Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-27
REV. DR.. BARRETT
Preached at the Christian Me-
mortal Temple.
Sunday. an Able Sermon from II Kings, 3:
10, "Thus Saith the Lord, Make This
Valley Full of Ditchcs"-s Subject: Dig
ging bitches In the Spiritual Life.

BIG"
1t was moment of transmission in
the history of Israel. Great RESPONSE
bilities were were bearing heavily upon
the nation. Ahab had but recently
died. and Jehoram had succeeded to the
throne. Mesha. king OF Moab. had
paid tribute to Israel. but now that
Ahab is dead. he refuses to do SO
again.
This meant war between Israel and
the Moabltes. Jehoram numbered
Israel. and finding himself not strong
enough for the war. he asked Jehosha-
phat. king OF Judah. If he would go
with him TO this battle. He readily
agreed 10 do so. and as they passed
through the wilderness of Edom. the
King of Edom also Joined them in this
campaign against the Moabites. After
Ii march OF seven days they suddenly
came into country where there was
no water, and being on the border of
the land of Moab, they realized their
danger, and the king of Israel said:
Alas. that the Lord hath called these
three kings together 10 deliver them
into the hands of Moab" Then Jehos-
napnat asked If there was no prophet
of the Lord there. Being informed that
Elisha was there, the three kings went
tnat the Lord was against them, that
they would be delivered into the hands
OF the Moabites. They said as much
TO Elisha. He told them that but for
his regard for Jehoshaphat. the king
OF Judah, he would not even look upon
them. For Jehoshaphat's sake he ask
ed that minstrel be sent, and while
the minstrel played. the hand of the
Lord came upon him, and he said:
Thus saith the Lord make this val
ley full of bitches We snail
not see wind. neither shall We see rain;
yet that valley shall he filed with
water. that we may drink. both We and
your cattle. and your beasts"
They We're doubtless astonished. for
this was of itself n marvellous thing
How could it be possible? The prophet
answered: This is but a light thing
In the sight of the Lord. He will do
more than this, for he will deliver the
Moabiies into your hands," Astonish-
ment was astonished. but God did all
and more than he had promised. and
Israel was again master of the field
In this incident we have 4 marvellous
blending of the natural and the super
natural. even God working through
of His people. Here we have fine
opportunity to solve some dimcult
problems which arise in the spiritual
life Let us study them:
l. Jehoram's Blunder He counselled
with Jehoshaphat but forgot to seek
divine guidance. This is human wis
dom affecting independence OF God 1t
is always n failure. and it is so of ne
cessity. both for the good of man and
the glory of God. Good common sense
leaning only upon God is the mightiest
force in human society. while the
greatest human learning Is a failure
when leaning on itself. 1 dare say
that the failures of men in general
come from this blunder of forgetting
God in the time of their responsibil-
ties.
II. The correction of this blunder and
what it involved.
l. The blunder itself, after n seven
days march. had brought them face
to face with their own absolute help
lessncss. This served two-fold pur-
pose: a. 1t called their attention to
the fact that in entering upon this
campaign they had forgotten God. CO
1t showed them that not another step
further did they dare to so without
God. Here they betook themselves TO
Gods prophet. seeking relef-they
must have water or suffer terrible de-
feat
.. Gods plan of relief involved not
alalS- Lis Xork.-hMt their faith. Said
the prophet: Thus saith the Lord
make this valley full of bitches"
THESE bitches. or pits. were to hold
the water God was to send for their
relief. OF course they expected He
would send great storm of wind and
rain to supply them. but He said they
should see no wind or rain. IneXplica-
BILE. for how could water be sent to
them in dry land without rain. This
was a marvellous paradox. and took
the whole affair out of the hand OF
man, making it necessary for man to
stand by faith in Gods word. and by
M a1n nI 1,hA
forgotten proposed TO work their de-
liverance through their faith in Him.
and II not in this way. then not at
all, leaving them to the mercy of their
enemies. They regarded this as mar
Vicious. not having thought of yon-
der's, distant mountain shed from
which His mighty hand could bring
them through this valley the water
they so much needed. He told Elisha
to tell them that this was light thing
for Him to do; that he would do much
more than this: that He would deliver
the Moabites into their hands and give
them power to make their country as
nothing.
III. Let us study the lessons taught
the Christian in this incident.
l. He cannot afford to attempt to
fight LIES battles through his own
wisdom. or by human power. He must
have God in him in all his service If
he is to be successful Leaving God
out means trouble sooner or later and
very serious trouble. involving the
whole of the spiritual life. God in the
Christian is his only hope of real sue
ccss-of success which does not involve
his own ruin. Many find their saliva
ton in meeting apparently insuperable
difficulties only because the difficulties
drive them 10 God.
.. The way to God is through divine
guidance. These kings went to God s
prophet and learned what To do. Let
us always go to Gods word
g. We must learn not to doubt His