Maryann Mott, writes in the January 4th, 2005 issue of National Geographic News that the animals (God’s creature) sought higher ground just before the Tsunami hit the shores of India and Srilanka and relatively few animals were found to be dead – in other words, more animals that escaped to the mountains escaped death.
Of the four things that the angelic visitors in the house of Lot, told Lot and his family who were with him, when they had led them by their hand, outside the wicked city of Sodom, the fourth was “escape to the mountain”
Did you notice that this command was first and foremost specific. It was not “escape to any mountain”, it was to “escape to the mountain”. Although, we are not exactly told as to which mountain, it was that, Lot and his family were commanded to go, we know that, they were not to stay in the plain but go to higher ground. The Psalmist makes it clear the we ought to look up to the hills (mountains) from where our help comes from (Psalm 121:1) and no evil shall befall those who make the Lord, even the Most High, their shelter (habitation/dwelling place) (Psalm 91:9-10).
What is this mountain that we ought to escape to? Interestingly, the Bible speaks of several mountains where you would find Jesus, during his life on earth as man.
1. Mount of Temptation – from which Jesus demonstrated that “It is written,” how the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, needs to be used in spiritual warfare (Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 6:10-18)
2. Mount of Beatitudes – from which he taught about what it meant to be “Blessed” (Matthew 5:1-12)
3. Mount of Transfiguration – where you see Jesus glorified in great splendor, bright shining as the sun and in white raiment of undefiled righteousness (Matthew 17:1-3).
4. Mount of Olives – from which he gave the Olivet’s discourse, speaking of signs and warning of the end times (Matthew 24)
5. Mount Calvary (Golgotha) – where you will see Jesus on a Cross (in our stead), bolding declaring that the work of God’s salvation and redemption of mankind back to himself was now complete, and his work of fulfilling the will and work of God was now finished (Matthew 27:33). Interestingly, it is speculated (along with some archaeological evidence) that the place on mount Moriah, where Abraham offered Isaac his son, is about where Calvary/Golgotha is, where God offered Jesus, his only begotten Son, as a sacrifice for mankind.
6. Mount in Galilee – where you find Jesus after his resurrection from the dead, meeting with his disciples (Matthew 28:7,16) and where he is worshipped by his true disciples. It is here that Jesus gave the charge of the great commission to all of his disciples and the promise of being with them forever.
7. Mount Zion – where you will see Jesus, the Lamb of God, standing with his saints, who had sacrificed their lives for him, marked with the name of God the Father (Revelation 14:1).
Points to ponder:
We need to run to the mountain to
– learn about how we ought to be spiritual gladiators (prizefighters), fighting with the weapons of God against temptations, the good fight of faith laying hold on eternal life,
– learn about the beatitudes and what it means to be truly blessed, by, and in the Lord.
– see Jesus transfigured before our eyes as the undefiled, unblemished, sinless, High Priest with robes of righteousness and the bright Sun giving Light to this dark world.
– hear his discourse of the warnings in the end times to come.
– see him be the perfect Sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, shedding his blood for our sakes, without which there is no remission of sin or hope for mankind.
– be given and to take charge in the great commission as his disciples.
– stand alongside Jesus the Lamb of God, marked as ones belonging to God the Father, as his saints, laying down our very lives as living sacrifices.
We ought to run to the mountain to escape. Which mountain are you on? The important thing is not to stay in the plain, but to escape to the mountain. Have you met with Jesus on The mountain, without whom, there is no escape. Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
Genesis 19:17 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
