Going to the Mountains: Mount Sinai

by David Chadwick

Mountains in autumn are captivating. We can’t stay away.

And rightly so. The colors alone make us gasp at God’s beauty.

If you visit the mountains this fall, also think about the purpose of mountains in the Bible. They have a spiritual significance that is as deep and wondrous as the physical beauty.

For example, go to Mount Sinai. It’s the place where Moses received the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20). It’s God’s moral law, perfectly describing his character.

These laws are not suggestions, but commands. God gave them to us for our own good. They serve as celestial guardrails to protect us from harm. From forces trying to destroy us.

When you visit Mount Sinai, remember that we don’t break God’s laws, they break us! Do you love God’s law? Is it a pleasure, even a privilege, to obey what God has clearly told us to do? How should we live?

Examine each one of the Ten Commandments. How are you doing with each one?

We are never closer to God than when we are obeying his law and will.

Going to the Mountains: Mount Carmel

by David Chadwick

Don’t you love going to the mountains this time of year? The majesty and colors of the leaves often leave us breathless.

When you see the beauty of the mountains, remember to also take time to visit the different mountains in the Bible - ones that hold special significance for our spiritual development.

For example, make sure you visit Mount Carmel.

What happened there? Elijah, the mighty prophet of God, did battle with the 450 godless prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Some call it the Super Bowl of faith.

As the contest begins, Elijah confronts all the prophets and says, “If God is God, you should follow him. If Baal is god, then follow him." Then he prayed in fervent faith and God’s victory over Baal was overwhelming (James 5:17).

Here is the spiritual importance of visiting Mount Carmel: Who is your God? The Lord God who created the universe? Or the counterfeit gods of this world: money, sex, and power?

God or Baal?

How would you answer?

Going to the Mountains: Mount Moriah

by David Chadwick

If you’re going to the mountains this fall to enjoy its splendor, do some spiritual mountain-gazing as well. How can you do so?

Go to Mount Moriah. It’s where God told Abraham to go and sacrifice his only beloved son, Isaac (Genesis 22). Why would God ask Abraham to do this heinous act? Abraham had waited 25 years for this promised son. He was now a teenager and the love of his life.

The answer is given to us in Genesis 22:1. God was using this command to test Abraham’s faith. God wanted to know if he was still the primary passion of Abraham’s life. Or had Isaac replaced God’s place of primacy?

When you visit Mount Moriah, God tests your faith as well. Tests determine whether we know the information. And here is the one question God wants to pose: Does he possess first position in your heart?

How would you answer? Is Jesus first in your life?

It’s a very important question we all must answer. It’s a test God wants you to pass with flying colors.

Will you?