Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
From the pages of the Bible, mountains are seen as obstacles that hinder and stand in the way to impede one from progressing. It does not necessarily need to be literal mountains. Whatever obstructs progress is a mountain. For instance, in Zechariah 4:7 we see a particular mountain:
“WHO art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
(KJV, emphasis added).
The mountain here refers to a human entity. Zerubbabel was to rebuild the temple of God, but some people had come to oppose him and his work, therefore they were referred to as a mountain. Obviously, this was said in reference to Sanballat and his cohort. But how would the mountain impeding Zerubbabel and his work be brought down? In verse 6, the angel had answered and said, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS.” So it was by the Spirit of God and His presence upon Zerubbabel, that the mountain would become a plain before him so he could complete the work of God.
Therefore, a mountain can be a person or a spiritual hindrance orchestrated by the devil just so that one’s advancement can be hindered.
Strictly speaking, anyone that wants to progress in life will definitely meet with some oppositions on his or her way to destiny. There is no advancement without mountains. It will be unwise for people to think they can make any progress in life without meeting with stiff oppositions, arranged directly by the devil or indirectly through humans or any other form. And it does not matter if it is God’s will and desire for such a one to make that advancement, the opposer the devil will always want to frustrate God and His will concerning His children.
However, God, in His word, reveals to us how we can surmount every mountain or make them become plain before us. Let us take a look at a psalm.
Psalms 114:1-8
“When Israel went forth from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, Israel, His dominion. The sea looked and fled; the Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills, like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of water.”
Moses, even though he was called and sent by God to set the children of Israel free from bondage, was faced with many oppositions. The Lord had to send ten different plagues through his hand upon Pharaoh and his people before Pharaoh could finally allow the children of Israel to leave Egypt. When they finally left, Pharaoh became angry again, gathered his chariot and his horsemen and pursued the children of Israel. But God eventually destroyed him and his horsemen in the Red Sea. But before the Red Sea became an instrument of destruction to the Egyptians, it was initially a mountain to the children of Israel because their progress was hindered by it. They needed to pass over to the other side for them to get to the Promised Land. But we read how Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, and so the waters were divided. Then the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. (Exodus 14:21-22).
Furthermore, after Moses died and Joshua was appointed to bring the children of Israel into Canaan, they met with another mountain: river Jordan. But when the priests who carried the ark – which represented God’s presence – came into the Jordan, and their feet were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, and those which were flowing down toward the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.
(Joshua 3:15-16). So were all the mountains on their way to the Promised Land removed.
But our psalm shows us how they were able to surmount those mountains. It was because Judah became God’s sanctuary and Israel, God’s dominion. Judah was inhabiting God, carrying His presence and consequently, Israel was exercising God’s dominion. There is no way for mountains to fall before you if you are not a carrier of God’s presence. Mountains only skip before the Lord, the God of Jacob. You need authority and dominion in bringing down mountains but without God’s presence, all efforts will be futile in trying to make a mountain plain so you can advance. Jesus gave orders to His disciples that they should depart to the other side of the sea. While in the boat, there arose a great storm, trying to hinder them. The disciples lacking God’s presence, became incapacitated and were in fear. They woke Jesus up and He immediately exercised God’s dominion by rebuking the winds and the sea. At God’s presence and one who inhabits Him, the sea will flee and Jordan will take off. Mountains and hills will skip. Instead of being barriers, they will be made to be instruments of destruction to the enemies just as the Red Sea became the grave of Pharaoh and his horsemen. Or be made sources of refreshment for a carrier of God’s presence just like God brought water out of the mountainous rock to refresh the Israelites.
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