Have you ever noticed the frequency in which mountains are mentioned in Scripture? More specifically, mountains are often used as images to represent divine encounter. The Garden of Eden, for example, was placed upon a tall mountain, forming a sort of portrait of the Comic Temple, build during the creation week in Genesis.

Too often, when we read Scripture, we read it in a woodenly literal way, forgetting it’s divine authorship demands that we recognize the theological significance to each passage—not simply it’s historical nature. Many, especially those in the evangelical tradition, read and study Scripture the way they’d study any historical text as opposed to reading it as a truly spiritual book. We learn how to read Scripture from the New Testament authors and early church fathers, NOT post-enlightenment thinkers. The early church, along with the apostles, took the Old Testament and reinterpreted its meaning (sometimes called sensus plenior) in light of Christ. This is how we are to read and interpret Scripture.

This means that when we see mountains, we must seek to understand it in light of the incarnation. All things build towards and climax in the incarnation, making this temple intersections between God and man on a mountain highly significant.

In particular, in the book of Revelation, John sees two visions of the new Jerusalem. The first time, he sees the new Jerusalem descend right after the final judgement. The second time is after he is taken up to a high mountain in the Spirit. Why does he see this vision twice? Why is he taken to a high mountain?

I have prepared a lecture on this very subject that I have given once in Illinois, and will be presenting again to my own church tomorrow evening. This presentation will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube where you all can watch it. I will be aiming to have it posted on Monday. I hope that it strengthens you in your faith and digs into the significance of both mountains and the Christian vision for the future.