebration than severe grief, I can imagine that it is possible.
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A dear friend of mine is now experiencing her fourth bout with cancer. The other trials she has endured in her life are too many to describe here. My mother, also, suffered greatly before her death (and endured many trials during her life).
I know that we must die to self, yet am grieved when I see such suffering by those I love. For me, this is the shadow of death — worse than death, itself. Death is nothing to believers…merely a doorway.
At the same time, the light of God shines fiercely in the lives of saints like these. God, I think, uses such men and women to exhort and inspire others by their very existence. It is not so much that these men and women require “additional” sanctification. Rather, what they endure is possible only through God’s help. The world stands in awe.
You are among these, Susanne.
Do you know that Joan of Arc briefly renounced her Voices after she was taken captive? She was shown the instruments of torture, and was terrified by them. Historians believe she was, also, raped during this period. When it became clear she would be imprisoned for life or put to death despite her renunciation, Joan recanted it.
Do not lose heart. The shadow of a sword cannot kill. You are being used greatly by God, for which all of us who know you are grateful.
With love,
Anna ❤
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Dear Anna,
Your words touched my so deeply, I can hardly tell you how much. Thanks a bunch for your continued support and encouragement! Your faithfulness and your big heart are so unusual and so unique! I am very grateful to God that I have got to know YOU. ❤
What made me sad was reading the bad news about your dear friend. Suffering from cancer only once must be a torture, but recovering and falling sick with it again…and again…and again (!), that must have been unimaginably hard for her. I will keep her in my heart and prayers from now on.
Also, I imagine it must have been very painful for you, too, watching your mother suffer that much before she left the earth last year….. 😦
Yes, I fully agree with you, the shadow of death is worse than death itself which will do us no harm because God will receive us on the other side – with His great love. The fact that you counted me among these other saints, those “men and women to exhort and inspire others by their very existence,” and even said that I was “being used greatly by God” leaves me humbled and I am almost speechless now since I know no other person who is as weak and as helpless as I am, not only sometimes, but 24/7. I lost any feeling of how what I do, say, or write might have affected others in any positive or even spiritual way. Dear Anna, I cannot say that I love the condition I am in, yet that’s the way the cookie crumbles according to God’s eternal plan. He does not need my strength, neither physically, nor mentally, or spiritually.
I did not know that story about Joan of Arc. It somehow appears to me that she had also reached the end of her personal rope before God showed up. He is indeed our Last-Minute-God.
With thankfulness and love,
Susanne ❤
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Anna, Yes it is so hard to watch some one dear to us suffer. We enter into their sufferings with our aching hearts.
Thank you for adding your voice to this fact that I have been sharing with Susanne:
“Do not lose heart. The shadow of a sword cannot kill. You are being used greatly by God, for which all of us who know you are grateful.”
You Two sisters are such a blessing to all of us! It is when the alabaster flask is broken and poured out on Jesus that the fragrance of the perfume fills the whole house of God.
Love to you both!
Michael
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Dear Michael,
You even repeated what Anna wrote above! Now you see me doubly humbled since I have no feeling that God has been using me in ANY way. But I will be content if one or another has found something of what I shared somehow helpful.
Thanks a lot for having willingly shared my pains and burdens, Michael! Much appreciated! ❤
Love to you,
Susanne
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There is a saying, “Pain withheld become hate. Pain shared becomes love.” Keep sharing your life with us, Susanne!
Michael ❤
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God willing, I keep on sharing what I can, Michael!
Susanne ❤
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