THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD - PART 1 of 2

~ By James Fire

That which is known as the NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION Movement believes the church must dominate all aspects of this world, ‘Christianizing’ it by instilling Christian beliefs and morals (even if there is no genuine salvation). This movement holds to the false doctrine of Dominionism, meaning that until the church achieves dominion over all the world, Christ cannot come back to rule and reign.

There are seven ‘mountains’ or domains that NAR wants to dominate in this world: 

1) Education 2) Religion 3) Family 4) Business 5) Government/Military 6) Arts/Entertainment and 7) Media.

The reason I bring this up is because I want to talk about Seven Mountains in the Holy Scriptures, both Old Testament and New, but before I do, it must be made absolutely clear that this has NOTHING to do with NAR doctrine or the bad theology behind Dominionism.

HEBREWS 12:18-29
¹⁸ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, ¹⁹ And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: ²⁰ (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) ²² But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,²³ To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴ And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. ²⁵ See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: ²⁶ Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet, once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. ²⁷ And this word, Yet, once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.

Mountains are quite often a symbol in the Scriptures for the Kingdom of God and in a lesser sense, the various kingdoms of this world. It makes sense to use a mountain as a symbol for the Kingdom of God. The ‘King of the Mountain’ is Jesus – because He is the servant of all, taking the lowest place, and willingly offered Himself as our sacrifice on the Hill of Golgotha.

Those who prove to be the most faithful (note: NOT more successful) in their service to the LORD will rank higher in the Kingdom (MATT 23:11 -  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.); the less faithful ranking lower.

We read about how the Kingdom of God will come about and the Messiah will rule and reign – and it isn’t by the church ‘taking charge in Jesus Name’.

DANIEL 2:34-35, 44

³⁴ Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. ³⁵ Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them (these are those things that were shaken and removed in HEB 12 which we just read): and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth:

⁴⁴ And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever (this is that which cannot be shaken or removed which we just read).

As we examine the Scriptures and look for mountains where major events took place, we can list these seven – these places where spiritual lessons about God’s kingdom may be learned – as follows:

1) Mount Moriah where Abraham offered Isaac up as a sacrifice to God.

2) Mount Sinai where Moses delivered the Law of God.

3) Mount Carmel where Elijah, God’s representative challenged the false gods that were at that time worshiped in Israel.

4) The Sermon on the Mount – where the Servant-King, the LORD Jesus Christ teaches on the principles of His Kingdom.

5) The Mount of Transfiguration where the LORD Jesus was transformed into His glorious state, appearing with Moses and Elijah and witnessed by Peter, James and John.

6) The Mount of Olives: Phase I – Where the King departs this fallen world, commissioning His disciples to their mission.

7) The Mount of Olives: Phase II – Where the King returns and finally inaugurates His Kingdom.

So, let’s visit these mountains one by one, examine the biblical accounts that took place there, and learn what we may about the KINGDOM of GOD. Our first stop is at:

1) MOUNT MORIAH “Seen of God” – GENESIS 22: 25 years after receiving the promise from God that Abraham would have a son of his very own, through Sarah – not Ishmael that he had through Hagar the household servant – Abraham had his son Isaac: the one that God referred to as his “only son”. God would fulfill all the promises He made to Abraham through Isaac, and so he was doubly precious to his father.
Then there came a day, as we know, that the LORD said:

GENESIS 22:2
² And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

As far as Abraham was concerned, as soon as God gave the commandment, Isaac was dead; such was the love Abraham had for God, that this was a ‘done deal’ – and it took three days from the time of the commandment, to reach Mount Moriah, where the LORD showed him where to offer his son. In the mind of this father then, his son was dead for three days. 

And Abraham knew that since God made His promises that would be fulfilled through Isaac, He would have to raise him from the dead (HEB 11:17-19; ROM 4:17). The parallel is obvious – for Christ, the Son of God Himself was dead for three days and then was raised from the dead.

Isaac notices that since they were going to offer sacrifices to the LORD, that there was no lamb for the offering and he asks his father about this, to which Abraham replies:

GENESIS 22:8
⁸ And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And he calls this place that we know as Mount Moriah: ‘Jehovah-Jireh’ or: “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be seen.” I believe that this is what was seen by Abraham through a vision: the cross of Calvary, where the LAMB of GOD was slain (JOHN 8:56).

So, we see here a beautiful type of Christ in Isaac, Abraham offering up his only son that he loved, as the Father – This is the Old Testament version of:

 JOHN 3:16:
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

In vs. 19, it says Abraham and the two young men that accompanied them on the journey returned from that place and went home. Note here who isn’t mentioned! It’s Isaac!

When do we next see Isaac? In the next chapter, his Mom dies – and his name is nowhere found! Did he not attend the funeral? Of course, he did, and obviously he returned with his Dad back home in the previous chapter. But it’s interesting he isn’t mentioned at all from the time when he was ‘sacrificed’ in GEN 22 until GEN 24. 

There, we see the servant of Abraham sent out to find a bride for Isaac; his servant’s name was Eliezer – whose name means “God of help or comfort”! Remember that the Holy Spirit is called “Comforter” (JOHN 14:16). He finds Rebekah and she returns with Eliezer who brings this chaste virgin to Isaac, her new husband. 

Just exactly how the Holy Spirit the Comforter draws people to Christ for salvation, and they become the bride of Christ. Here we see demonstrated that the Kingdom of God involves a sacred marriage – between Christ and His bride.

So, we see now, the Trinity represented in these two chapters, as well as the bride of Christ, represented by Rebekah. And where exactly did Rebekah meet Isaac? At the wells of Lahairoi, which means “the well of living” or perhaps you could say, ‘well of living water’ (JOHN 7:38). 

So, between the time of his offering up as sacrifice to the time we see him greet his bride, parallels perfectly the offering of Christ on the cross – the church will see Him next when He greets us “in the air”.

Mount Moriah is the first of these seven mountains – where the eternal truth of atonement, substitution, sacrifice, devotion and love were all demonstrated. The kingdom that God has established and will inaugurate on Earth one day is based upon atonement – the debt owed by sinful humanity is paid for by God’s grace, through His Son (our ‘spiritual Isaac’: the LORD Jesus Christ).

Just as the LORD provided a ram to replace Isaac, the LORD Jesus, the LAMB of GOD was slain in our place – our blessed substitute. The Messiah-King of Israel sacrificed Himself as our burnt offering for our sins, and He is also LORD and High Priest, the faithful servant who is devoted to us in His intercessions, out of a heart of unconditional love.

In God’s kingdom, we offer up the sacrifice of our lives in service to our King, devoted to Him out of obedient hearts of love, and offer service to Him; in such humble service, are considered by the LORD as the greatest in the kingdom, worthy to rule with Him!

2) MOUNT SINAI (also known as HOREB “Desolate, destroyed”) – EXODUS 20: Moses delivered the Law of God to the people of Israel, in preparation of entering the land promised to Abraham (430 years earlier), and establishing the kingdom of Israel, where God Himself was their king. Every kingdom, every government has its laws; God has His – that would govern Israel’s politics, religion, culture and society, even their diet!

The problem with the Kingdom of Israel and the Law that would govern it, is that the people were unable to keep the Law, because of their sinful hearts. God had to teach His people that they were by nature, law-breakers, but that there would come a day when God would write His Law in new hearts that He Himself would provide for them (HEB 8:10; circa JER 31:33; EZEK 11:19; 36:26)

ROMANS 8:3
³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Therefore, the sacrifices were provided in the Old Testament – not to cleanse them of their sins, but to cover them over and these also speak prophetically of the coming Messiah - the ultimate sacrifice, the LAMB of GOD.

HEBREWS 10:8-12
⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; ⁹ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. ¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹ And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ¹² But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

If Israel kept the Law given by Moses, they would be blessed and prosper in the land granted to them; but if they rebelled and forsook the LORD (and Moses prophesied that they would – and they did!), God would expel them from the land as punishment, until they repented and then they would be restored to the land and blessings; DEUT 28; 29).

Once the LORD Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel returns to Earth and restores the Kingdom of Israel, the timing for which is in the Father’s hands (ACTS 1:7), the Jewish people will be spiritually transformed with new hearts (JERE 31:33; EZEK 36:26) so that they will be able to comply joyfully with the Law which will govern the kingdom and be far more blessed than at any other time of her history!

We see that the saints of God will be blessed by the promises, the grace and the Spirit of God – rather than the letter of the Law for the letter of the Law kills (“Horeb”).

3) MOUNT CARMEL – “Vineyard of God” (Read: ISAIAH 5:1-7) 1 KINGS 18: Elijah challenges the false gods that invaded and were worshiped in Israel.

The Kingdom of Israel was invaded by false gods, introduced to God’s people through the pagan religion that Jezebel brought when she married Ahab, the apostate king of Israel.

From GOTQUESTIONS: 

“King Ahab and Queen Jezebel . . .  of the northern kingdom of Israel [committed] much evil in the land. King Ahab was an Israelite king who married a Sidonian woman named Jezebel and became involved in worshiping Baal, the god of her people. Ahab built a house to Baal in the capital city of Samaria and made an Asherah pole as a tool of pagan worship. We are told, ‘Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him’ (1 KINGS 16:33).

“Jezebel was likewise known for her evil actions. She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. After her marriage to Ahab, her first recorded action was cutting off the prophets of the Lord (1 KINGS 18:4). Obadiah, a God-fearing officer in Ahab’s court, noted that Jezebel killed many prophets, despite Obadiah’s efforts to save them: ‘Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?’ (1 KINGS 18:13–14).

“It was during the time of Ahab and Jezebel that Elijah was the prophet in Israel. Satan had his couple on the throne, but God had His man in the field, performing miracles and leading a revival against Baal-worship. The three-and-a-half-year drought that Elijah 

prayed for was part of God’s judgment on the wickedness of the nation and its leaders.”

Then there came the day, a show-down not with the Earps, Clantons and McClowerys, but Elijah and the prophets of Baal; not at the OK CORRAL but at ‘OK CARMEL’. Elijah confronts Ahab the wicked ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel. Ahab accuses Elijah of being “a trouble maker”, but Elijah responds rightly and says,

“I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. ¹⁹ Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred [850 in total], which eat at Jezebel's table. ²⁰ So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.”

A CONTEST of TWO KINGDOMS – God’s man Elijah vs. Satan’s (aka Baal) minions of 850.

To see the ongoing war and historical paths of both God’s Kingdom and Satan’s see this excellent series by The FUEL PROJECT –KNOW YOUR ENEMY

Here Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest – let the TRUE GOD answer by FIRE.

Two bullocks are slain, placed on top of two piles of wood – both would call upon the names of their Gods and see which one would answer by consuming the sacrifice. The only catch: no trickery – no setting heated rocks under the wood to catch it on fire (an old trick among the heathen priesthoods). So, the priests of Baal called on their god, but it didn’t seem he was answering:

1 KINGS 18:27-30
²⁷ And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. ²⁸ And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹ And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. ³⁰ And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

That evening (the Baal prophets were at it all day, and without a response!) Elijah then took twelve stones (representing all 12 tribes of Israel) and built an altar with them, and then did something unexpected: 

He built a trench around the altar and commanded that water be brought and drenched the bullock with four barrels full of water. He didn’t make the prophets of Baal soak their sacrifice . . . then he tells the people to do it a second time and a third time. The sacrifice, the wood, and the trench are all full of water (12 barrels worth!) – how is that supposed to burn??

Then Elijah prays:

1 KINGS 18:36
³⁶ And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, (not Jacob!) let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

Why “Israel” and not Jacob as we so often see those three names associated together in the Scriptures? Remember that the angel of the LORD gave Jacob his new name, Israel (prince of God; read GEN 32:28) because the LORD would work in Jacob a new nature and a new standing before Him. Here Elijah refers to Israel the man in association with Israel the nation, which also will receive a new nature and a new standing before God: a hopeful prophecy in the midst of the apostasy during Elijah’s time!

1 KINGS 18:37-40
³⁷ Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones*, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. ⁴⁰ And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

*- mean average temperature just to melt rock is approximately 2200 degrees Fahrenheit!

We see then, the inevitable conquest of God’s Kingdom over Satan’s! That Satan’s power is limited, and he is fighting a losing battle against Almighty God.

One must wonder why didn’t Elijah call upon the LORD to rain fire down upon the pagan prophets and consume all of them as He did everything else (Elisha called upon the LORD to send fire and consume enemy soldiers of the Moabite kingdom; see 2 KINGS 1:9-12). 

The people of Israel had to learn a hard lesson, just as we sometimes do. When we compromise our walks, and partake of carnal, sinful things and are corrupted by them – but then repent of them, the LORD will have us remove these wicked things from our lives, one by one – just as Elijah slew those pagan prophets, one by one. Consider the words of the LORD in:

MATTHEW 18:8-9
⁸ Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. ⁹ And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

4) The SERMON On The MOUNT – MATTHEW 5: The Servant-King, the LORD Jesus Christ teaches on the principles of His Kingdom.

The LORD Jesus ascends up a mountain side – we don’t know which mountain with any certainty, but since the Sermon on the Mount was given when Jesus was near the Lake of Galilee and Capernaum – it’s likely to be a mountain just northwest of Galilee, between the lake and Capernaum.

When He begins His sermon, the very King of Israel speaks of the kingdom of heaven, or that kingdom that we are commanded to pray will come (MATT 6:10) – when He, the Messiah returns to this Earth to set it up in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant.

MATTHEW 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: ² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Members of this kingdom, must be born into it spiritually speaking (JOHN 3:3,5; 1 PET 1:23) and they will exhibit all the behavior that the LORD describes because it is the nature of God’s children to do so: being poor in spirit, and humble, who will mourn over sin against their LORD, and who desire above all else to be righteous before God, through the LORD Jesus Christ’s own righteousness. They are known for being merciful and have a purity in heart that comes only by the grace of God’s work in us.

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

We understand that being members of the Kingdom of God, while on this rebel planet, where the kingdom of Satan is still in control – we will be persecuted as enemies of the state (of Satan). God’s saints will always be persecuted by this world, most particularly, by the religions of this world. It was true in Elijah’s day, as we saw; it was true in the days of the LORD Jesus, who was persecuted by the Sanhedrin (JOHN 7:19-24; 8:43-59). 

It was true in the early church, which was persecuted by Rome, because the saints refused to worship Caesar as god. 

It was true even as far back as Abel, who offered sacrifices acceptable to God, but was slain by Cain – who decided to sacrifice according to his own religious conviction (GEN 4:5-11). 

It will be true in the days of the Beast, when people place faith in Christ and refuse to worship the Beast’s image set up in the upcoming Temple at Jerusalem (REV 13:11-15).
It’s true today – for any who will live godly in Christ Jesus: they will be persecuted (2 TIM 3:12).

MATTHEW 5:13-18
¹³ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

The light that shines from our lives is not our own of course; God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 JOHN 1:5); therefore, the children of darkness – those unrepentant and rebellious souls that hate truth, the Word of God, persecute us (JOHN 15:19). 

The LORD Jesus came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it – that is, He obeyed perfectly all the Law, proving that He is sinless, the truly spotless Lamb of God (GAL 4:4-6; 1 PET 1:18-20; ROM 4:3-8,13-16). He fulfilled what we could not, and so has proven His righteousness; He is the Substitute for us that imputes (transfers) His righteousness to our account!

Question: If you were to look out a window right now, would you see that the sky is missing? Or the Earth vanished? They’re still there aren’t they? 

Yet the LORD Jesus plainly stated that not one jot or tittle shall pass from the Law until all is fulfilled – and when it is fulfilled, it will be then that these old heavens and this old Earth will vanish away. 

When does the heavens and Earth pass away? After the Millennial Reign and before the great White Throne Judgment and the creation of the new heavens and the new earth (2 PET 3:10; REV 20:11).

So what will happen in the Millennial Reign of Christ that will fulfill the Law? The people of Israel, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and living by the power of the Spirit, the righteousness that the Law requires. They will, by the grace of the Messiah, live up to the Law of God, whereas before, they could only fail. They won’t be living by the Law of God’s Government to obtain salvation – NO ONE can, but in evidence OF salvation!

In memorial of the great sacrifice of the Messiah, the Millennial temple, with the Levitical priesthood, according to the Law, will offer up sacrifices to God – much in the same way we the church offer up the Communion, the LORD’s table, in memorial of the LORD’s death – til He comes!

The LORD goes on to explain the intent of the Law, which judges the motives of our hearts, rather than a show put on from a religious performance (like the religious leaders of Israel in that day). The LORD ends the sermon by saying:

MATTHEW 5:48
⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Anyone here want to try to obtain their salvation by being as perfect as God?? And yet that which concerns us as saints of God, God HIMSELF will perfect, through the LORD Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God that dwells in us, His children on that day of our glorification, when the sin nature will be eradicated from our being!

ROMANS 8:22-24

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

So ends PART ONE of this article; here is PART TWO for your consideration! In the meantime, may the LORD continue to keep us in His grace and truth, to walk in the Spirit and fulfill the LORD's will for our lives!