Mountains of the Bible

by Anne Linington⁽²⁰⁸⁾ Red Star

Theme: MOUNTAINS

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion

which cannot be shaken, but endures for ever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the Lord surrounds his people

both now and for evermore" Psalm 125:1-2

Hymns

461 My Jesus my Saviour

25 All things bright and beautiful

765 Your love's greater...

295 How lovely on the mountains..our God reigns

Readings OT Exodus 24:12-18 Sinai/ Commandments

NT Matthew 17:1-9- Transfiguration

Introduction

Some of you may recall the song from your Sunday School days “Climb, climb up sunshine mountain” Others of you will remember “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, and the song “Climb every mountain”.

Some of you may remember the news coming through on the Coronation Day of our Queen, that Mount Everest had been climbed to the top by Sherpa Tensing and Sir Edmund Hilary. A few years ago I heard Chris Bonnington give a talk about climbing mountains which kept us all enthralled.

There is something in the human spirit that longs to climb mountains, like the Munros in Scotland, mountains over 3000 feet listed by a man named Sir Hugh Munro. People spend years, perhaps a lifetime, trying to "bag" all those listed. Last year my niece climbed the Three Peaks- Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon, three mountains in three countries over three days, with 1000 miles of travelling to raise money for Macmillan Nurses.

When we climb to a high place, it may be one of the Downs here on the Isle of Wight- could be Headon Warren- it seems to give us a fresh perspective, we can put aside our troubles and we come back down revived by the exercise, the scenery, the chance to escape the routine.

People often feel close to God up a mountain, and mountains are among those “thin places” that Celtic Christians are so fond of: where land meets sea, mountain meets sky- and islands like Iona and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) are renowned for enabling people to sense God there.

Sometimes we refer to a “Mountain-top experience”- the Confirmation Service two weeks ago could be called that- especially for those who were confirmed, and their families and friends. But with all mountain-top experiences, cmes the reality of coming down to earth, as the early disciples found.

Mountains in the Bible

People in the Bible regularly had encounters with God on mountains; Jesus went up a mountain to pray to God his Father- especially when there were decisions to make.

God often called people to go up mountains to meet with him for a particular moment in their lives and in the history of their people.

I want to look at some Mountains in the order in which they appear in the narratives of the Old and New Testament:

M	O	U	N	T	A	I	N	S
o	l	p	e	a	r	o	o	i
r	i		b	b	a	n	N	n
i	v		o	o	r		a	a
a	e			r	a		m	i
h	s				t	Z	e

* For a Family Service the letters can be distributed among the Congregation and assembled during the course of the talk

1) Up- If you climb to the top of a mountain what direction do you go in- up or down?

2) Ararat

Genesis 8- The mountain on which Noah's ark came to rest after the waters of the flood went down

3) Moriah-

Genesis 22- more correctly “one of the Mountains in the land of Moriah”

The place where God called Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Isaac was the son that God had promised, through whom Abraham would have descendants as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, or the stars in the sky. It appeared that this son was going to die,

but it was in fact a test of Abraham's faith in that promise of God. As we now know God provided a substitute. This story reminds us of how God would finally offer his own son Jesus in our place.

Is this the same place and the site of the future temple?

Within the Dome of the rock this now Muslim Mosques, with its distinctive gold dome, can be

seen the top of a mountain which Muslims believe to be Moriah on which Abraham offered Isaac.

And it is on this site, that the later Temple of David would be built

4) Sinai

Exodus 19- The Mountain from our Old Testament reading- Moses was called to go up the Mountain and was given the Ten Commandments and the Laws for the people of Israel to obey under the covenant- relationship/ agreement that God initiated with them.

5) Nebo

Deut 34:1 Moses led the people through the wilderness for forty years because of their continual moaning and failure to obey God: It was from Mount Nebo that Moses was able to look across to the Promised land- the land God had first promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses himself didn't enter it- leadership transferred to Joshua and he led the people into the Promised land

6) Tabor

Judges 4:6- The place where Deborah and Barak assembled their armies before defeating Sisera

a striking looking “mountain” just 5 miles east of Nazareth- one that Jesus would have been familiar with growing up.

JESUS

7) No name- Mount of Transfiguration

Jesus goes up a “high mountain” to pray- earlier suggestions of it being either the Mount of Olives or Mount Tabor have been ruled out; It is possibly Mount Hermon, much further north and much higher (9000 ft) but it is not given a name.

Perhaps it is good that we don't know exactly which mountain the Transfiguration occurred on- it could easily have been named by the three Gospel writers or by Peter who mentions the event in his letter... but it isn't.

Accompanied by Peter, James and John, Jesus leads them up a high mountain, apart from the other disciples.

Jesus goes up the Mountain to pray. (Lk 9)

As he is praying Christ is “transfigured” before them- face shining like the sun; clothes white as light

The disciples become sleepy..yet when fully awake, they see..

With him appeared Moses and Elijah- both long dead- “appearing in glorious splendour” representing the old Mosaic law and the prophets - talking to Jesus

Peter wants to build shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. While he is still speaking a cloud comes down and a voice is heard “This is my son, whom I love..with him I am well pleased. Listen to him” very similar words to Christ's baptism when God spoke from Heaven declaring Jesus to be his son.

The disciples were terrified.. but Jesus tells them not to be afraid.. when they look up they see no-one but Jesus.

As they come back down the mountain they are instructed not to tell anyone until Jesus is raised from the dead.

It signifies that Christ has come in fulfilment of all the Old Testament sacrificial laws and prophecies: In his one sacrifice he the Son of God will take away the sin of the whole world which the law and prophets all point toward.

8) Olives

Jesus sometimes taught his disciples on the Mount of Olives when they would ask him questions about the last days.

Jesus prayed to God on the Mount of Olives- “nevertheless, not my will but yours be done” - in his humanity he had to submit his will to God's in order that God's plan of salvation- Christ's death and resurrection could take place.

9) ZIon-

“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill” Originally a fortress, that King David secured and later within the city of Jerusalem..

David built the temple.. so that many of the Psalms are songs of ascent as pilgrims go up to the temple for the great feasts

This is where God has chosen to inhabit the temple, and where he is to be worshipped

In the New Testament, Zion is the name given to Heaven (Hebrews 12 and Rev 14:1) the place where God dwells.

Calvary: There is one hill rather than a mountain, which we haven't mentioned, to which our thoughts will be turning as Lent begins- Calvary (also called Golgotha) and there everything that the Old Testament pointed towards:

the sacrifices of the Old Testament ..replaced by one sacrifice for the sin of the whole world

the temple of Solomon .. gives way to Heaven itself..

all made possible because God's beloved son.. submitted his will to that of God.. and laid down his life for us all.

As we think about these various mountains, the events which happened in the past, let's remember that it all points to Calvary and that amazing sacrifice of Christ for our sins, and to make us God's children.

Article submitted Saturday, March 12, 2011 & read 808 times.

Please log in to leave your comments.

» left by Teresa^(1,657) (1 year 62 days ago.)

Anne, what a wonderful lesson on mountains. Beautifully done. I love your style and the depths you go in all of your lessons. Blessings to you and thank you! Teresa

» left by Anne Linington⁽²⁰⁸⁾ (1 year 61 days ago.)

Thanks Teresa- your comments are always so encouraging.

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁸⁰⁾ (1 year 59 days ago.)

Anne - if you could ever come to Colorado I would take you up a few mountains (Mick has hikes that do not kill a flan lander but where you get UP to see some of God's handiwork from the top - like the photos I have been posting lately! We are blessed aren't we? You with the gorgeous ocean and me with the mountains! You did a superb lesson here - but you always do!

» left by Anonymous (1 year 54 days ago.)

Hi Marijo. Thanks for the enciuragement. What is a " flan lander?"

We appreciate your comments!

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