Many times when we read the Bible in the Old Testament when God wanted to meet or speak to His people, He called them to the mountains, we see it from afar how God called our father Abraham on Mount Moriah to sacrifice and worship Him. in the mountains of Sinai to be given all the commandments and judgments and laws for the children of Israel, we see again the prophets how God spoke to them in the mountains, for example the prophet Elijah God spoke to him on Mount Carmel, and many others the example of Elisha. Many you will find were meeting God in the mountains.
So that was their custom to go up into the mountains and meet God. . And that is what God did when he wanteda talk with his people , He place them and took them to the mountains and spoke to them. (Isaiah 18: 7).
And if you look closely you will see that all those who were called to speak by God in the mountains were chosen by God Himself, not just everyone went, you will find they will probably start many journeys but at the end of the day they reach the top of the mountain few, so it was with Abraham, Moses and the prophets.
We see that even during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, often when he intended to pray or go to speak with his Father he was in the habit of climbing the Mount of Olives, and we also see that when he wanted to show his glory more he separated them by choosing some of his apostles. just out of 12) then he led them up into a lofty mountain( high mountain) and that was where he changed his appearance. We read in..
Matthew 17: 1-3
1. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Now going back to the essence of our lesson on “the mountain of the Lord”.
We have to ask ourselves why God was calling people to the mountains and not elsewhere… why not calling them to the valleys to speak to them, but instead calling them to the mountains ?. Is the mountains are more anointed than the islands, or the wilderness ?.Is the mountains are more acceptable to God than to any other place ?. If not then what did it reveal?
It is clear that each of us has ever climbed a mountain and if it is not a mountain then at least climb it and see for yourself what it is like to climb. So much strength if you are lazy you will not reach the top. Climbing a mountain you must sweat a lot, not like going down the valleys. again it is a pleasure whether you are strong or not no one can go down into the valley.
What do these things reveal in the Spirit?
Now if we go back to the New Testament the things of the flesh reveal the things that go on in the spirit, And that is why if you read anywhere where there is a valley you will see that death is found there, THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, the valley There it is very easy. Somewhere when the Lord cast out demons, they begged him not to command them to go into the holes, revealing that it was a dangerous place.But at the peaks of the mountains is where God available, because God is sitting at the top always.
So brethren if we want to meet God today, if you want to see the face of God in a different way from the one you are used to, if you want God to speak to you at the highest levels if you want God to reveal His ways to you in a way you have never seen costly to climb the mountain of the Lord. The more you climb, the more you will be exposed to the face of God.
NOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO climb THE MOUNTAIN, AND WHO SHOULD RISE UP THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD?
The Bible gives all the answers as we read the book of Psalms.
Psalm 24: 3-6
3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
It emphasizes again and says:
Psalm 15: 1-5
1. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Do you see it there? Qualifications of going at that mountain?
1. First is the person who walks in integrity, and does justice, many people find it difficult to live a holy life, what do they see will help them? What are the benefits of abstinence, self-control and lust, not drinking alcohol, not committing immorality, not wearing half naked clothes, what are the benefits? but they do not know that it is the cost of climbing the mountain of God, where he is, in the place where he is found.
2. The Bible says also the person who not lying with his whole heart , you may find a person to speak truth is a problem and yet calls himself a Christian, the Bible tell us a person who never tells lie with his tongue. And He did not mistreat his neighbor, nor did he slander his neighbor.
Do you see there ?, you will find a man who claims to be a Christian, and attends worship, and prays, and does all the work of God, but finds it difficult to manage his tongue not to speak about others , gossiping to him is like his food. Now such a person should not expect to approach God in any way, no matter how fast he may fast, no matter how much he gives, no matter how much he preaches. He will not be able to climb the mountain of the Lord.
3. Also the Bible says the person whose eyes is only to those who serve God.
A person whose eyes are pleasing only those who labor in the Lord, and not other people. Now Here you will be a Christian but the desire and God is not at all, he is ready to be a fan of football, to be a politician, to be a fan of worldly celebrities, he always loses track of their affairs, but back to God, if you ask him even the history of the church of Christ started from where he does not know, if you ask him to mention where did the apostle Paul’s visits begin and end? He does not know, but if you ask him about the visits of all the world’s presidents and artists, he will tell you what is coming and what is going on in the political world. He will now tell you. Such people, no matter how much they are Christians, in their lives are fully aware that they are far from the kingdom of heaven.
4. The Bible goes on to say a person who never corrupt.
In the Christian activities he performs, Does he stay away from things like corruption and tax evasion ?. Today you will be surprised he is a Christian but he is also looking for shortcuts to tax evasion, someone is willing to pay a bribe to get something done. in that language no matter, he will not know God.
So God has chosen a high place to meet His people there, it is not easy to get there, it requires effort and diligence, stop gossip is not easy to remove by just praying as you think, it needs to show your personal diligence in action, any conversation you see leads you to gossip , it is to avoid it in any way, if you are annoyed you are tolerant you do not have to start giving information about the other person in public, you force yourself, every day keep it that way until at the end of the day you find yourself molded and it is your habit When they see that you are not interested in the news, they will leave you and go looking for those who are similar to them. By doing that is where you step ahead in Holy mountain of God. Where God is so He can speak to those who serve him.
Likewise, not engaging in worthless things, that is, immorality, bad company, not staying online all the time talking nonsense, not going to the disco, not following the pleasures of this world, but rather engaging in the things of God, how to please him. Remember the Lord says, “Draw nigh to me, and I will draw nigh to you. So if you are striving to stay away from evil and to seek to find out about it, by studying the Word, you will gradually ascend to the heights.
These are the last days.” The Lord Jesus said that the hour is coming when true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth.
John 4.19-23
19. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Brethren see the hour is now what Christ was talking about, that is the time, God is looking for you and me to go and worship Him in the MOUNTAIN OF SPIRIT, there we will worship Him in spirit and in truth. So let’s start climbing that mountain now, by leaving bad things we saw above without get tired, without despair, it is true that you will sweat a little, but in order to appear worthy of meeting your God face to face more than the others, you must climb that mountain. of the spirit by perseverance.
Look what the Word of God says.
Isaiah 2: 2 -5
2. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
You see these are the last days.
It is my prayer that you and I will begin to walk in this light of God’s Word to lead us to that mountain of the Lord.
Psalm 43: 3-4
3. O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
4. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
Psalm 123:1-2
1. (A song of degrees)Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Be very blessed.