Shadow of Death

Sometime last year I bought a book entitled GRACE: an invitation to a way of life. Though I've been told all my life, don't judge a book by it's cover, I did. I bought the book because I liked the title... it so aptly described what grace is about!


Upon further investigation of the inside, I have found it to be just as good as its title. The book is somewhat like a devotional journal with questions mixed with readings that go through Psalm 23. I wanted to share something I was reading from it this week:

What is the "valley of the shadow of death"? In the original Hebrew, the words translated "shadow of death" are all actually just one word... The literal translation is "deep darkness."

It is used to describe the darkness people try to hide in when they cover evil actions (see context in Job 24:13-16 and 34:22), the feeling that accompanies rebellion against God (Psalm 107:10-14 ), and God's judgment (Jeremiah 13:16). It can describe confusion (Job 12:22), sadness (Job 16:16), or physical places like a lonely desert (Jer. 2:6) or a mine shaft (Job 28:3). It can signify the darkest moments of the night (Amos 5:8).

It is certainly no coincidence that the prophet Isaiah used this term when he predicted the coming of Jesus, the One who ultimately dispels spiritual darkness (Is. 9:2). "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned."

It's really amazing to think that this word is used in the Bible to describe the darkest things of life, the times when we feel cut off from God, even when it's the result of our own rebellion--God doesn't leave us alone. Psalms 23: 4 says that even there, in those dark valleys, God is with us! Wonderful, Merciful , Gracious God! And in those valleys we can walk, fearing no evil, because He is there.