The Valley of The Shadow of Death

 "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with His disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered."     John 18:1

Jesus spends His last night with His disciples in a familiar place, a garden in the Kidron Valley outside of Jerusalem. It's such a common occurrence for Jesus to be here with His disciples that Judas knows right where to find them when he brings a mob to arrest Jesus.  But this valley isn't just a random hangout for friends; it's a site rich in Jewish history that foreshadows the magnitude of what is about to take place.   

The first time we hear of the Kidron brook (often used interchangeably with Kidron valley) is in 2 Samuel 15:13-23.  Jesus' famous ancestor, King David, is facing a kingdom-overthrow by his own son, Absalom.  A messenger warns the king that Israel has actually chosen to pledge allegiance to Absalom.  King David flees with all of his household.  As this great, royal crowd passes through the streets, the people who still hold loyalty to King David weep aloud as he crosses the brook Kidron. (Side note--there is a beautiful picture of the Gospel reaching outside of the promised people of Israel in the declaration from Ittai, a foreign follower.  “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be."  Hope for ALL!)

The second time we find the Kidron brook mentioned is in 1 Kings 2, when King Solomon, King David's son, gives Shimei an ultimatum.  He tells him to stay in Jerusalem, on one side of the Kidron; if he crossed it, all deals were off.    (Kidron means "decision").   After three years, Shemei chose disobedience, and was killed.  

1 Kings 15 tells the story of King Asa, a king of Judah who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. (1 Kings 15:9-15) He cleaned the temple, removing idols and evil practices that the kings before him allowed.  He even deposed his own mother because she made and worshiped images of a foreign goddess, Asherah.  He took the "abominable image" and burned it at the brook Kidron.  

2 Kings 22-23 is written during King Josiah's reign.  He was a good king who started reigning at just 8 years old! He began repairing the temple, and as the repairs were being done, they found the Book of the Law!  He had his secretary read him the book, and when he heard the words, he repented and gathered the people back to worship Yahweh.  He started by reading the whole Book of the Covenant to All the people.  "Then king Josiah stood and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book.  And all the people joined in the covenant." After reading the Word of God, the first action  was to take all of the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for other false gods, and burn them in the fields of Kidron.  He brought out the Asherah from the house of Lord and burned it at the brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people.   2 Chronicles 29:16 and 30:14 find king Hezekiah doing the same thing.  (There were less than 100 years between Hezekiah and Josiah's reigns, which shows how quickly we are prone to wander.) 

The Kidron valley is home to the most famous cemetery in Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the first temple. King David might have been  referring to the Kidron valley in Psalm 23, when he said "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;".  Jesus was traveling the Kidron Valley for His triumphal entry; and when He said in Luke 19:40 "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.", He was likely pointing to the thousands of gravestones lining the path.     

The brook Kidron has been the location of so many decisions.  Decisions to wholeheartedly follow God, and decisions to blatantly disobey.  It's a common graveyard (although today it cost as much as 1 million dollars to be buried there! 👀) and Holy ground.  Common, because death is a given for us all.  We will all die and be buried.  And Holy, because Jesus took that step of decision and crossed the brook Kidron.  He knew what was on the other side of the valley (John 18:4). But He also knows we have been trying and failing to outrun the enemy who wants our allegiance.  He knows we have idols that we can't seem to let go.  He knows we are prone to wander.  So He set His heart on us, both that day and from the beginning of time (Revelation 13:8) and His steadfast love guided His first step.  He finally and forever won the battle for us.  He fulfilled His purpose—To glorify God and to give eternal life to all whom God has given Him.  And this is eternal life, that we may know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.  (John 17:2-3)