Topical Bible: Mountains: God: Causes, to Skip

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In the biblical narrative, mountains often serve as significant locations where God interacts with His people, demonstrating His power, presence, and authority. The imagery of mountains is frequently used to convey God's majesty and the divine acts that occur upon them.

Divine Revelation and Covenant

Mountains are frequently depicted as places where God reveals Himself and establishes covenants with His people. One of the most notable examples is Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 19:20 , it is written, "The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up." This event underscores the mountain as a sacred space for divine revelation and law-giving.

Manifestation of God's Power

Mountains also symbolize the manifestation of God's power. In the Psalms, mountains are often used metaphorically to describe God's strength and stability. Psalm 97:5 states, "The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth." This imagery highlights God's supreme power over creation, where even the mighty mountains are subject to His will.

Places of Worship and Sacrifice

Throughout the Old Testament, mountains are depicted as places of worship and sacrifice. Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22) is a profound example of faith and obedience. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, demonstrating God's supremacy over false gods. These narratives emphasize the mountain as a setting for pivotal acts of faith and divine intervention.

Jesus and the Mountains

In the New Testament, mountains continue to play a significant role in the ministry of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is one of the most famous teachings of Jesus, delivered on a mountainside. This setting underscores the authority of Jesus' teachings and His role as the new lawgiver. Additionally, the Transfiguration of Jesus occurs on a high mountain, as described in Matthew 17:1-2 : "After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them."

Symbol of Faith and Spiritual Challenge

Mountains are also symbolic of faith and spiritual challenges. Jesus uses the metaphor of moving mountains to illustrate the power of faith. In Matthew 17:20 , He says, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." This teaching encourages believers to trust in God's power to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Eschatological Significance

In prophetic literature, mountains often have eschatological significance, representing the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Isaiah 2:2 prophesies, "In the last days, the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it." This vision portrays a future where God's rule is universally acknowledged, with the mountain serving as a symbol of divine authority and peace.

Conclusion

Mountains in the Bible are multifaceted symbols that convey God's presence, power, and purpose. They serve as settings for divine encounters, places of worship, and metaphors for faith and spiritual perseverance. Through these narratives, mountains remind believers of God's sovereignty and the call to trust in His promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 114:4,6
The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Majestic Voice
... us that it is to be accounted for by natural causes. ... a mountain standing in this
world that God cannot move ... by his voice, whether it be the mountains of Rome ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the majestic voice.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... and with God is terrible majesty" (Daniel 7:28, 10:17; Nehemiah 1:5, 4:14, 9:32;
Job 37:22). Who knows the power of his anger? "The mountains quake at him, the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... He tells us that in his youth "God put it into my parents hearts to put me to school,
to learn to read and write as other poor men's children; though, to my ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon:
... God help me to watch and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause ... glad, and
looked upward; and some sought to hide themselves under the mountains (1:Cor ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr bunyans last sermon .htm

part ii
... "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom thou hast sent.""John 17:3. ... My heart ought to cling to God alone. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ;
... Note, When providences are black and terrible to God's people, the Lord Jesus shows
himself to them in wonderful manner; the which sometimes they can as little ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/come and welcome to jesus.htm