The Bible starts with the verse "In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth." God is eternal. He has always existed, and He always will
exist. So what is this beginning? It wasn't the beginning of eternity. It was the beginning of a
plan that God has to bring a people to Himself to be with Him forever. God is going to share His
glory with a people who want what He offers. So God created a stage, a place, where the plan could
be enacted. God is Spirit, but He created a world that we can see and feel. A physical world. One
challenge for us is to look beyond this physical realm, to live this life with eternity in mind.
On day two of creation God created an expanse to separate the waters below from the waters above.
The waters below are the seas. We can't drink salt water. We need fresh water for life. Water
from above. In physical terms, the waters above means the blanket of water vapor that covers the
earth. The waters may form clouds, but when it's hot and dry we might forget that there are waters
above. At other times clouds form and rain falls. Mountains attract rain and water runs in rivers
to the sea. God set every mountain and every river valley in place, exactly where they needed to be.
God created a stage for the drama of redemption. 4000 years ago the LORD called Abraham out of the
city of Ur, and told him to go to a land He would show him. Abraham obeyed. He didn't know where he
would be going but he chose to believe the LORD. The Bible says that the LORD credited Abraham's
faith to him as righteousness. The LORD promised Abraham, "All the land that you see, I will
give to you and your offspring forever." Later, the LORD appeared to Abraham's son, Isaac, but not
to Ishmael, and said "To you and your descendants I will give all these lands." And later, the LORD
appeared to Isaac's son Jacob, but not to Esau, and said, "The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac
I also give to you and to your descendants after you. God renamed Jacob 'Israel'. "You will
no longer be called Jacob. Your name will be Israel." Jacob had 12 sons ... the 12 tribes of
Israel. The land is promised to them. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob didn't receive what was promised
while they were on earth. They were waiting for us. In the New Testament, we learn that "apart
from us they would not be made perfect”. Their descendants are going to inherit a physical
land. We are going to inherit a spiritual land. The descendants of Abraham Isaac and
Jacob will come into their full inheritance, as we believers in Jesus come into ours. The
destiny of Israel is linked to the full number of Gentiles coming to faith, and the destiny of
believers in Jesus as a mature body is linked to the future of Israel. The promised land sits at
the junction of three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. To the west is the Mediterranean Sea. To
the east are mountains and desert. To the south, in the high mountains of Africa,is the source
of the River Nile.The permanent water of the River Nile gave rise to the Empire of Egypt. To
the north, in mountains in Asia, is thesource of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The permanent
water of those rivers gave rise to the empires of Assyria and Babylon. Assured water gave the
empires assured harvests and they grew rich and powerful. The empires traded and raided along
a route known as the Fertile Crescent. Israel was a nation living on a highway. If you live
on a highway, you are likely to get run over. But Israel has a protector; the God of Abraham
Isaac and Jacob. "He will not slumber and He will not sleep. He is the guardian of Israel."
The descendants of Israel, for their part, have struggled to find the faith to trust the
LORD. He has allowed them to suffer defeat time and again, so that in the end they will learn
to trust Him, and it will go well with them. When we read the Bible, we must accept first
and foremost the plain meaning of what is said. Actual events are described. The Bible is unique
because about one quarter of everything written is prophetic. The writings foretell what is going
to happen. God can foretell the future, and when prophecies are made, they can be checked. When
things happen that God saidare going to happen, then we have proof of the existence of God.
Hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. Other events
have been fulfilled too. God warned Israel that, if they disobeyed Him, He would scatter
them all over the world. Israel did disobey, and the Jews were scattered. But whenever God
warned Israel, He followed it up with prophetic words that one day He would bring them back to
the promised land. Those prophecies are being fulfilled before our eyes. When we read the Bible,
we also learn that there are events and physical thingsthat are symbolic. The Bible interprets the
Bible. The Bible unveils what might otherwise be a mystery. For example, the Bible describes water,
fresh water, as being symbolic of the Word of God. It says in the New Testament we are cleansed
with water through the Word of God. It's not a physical washing. It's a spiritual washing.
The word is the written Word. The Scriptures. And the word is the Living Word, Jesus. Water is
a symbol of the way Jesus cleanses us. Of course, you have to come to Jesus to be cleansed. Now
let's understand God's dealings with Israel. About 4,000 years ago Abraham entered
the promised land. Because of a famine, Jacob's family went down to Egypt. They were
there for 400 years and they became slaves to the Egyptians. The LORD sent Moses to rescue
them. Moses led millions of Israelites out of Egypt. God did amazing miracles and the Israelites
saw the miracles. In one of the many miracles each Israelite family had to take a lamb and place
the blood on the doorpost and lintel of their homes. All the family had to stay inside the house
and the angel of death passed over, and nothing harmful happened to the families who were under
the blood of the sacrifice. But the Egyptians, who had no protection under the blood, suffered
the death of the firstborn of every family. It was an actual event, but it was also symbolic
of the salvation that is available to anyone who believes in Jesus. Jesus shed His blood on
the cross to pay for the sins of everyone who trusts in Him. Jesus is our perfect sacrifice of
atonement. When Israel left Egypt, God did another miracle. Pharaoh pursued the Israelites and would
have destroyed them, but God parted the waters of the Red Sea and Israel passed over to the
other side and escaped. It was an actual event, but it was also symbolic. Israel was baptized,
we are told in the New Testament. However, even though they experienced the power of God,
most Israelites didn't trust God, and they showed their unbelief. They complained ... about the
enemy ... about the lack of water ...about the lack of food. They complained against Moses. They
"put God to the test" we are told in the Psalms. They did not believe in God and they did not
trust in His salvation. So, at Mount Sinai, God imposed the Law on Israel. Mount Sinai is a
mountain in the wilderness. Mount Sinai is not in the promised land. Like all mountains, Mount Sinai
sits solidly on the earth, and reaches up to the heavens and to the waters above. The mists and dew
of heaven do settle on Mount Sinai, but not enough to produce life. No rivers run from Mount Sinai.
The Law was given at Mount Sinai. The Law was a conditional covenant. God said, "If you obey
all the Law, I will bless you. If you disobey, I will bring curses on you." The Law was added,
we are told in the Bible, because of unbelief. The Law was imposed on Israel, and the people of
Israel said they would obey. The Law is not just Ten Commandments. The Law has 613 commandments
which had to be obeyed completely. All the people of Israel said, "All that the LORD has spoken, we
will do." 40 years later, Moses summed up the Law, before Israel crossed into the promised
land. He said, "It will be our righteousness, if we are careful to obey all the commandment."
Israel did not obey the Law. They failed. Israel failed to obey all the Law because it's impossible
for fallen man to meet the perfect standard of the Law. The Law is perfect, but man is not. God gave
the Law to show that His standard is perfection; to show that nobody measures up; to make sin
obvious; to show that man is unable to achieve righteousness by his own efforts. We need a Savior
and that Savior has come. Jesus. Christ is the end of the Law for everyone who believes. God gave
the Law to lead people to Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Him. Jesus has done for
everyone who believes in Him what we could never do for ourselves. Jesus obeyed the Law ... the
letter and the spiritof the Law. Righteousness is by faith in Him, and God wants all people
everywhere ...very much including all the Jewish people ...to turn to Him in Christ Jesus.
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel entered the promised land. A generation
had died in the desert. The second generation came into the land. God stopped the waters of the
Jordan River and Israel passed over. They entered the land at Gilgal ...the lowest place on earth.
Through the times of the judges and of the kings, Israel either thrived or suffered, depending
on their obedience to the LORD. And it was never complete obedience. It was a matter of
whether they looked to God in their weakness or whether they trusted themselves. Mostly they
failed to trust God. The Assyrians conquered the northern tribes and took them into exile. The
Babylonians conquered Judah and took them into exile. The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
70 years later, in fulfillment of prophecy, a remnant of some thousands of Jews returned to
the land. They rebuilt the temple, but they were subjected to the Greeks and then to the Romans.
And then the Messiah came ... Jesus of Nazareth. Knowing He had only a few weeks left on earth,
Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a town at the base of Mount Hermon. Mount Hermon
is the highest mountain in Israel. Mount Hermon is predominantly limestone. It absorbs water. Rain
and snow-melt filterinto the mountain and the water flows from the mountain ... from a cave at
the base of the mountain. These are the headwaters of the Jordan River. Jesus took the disciples to
this place to ask the question: "Who do you say I am?" Peter declared, "You are the Christ. "Christ
is a translation into English of the Greek word CHRISTOS meaning "Anointed One". In Hebrew the
word for "Anointed One" is "Mashiach". In English, we'd say Messiah. The Old Testament foretold the
coming of a Savior to rescue the Jewish people. He would be anointed. The high priest and kings
were anointed with oil. It was symbolic. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit. "You are the
Messiah," Peter declared."You are the long-awaited Anointed One." Jesus answered, "Flesh and blood
did not reveal this to you, but My father in heaven. "And then Jesus said "Upon this rock I
will build My church." On this good news that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus Himself will build
His church. The Greek word that is translated 'church'is 'ECCLESIA'. It means 'the called out
ones'. Believers in Jesus, called out of the world and into His kingdom. Called into a community
where Jesus is LORD. This truth was proclaimed at the base of Mount Hermon; at the headwaters of
the Jordan River. It's symbolic. The declaration is likethe release of a river of living water. Six
days later, Jesus took Peter and James and John and went up to the top of Mount Hermon. Jesus was
transfigured. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became whiter than white. Moses and Elijah
appeared and talked to Jesus. Peter interrupted. He wanted to make three tabernacles for them.
A cloud formed overhead and a voice came from heaven, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him."
Let's examine the symbolism. Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets; a very Jewish
way of referring to all the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus radiated light. The Hebrew Scriptures point
to Him. Peter wanted to add his efforts and give them a home on top of the mountain, but the Father
rebuked him. "All I want you to do ... all that the Scripture is saying, is listen to Jesus, obey
Jesus. The Law came to the people of Israel at the summit of Mount Sinai. The revelation that all
the Old Testament ... the Law and the writings of the prophets ... pointed to Jesus, came to the
people of Israel at the summit of Mount Hermon. The spiritof the written word is revealed in the
Living Word. The simple message that was to flow from the receipt of that revelation was (and is)
Jesus is the Messiah. Believe that ... believe in Him ...and you will be saved. The first believers
in Jesus were Jews, but most of the sons of Israel rejected Him as Messiah, and the good news
of salvation by faith in Jesus went out to the nations. In 70 AD, the Jews rebelled and the
Romans destroyed the second temple in Jerusalem. Over the next 65 years all Jews were thrust out of
the land. They would be in exile for nearly 1800 years, and then the return to Zion began. The most
remarkable fulfillmentof Bible prophecy of our time was the establishment of the State of Israel
in 1948. Today, one in every three Jews in the world is back in the land of Israel. God says He
will bring them all back, and He won't leave even one behind. God has promised that there, in the
land of Israel, they will recognize their Messiah, and there, in the promised land, they will
become the foremost nation in the world. God's map of the world has Jerusalem at the
center. "This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the midst of the nations with lands round about
her. "It's an unlikely location. It must be God's choice and not the choice of man. Jerusalem is
not on an ocean and it's not on a river. The trade route is on the coast, and Jerusalem is away
in the mountains. Visit Jerusalem, and two things impact you. One: there are mountains all around
exactly as it says in Psalm 125, and two: Mount Moriah, which is where the Temple Mount and Old
City sit, is lower than the surrounding mountains. Even Mount Zion, which is the high point of Mount
Moriah, is lower than the surrounding mountains. The Hinnom Valley and the Kidron Valley separate
Mount Moriah and Mount Zion from the Mount of Olives and the other high points on three sides.
God told Israel that He would choose the place where they should go with the sacrifice two
thousand years before Jesus. God sent Abraham to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
How symbolic. One thousand years before Jesus, King David bought a threshing floor on the top of
Mount Moriah and David's son King Solomon built the first temple there on Mount Moriah. Jesus
was crucified in Jerusalem. Jesus rose from the grave in Jerusalem. Jesus ascended to heaven
from the Mount of Olives on the east side of Jerusalem. Jesus is going to return to Jerusalem
... to the Mount of Olives. The Apostle Paul related Jerusalem to Mount Sinai because most Jews
rejected Jesus, and that means they remain under the Law. They are still under the Law today. It's
the Jerusalem that is above that is free, but that doesn't mean that the LORD wants Jerusalem and
the Jewish people to remain under the Law. The LORD wants them to be free too. It's His intention
that they also will receive the righteousness of Jesus. He has promised salvation for the remnant
of Israel. Now consider ... there are mountains to the south in Africa that give rise to the Nile
River. There are mountains in Asia that give rise to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. There is a
mountain in Israel that gives rise to the Jordan River. The Jordan River is like a stream, compared
with the Nile and Tigris and Euphrates. The Jordan River flows a relatively short distance, and
ends in the Dead Sea ... the lowest place on earth. There are mountains in Jerusalem, but by
comparison with the mountains of Asia and Africa, they are not impressive. We might not be impacted
by the symbolism of the mountains and rivers until we see what the Bible says is going to happen. A
time will come when the Nile River will dry up, and the Egyptians will suffer a war among
themselves. A time will come when the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will dry up. And the land of
the former Babylonian Empire will become desolate and uninhabited. They have been empires.
They have been symbols of power and wealth. They received rivers of blessing from heaven. But
they didn't acknowledge the source. They typified self-confident people. A state religion serves
well to unify and control people. Many empires have embraced religion. The Egyptians and
Babylonians created many gods out of their imagination. They were gods to serve the people;
not gods at all. Empires, many empires, have looked impressive. They all come to nothing. One
day, even the symbols, the mighty rivers and all the mountains, will disappear. But the mountain
of the LORD's temple will be raised as the chief of the mountains. Mount Moriah will be raised
above the hills and all the nations will stream to it. The LORD alone will be exalted in that
day. People may not be impressed now,but one day they will be. God humbles and God exalts. Humble
yourself or God will humble you. And God humbles, so that in the end it will go well with us. His
purposes are redemptive. But those who trust in their own strength and cleverness ... who never
learn to trust the LORD ... will suffer loss. While the weak and despised ... those who have
come to an end of themselves ... will inherit the blessings of heaven. Now this is what the LORD
is going to do. The dew of heaven falls on Mount Hermon. The river flows from the mountain and ends
at Gilgal. As God's purposes are accomplished, that same dew of heaven is going to bring life to
Mount Zion. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity. It
is like the dew of Hermon coming down on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD commanded
the blessing, life forevermore." Scripture is hinting. The dew of heaven came down on Mount
Hermon. It was symbolic. A river of life flowed from the mountain, to give life to people who
would believe, and to take them to a place where the old self-life was exhausted. The Word of God
has brought us to an end of ourselves. We must draw from the river and carry what we need as
we ascend, guided by the Psalms of ascent. We see the goal ahead. Psalm 133 is the second
to lastof the Psalms of ascent. It gives us the key to victory ... unity. Unity in Christ
Jesus. God's people Israel in faith in Jesus, united with Gentiles of faith in Jesus. One.
Denominational walls broken down. Diversity of thought, but united in the Spirit. One. And
then the LORD will play His part. The dew of heaven will come down on themountains of Zion.
Power will be released. The mountain of the LORD's house will be raised above the hills
and will become the chief of all mountains, and a river will flow from that place. And this
path that we are climbing will be replaced by a river that will bring life to the Dead Sea.
"Water flowed from the temple toward the east, and it became a river that could
not be forded. And the waters of the Dead Sea became fresh.״ A circle will be
completed. God will complete what He began.
