And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Exodus 19:9-11
Mountain
A mountain is a landmass projecting higher than hill in a particular area. Mountains are of great value because they influence the climate and rainfall. Mountains help channel water down to the rivers and can also store a small body of water.
The mountain-top is the best part of the mountain experience. At the mountain-top or as one climbs up to the mountain the weather conditions changes. The humidity increases, the temperature falls, there is more calmness and the foggy clouds smells good to breath. The view is wide. On the mountain-top one sees what others at the valley cannot see. Climbing to the top of a high mountain is an experience only few people can boast of because not everyone will like to go through the process or have the guts to climb. The journey is not always an enjoyable experience, it involves lots of determination and strenuous efforts but the end result is always worth it.
In the matters of the spirit, mountains are similar to what they represent in the physical sense. The top is where we all want to be. The top is where the beauty and view is. The top is where the calmness and peace is found and it is where we can see farther than others. And as humans may likely not climb a mountain physically due to the stress, that is how in the spirit matters, only few people can or do climb to reach the mountain-top.
In the early years when God called the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. God desired to reveal himself to them that they may know that He is a God that is not far from his people. God spoke to Prophet Moses in Exodus 19:3-6; He reminded him about His exploits against the Egyptians for the children of Israel. God admonished him (Moses), that if indeed Israel will obey his commands and keep his covenant that He(God) will make them His own special nation among the people of the earth.
Moses the servant of God called the people together and told them what the Lord had said to him. He told them about the “if you will obey”; and to this the people responded positively and promised to do as God will command.
The Bible says that after this, Moses went back ‘up’ to God where he was when God spoke to him and gave God the feedback. God replied in Exodus 19:9-11 as quoted in our text above. God said He was coming to the camp meeting. God said He was coming to town. God said He was going to make his power and glory felt by his people. God announced to Moses that glory days are coming; for God was coming to confirm His people for life by speaking to them directly. But He gave Moses a task. He said “Consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash and be ready. And then on the third day, I will come to the Mount of Sinai”. Moses obeyed God and after they washed and prepared, on the third day, the Lord came upon the Mount Sinai and called unto Moses to come up.
My dearest reader, I pray that God opens your heart and pour His grace on you and I to enable us understand the secret things that concerns him. Amen!
Firstly, Moses got the message on the mountain-top away from his fellows and brothers. Secondly after they had done all that God commanded them to do, God came down on the appointed day and stayed at the mountain-top. He (God) then beckoned on his prophet to come up to the mountain to experience Him.
This is not the only place Moses met and experienced God on the mountain-top. We must remember that the 10 commandment tablet were first given to Moses on top of Mount Sinai. It was also on Mount Horeb that the Second 10 Commandment was given after the first was broken by Moses. We must also remember that Moses was on a mountain when he had encountered God through a burning bush. On one particular occasion, Moses came down from the mountain and his face was gloriously shining. Moses was taken away from Israel and went back to God on the mountain-top. During Moses’ mountain-top experience with God, God showed him many visions and his view about life was broadened just like he who climbs a physical mountain sees what others do not see. God told him many things he never and may never tell those at the valley. In one of that mountain-top experience, he stayed 40-days eating nothing and did not see death. Also, after one of his mountain-top experience with God, glory shown upon his face and the men of Israel baffled after gazing on him. In fact, it was the mountain-top experience with God that saved him from sharing in Israel’s idolatry. For when he came down, Aron the Priest had been compelled to make the people an idol to worship.
From the New Testament we see that Jesus was a man of the mountain-top. Often he retreated from men. Often he retreated form the disciples. Often he climbed up and prayed. Even his glorious transfiguration was done on top of a mountain. Indeed our lord understood what it means to have a mountain-top experience.
Brethren, the days of Moses are far gone and Jesus is no more in the world in human form. We believers through the spirit of grace has been called to holiness, son-ship and priest hood unto the great God. For what Moses was, we are now; because the same Spirit that worked in him works in us who a true worshipers and Jesus having divided the veil, allowed us access to God; amen!. Now God desires that all Christians will have the mountain-top experience with him. God desires that every believers will have that one on one experience with him. The experience that Changes men. The experience that broadens our vision of things and of gives us other untold truths. The experience that can cause our spiritual face to radiate great glory and the children of darkness and the night marvels. That experience, that mountain-top experience is what God is seeking in our time.
Unfortunately, only few will have this experience. The reason is: just as it is hard, lonely, strenuous and difficult to climb a physical mountain, that is how it is hard, lonely, strenuous it is to have a mountain-top experience with God. We as men need to work for it. Moses climbed, strained his muscles, went without companion; he worked for his mountain-top experience and so we must work for ours. One thing is sure; God is on the mountain giving men ‘the mountain-top experience’.
Some may climb physical mountains seeking God, some go to prayer camps to seek God, some go through many days of fasting, and some wake up many nights in earnest seeking for God. The location matters not. What matters is the effort. It could be in your room, but you are doing what other Christians cannot do. You are praying, studying the word of God, seeking him, straining yourself, staying away from some gatherings, walking that lonely path in search for God. I tell you child of God, the zeal in my God as he has revealed to me burns deep. His zeal cuts through brick walls and any instrument that stands out will receive wonderful mountain-top experience.
Mountain-top experience doesn’t come easy but the reward is not light. But before we aim for it, we must remember the commandment; For He (God) said “consecrate today and tomorrow, wash your clothes, and be ready; on the third day I will come”. Sons of God; men and women greatly loved by God; Church of Jesus Christ! The first process to have this mountain-top experience is to consecrate ourselves back to God in holiness and truth. We must put away the works of sin and darkness and acknowledged that we are heirs of the Father. We must then wash in white. We must cling to the blood of Jesus and allow the Holy Ghost to use the word of God to wash us white. And then we must climb in many waiting. We must climb in true fervent prayers. And on that day, we will have our Holy Ghost powered mountain-top experience with God; on the third day; our revival will come. Amen!!