In Nehemiah 328From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house. (Nehemiah 3:28) we find the people who had come back to the land of Israel after the captivity seeking to rebuild both the wall and the gates of Jerusalem. There are twelve gates mentioned, and of particular interest is the valley gate. We come to verse 13: “The valley gate repaired Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.” It does not say a great deal about this valley gate, but there is a little passage that I would like to notice in 1 Kings 20:2828And 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. (1 Kings 20:28): “There came a man of God, and spoke 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.” Is not that a very lovely verse? They had been used of the Lord and they had won a victory over the Syrians in the hills, and now the next time they are going to have to meet them in the valleys.
The God of the Valleys
If I might put it in a practical way, sometimes things might seem to go very well and go along quite smoothly; we see the Lord undertaking for us in a wonderful way and we prove that God is the God of the hills. But then the enemy meets us when we are down; some trouble, some trial enters into our lives and we say, “Oh, it’s so hard to bear this. It just gets me down.” I think it is wonderful how the Lord met the servant of the Lord here to encourage him and said, I’m going to show that your God is the God of the valleys. When we have difficult experiences in our lives, we can prove that the Lord is sufficient. He can give us the victory even in trials. Sometimes that is a great testimony to the world. I am sure we know of cases where the world looked on and when things went well in our lives, they did not think so much of our Christianity. Then they see us have real difficulties, perhaps bereavements, or perhaps some sickness coming upon us. They see that we have a joy, a peace that they do not have. They see that God is the God of the valleys. Brethren, our God is not only the God of the hills; He is also the God of the valleys. If we do have those valley experiences, sometimes there is a greater testimony in how we meet the trials and difficulties of life than in our preaching. He is the God of the hills and He is the God of the valleys. So, “the valley gate repaired Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah.” They not only repaired, but they also put up the locks thereof, the walls thereof, and the bars thereof. Perhaps the reason it tells us this is because the enemy is always trying to get in. He is trying to get in in every situation. He comes into our service. He comes into our circumstances. He comes into all these situations, so that we need to have the gate barred. We sing in a hymn sometimes, “Take Thou our hearts and let them be, forever closed to all but Thee” (Little Flock Hymnbook #294). We need to watch. The enemy is out to get us in times when things go well, as also in times when we get down in the valley and are depressed.
The Length of the Wall
There is something else connected with this valley gate, for it is the only gate with which a specific length of the wall is mentioned. We read that “the valley gate repaired Hanun ... and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate” (Neh. 3:1313The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate. (Nehemiah 3:13)). We read in 1 Peter 1:6-76Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 1:6‑7) that in connection with “the trial of our faith” there may also be an “if need be” in our lives. As well as faithfulness, the Lord may see in our lives something that needs correction and purification, and He may, in His wisdom and love, pass us through a valley. The valley may seem long — in figurative terms, perhaps 1000 cubits—but it is all to bring us to the dung gate, where we finally profit from the Lord’s dealing with us and judge what is not pleasing to Him. Then we are ready to take it out at the dung gate; the blessed result is the next gate, the gate of the fountain, which speaks of refreshment for our souls.
G. H. Hayhoe (adapted)