Series 2 - Post 4: (Side Note) Valley of Decision

Mt. Hermon: Transfiguration, Judgement - Valley of Decision 

Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were good in appearance; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

— Genesis 6:1-2

Is it a literal location or symbolic?

Scripture uses imagery of a house, temple, and dwelling place for human beings:

Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," speaking of His body (John 2:19-21).

Paul says, "Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Believers are described as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5).

Biblical pattern exists: a physical structure can symbolize a person. 

Likewise, Scripture repeatedly locates sin, corruption, and defilement as something that proceeds from within:

"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts..." (Matthew 15:19)

"The kingdom of God is within you" or "in your midst" (Luke 17:21, depending on translation).

🔹 Abomination of Desolation 

Concerning the abomination of desolation, Jesus refers to the prophecy of Daniel (Matthew 24:15). Historically and prophetically, many interpretations see it as:

• A literal desecration of a temple.
• A future event.
• A symbolic spiritual corruption.

Following a symbolic line:

• The temple can symbolize the human person.
• The holy place can symbolize the inner sanctuary of consciousness, heart, or mind.

The abomination then becomes the intrusion of false worship, deception, pride, or lawlessness into that inner sanctuary.

Judgment becomes the exposure and separation of truth from falsehood within the person.

Here are passages that resonate with this idea:

"For the word of God is living and powerful... discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing..." (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

"Jehovah searcheth all hearts..." (1 Chronicles 28:9)

🔹 Battlefield of the mind

Under this reading, the "valley of decision" could be viewed symbolically as the place where God's verdict confronts the deepest part of a person and where truth is separated from deception.

What Scripture clearly states is that God judges both nations and individual hearts. Whether Joel's Valley of Decision specifically symbolizes the human mind is not stated in the text, but it fits within a broader biblical theme that God's judgment reaches the innermost person.

An interesting connection is that in Scripture the battlefield is often internal before it becomes external. Eve's temptation, Israel's idolatry, Judas' betrayal, and the warnings of Jesus all begin with something entering the heart and mind. In that sense, one could argue that the deepest "abomination of desolation" is not merely a desecrated building but a desecrated inner sanctuary where something other than God occupies the place that belongs to Him.

That interpretation is not explicitly taught by Joel, but it is a coherent symbolic reading when viewed through the broader scriptural themes of temple, heart, dwelling place, and judgment.

Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the sanctuary of God, God will destroy him, for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are.

— 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

See post: Series 2: The Pattern Within the Pattern — 4. The Two Women

Excerpt:

🔹 The Place of Decision

And this is what stood out to me:

The pattern now includes a point of decision.

To remain

or not remain

To respond

or not respond 

~ Peace, Love, and Joy ~ 

Series 2: The Pattern Within the Pattern — 4. The Two Women

The deeper I stayed with this over time,

the more the smaller details began to stand out—

not as separate things, but as part of the same pattern.

The Pattern of Contrast...

🔹 Something I Couldn’t Ignore

As I kept following this pattern,

another layer began to stand out.

Not just repetition.

But contrast.

🔹 Not One — But Two

Across Scripture, there are moments

where two figures appear side by side.

Not identical.

Not interchangeable.

But clearly connected.

🔹 A Pattern Already There

I had seen it before in different forms:

• two paths
• two responses
• two outcomes

And then I began to notice—

this pattern appears

in a very specific way.

🔹 Two Women

In different places,

Scripture presents this contrast through two women.

Not just individuals—

but patterns.

As reflected in earlier notes, Scripture itself presents structured contrasts like:

• Sarah and Hagar
• freedom and bondage
• one connected to promise, the other to limitation 

🔹 Not Equal, But Parallel

What stood out to me is this:

They are not the same—

but they are presented in parallel.

One draws toward life.

One moves away from it.

One responds.

One resists.

🔹 The Same Structure

When I step back, the structure becomes simple:

Two figures

↓

Two responses

↓

Two outcomes

🔹 The Same Pattern, Continued

This doesn’t replace what we’ve already seen.

It deepens it.

Because now the pattern isn’t just:

• recognition

It becomes:

• recognition
• or refusal

🔹 The Place of Decision

And this is what stood out to me:

The pattern now includes a point of decision.

To remain

or not remain

To respond

or not respond

See post: Series 2 - Post 4: (Side Note) Valley of Decision 

🔹 Not Forced, But Revealed

Neither path is forced.

Both are present.

Both are seen.

And the difference between them

is not distance—

but response.

🔹 The One Who Recognizes

When I hold this next to everything before it:

• the woman at His feet
• the one who anoints
• the one who gives

It becomes clearer.

The pattern is not just about seeing.

It’s about how one responds

after seeing.

🔹 Something Consistent

There is something consistent in all of this:

What is revealed

does not produce the same response in everyone.

🔹 And It Continues Forward

Because this pattern doesn’t stay in one place.

It appears again and again—

in different forms,

but within the same structure.

The same truth can be present—

and yet lead to two very different responses.

~ Peace, Love, and Joy ~

Series 1: Pattern - Start Here

Series 2: Pattern Within a Pattern

1. Place of Recognition
2. The Anointing
3. Hair and Glory
4. The Two Women
5. The Hidden One Who Sees
6. The Bride as Reality

Series 3:

Series 4:

Series 5:

Series Summary