"On
This Mountain"
In this week's segment, the phrase, "On
this mountain," is mentioned three times (Is 25: 6, 7, 10).
The Nelson Complete Concordance of the New American Bible
lists 19 places in the Bible where the word "mound(s)"
(singlular and plural) is used, 174 places where "mount"
is used, 447 places where the word "mountain(s)" is used,
8 places for "mountain side," and 9 places for "mountaintop(s)."
So, as we see, the word "mountain" or its equivalent,
has tremendous importance for the people, sacred authors, and message
of the Bible. A special place of worship, the mountain, elevated
above the ground, permitted an encounter with the Lord.
The term "mountain" is applied
to an isolated or a notable peak or specialized summit. Mountains
are a dominant feature of the biblical landscape and accordingly
have influenced greatly the way of life and beliefs of the ancient
peoples inhabiting this land.
Notable biblical examples are Mounts Ebal,
Seir, Gerizim, Gilboa, Hermon, Nebo, Tabor, Sinai or Horeb, Carmel,
Olives, and Zion. That each of these mountains has religious
significance should come as no surprise, for throughout the ancient
world mounts or mountains were imbued with religious meaning and
symbolism.
In most ancient religions, the mountains,
probably because of their height and the air of mystery which enshrouds
them, were considered to be the point where heaven and earth meet.
There were many nations that had their holy mountain where
they believed the world was created, or where the their gods dwelt,
or the place from where their salvation came. The Bible has
these beliefs as well but has purified them.
Mountains often served as symbols of God's
greatness. "Before the mountains were born, you always
were, Oh God" (Ps 90:2). It is God who "weighed
the mountains with a balance and the hills with a scale" (Is
40:12). But it was always understood that the mountains themselves
were not equal to God*s greatness: "I lift up my eyes toward
the mountains; whence shall help come to me? My help is from
the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Ps 121:1).
The mountains were part of Israel's experience
of God: "Break forth, you mountains, into song" (Is 44:23);
"May the glory of the Lord endure forever, who touches the
mountains and they smoke" (Ps 104:31,32).
We furthermore see various OT characters
experience God on a mountain. Abraham went to sacrifice his
son on Mt. Moriah (Gn 22:2). The heights were a special place
of revelation for Moses on Mt. Sinai (Ex 17:9f) and for Elijah on
Mt. Carmel (1K 18:42). Elijah, running for his life from Jezebel
came to "the mountain of God, Horeb" (1Kg 19:8.
It was there that the Lord spoke to him, "Go outside and stand
on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by"
(19:11). Elijah looked for God in the rushing wind, then in
an earthquake, then in a fire, but Elijah found God only in a tiny
whisper he heard in a cave (19:11).
In the biblical texts, two mountains are
inextricably associated with God: Mount Sinai or Horeb, and Mount
Zion. It is on Mount Sinai where the covenant between God
and Israel was sealed (Ex 19:24), where Moses spoke to God (Ex 19:3),
and where God revealed God's presence (19:16). Mount Zion
was another favorite abode of God (Ps 68:16; 84:5) and is located
in Jerusalem where the temple was built.
One of the OT books that is very
rich in Israel's use of mountains to express her relationship to
God is the Book of Psalms. Some examples are as follows:
"When I call out to the Lord, the Lord answers me from God's
holy mountain" (3:5); "O Lord, who shall sojourn in your
tent? Who shall dwell on your holy mountain?" (15:1);
"Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may
stand in God's holy place?* (24:3); "Send forth you light and
your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place" (43:3); ". . . the Mountain God
has chosen for God's own, where the Lord will dwell forever"
(68:17); "Extol the Lord, our God, and worship at God's holy
mountain; for holy is the Lord, our God" (99:9).
In the NT, however, there is a
shift. While the OT Ezekiel referred to Zion as "the
navel of the world" (Ez 38:12), the NT Jesus made
it clear that the worship of God was not restricted to any particular
mountain but is found in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:20-24).
Yet, mountains figure prominently in the
NT story of the Good News. The sermon on the Mount
exemplifies this continuing tradition. One of Jesus'
temptations occurred on a very high mountain (Mt 4:8). It
was on the mountain that Peter, James and John experienced Jesus
transfiguration and entrance into conversation with Moses and Elijah
(Mt 17:1-9). The Mount of Olives was the setting for Jesus'
entry into Jerusalem. And, for his own prayers and devotion,
Jesus sought the mountains.
Finally, for Jesus, the mountain took on
great symbolism of the power of God working through the faith of
people. After healing a boy with a demon, an exorcism the
disciples were unable to do, Jesus explained the absolute importance
of faith in this kind of endeavor: "If you have faith the size
of a mustard seed, you will be able to say to this mountain, 'Move
from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible
for you" (Mt 17:20).
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| Text:
Isaiah 25:1 - 26:6
1 O LORD, you are my God, I will extol
you and praise your name; For you have fulfilled your wonderful
plans of old, faithful and true.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin; The castle of the insolent is a city
no more, nor ever to be rebuilt.
3 Therefore a strong people will honor
you, fierce nations will fear you.
4 For you are a refuge to the poor,
a refuge to the needy in distress; Shelter from the rain, shade
from the heat. As with the cold rain,
5 as with the desert heat, even so
you quell the uproar of the wanton.
6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all
nations;
8 he will destroy death forever. The
Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of
his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has
spoken.
9 On that day it will be said: "Behold
our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for
whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
10 For the hand of the LORD will rest
on this mountain, but Moab will be trodden down as a straw is trodden
down in the mire.
11 He will stretch forth his hands
in Moab as a swimmer extends his hands to swim; He will bring low
their pride as his hands sweep over them.
12 The high-walled fortress he will
raze, and strike it down level with the earth, with the very dust.
26:1 On that day they will sing this
song in the land of Judah: "A strong city have we; he sets
up walls and ramparts to protect us.
2 Open up the gates to let in a nation
that is just, one that keeps faith.
3 A nation of firm purpose you keep
in peace; in peace, for its trust in you."
4 Trust in the LORD forever! For the
LORD is an eternal Rock.
5 He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
6 It is trampled underfoot by the
needy, by the footsteps of the poor.
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