Though God is with us Christians down in the figurative valleys of our lives, we long for those rarefied mountaintop experiences with Him. Those days, hours or minutes when the Lord’s Presence seems so real, so close to us! This topic is a revelation from October 2022.
In the pages of the Bible, we read of literal mountaintop experiences that saints of old had with God.
Let’s begin with Noah. As the Noachian Flood subsided, Ge.8:4 the ark settled “on the mountains [har Strongs h2022, Hebrew] of Ararát” in old Armenia. After exiting the ark, Noah worshiped God on the mountain. Ge.8:20-21 “Noah built an altar to the Lord [YHVH h3068], he took of every clean animal and clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” Ge.9:1-ff God blessed Noah, and then hung His unstrung bow in the clouds, rainbow covenanting He would never again bring such a Flood.
Abraham had more than one literal mountaintop encounter with God. When Abrám came into the land of Canáan, he surveyed the Land. Ge.12:8 “He proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethél and pitched his tent…there he built an altar to YHVH and called upon the name of YHVH.” Abram worshiped there. ‘Bethel’ means ‘House of God’. It was situated 10 miles N of Jerusalem in the territory that’d later be allotted to the Israelite tribe of Ephráim (Jsh.16:1, 5). After Abram’s sojourn in Egypt, he returned to the sanctuary near Bethel and again worshiped the Lord at the altar (Ge.13:1-4).
In Ge.22:1-18, Abraham is on Mt Moriáh (v.2, 14). There the Lord promised him, v.17-18 “I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven. And in your seed [or offspring] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” YHVH so blessed Abraham on Mt Moriah! In Ga.3:16, the apostle Paul tied that “seed/offspring” to Jesus Christ.
Moses had a mountaintop experience with God at the burning bush in Ex.3:1-6. “Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law Jethró, the priest of Midián. Moses led the flock and came to Horéb, the mountain of God.” Midian was S of Israel, in the NW Arabian peninsula E of the Gulf of Áqaba. There YHVH made Himself known to Moses! Barnes Notes Ex.3:1 “Horeb, a name given to the northern part of the Sináitic range.” Bible historians think Horeb and Mt Sinai: were two names for the same sacred mountain (cf. Ex.3:1, 12, 19:18, De.4:15, Ex.31:18, 1Ki.8:9); or they were twin peaks in the same range; or one was the name of the entire range and the other was one peak in it.
Following the exodus of Israel from Egypt, Moses returned to Mt Sinai. Ex.19:18-20 “Mt Sinai was covered with smoke, because YHVH descended upon it in fire; the whole mountain quaked violently. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” This was the great encounter where the Lord Christ told Moses His Ten Commandments/Decalogue/Testimony for His people! We can only imagine how Moses must have felt atop the mountain! Perhaps a minor earthquake occurred to signify that awesome event and the Presence of God to the people below.
Moses would again go up Mt Sinai, Ex.33:18-23. Then YHVH said in Ex.34:1-8, “Come up in the morning to Mt Sinai and present yourself to Me on the top of the mountain”. Ex.34:27-30 “The skin of Moses’ face shone because of his speaking with Him.” After fasting for 40 days on the mountain in the Lord’s Presence, Moses’ face had become so radiant that the people then feared to come near him!
In Jsh.8:30-35, Moses’ successor Joshua was at Mt Ebál in the Promised Land. “Joshua built an altar to YHVH the God of Israel, in Mt Ebal. They offered burnt offerings to YHVH and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there on stones a copy of the law of Moses.” Joshua’s actions fulfilled the instructions of De.27:1-8. There on stones in the Land, the Lord’s precepts could be read & understood.
Some Bible historians think only the Ten Commandments were inscribed on those plastered memorial stones. Others think the inscription consisted of only the blessings & curses that are contained in the Law; not the entire Toráh/Péntateuch. However, a copy of the earlier 1750 BC Code of Hammurábi’s 282 laws contains 4,130 lines of Akkádian cúneiform text all engraved on a 7-ft tall basalt stéle.
Mt Zión too is called God’s mountain. Ps.48:1-2 “Great is the Lord. In the city [Jerusalem] of our God, His holy mountain; is Mt Zion.” Later in Israel’s history, the tabernacle of David was pitched on Mt Zion. The Lord said in Ps.2:6, “I have installed my king on Mt Zion, My holy mountain”. There near his palace, king David worshiped the Lord and wrote many Psalms. He actually sat before the holy Ark of God in the sacred tent on Mt Zion, in His Presence! 1Ch.17:16 “David the king went and sat before YHVH.” (see “Tent/Tabernacle of David” and “Zion in the Bible”.) Ps.125:1-2 “They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mt Zion; which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” Barnes Notes “The mountain which David fortified.” Gill Exposition “Mount Zion is immovable, and continually abides.”
David later sacrificed burnt & peace offerings to the Lord at his altar on adjacent Mt Moriah, at the then site of Ornán/Araunáh’s threshing floor (2Chr.3:1). 1Ch.21:18, 26 “David called to YHVH and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar.” (see “Fire From Heaven!”) There at that mountain!
The Lord’s temple was constructed by Solomon on Mt Moriah. 2Chr.3:1 “Solomon began to build the house of YHVH in Jerusalem on Mt Moriah, where YHVH had appeared to his father David.” At the temple dedication, the priests, Levitical singers and instrumental musicians praised the Lord. God’s glorious Presence became so great that the priests couldn’t stand up! 2Ch.5:12-14 “The priests couldn’t stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.” Awesome!
2Ch.7:1-3 “Now when Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of YHVH filled the house. And the priests couldn’t enter in because the glory of YHVH filled YHVH’s house. And all the sons of Israel bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and worshiped and gave praise to YHVH!” Praise the Lord!
1Ki.18:19-ff is the account of the prophet Elijáh versus the priests of Baál at Mt Carmél in N Israel. v.30-37 Elijah built an altar there, made a trench around it, pieced an ox on it, and prayed a 30-second prayer. v.38-39 “Then the fire of YHVH fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and stones and dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when the people saw it they fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.” God showed up with fire! (Baal didn’t.)
1Ki.19:7-10 in the aftermath of the phenomenon at Mt Carmel, the Messenger of YHVH told Elijah to eat prior to his journey to Horeb, the mountain of God. The place where Moses had the burning bush experience (Ex.3:1-ff). Elijah then lodged in a cave at Mt Horeb. YHVH told him in 1Ki.19:11, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord’. And behold, the Lord was passing by.” v.12-21 in a soft whisper, YHVH gave him His instructions. Elijah left Mt Horeb and anointed Elishá as prophet.
Later Isaiah prophesied in Is.2:1-3. “In the last days, the mountain of the house of YHVH will be established as chief of the mountains, and all nations will flow into it. Many peoples will say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. That He may teach us His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion.” (cf. Mic.4:1-2.) The time would come when Jews and gentiles will universally seek YHVH. Benson Commentary Is.2:2 “The times of the Messiah, which are always spoken of by the prophets as the last days.” More about this in the New Testament (NT).
The scene of Ezekiel’s grandest vision (approximately 572 BC) was on a high mountain! The prophet Ezekiel was exiled to the river Chebár in Babylonia (not the 2Ki.17:6 Khabór in Assyria). Ezk.40:1-2 “In the visions of God, He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain. And on it to the south was a structure like a city.” It is thought the mountain could be Moriah. Ezk.43:12 “This is the law of the house [temple]. On the top of the mountain the whole border around it shall be most holy.” Ezekiel’s mountaintop vision comprises all of his book’s final chapters, Ezk.40–48.
Mountaintops on earth were the points (symbolically) nearest to God Most High in heaven! Wikipedia: Sacred Mountains “The most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it was believed that it is closest to heaven or other religious realms.” And majestic mountain scenery can naturally inspire a sense of awe! Ps.121:1-2 “I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence my help shall come. My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.” YHVH dwelt ‘above’ the most elevated topography of earth, the mountains. In that sense, mountain summits approached the heavenly realm. Bengel’s Gnomen Mt.5:1 “A mountain, as being a lofty part of the earth, and thereby nearer to heaven, is best suited for the most holy actions.” Atop mountains, heaven and earth seemed to overlap or merge.
In the NT, Jesus, the Son of the Most High (Lk.1:31-32), communed with Father God on mountains and hills. Just prior to selecting His twelve disciples/apostles, Jesus prayed at a mountain. Lk.6:12-13 “He went out into a mountain [óros Strongs g3735, Greek] to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God. When daylight came, He called His disciples and chose twelve from them, whom He also named apostles.” JFB Commentary Lk.6:12 “Here we find the Lord Himself in prolonged communion with His Father in preparation for the solemn appointment of those men.” Perhaps Jesus spent close to 12 hours (cf. Jn.11:9-10) in prayer that night in the mountainside, praying one hour about each of the 12 disciples selected?
Most Christians know of Jesus’ famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’, when He spoke eight ‘Beatitudes’ or ‘Blessed Attitudes’. Mt.5:1-10 “Seeing the multitudes, He [Jesus] went up into a mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He taught them, saying….” Jesus spoke to them from a “level place” (Lk.6:17-22) in the mountainside. That specific mountain is thought to be near the N shore of the Sea of Galilee, but to date it hasn’t been identified. Barnes Notes Mt.5:1 “This mountain, or hill, was somewhere in the vicinity of Capernaúm, but where precisely is not mentioned.”
After He fed the 5,000, Jesus sent His disciples on ahead of Him in a boat to Bethsaidá on the other side of the Sea. Mk.6:44-51 “After bidding them farewell, He went away to the mountain to pray. The wind was against them [in the boat]; at the fourth watch of the night [3-6 AM] He came to them, walking on the sea.” They were frightened and amazed. But when Jesus got in the boat with them, the wind & waves ceased! This amazing event was immediately preceded by Jesus praying on a mountain.
Jesus’ ‘Transfiguration’ occurred traditionally either on Mt Tábor (Lower Galilee) or else Mt Hermon (Lebanon), according to Bible scholars. Mt.17:1-5 “Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking to Him. And a voice out of the cloud, saying ‘This is My beloved Son [Jesus], with Whom I am well-pleased.” That incredible encounter occurred on a mountain! Later, Peter wrote, 2Pe.1:18 “We were with Him on the holy mount.” There they actually heard God’s audible voice!
{Sidelight: In scripture, only three persons fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses on Mt Sinai, Elijah while enroute to Mt Horeb, and Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry. ref Ex.34:27-28, 1Ki.19:8-9, Mt.4:1-2. It’s more than coincidental that the same three were seen together on a “high mountain” in the ‘Transfiguration’ account! Moses represented the ‘Law’, Elijah the ‘Prophets’, and Jesus has been called the ‘Living Word’ (tying the sections of scripture).}
Another of Jesus’s famous teachings is His ‘Olivet Discourse’. It is seen in all three synoptic gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke. Wikipedia: Mount of Olives “A mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City. Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in the Gospels, took place on the Mt of Olives.” The Mt of Olives is one of the ‘Seven Hills of Jerusalem’. Mk.13:3-4 “As Jesus was sitting on the Mt of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, ‘Tell us, what is the sign that these things are about to be accomplished?” Also Jesus would later ascend to heaven from the Mt of Olives (Ac.1:9-12).
After His resurrection, Jesus met with His disciples again on a mountain. Mt.28:16-18 “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him.” This may have been a mountain familiar to them together with Jesus. Pulpit Commentary Mt.28:16 “Some have fixed [Mt] Tabor as the scene of this revelation, others the Mt of the Beatitudes.”
Our Bible ends with John’s vision of Revelation, given by God (Re.1:1). At the end of the book, an angel showed John a future city. Re.21:9-11 “He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.” The final vision of scripture was set on a high mountain! (succeeding Ezk.40:2-ff.) There John viewed the Bride of the Lamb, the Church triumphant! The antitypic heavenly Mt Zion/Sión (He.12:22-24). also see the topic “God Tabernacles With Humans”.
It may have come as a surprise to you that so many notable events in the Bible occurred on mountains.
We too may feel closer to the Lord when we’re up on a physical mountain, in quiet. e.g. There’s a Mt Zion in Clallam County of Washington state. Its 4,278-ft peak is a hike in the Olympic National Forest.
If we will continue to obey the Lord and follow His ways, He blesses & guides us His people to live our lives on the figurative high places! De.32:13 “He made him ride on the high places of the earth.” We’re watched over by God Most High. Ps.121:8 NIV “The Lord keeps watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.”
Perhaps you too have had a rarefied mountaintop experience(s). We’d like those special times with the Lord’s Presence to recur in our lives often. But we don’t have it that way now. Yet we can cherish the memory of those precious occasions when God was so near, so real! And seek to draw close again.
I’m reminded of the Don Potter song (also sung by Paul Wilbur) Show Me Your Face: “Moses stood on a mountain, waiting for You to pass by. You placed Your hand over his face, in Your Presence he wouldn’t die. All Israel saw the glory, and it shines down through the age. Now You’ve called us to boldly, seek Your face. Show me Your face Lord, show me Your face. Then gird up my legs, that I might stand in this holy place. Show me Your face Lord, Your power and Your grace. I could make it through the end, if I can just…see Your face.”
Someday we will all see Jesus’ glorious face! 1Jn.3:2 “We will see Him as He is.”
By the grace of God, by His Son, and the lead of the Holy Spirit…may we remain faithful, unto the end.
Bible Topic Exposition 