Mountains

 

I was listening to a message dealing with the Mount of Transfiguration and it came to me that there are many major events in the Bible that take place on a mountain. What is the significance of the mountain? Mountains certainly suggest strength and stability. In Psalm 30:7, “O Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong”. They can also speak about the depth of the difficulties we face in Matthew 17:20.

When I think of mountain experiences, Abraham’s offering on Mount Moriah comes immediately to mind. This event was monumental not only in Abraham’s life, but the Jewish nation as a whole since they purposed to locate Solomon’s temple at the same exact location. God tested Abraham by commanded him to take his son, Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering. Abraham was willing to obey and even had the knife ready to strike when the Lord stopped him; Abraham proved his faith. Mountain experiences can represent God’s testing.

And how about what took place on Sinai? God had delivered the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt and led them to Mount Sinai to receive His Law. He called Moses to meet with Him on the mountain to receive the two tablets and lots of other instructions. These instructions included the following: “’and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel” (Exodus 19:6). If the people would follow His commands, they would become His possession in the earth. A brand new relationship with God was introduced on a mountain.

Who are you following? 

And then there was Mount Carmel. Elijah would challenge the people with this question, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” Their first response was no response so Elijah felt he was alone while Baal was represented by 450 prophets. To demonstrate whose God would show up, they prepared two altars and prayed to their God for His response. After pouring gallons of water on Elijah’s altar, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob showed up big; the wood and offering and even the stones were completely burnt and all the water licked up. God was proving His power against any false god. He demonstrated His power against all adversaries on a mountain and the prophets of Baal were eliminated.

In 1Kings 19, Elijah was on the run from Ahab and Jezebel after the experience on Mount Carmel and found a mountain (unidentified) to hide in. In verses 11-12, God said, “’Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing [whisper].” The Lord was teaching Elijah that attention-getting experiences aren’t always the way He communicates His will.

The Choosing of the Twelve 

In Mark 3:13-14, Scripture says, “And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach.” This mountain is traditionally understood to be Mount Hatten, located 5 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. The Lord Jesus chose this place to establish His holy relationship with twelve men that would eventually change the world.

Then there is the Mount of Transfiguration. It most likely took place on Mount Tabor and included only three of Jesus’s disciples, Peter, James and John. It was such a profound moment on many levels, demonstrating visibly to the three that Jesus was God incarnate through the shining of His face and garments, the shekinah glory. Then Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. The voice of God from heaven spoke, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" There are many different interpretations of what it all meant, but many believe that Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets which is an idiom used to identify the entire Old Testament. The Father was instructing the disciples to listen closely to all that Jesus was saying; that what Jesus was saying would supercede the Old Testament teaching. Both Peter and John wrote about their experience as a moment when they understood something new 

Final instructions

Finally, Jesus spent his last moments as the Risen Lord on “the mount called Olivet”. He had some final instructions for His disciples, including Acts 1:8: “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." He was then lifted up as they watched until they could see Him no more. There were two men in white clothing (I believe they were angels) and told those in attendance that Jesus will return “in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (verse 11). Many interprete this to mean that Jesus will return to earth at His second coming in the very same place and way, on Mount Olivet. 

God established His holy city on Mount Zion as a place of strength and protection In Psalm 125:1-2, “Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.”