A Meditation (1)

"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?'     Romans 8.33.

Mountain Scenes

There are many incidents recorded in the word of God which took place on the tops of mountains. Often, we speak of ‘mountain-top experiences’ as characteristic of something that thrilled us or gave us joy. But a number of decidedly sombre happenings took place upon summits and elevated places. Aaron died upon Mount Hor; later, Moses having viewed Canaan’s promised land from the heights of Pisgah, was to expire on Mount Nebo, which together with Pisgah formed the mountain range of Abarim.

Neither Aaron nor Moses was permitted to enter Canaan because of their unbelief at the waters of Meribah; there Moses struck the Rock with the rod of priesthood, instead of speaking to it as Jehovah had commanded, Num.20.13. He had used the rod of judgment in striking ‘the Rock’ in Horeb, Exod. 17.5,6. As a type of Christ ‘the Rock’ must be smitten only once,‘ knowing that Christ being raised from among the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him’, Rom. 6.9.

Gethsemane’s garden was situated on the slopes of Mount Olivet, ever calling to mind the awful anguish and exceeding sorrow of the Lord Jesus, as Golgotha’s tree cast its dread shadow over His holy soul; Gabbatha’s judgment seat in Jerusalem was literally an ‘elevated place’ where sinful man condemned to death the sinless Son of God. Golgotha is not said to be a hill, but it too was certainly elevated, affording a clear view for all who ‘passed by’. While the scene of the unparalleled hatred of man, and the unmitigated sufferings of Christ, it is where the unconditional love of God for man was manifested in absolute perfection. There, Christ died for our sins, 1 Cor. 15.3. His was obedience ‘even unto death, and that the death of the cross’. Phil. 2.8.

In conclusion, we retrace our steps to the top of Mount Pisgah. From here the Midianite false prophet, Balaam, attempted to curse the people of God at the inducement of Balak, the king of Moab. Looking down they saw "only the extremity of them," But the Lord ‘put a word in his mouth’, turning the intended curse into blessing, ‘He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen wrong in Israel’, Num. 23.21.

How can God affirm what is so obviously contrary to the facts?  Verse 23 states ‘according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought ?’All the while the people were heaping up sins in the wilderness, God was accomplishing the work necessary to make them fit to enter the land, providing the sacrifices, the priesthood. and the serpent of brass, all types of the work of Christ. Thus, in contemplating His people, He sees His work! He has constantly before His eyes the finished work of His Son, and He would not be ‘faithful and just’ towards this perfect Saviour if He still imputed the least fault to those whom He has cleansed by His blood, 1 John 1.19.

T.W.