Choose the mountain that remains
- Michelle Wood: SWCD
- December 11, 2017
- 1279
The other night I was reading my Bible to our boys, and I read them Hebrews 10:19-20, which reads, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is his flesh.”
There isn’t actually a period at the end of that verse, but that is where I stopped because I wanted to explain some things to them.
I told them how in the old covenant only the high priest could enter the holy of holies to talk to God, and he went in there once a year with a blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people.
I also mentioned how there was a veil that separated the holy of holies from the holy place, but when Jesus died, the veil was torn in two from top to bottom. The veil being torn not only signified that we could all now come freely to God, but also represented Jesus’ own body being torn for us.
I know, pretty heavy stuff for little boys all under the age of 10, and it came with lots of questions on their part, but I wanted to emphasize to them the freedom we now have because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
I want them to get a deep understanding of the new covenant we are now under and for them to know that the main point of the old covenant law was symbolic of what Jesus would do for us and to point us to our need for him (see Galatians 3:24).
I could see a lot stirring around in their little minds, so I just asked them a question: “When you think of God, what do you see or think of?”
One son said he saw him with brown hair. “But how do you see him?” I questioned. “Do you see him as nice or mean or what?”
“Nice like Daddy,” my oldest replied, and it filled my heart with joy to hear that.
“God is the nicest Daddy ever,” I told them. “I want you guys to know that because too many people don’t think that. Many think that God causes or allows bad things to happen to them, but when bad things happen, it is either from Satan, the result of living in a fallen world or the result of a bad decision. And many are scared to come to God because they don’t understand that he is not mad at them because all of his anger has been placed on Jesus in their place. They are still living under the old covenant and don’t have understanding of the new covenant that came through Jesus.”
Hebrews 12:18-19 and 22-24 says, “For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
I want to make it perfectly clear to my boys the difference between Mount Sinai (representing the old covenant of the law) and Mount Zion (representing the new covenant of grace). I want them setting up camp at the right mountain. Spiritually speaking, too many people are “camped out at Mount Sinai,” where they think God is mad and ready to punish them if they step out of line. They think they have to perform to be approved. They are still living under the law instead of living under grace, not recognizing the change that was ushered in through Jesus.
The old covenant that was given at Sinai has passed away (Hebrews 8:13, Galatians 3:25). Now we are to take up residence at the beautiful Mount Zion, the new covenant, where Jesus dwells in all his glory, a mountain full of peace and undeserved favor toward us all.
That is the mountain that was purchased for us through the mighty, precious blood of Jesus, where all of God’s anger toward sin was placed on his body so we can live in peace. Now we can come boldly to the throne of grace because of him (Hebrews 10:19). That is the mountain that remains. That is where God dwells and wants you to dwell there with him.
You have a choice. Choose the right mountain.
Amber can be reached at amberdeemiller32@gmail.com or through her AmberRiceMiller Facebook page.