"The Three Mountains of God"

In this post I would like to share word pictures that appeared to my mind some time ago as I was meditating on the Law, the Gospel, and the destiny of God's pilgrim people.

A thought arose in my mind that I had never considered before in a connected way, that is, the prominence of Three Mountains in the redemptive history recorded in scripture.

They are, of course, Mt.Sinai....Mt.Calvary....and Mt.Zion

The word pictures in my own mind begin with this question:

"What do we experience as we approach Mt.Sinai?"

"From a distance we see a dark foreboding cloud that overshadows the mount, then we begin to see exceeding bright flashes of lightning shoot forth in every direction. The thunder claps are so loud that human speech cannot be heard and every mouth is stopped and all the world becomes guilty before God!
The voice of a schoolmaster calls out with stern authority...Do this and live, for the soul that sinneth shall die! And....cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them!
Suddenly, I see a smoke arising that seems to ascend forever and ever, as the smoke from the bottomless pit. This smoke rises from the burning of the fiery indignation and wrath of Almighty God!
Quickly, in my mind, I reply....All that the Lord hath said, I will observe and do, but, close on its heels, comes this thought....When I would do good, evil is present with me!
Then, this question, Why?
The reply speedily comes like one of those lightning bolts....The carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be!
OH the Despair!
I strain to see if maybe there is some way around it, but, to no avail, for it fills the horizon in front of me and I dare not take one step closer, lest I be consumed!

Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?

But Wait!
A heavenly light breaks through my dark hopelessness. It is that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world! I now hear these words... Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world!
Oh, how I desire to be clean! But, how can this be? Then come these words...Without the shedding of blood is no remission.

Immediately now, before my eyes, appears another mountain. I am struck with the terrible appearance of it because of its resemblance to a skull and I shrink back again in dismay.
I hear these words....Even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. I feel constrained to move closer to this mount, even to climb up its rocky heights and survey what is there.
I proceed, and as I reach the summit of this mount called Golgotha, I am horrified by the scene that fills my view. Before me are three men suspended between heaven and earth on cruel crosses!
My horrrified gaze is drawn to Him in the midst, and I hear these words....Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body thou hast prepared me, and....This is the blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

I also hear loudly declared....Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. And....The Just shall live by faith.

The light of this truth bursts into my very soul and I feel joy unspeakable and full of glory as I hear these words....There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus!

I walk from Calvary in silent awe and contemplation, when, suddenly, this fiery dart pierces my inner joy. This question is raised...He is dead, on what grounds do you account your debt paid before a Holy God?

For three days my mind is tormented with these thoughts. I must go to the place where they laid Him, but wait, the stone is rolled away and the most glorious words that have fallen on my ears since beginning this journey break through my doubts and fears....He is not here, He is risen! And then, it seems as if I am witnessing the very crushing of the serpents head as I hear....He was raised again for our justification!

Oh to dwell in this place of joyous reconcilliation and cleansing, Oh to bask in the light of those words...."NO CONDEMNATION"!

But, again, a voice speaks, come and I will show you another Mountain....."For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.....But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Home at Last!!