The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (Psalm 97:5)
When you stop and think about it, some of the most signifiant events recorded in the Bible occur on mountains. Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah; Israel met God at Sinai; Yeshua ascended from the Mount of Olives — just to name a few. Mountains are also used in the Bible, symbolically, to represent obstacles, God-ordained challenges and even a place where men can have a spiritual encounter with the Almighty. Perhaps all of this is due to their massive stature on the earth’s landscape; mountains invoke a sense of stability, power, endurance and timelessness. In short, they represent those things that are not easily moved.
In the Scripture, mountains are also referred to metaphorically as nations, particularly the nations and kingdoms that have wielded great power. For example it is written, “The Lord looked and startled the nations, and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed” (Habakkuk 3:6). From the context, the mountains and hills are understood to be the nations that were startled. In Revelation, the seven heads of the Beast are said to be seven mountains upon which the harlot sits, meaning seven nations or kingdoms (Revelation 17:9). I would further suggest that mountains can represent both earthly kingdoms and the spiritual realm; for example, “the mountain of the Lord” is phrase often used in Scripture to refer to God’s House, the seat of His authority.
All of this is to say, that when the Supreme Judge comes to reign upon the earth, “a fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies.” All the great and powerful kingdoms that have opposed His purpose and His people will be humbled before Him. Though they project themselves to be as strong and as immovable as the mountains, the Presence of our God — the all consuming fire — causes them to melt as a candle before the flame. At the same time, all those who willingly submit themselves to God, though they will be immersed in that same fire, will not be destroyed. Just as the bush at Horeb burned but was not consumed, the servants of God will be liberated, preserved and vindicated by the same fire that brings down the enemies of God. And so it is written, “Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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