Reaching up to God in the Heights

Reaching up to God in the heights

Almost every time God’s chosen needed to find God it was on a mountain.  Moses, after leaving Egypt and wandering in the desert, was induced to climb Mt Horeb (Mt Sinai) to investigate this bush that was on fire, yet was not consumed.  Here Moses encountered the Lord God and received his walking orders to go back to Egypt.  (Ex 3: 1 ff).  The most significant story in the bible where our heritage begins with thousands of Hebrews being saved from slavery after 430 years and the promise of a Savior who would save all of us from eternal death.  (see  Ex 12: 37 ff).  

The Great Theophany, on Mt Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments.  (Ex 19: 16 ff, Ex 20: 20 ff). 

Elijah’s flight to Horeb and heard the silent whisper of God from the opening of the cave, and knew God was with him.  (1 Kgs 19: 1 - 18).  

Jesus, prior to entering Jerusalem and his impending Crucifixion, takes Peter, James and John and climbs the mountain of Transfiguration (Mt Tabor).  Here he is Transfigured before them and Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus.   (Mt 17: 1 - 8).   

The Mount of Olives; “When they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, Go into the village opposite you etc.”  

(Mt 21 1 ff).

Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before his arrest, was on the Mount of Olives.  “Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.  He prayed , saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me, still, not my will but yours be done.”  (Lk 22: 39, 42).  

After Jesus commissioned the apostles before he ascended to heaven, they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.” (Acts 1: 12).  

The Mount of Olives is a place of fulfilled prophecies which is significant because several Messianic prophecies were fulfilled there.  This in itself makes this mountain so important regarding Christ and the completion of his earthly mission.  

A note that in Matthew’s Gospel everything deals with mountains since he wrote for Jews who were committing to Christianity and his references to Jewish literature was easy for their conversion.   

Some ministers refer to heaven as up signifying heaven could be considered as a mountain metaphorically speaking.  At any rate, we see the existence of mountains being a significant image of God’s place throughout scripture.  

Ralph B.Hathaway