The Valley of Berachah

And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. (2 Chronicles 20:26, New King James Version)

This chapter marks one of the most unusual battles ever fought in Scripture. There was a battle won by simply marching around a wall. (See Joshua Chapter 6). There was one won by commanding time to stop (See Joshua Chapter 10). And the one that most people are familiar with is the battle won by a teenage boy who used a slingshot (See 1 Samuel Chapter 17). Yet in this Scripture, the weapon of choice was to praise and worship God.

Jehoshophat (whose name means “The Lord has judged (as in decided)”) is out numbered by the enemy. However, he decides to fight the enemy not with military weapons, but with spiritual ones. And the weapon of choice was praise. The result? The valley, which was supposed to be his place of destruction, was named “The Valley of Berachah”, which means “The Valley of Blessing”.

Merlin R. Carothers, a chaplain in the military, wrote a classic book called “Prison to Praise”. Maybe during this “new season” we should become more proficient with this “new weapon”. It’ll bless our lives!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, teach me and give me a new spirit of praise unto God. It is time to turn my Valley of Baca (“Sorrow” see: Psalms 84:6) into a Valley of Berachah. Amen.