Have you ever notice how often God uses mountains to encounter His people? Often, mountains are used throughout scripture as a place where God is and where we (His people) go to meet Him. Frequently, their lives are changed, and God sends them back down the summit to encounter the world and make a difference. Here are a few examples:

Noah’s ark settled on a mountain when the waters receded. Noah worshiped God and offered a sacrifice to Him. God then made a covenant promise in this new creation to never destroy the earth again with a worldwide flood. He placed a rainbow in the sky to seal the deal. (Genesis 8)

A few years later, God commanded Abraham to climb up on another Mountain (Moriah). This is where God would test Abraham to see if he was willing to sacrifice his only promised son, Isaac. It was there that God’s angel reached out to stop Abraham’s hand from bringing down the blade (Genesis 22).

Jump ahead to the generation of God’s people who are slaves in Egypt. Moses is spoken to by God and told to lead the people of Israel out of the land and into a land of promise. God speaks to Moses through a burning bush that was not being consumed by the fire and is told to remove his sandals for where he stands is holy ground. Where is he? Moses encounters God on Mount Horeb (Exodus 3).

As time goes on, Moses has led the people out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea to escape the Egyptian army. Moses leads the people to the base of Mount Horeb again (or mount Sinai depending on which side of the mountain you are standing) to receive the ten commandments. (Exodus 19).

Then there is:

  • Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18)
  • Mount Zion (Isaiah 25)
  • Mountain where Jesus preach one of the best sermons ever (Matthew 5-7)
  • Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17)
  • Mount of Olives (Matthew 24 & Acts 1)
  • Mount Calvary or Golgotha (Mark 15)

Now let me get to the point and what I want you to consider…

This weekend teens from all over our area will gather up on our little hill in Batesville, AR, for the Summit Youth Rally. They gather to encounter God and learn to be something different than the rest of the world. Please help us make this a memorable mountain. Join us, sing, pray, study, learn, worship with us. Come up to this summit and encounter God.

I love you,

Alex