February 8, 2023
When you think of a mountain, what comes to mind? By definition, a mountain is a “Natural elevation of the earth’s surface having considerable mass, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock, and a height greater than of a hill (typically rising at least 300 meters above the surrounding land).”
Often times the word mountain is used to describe something immense, such as “A mountain of debt”, “To make a mountain out of a mole-hill,” or even to describe someone or something that is associated with scaling or living on such a location: “A mountain climber, bike, hermit, goat, or fortress.”
Mountains in Israel, for the most part, are not viewed as a single peak (the usual way Americans think of mountains) but as series of peaks in a long ridge. Here is a picture that illustrated this concept, it is of the Stellenbosch Mountains near Cape Town, South Africa from a recent trip I was on.
Thus, the Mt. of Olives is a ridge of undulating peaks. In addition, the mountains in the land of Israel are much smaller in height than what we Americans are used to seeing when we go out west. In fact, the tallest mountain in Israel is Mt. Hermon, which is part of the Hermon range between Syria and Israel. The highest portion located in Israel is only 7,296.5 feet. It looks much more impressive though because of the elevation from the surrounding land. In fact, Mt. Hermon is usually covered with snow between December and April, which makes for an eye-popping photo.
Mountains. When you think of the word, what image comes to mind? Everest and K-2 are the tallest in the world, both over 28,250 ft high. In the USA we have 477 mountains that that are greater than 9,943 feet in height; which means Mt. Hermon would be lost. In Michigan, we have a real monster, Mount Arvon. 1,979 ft and it is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Mountains. Have you climbed any? Have you come face to face with one either literally or figuratively? Has a particular mountain left a memory on your soul after seeing it, much like a branding iron would leave its mark? Have you learned a lesson(s) from your encounter with one? (Such as … don’t climb alone, bring a good pair of shoes, a can of bear spray, maybe a canteen, snack bar, compass, cell phone, map, etc.)
Mountains throughout history have served as places of worship. The actual height of the summit is seen to elevate you toward God and away from the problems of this world. In the Bible, we often see people going up a mountain, encountering God in some profound way, and then coming back as changed people. Think of Abraham on Mt. Moriah, Moses at Mt. Sinai, Jesus, Peter, James, and John on the Mt. of Transfiguration, Elijah on Mt. Carmel, and Jesus again on the Mt. of Temptation.
Scripture provides numerous examples of how these MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS lived with a renewed purpose, passion, and according to God’s plan or instructions. Obedience to God is always evidence of a mountain climber who had been in the presence of the Holy One.
After the resurrection, when Jesus was preparing to leave planet earth, He gave instructions to His followers to meet Him on a mountain in Galilee. I personally believe this was Mt. Arbel which towers over the Sea of Galilee, and from which you get a 360 degree view of where Jesus and the boys had done most of their ministry. They traveled some 90 miles to get there from Jerusalem. What could have been so urgent? Unless it was something very, very important that He wanted to say to them.
We read in Matthew 28: 16 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The view from Mt. Arbel totally captures the essence of the world that Jesus wanted the boys to venture into. It was Jewish. Roman. Greek. Secular. Pagan. It was a world in which they lived – their hometowns, family, friends, acquaintances, synagogues, fishing villages, and neighborhoods. They were to go to religious people and those who had faulty viewpoints about life, God, sin, heaven, hell, and well you get the point.
Jesus asked them … and asks us to go into our world … and by the way, HIS world (as God he is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of it all). His command to make disciples is His Father’s way to reconcile humanity to Himself. He took them to that mountain for a reason … to remember all He had done for them, to see the world that He died for, and to go and obey.
Jesus wants us to be a mountain climber. Someone who is so committed to Him that we will ascend the heights of worshipping Him but then descend into the muck, mire, and mess of this world and to lead others to do what we have done.
Jesus has provided us many years of life, provisions for our journey, family and friends to support us and to make our way enjoyable, and set us in the context of a world with many opportunities to rub shoulders with those who need him.
Every week we have the opportunity to use the arts, sports, our hobbies, community and civic events to connect with those He cares about; and it is a choice He has allowed us to make. Are you hearing this? Are you obeying?
In 2023, BE A MOUNTAIN CLIMBER!