Text: 1 Kings 20:1-30
“Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.” —1 Kings 20:28
It was the quickest overtime game in NFL history. In January of 2012, Tim Tebow connected with Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown pass to give the Denver Broncos a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before making his way to the postgame press conference, Tebow was stopped by a public relations person, who explained to him what just occurred.
“I don’t think you realize what happened,” said the PR guy. “During the game you threw for 316 yards, your yards per rush were 3.16, your yards per completion were 31.6, the ratings for the game were 31.6, and the time of possession was 31:06.” During the game, 90 million people had already Googled “John 3:16”—a favorite Bible verse of Tebow—and it was the number one thing trending on Facebook and Twitter.
“A lot of people will say it’s coincidence,” Tebow acknowledged. “I say big God.”
The Steelers never imagined that Tebow could beat them with the air game, as they were confident the Broncos could only run the ball. They were stunned in defeat.
In 1 Kings 20, Ben-Hadad and the officials of his Aramean army had a similar presumption that left them stunned in the end. They believed of Israel, “Their gods are gods of the hills… But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.” Yet an unnamed prophet stepped up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Seven days later, the battle was joined and the Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day, while the rest escaped to the city of Aphek, where a wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. God showed up strong and the Arameans learned Who was sovereign that day!
Regardless of what your adversary might presume about you, your faith, or your God, The Great I Am has a long and flawless track record of showing up strong and proving His omnipotence. Unlike those lifeless pagan gods, He is the living GOD of the hills and the valleys. He’s not just Lord in prosperity and plenty, but in hardship and famine. He’s not just Lord when the journey is filled with joy, but just as faithful in seasons of suffering. He’s not just Lord in marital bliss, but also in times of relational stress. He’s not just Lord when your health is favorable, He is also Lord in the valley of sickness.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will never cease to demonstrate that He is Lord of both the hills and the valleys of our lives, and the victory He brings will inevitably and ultimately be stunning! Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, your word is life and truth. Thank you for the promise that your presence and sovereignty have no limitations in our lives. There is no valley too low for you to grace with your goodness toward us. You are worthy of our worship, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection and/or Group Discussion
- In what times or circumstances do you tend to get most discouraged?
- What was Ahab’s predicament when Ben-Hadad besieged Samaria? (1 Kings 20:1-3) What did one of God’s prophets tell Ahab about the outcome of the ensuing battle? (v. 13)
- What did Ben-Hadad assume about his ability to subdue Israel? (v. 18)
- Why did God determine that He would cause the small army of Israel to defeat the large army of Arameans on the plains? (v. 28)
- In what valleys of your life right now do you need to trust God’s sovereignty?
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