In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
Micah 4:1-2
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
I love this picture of ascending the mountain of the Lord to learn from God, to worship. The Bible uses the picture of a mountain repeatedly as the setting for meeting God. Ezekiel 28:13-16 indicates that Eden was on a mountain – where Adam and Eve walked in the cool of the evening with their Maker. Noah’s ark without rudder or compass landed on a mountain and there, his family worshipped God (Genesis 8). Moses ascended a mountain to receive the law. Commentators point out how Mt. Sinai resembled the future tabernacle using Exodus 24. The people gathered at the bottom of the mountain – representing the outer courts, the elders went to the midsection of the mountain – representing the Holy Place. And only Moses climbs to the summit – representing the Holy of Holies – the place where God resided. In fact, the Tabernacle became the portable Mount of God!
Today God establishes His temple in our hearts.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Behold! the mountain of the Lord
In latter days shall rise
On mountain tops above the hills,
And draw the wond’ring eyes.To this the joyful nations round,
All tribes and tongues, shall flow;
Up to the hill of God, they’ll say,
And to his house we’ll go.The beam that shines from Zion hill
Shall lighten ev’ry land;
The King who reigns in Salem’s tow’rs
Shall all the world command.Among the nations he shall judge;
His judgments truth shall guide;
His sceptre shall protect the just,
And quell the sinner’s pride.Come then, O house of Jacob, come
John Logan & Michael Bruce, 1781
To worship at his shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy beauties shine.
As you pray today, thank God for establishing His temple in your heart. Thank Him for calling you, justifying you! Ask Him to help you ascend the mountain of worship today – to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Ask Him to help you “walk in the light of God.”
