Topical Bible: Church: Holy Hill

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Definition and Significance:

The term "Holy Hill" in a biblical context often refers to a sacred or consecrated place where God's presence is manifest. It is a symbolic representation of divine authority, worship, and the dwelling place of God. In the Bible, hills and mountains frequently serve as sites of significant spiritual encounters and revelations.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 2:6 : "I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain." This verse highlights the establishment of God's anointed King on Zion, a hill that represents God's sovereign rule and divine appointment. Zion, often synonymous with Jerusalem, is depicted as a holy hill where God's presence dwells.

2. Psalm 15:1 : "O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?" This passage poses a rhetorical question about the qualifications required to dwell in God's presence. The "holy hill" symbolizes a place of purity and righteousness, where only those who live blamelessly and righteously can reside.

3. Psalm 43:3 : "Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain and to the place where You dwell." Here, the psalmist expresses a desire to be led to God's holy mountain, a metaphor for seeking divine guidance and communion with God.

4. Isaiah 56:7 : "I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations." This prophecy speaks of a future time when God's holy mountain will be a place of worship and acceptance for all peoples, emphasizing the inclusivity of God's salvation.

Theological Implications:

The concept of the "Holy Hill" underscores the holiness and separateness of God. It serves as a reminder of the need for purity and righteousness to approach God. The imagery of a hill or mountain signifies elevation, not just in a physical sense, but spiritually, as it represents a higher plane of existence where God resides.

Worship and the Holy Hill:

In the context of worship, the "Holy Hill" is a place where believers seek to encounter God. It is a symbol of the church's role as a community set apart for worship and service to God. The church, as the body of Christ, is called to be a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9), reflecting the sanctity and purpose of the holy hill.

Christ and the Holy Hill:

Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, often withdrew to mountains to pray and teach (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7). These instances reflect the continuation of the holy hill motif, where divine revelation and communion with God occur. Christ's transfiguration on a high mountain (Matthew 17:1-9) further emphasizes the mountain as a place of divine encounter and revelation.

Conclusion:

The "Holy Hill" serves as a powerful biblical symbol of God's presence, authority, and the call to holiness. It invites believers to ascend spiritually, seeking a closer relationship with God through worship, prayer, and righteous living.

Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 2:6
Yet have I set my king on my holy hill of Zion.
Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 15:1
Lord, who shall abide in your tabernacle? who shall dwell in your holy hill?
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Government of the Church.
... Therefore, we say that in the state church of the Netherlands, whose church order
not only ... as it is written: "Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxix the government of the.htm

Psalm XLIII.
... the "earnest;" [1287] we hope for the prize. "His holy Hill" is His holy
Church. It is that mountain which, according to Daniel's ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xliii.htm

There is a Green Hill Far Away
The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA. <. ... II. THE CHRISTIAN
YEAR Holy Week 159. There is a green hill far away. CM [595]Horsley: ...
/.../holy week 159 there is.htm

Civilized Barbarism (Preached for the Bishop of London's Fund, at ...
... the sites of old heathen tribe-temples, and this very place, Notting-hill, being
possibly ... out His Spirit upon all estates of men in His holy Church, that every ...
/.../the water of life and other sermons/sermon xix civilized barbarism preached.htm

Psalm XLVIII.
... are worthy of the name of "firmament." The Church of Christ ... in the city of our God,
in His holy mountain." This is the city set upon an hill, which cannot ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xlviii.htm

Psalm XCIX.
... This is the Catholic Church, in whose communion rejoice that ye are ... things: He heareth
thee not in things eternal, unless thou hast worshipped in His holy hill. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xcix.htm

Psalm II.
... 5. "Yet am I set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy hill, preaching His ... beholding,
we must not understand it of anything rather than of the Church, where daily ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm ii.htm

God's Purpose for his Church
... During ages of spiritual darkness the church of God has been as a city set on a
hill. ... God's church is the court of Holy life, filled with varied gifts ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 1 gods purpose for.htm

Christ's Kingly Office
... I have set my king upon my holy hill: I will declare ... Jesus:' and the law of sanctity;
Be ye holy in all ... Daniel 12:2. Christ preserves his church as a spark in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/5 christs kingly office.htm

The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA
... O Thou whose feet have climbed life's hill. School Life 366. ... Ember Days and Ordination
455. Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire. ... Church Building and Consecration. ...
/.../various/the hymnal of the protestant episcopal church in the usa/