Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”
A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.” 13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain. 16 Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24:12-18 (NKJV)

Recently I stood at the base of the Blue Mountain Ski area in Eastern Pennsylvania and looked on as learned and unlearned skiers moved along the mountain slopes and trails. Standing at the base of the mountain was the safest place to be but offered only one view of the mountain,- that of looking up. The view from the top would have been far different than my view from the bottom. Moses stood on the top of mountain and talked face to face with God. While he was gone those back at the base had grown tired of waiting for the return of Moses. From the valley, the people’s view of the mountaintop was obscured by the clouds. They were not permitted to approach the mountain while the cloud of God’s glory enveloped it. They had to just remain where they were and wait.

 

I had gone to Blue Mountain with a number of youth from a friend’s church and it was a couple of these young people I was waiting for at the base of the mountain. As they would ride the ski lift to the top of the mountain I could only look on from the base. The thrill and excitement that awaited them at the top I could only imagine from my vantage point safe on the bottom. As I watched these beginners start their first decent to the base of that small hill I watched them fall time and time again. They had to get up and continue down the hill because at this point there was only one way in which they could go- down. They could not catch a lift back to the top and unless they simply took off the snow boards and walked down they would have to make an attempt to ski down the slope.

Compared to the other trails on this mountain, the bunny slope was really quit small. As I stood at the base I could see many trails rising a mile or more straight up the side of the mountain. From my viewpoint I could only make out tiny specks of dark against the white snow as skiers would ski down the mountain side.

I was not up there with them. I was not privy to what they were saying or for that matter what they saw. I could only inquire of their experience once they reached the level where I was standing. This is how it is many times when dealing with the members of the body of Christ. We are each on different levels of God’s holy mountain and we have differing viewpoints of what that mountain looks like. From our limited perspectives we view the mountain in a certain way. As one would move higher up that same mountain, the terrain would take on a whole different look. The view from the top would be far more reaching than that of even someone half way up.

 

Two differing perspectives

Blue Mountain has two cabins, one on the top of the hill and the other at the bottom. The base cabin is where I spent most of my time because it was down there that the learning was to take place. The base cabin had all the instructors who taught the new- comers to the mountain, the basics of safe skiing and snowboarding. These instructors where not present on the upper cabin because the higher up the mountain one goes the more experienced they must be. Either that or they were totally crazy.

 

As I watched the new- comers learning the basics I could not help but imagine being on that mountain myself and freely skiing down its face. The feeling of riding up that ski lift to greater heights was calling but yet I chose to remain on the ground level. Partly for the benefit of those whom I was watching over and partly because I really did not desire to ski as much as I desired to remain free of broken bones and other injuries that might occur.

Israel was warned not to approach the mountain or they would meet with death. This fear of the mountain was imposed by God himself when he told them they could not approach. The reason Moses was able to go up the mountain was because he had spent many days and months in the presence of God already. When the Lord required that he rise to even greater heights it was all in the process of an already established relationship he had with God.

Aaron was to remain at the base camp to watch over the children in his care. He was supposed to provide them with proper instruction on how to ascend to the heights of the mountain but instead he got caught up in their rebellious ways. He was overcome by their desire to do things on their own. He had forgotten what his primary purpose was- to keep watch for the return of Moses with the word of the Lord from the mountain top. The people had enough resources with them to be able to create an object of worship they could control. They were able to form an image of God into one that would mold to their expectations. They were able to receive enough support from each other to completely eliminate God from their time of worship. They were able to create a totally idolatrous religion devoid of God. Even Aaron the high priest of God became corrupted along with the people.

How many times has the life of the church been hijacked by those with deep pockets who fund projects that they can control, in order to move the church in a direction they desire to go, rather than allowing God to lead? How many times have Godly ordained projects been thwarted by those who like to be in charge withholding their giving so that it is next to impossible to do the will of God? How many golden calves have we built within the denomination that need to be destroyed? How many ministers of God have been hijacked by the congregations they serve? How many souls must perish before we learn the lesson again from the mountain top? The only work God is pleased with is the work He has ordained for us to do. Everything else is simply idolatry and humans endeavoring to replace God with a religious structure that can be controlled and manipulated.

Those who remain at the base of the mountain are there for many reasons. Either they are the ones appointed to teach others how to safely maneuver the mountain they face before them or they could be there as support for those who are attempting to rise to greater heights on that mountain. Many are there because they choose to remain steadfast at the bottom of the mountain to look on as others attempt to master the mountain. Some must remain at the bottom until they are taught and prepared to move up the mountainside.

Some of the bottom dwellers sometimes have a tendency to stand in the way of those who attempt to master the mountain. They stand as constant reminders of those who can not or chose not to ascend. They are the naysayers and the bearers of negativism. God chooses whom he wills to take up the side of the mountain. It is in our best interest to seek out those who have gained greater heights in their walk with the Lord, to lend us insight on how to master the mountain. If one attempts to master the mountain without proper instruction, injury or death could await them. The mountain is unforgiving. It stands as a constant obstacle to those who would challenge it unskilled and unprepared.

There are many mountains we must climb in our walks with the Lord. Let us start at the base camp and learn our lessons well on how to ascend the mountain of the Lord.

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfullyPsalms 24:3-4 (NKJV)

The mountain represents the presence of God. There are those who delight in the thrill of the (double diamond) hard core worship experience. There is a rush that comes from stepping off the top of the mountain and sliding rapidly towards the base. There are those who prefer a more leisure pathway down the mountain. There are many who need a lift up the side of the mountain and there are those who are sent to rescue people from off the mountain. There are some who are in the support of those who are worshiping on the top of the mountain. There are those who are engaged in helping people to get onto the mountain. Along each pathway there are those who stand as lights to light the path of worship for those who come after. Whatever your station. Do your appointed tasks all to the glory of the Lord. Remember, it is the Lord we serve and not ourselves. Regardless of your position, we are all on the mountain. We all have our place.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)