My Holy Mountain

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In considering the subject of mountains, we cannot help but notice a phrase that occurs eleven times (using the JND translation) in the Word of God — “My holy mountain.” All of the references to “My holy mountain” occur in the Old Testament, in prophecies relating to Israel, and particularly to her future glory when the Lord restores them to a prominent place in the world, in the millennium. Those prophecies have not yet been fulfilled, but they will surely be accomplished, for the Lord has said it. We do not have to speculate as to the primary meaning of the phrase, for we read, “They shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations as an oblation unto Jehovah, upon horses, and in chariots, and in covered waggons, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to My holy mountain, to Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, as the children of Israel bring an oblation in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah” (Isa. 66:2020And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. (Isaiah 66:20)). Further we read, “So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her anymore” (Joel 3:1717So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. (Joel 3:17)). In a coming day, the city of Jerusalem and the temple there will be known as God’s “holy mountain.”
The Blessing in Heaven and on Earth
God has in His purposes the blessing of the church in heaven and the blessing of Israel on earth, for He has said “that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him” (Eph. 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)). The church must first be taken up when our Lord Jesus Christ comes to call us home, but then He will begin working out His purposes in the earth, with a view to establishing His glorious kingdom. The awful judgments during and at the end of the tribulation period will prepare the way for it, and then the Lord Jesus will appear with His bride, the church, “to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe” (2 Thess. 1:1010When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:10)).
Jerusalem
In a previous issue of The Christian (June 2017), we took up the subject of Jerusalem, noting that various phrases are given in Scripture to describe that city in millennium blessing, including “the joy of the whole earth,” “the city of the great King,” and “the city of peace.” But as we have seen, God will also give it another title — “My holy mountain.” None of the above descriptions fit Jerusalem today, for it is anything but “the joy of the whole earth,” nor is it “the city of peace.” It is rather a place of constant strife, as Christians, Jews and Muslims compete for their place in it. The great King, our Lord Jesus Christ, is rejected and cast out, and the expression “My holy mountain” certainly could not be applied to it today. In a coming day all will change, as God works to bring His earthly people Israel into blessing again. We must remember, of course, that before all these wonderful expressions can apply to Jerusalem, it must first pass through untold suffering and later become “a burdensome stone for all people” (Zech. 12:33And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:3)). But then God will make it His capital in the earth.
“My Holy Mountain”
The expression “My holy mountain” no doubt refers to the fact that the temple mount is indeed Mount Moriah, where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac, where Solomon’s temple was located, and where the Mosque of Omar now sits. Although Israel has military control of the entire city, they do not dare to touch the Mosque of Omar, lest they provoke an international conflict. The scripture must be fulfilled: “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)). But in a coming day Islam and its influence will disappear, the millennial temple will be built on Mount Zion, and the character of Jerusalem will be as depicted in such scriptures as: “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness” (Psa. 48:11<<A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. (Psalm 48:1)). But the expression “My holy mountain,” while primarily defining the millennial city of Jerusalem, has wider and more varied meanings.
The Millennial Earth
We also read, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain” (Isa. 11:9; 65:259They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)
25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 65:25)). This broadens out the expression, referring to the entire millennial earth, when competition and violence between nations will cease, and even the animal kingdom will be changed, so that they will no longer prey on one another, as they do today. Another reference tells us that “he that putteth his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain” (Isa. 57:1313When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; (Isaiah 57:13)). Here the expression refers to the land of Israel, when those who trust in the Lord will once again possess their land, in peace and safety.
A Warning
In other cases, the words are a warning, for we read, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand” (Joel 2:11Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joel 2:1)). Here is a solemn warning that the Lord is about to establish His kingdom, but through judgment, and apostate Israel will feel it first, before the Lord begins to deal with the nations at large. In another reference, we read, “As ye have drunk upon My holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been” (Obad. 1616For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. (Obadiah 16)). Here the phrase is a warning to the Edomites, the implacable enemies of Israel for thousands of years, who in their pride have rejoiced at the oppression of Israel. They will eventually be completely annihilated for all this.
The Place to Worship
Finally we read, “Even them [those who love the name of the Lord] will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people” (Isa. 56:77Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (Isaiah 56:7)). During His earthly ministry, our Lord cleansed the temple of defilement — those who sold animals, the money-changers, and the animals themselves, quoting this scripture as a contrast to the “den of thieves” that the Jews had made of the house of God. In a coming day all will recognize Jerusalem and the millennial temple as God’s “holy mountain,” a place where all nations will resort in order to know the Lord and to worship Him.
W. J. Prost