God of Mountains and Valleys
1 Kings 20:27 – When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 28 – The prophet visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
The Lord had given Ahab a stunning victory over the Syrians just to prove to him that “the Lord is God.” The retreating Syrians consoled themselves with the thought that their loss was because the Israelite God specialized in mountain warfare placing them at a disadvantage despite their superior numbers. Their new strategy was to change their leaders and put together another similar sized army and engage Israel again in valley warfare thinking a god of the mountains certainly wouldn’t be able to fight in the valleys.
The Syrians were in for another surprise as they were handed yet another defeat finding out the hard way that the Lord is God of the mountains and the valleys. Who is God to you and me? Is He limited in His specialties? Can the Great Military Strategist also be the Great Physician, the Great Engineer, the Great Chemist, the Great Biologist, the Great Teacher, the Great Preacher, the Great Policeman, the Great Architect, the Great Politician, the Great Lawyer, and the Great Judge – The Lord’s hand is not short! You name the discipline. He is specialist in them all for He is Lord of everything!! The One who gave Solomon his wisdom surpasses Solomon in wisdom!!
Isaiah 59:19 says: In the west, people respect the LORD’s reputation; in the east they recognize his splendor. For he comes like a rushing stream driven on by wind sent from the LORD. 20 – “A protector comes to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” says the LORD.
Verse 21 – “As for me, this is my promise to them,” says the LORD. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” says the LORD.
The words to the Chris Tomlin song, God of Wonders, come to mind: Lord of all creation, Of water, earth and sky, The heavens are Your tabernacle, Glory to the Lord on High. God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy, holy, The universe declares Your majesty, You are holy, holy. Lord of heaven and earth.
The Lord is a specialist in knowing you and me for He made us. He is specialist in life and He has conquered death. Let us trust in His ability to help us, protect us, and save us!
Where two are gathered 