Chag sameach Rosh Chodesh mispachah and greetings to all the brethren in Scandinavia, South and East Africa, Myanmar, the USA and Ireland and to all those following this work from afar!

Welcome to this special day for those on the spiritual ark for this is the day - the first day of the tenth month - when the mountain tops or those mountains nearby Ararat, on which the ark was resting, started to become visible. As this is not obviously literal for us, it is important to understand their significance. To begin with, because mountain tops are symbolically 'closer to Elohim (God)' than the valleys, a mountain top represents individuals or groups of people who are communing with Yahweh.

Mountains are noted for their prominence - they easily catch our eye in a mixture of other scenes that include valleys, rivers, lakes and so forth. To the spiritually-minded, Yahweh and His Davar (Word) will always be prominent, to be followed by malakim (angels) and those elohim or rulers and judges in [Messisanic] Israel endowed with a super-abundance of Ruach (Spirit) who because of their annointing and the presence of Elohim (God) in their being causes them to resemble Him. Every husband and father, as the de jure and Scripturally-mandated family head, is also figuratively a 'mountain' to whom the rest of the family should look up and submit. By way of illustration we read:

"In the last days the mountain of Yahweh's temple (house) will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it" (Isa.2:2, NIV; cp. Micah 4:1).

At the very end of the dispension, Yahweh's House - His people under the New Covenant - from being despised, persecuted and powerless, will with great rapidity ascend to a position of prominence, toqef (authority) and power to which the other "mountains" (nations, governments, powers, etc.) will have to submit under a Torah-structured world government. These other kingdoms will "stream" to Zion, the world capital, New Jerusalem, both to honour and observe the mandated annual feasts and to submit to the right-rulings or judgments of its cohenim (priests), under the overall government of the eternal Cohen Gadol (High Priest), Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), concerning theocratic Torah governance.

The Mountain of Yahweh in the Heavenly Kingdom on earth, its highest obligation being that all humans give of their love and submission to it:

"Yahweh-Almighty will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
Like birds hovering overhead,
the Yahweh-Almighty will shield Jerusalem;
He will shield it and deliver it,
He will 'pass over' it and will rescue it"
(Isa.31:4-5, NIV).

Fulfilled literally in 1917 when Jerusalem passed from Turkish rule to British without damage thanks to the protection of the Royal Flying Corps "hovering like birds overhead" [1], it has the more important figurative meaning of the immediacy and availability Yahweh's protection to all those who come up to His Kingdom-Mountain by submitting to Him, His Torah (Law) and His Son, King Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), out of which/Whom flows perfect ahavah Love), goodness, justice, mercy and all that is praiseworthy in the Courts of the Most High. Yahweh fights for those the most who most reflect His character and purpose. To those who come to this mountain with a right heart the promise is made:

"He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; He will crush the oppressor" (Ps.72:4, NIV).

The Mountain of Yahweh's House in the last days is governed, on the earth, by the Prince of Israel, the firstborn of Joseph, Ephraim:

"May Yahweh bless his land
with the precious dew from heaven above
and with the deep waters that lie below;
with the best the sun brings forth
and the finest the moon can yield;
with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains
and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
and the favour of him who dwelt in the burning bush.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers"
(Deut.33:13-16, NIV).

From this mountain flows perfect knowledge and instruction in the ways of Messiah and New CovenantTorah, the "choicest gifts" that may be given that may be given to the seeker after emet (truth): the mountains shall bring forth "new wine" (the deep things of the Besorah/Gospel) and the hills shall "flow with milk" (the basic principles of the Besorah/Gospel -Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). Even when Yahweh's people are in the wilderness, the nevi'im (prophets) bringing them forth even as Yahweh brought forth water out of the rock in the wilderness through Moses.

Yahweh's people in their maturity are therefore called "mountains" and those who are young and immature in the emunah (faith) are called "hills". As worship was anciently on a mountain - Mt.Zion - so worship shall spill out of this collective mountain of true talmidim (disciples). Scripture contrasts such worship with the counterfeit, pagan form, which Israel imitated when "on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute" (Jer.2:20, NIV). Such mountains Yahweh swears to overturn in His wrath (Jer.4:24-25):

"Every valley (humble soul) shall be raised up (exalted), every [arrogant] mountain and hill (maturer and immature believer) made low (humbled)" (Isa.40:4, NIV)

You will recall, by contrast, the wild, extravagent and noisy worship of the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel:

"They danced around the altar they had made...they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed...they continued their frantic prophesying" (1 Ki.18:26,28-29, NIV)

We haven't quite got to the point of self-mutilation in worship but we are not far off. From the wild, lawless charismatic behaviour of Toronto Airport to Vineyard, Pensacola, Lakeland and the Jesus Culture, we are seeing a progressive demonisation in the Body of Messiah. It will get worse. The Davar Elohim (Word of God) is slung out in preference for raw experience with no distinction being made between the psychic and the spiritual because the leaders of these heresies do not know of any. What we are seeing is simply a modern version of Baal-worship disguised as Christianity. Emunah (faith) is by trusting in the Davar (Word) and not in fickle human emotions which subtle demonic spirits know how to prey upon. (Please see, A Message to Charismatic Christians).

Of course, Yahweh, though His navi (prophet) Ezekiel, won that contest on Mount Carmel. We recall the way he worshipped and the way he prayed:

"'O Yahweh, Elohim (God) of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are Elohim (God) in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O Yahweh, answer me, so these people will know that You, O Yahweh, are Elohim (God), and that You are turning their hearts back again.' Then the fire of Yahweh fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, 'Yahweh - He is Elohim (God)! Yahweh - He is Elohim (God)!'" (1 Ki.18:36-39, NIV).

That is the Elohim (God) that I worship - the One who changes hearts and minds of those who are contrite, hardens the hearts of the stubborn and wicked and sends fire down upon the reprobate adversaries ripened in muderous iniquity. I believe in the Elijah-Task of the Remnant whether it is to "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Mal.4:6, NIV) or whether it is to call fire down out of heaven. It is my passionate call that the "ruach haEliyahu" or "spirit of Elijah" might rest on Yahweh's true servants in these end-times in double abundance as it once rested on Elisha (2 Ki.2:15) so that the Mountain of Yahweh's House might be built up strong and mighty in the Remnant.

Yahweh demands our exclusive ahavah (love) and loyalty because of the b'rit (covenant) we have entered into with Him and takes His people to court, playing the rôle of both Prosecutor and Judge:

"Here what Yahweh says,
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
Hear, you mountains, the controversy of Yahweh,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for Yahweh has a controversy with His people,
and He will content with Israel"
(Micah 6:1-3, NRSV).

Yahweh then goes on to speak of His saving acts - the deliverance from Egyptian slavery (v.4) - and by extension in the New Covenant, deliverance from sin through Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) who is also Elohim (God). If anyone has been saved - spiritually regenerated, born again - then he or she knows "the saving acts of Yahweh" (v.5b, NRSV) and cannot deny the emet (truth) without becoming a spiritual whore. Such, if they are not to be condemned and cast out, must "plead [their] case before the mountain", the Elders of Israel and also the young in emunah (faith) - "the hills" - for those who are of the Kingdom, who are filled with the Ruach (Spirit), shall determine whether such rebels shall be a part of the fellowship of the Last Exodus or not, even as judgment was pronounced on the rebels of the First one.

Those who wander from Messiah do so either because they have failed to pay heed to the Davar (Word) or because false shepherds have misled them, causing them to "roam on the mountains" (Is.50:6a, NIV):

"They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
Whoever found them devoured them;
their enemies said, 'We are not guilty,
for they sinned against Yahweh, their true pasture,
Yahweh, the hope of their fathers'"
(Jer.50:6-7, NIV).

Wandering sheep need rescuing (Mt.18:12). Those who are lost wander, aimlessly going from place to place. They "wander from the emunah (faith)" (1 Tim.1:6; 6:21) and "from the emet (truth)" (2 Tim.2:18). They "wander... in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground" (Heb.11:38, NIV) both literal and metaphoric. All these people need "someone [to] bring [them] back" (James 5:19, NIV) and that is what we must try to do. For sure,w e have our work cut out in this age of great deception.

Now whether you are an 'older' mountain (more experienced person) or a youger 'hill' (inexperienced person), it is quite natural go to someone in your life for guidance and fellowship. We are not to spiritually feed in the pastures of the unbelievers but go to the "true pasture".

When the judgment comes, it cannot be avoided:

"The mountains quake before Him
and the hills melt away.
The earth trembles at His (Yahweh's) presence,
the world and all who live in it.
Who can withstand His indignation?
Who can endure His fierce anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire;
the rocks are shattered before Him"
(Nahum 1:5-6, NIV)

People may think they are strong in their rebellious 'rockiness' - their hard-heartedness which gives a false sense of security - but that too will shatter and there will be no more false protection from emet (truth). If you are the true height and prominence owing to your submission to, and dwelling place on, the Mountain of Yahweh, then you will be saved. But if have made yourself prominent in your own conceit, putting yourself above the Mountain of Yahweh, letting your heart turn to rock in your denial of Him, then you are in major trouble. The one Mountain represents ahavah (love) and the other false, egotistical 'love' which is hatred of Elohim (God).

In our own English language we speak of 'mountain-top experiences' when it comes to our spiritual journeys, times when we have felt especially close to Heaven, walking deep in, and close to, the Davar (Word). People often feel moved to climb mountains or hills to find times of quiet solitude in prayer with Yahweh. We instinctively know that climbing a mountain - whether to meet the true Elohim (God) or a false one - is something we need to 'do' to find shalom (peace) and purpose. Of course, a false god will lead you to a dead-end, and if you were formerly a believer, your condition will be far worse than it was before you felt you 'had' to leave Him. But if you are willing to submit to the true Elohim (God) of the Bible, through His Son Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), you will embark on a challenging but ultimately very rewarding spiritual journey indeed.

There are seven main mountain-top events and/or experiences in the Bible that I want to briefly talk about now. All of these were actual biblical events but these events are also spiritual pointers to show us how we must ourselves make our spiritual ascent, leaving the world behind us. We are going to very briefly look at these today, starting with the physically highest mountain and working our way down to the lowest. At this stage I have not arranged these mountains in any 'spiritual order' as I would like you to work on trying to do that yourself while I am talking to you. I have chosen 'height' as the scale just for fun. So the list I am going to share with you does not mean there is necessarily a gradation of importance.

All but the first mountain ascent required an actual physical scaling that demanded human effort - the first required no more than building and then getting on board a boat. Let's take a look at them each in turn:

(Note: Heights are estimates as not all the locations are definitively known and some are contested (e.g. traditionally Mt.Sinai is in the Sinai peninsular in modern Egypt but there is good evidence it is actually in modern Saudi Arabia)

Mountain views give you a perspective you cannot get in the valleys and a spiritual relocation to the mountain-top of Yahweh's presence gives you a perspective on Yahweh, on yourself, on others and on life in general that is impossible to have in an unregerenated state. That is why Yah'shua (Jesus) told Nicodemus:

"I tell you the emet (truth), no one can see the kingdom of Elohim (God) unless he is born again ("from above" - KNT)" (John 3:3, NIV).

I must here underline the verb "see" because the emphasis is on perspective - you are able to 'see' or 'understand' in a way that you never did - and never could have done - before. It does not mean that you have come to full maturity because to do that you must live in the real world and make real choices. The new birth gives you a mountain-top view so that you can pin-point the goal of life and knew in which direction to move to attain it.

Without a doubt this 'first vision' equates with Mount Ararat. The symbolism is obvious. It's about new beginnings - a new beginning for the human race and a new beginning for each person who "receives the kingdom of Elohim (God) like a little child" (Luke 18:17, NIV). This corresponds to the festival of Pesach (Passover). It is the shed blood of the sinless Lamb of Elohim (God) that enables us to leave the old life of sin and guilt and enter the new one with the promise of clean conscience and Eternal Resurrection Life once we have been regenerated. Moreover, the ark's passengers climbed no mountain - Yahweh deposited them there "by the washing with mayim (water) through the Davar (Word)" (Eph.5:26, NIV). All they had to do was get aboard the ark. This is a graphic picture that points to the new birth which is by grace through emunah (faith), to cite that lynchpin of evangelical doctrine:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through emunah (faith) - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim (God) - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph.2:7-9, NIV).

The ark had no sail and no rudder that man might exert any kind of control on its movement - it was deposited on Mount Ararat, as the one surrendering to Messiah is deposited into the embrace of Yah'shua (Jesus) and His Kingdom - saved, without any works whatsoever. Appropriately this was the highest of the mountain because that initial saving act is the most important of all the other saving acts that the believer, if he is true, will encounter in his discipleship walk. This is the alef or alpha of the Christian life, the most important mountain of all, without which none of the others may be climbed. Ararat gives us the view of the other mountains as they become visible as the waters recede. This rebirthing corresponds to the spring festivals of Pesach (Passover), Chag haMatzah (Feast of Unleavened Bread) and Yom haBikkurim (Day of Firstfruits).

The spring festivals really come as a single package and are distinguished from all the others by having one festival (Yom haBikkurim) - Aviv 16 - in the 'middle' of another one (Chag haMatzah) - Aviv 14b-21a. Painted symbolically, the Sermon on the Mount is in the middle of Mt.Olivet (the Mount of Olives) - indeed, the Sermon on the Mount could conceivably have been given on the Mount of Olives! How is that one festival is in the middle of another? Because the New Birth or Spiritual Regeneration (being 'born again' - Yom haBikkurim, which also corresponds to baptism and resurrection) follows initial conception (Pesach) - a vow and determination to pursue Messiah in holiness both before and after rebirth which corresponds to the Sermon on the Mount. Chag haMatzah (Firstfruits), which is seven-days long, symbolises your whole life because 7 is the number of completion and of spiritual perfection.

The table below, arranged in the correct mountain order (not by height) and divine tavnith (pattern), gives a very general overview of the Besorah (Gospel) Life and how it corresponds to the seven annual festivals which Messianic Israel is commanded to faithfully observe and the seven principle mountains and what they represent. ALL TRUE TALMIDIM (DISCIPLES) MAY THEREFORE BE SAID TO BE SPIRITUAL MOUNTAINEERS and those who are the leaders of the Remnant and Second Exodus must therefore be veteran spiritual mountaneers:

We have spoken of the spring festivals and now we come to the middle or summer 'hinge' festival of Shavu'ot (Weeks, 'Pentecost') which corresponds to Mount Sinai. This feast is a 'double' because it represents the place of reception of the Torah (Law, Teaching) which was, and is, the Betrothal Covenant of Israel. By itself it represents the Old Covenant (Hagar/Jerusalem - Gal.4:25) but together with the spiritual anointing or 'baptism of the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) and fire' takes the symbolism to a new (and higher) level. There is a transformation both of the Torah and the individual by which the Torah comes to be supernaturally written on the heart by the pen of the Ruach (Spirit) - this is the B'rit Chadashah or New Covenant and corresponds to a 'mountain' that comes out of heaven, the New Jerusalem. So there is a mass of converging symbols at this festival which is why we call it the 'hinge' events.

The autumnal or fall festivals have not yet been fulfilled but will be relatively soon and be witnessed by the last generation which is even now coming into the world. The correspondence of the mountains with these festivals is pretty self-explanatory. Though no one is sure that Mt.Tabor is the mountain where the transfiguration took place (it might be Mt.Hermon) what's clear is that the glory experienced my Peter, James and John when Yah'shua's (Jesus') divinity went on open display and His Divine Person was confirmed by the presence of the two witnesses of the Old Covenant, Elijah and Moses, representing the nevi'im (prophets) and the Torah-giver, which also confirms the prophetic imagery of Shavu'ot too in showing the relationship between the Old and New Covenants.

Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) is the Day of Judgment and corresponds to the confrontation on Mt.Carmel with the prophets of Baal. Finally, we come to the Millennial Zion under the Kingship of the Son of David, Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) with capital the New Jerusalem. This corresponds to Mt.Zion, the original City of David that became Jerusalem, which had been known as Jebus under the Canaanites and before that, in the patriarchal period, as Salem (Shalom), meaning 'Peace'. It is even used to designate heaven itself (Heb.12:22-23). So Sukkot and Jerusalem (Mt.Zion) are the climax and conclusion - the fullness, the "Wedding Supper of the Lamb" (Rev.19:9, NIV).

A word on the name 'Jerusalem' (Yerushalayim). It is a compound of sha'alu ('ask' - as in asking a question) and shalom ('peace') which is also a name of Yah'shua (Jesus), the Sar Shalom or "Prince of Peace" (Is.9:6, NIV), the King of Jerusalem (Mt.5:35). So the word 'Jerusalem' means 'teaching of peace' since the word 'yeru' at the beginning comes from the same root as torah which means 'teaching'. So 'Jerusalem' could also mean 'Ask About the Prince of Peace and His Teaching' [2]. Which takes us full circle back to Pesach (Passover) or the 'Feast of Beginnings' where we first make enquiry about Yah'shua (Jesus) and thereafter, if we remain true, grow in our emunah (faith) and good works. This is why we observe the annual festivals so that we can both review our progress and make sure we remain on target.

These, then, are the seven spiritual mountains that every believer must ascend, each for its specific purpose as taught by the Seven [3] Annual Festivals. With such a detailed map revealed to us by both Old and New Testament Torah, we can be in no doubt as to what the terms of salvation are and how we are supposed to walk out this life. Within them is mapped out the entire lifestyle of the believer. If you are in any doubt as to what to do, go to 'Jerusalem', and 'Ask About the Prince of Peace and His Teaching' and He will instruct you perfectly through His Word and the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask Elohim (God), who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt" (James 1:4-6, NIV).

May your ascents be glorious and exhilarating as you learn to overcome your sins and your fears through progressively surrendering your all to Messiah Yah'shua (Jesus), trusting in His grace always, obeying His mitzvot (commandments), and be assured of the veracity of every promise given in the Davar Elohim (Word of God), is my prayer in Yah'shua's (Jesus') Name. Amen.

Endnotes