There’s just something about a mountain, that reaches to the sky,
That speaks of things eternal; of hope that never dies…

A quick glance at the index of any biblical map will indicate at least twenty different mountains named in the Old Testament. A total tally of significant spiritual experiences associated with geographical high places would probably exceed the most careful count. Mount Sinai is, of course, the most outstanding eminence of ancient times, but mounts Ebal and Gerizim, though lesser kno­wn, were remarkably meaningful in their own right. In chapters 27-28 of Deuteronomy, Moses and the elders of Israel publicly proclaimed what could be called their last will and testament. Knowing that they had forfeited the right to enter the Promised Land, these aged leaders commanded Joshua and all their spiritual heirs to assemble before mounts Ebal and Gerizim soon after they had entered Canaan.

Half of the twelve tribes were to gather over against Mount Ebal where an altar had been built and the com­mands of the Law were grav­en on white­washed stones. On Mount Ebal, the lengt­hy list of curses connected with disobedience were ominously announced.

The other group of six tribes stood before Mount Geriz­im where the many blessings attached to obedience and faithfulness to God were joyfully proclaimed.

The dozen or so blessings are contrasted with twice as many curses provoked by persistent lack of gratitude and non-appreciation. As Deut. 28:47 puts it: “Because thou serv­est not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things.” If we get nothing else from reading the two chapters of Deuteronomy and their fulfillment in Joshua chapter 8, we should ask the Lord for a spirit of appreciation for the abundance of specific, generous provisions He has already supplied for us. Thus, the idea of twin peaks of God’s knowledge where His Word came forth for His people was established.

CALVARY’S CURSE TURNS INTO SPIRITUAL BLESSING
The most meaningful mount associated with God’s New Covenant is Calvary. It was there that: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” Galatians 3:13 and made it possible for us to become knowledgeable in the mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we are living and walking in Christ our spiritual lives are freed from the curses and blessings of Ebal and Gerizim under the law and we are free to range the breadth of the hallowed way between two sacred spiritual mounts: the first of salvation and the second of Christ’s promised Return. Symbolically the children’s route now follows the broad and vast plain of Redemption freely won on Calvary’s pinnacle. Our way begins at the Mount of Beatitudes somewhere in Galilee and ends at the well‑known Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Both mounts are stations of blessing connected by the path of the spiritual life. The nine beatitudes taught on the mount by our Blessed Savior in Matthew 5:3-12 are clearly explained and carefully elaborated on in chapters 5‑7 of that same gospel. These “principles of Kingdom living,” as they are referred to, are so contrary and opposed to all personal and public programs for happiness and success that only the Holy Ghost can make them real and meaningful in our supernatural lives. They must be comprehended only by spiritual knowledge, a knowledge that is acquired by only those who are willing to first admit that they do not know, cannot know them by earthly knowledge. If the pupil will allow God’s Spirit to work these precepts into our daily routine we are assured of salvific results ‑ we become the salt of the earth and lights to the world (see Matt.­5:13-16).

TWIN PEAKS MARK SPIRITUAL BLESSING
We should know that the Second Coming of Christ comprises two distinct parts: His coming FOR His saints and His coming WITH His saints. The former event is called The Rapture, or the great catching up of both the living and the dead IN CHRI­ST (see 1 Thess 4:13‑18). The latter aspect of His coming is clearly forecast in Zechariah 14: 4, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” So, we have the twin peaks of fullness of salvation in the Beatitudes and the glorious Second Coming as the sure promise of Jesus’ soon return as shining beacons and prominent landmarks bracketing both the start and the goal of our spiritual walk. Lengthy discourses and profound supernatural truths are associated with each earthly location. We need to linger long at the Mount of Beatitudes. Sitting at the feet of Jesus and communing with the Holy Gho­st, we learn to understand and apply the accomplishments of Calvary and the realities of “Resurrection” life. Through our salvation we are given …“exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4. Appreciating the Sermon on the Mount and applying its precepts of salvation to our workaday lives, we add to our faith ‑ virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness and brotherly kindness with the guarantee of living gracious and fruitful lives (see 2 Peter 1:5‑8).

Many notable events of our Lord’s earthly life are associated with the Mount of Olives. The details of His second advent are paramount to the concept and reality of brideship. If we are “born in Zion,” as the psalmist tells us, we have the right and duty to dwell in Zion with our eyes fixed on the eastern sky; that is, looking for His sudden appearing and soon return. That eastward perspective from Mount Zion necessarily takes in the Mount of Olives which, in its spiritual symbolism, involves all commands and warnings about the end times given in Matt 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21!

VALLEY OF GOSPEL BLESSINGS
Besides the two lofty heights represented by The Sermon on the Mount and The Olivet Dis­course, the Lord Jesus has given us the narrow, but secure, path of continued care and assured kindness. In between the essential teachings concerning salvation and the certain signs of His coming again, the Gospels reveal a corridor of blessings that are sev­en‑fold. Starting with the proper personal attitude we should take towards the Savior recorded in Matt 11:6 and His closing warning to be watchful servants in Luke 12:37, our Lord mentions five other sources of special benediction. In Matt 16:17 Jesus tells Peter how incredibly beneficial it has been for him to have been given revelation knowledge. A study of these first three “blesseds” should help us all appreciate more deeply our intimate relationship with God through a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. The final four citations confirm the importance of our continuing concern about His impending apocalypse. Matt 24:46 contains the promise of universal rulership given to faithful and wise servants who feed His flock with the meat of His Word. Matt 25:34 contains the blessing of Kingdom inheritance to be given at the judgment of the nations. Luke 11:28 reminds us of the superiority of spiritual kinship over even the deepest, most intimate and fondly cherished human ties.

The songwriter I quoted at the head of this article – I believe Bill Gaither was the composer – concludes the first verse by saying: So I’ll look unto the mountains, and put my faith in Him.

The anointed psalmist asks and replies: “Shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills? Whence should my help come? My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.” Ps 121:1-2  As we look unto the moun­tains where our loving Lord first revealed the awesome realities of His redemption plan ‑ the availability of salvation and the assurance of His earthly return ‑ we should pray for increased faith to follow the path of personal blessing so clearly outlined in the Gospels. We should not misunderstand or be offended in any way by the Person of the Savior; appreciating the exciting spiritual era in which we now live (great prophets and many saints of old have longed to see and hear about the prophetic fulfill­ments that have already been shown to us). But we should have gratitude for the grace of revelation knowledge and the gifts of the Spirit; a fervent desire to share the good things of God with His household; anticipation of and longing for the eternal inheritance prepared for us at His coming; the determination to carefully hear and steadfastly keep the Word of God; and, an upward, vigilant vision should keep us on the royal road of satisfied living through His personal presence and Scriptural promises!