The Shadow Of Death.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” (Ps. 23:4a) Dictionary.com defines a shadow as, “a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light.” Death is like a body intercepting light to cast a dark image on the face of the earth. There are seasons in life when one senses this shadow to be closer than we would like. Life in this fallen world is still lived in the shadow of death. David even pictures the shadow in an inescapable valley. There are times when it is more than the shadow of a tree that we can walk around and avoid if we wish to do so. Sometimes the shadow of death covers the valley that we find ourselves passing through. What sort of evil lurks in the shadow in the valley? What is a person’s only comfort when walking through this valley? “I will fear no evil.” (v. 4b) Why? Because I am brave and will assume the stoic tough upper lip. No. “I will fear no evil; for you are with me.” (v. 4bc) This is the heart promise of His one covenant of grace which finds its consummation in the new. “They shall be My people, and I will be their God” (Jer. 32:38). This found ultimate fulfillment through Immanuel, whose name means “God with us” (Cf. Is. 7-8; Mt. 1:22-23). He will remain “with us” forever past the day when the last enemy is destroyed (I Cor. 15:25-26).