Realization, Revelation & Resolution
(7-minute read)
Mountains are frequently referenced in the Bible. They are said to be symbols of permanence, power and transformation. Moses met God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:3). God revealed Himself to the Israelites from a mountain (Exodus 19:11). Moses later stayed on St Sinai for forty days and nights (Exodus 24:12), and God gave him the second set of stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:1-3). King David fled to the mountain to seek God when his son Absalom revolted against him (2 Samuel 15:30-32). In Psalm 121:1-2, the Psalmist referenced the mountain as a source of comfort and help. Jesus taught the Beatitudes on a mountain and it has since been referred to as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (Matthew 5:1-12). The prophet Isaiah also spoke of the ‘mountain of the Lord’ in Isaiah 2:1-5. You can probably think of other mountains mentioned in the Bible.
Spiritual mountaintops are metaphors for places where we meet God. As a result, they can be obscured in our minds when we face formidable mountains of challenges in life.
The prophet Isaiah lived through the reigns of four kings who ruled the nation with a people steeped in sin and corruption (Isaiah 1:1). Yet, he recorded numerous visions throughout his life. In particular, Isaiah 6:1-8 described a powerful vision he had after the death of the first king. It was a divine encounter with God in which he came to terms with his own fallen humanity and the holiness of God.
From this account, we can say that there are three experiences we can be certain of in the presence of God:
THE REALIZATION OF GOD
To be sure, our lives are not like movies that are defined by events and endings. We need to be careful not to think of mountaintop experiences with God as an ideal state or a place that guarantees ideal outcomes. There is no point staying in the Presence of God if we will not spend time doing life with others. Rather, we do our utmost to keep an unbroken connection with God throughout our lives, and we help others to do the same.
After the first king (King Uzziah) died, God showed Isaiah that He was still the Lord God who was sovereign and secure on His heavenly throne (Isaiah 6:1). It was important for Isaiah to get the right perspective of God and know that God’s purposes and plans transcended kings and kingdoms.
There are times when we find ourselves stuck in extended circular conversations with God without making any progress or experiencing any personal growth. This happens when we think that God only wants to hear a language of faith devoid of feelings, and we fall into a performance trap that gets in the way of a deeper connection with Him.
Like Isaiah, the prophet Jeremiah also had tough assignments from God as His messenger to the Israelites. It was anything but the dream job and the dream life! In fact, he was often referred to as the ‘weeping prophet’ and he was believed to have authored copious lamentations in the Bible! Jeremiah would be forgiven for giving up but God revealed to him the reward for those who would seek Him without giving up - ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ (Jeremiah 29:11). In essence, God wanted Jeremiah to have confidence in Him.
Often, people want their mountaintop experiences on flawless mountains without surprises, heartaches, worries, and disappointments along the way. In reality, these conditions provide the necessary impetus for us to reach out to God with greater intentionality and intensity to know Him more intimately.
THE REVELATION ABOUT SELF & OTHERS
In his vision of encountering God, Isaiah became acutely aware of himself and his sinfulness. His response was startling: ‘Woe to me! I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ (Isaiah 6:5).
Why did the impurity of his lips become so salient to him? It is arguable that because prophets use their mouths to prophesy and speak to the people on behalf of God, the prophet felt his own inferiority and inadequacy to carry out his mission. In his vision, God knew his fears intimately and a seraphim appeared to sanctify his mouth ‘with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar’ (Isaiah 6:6-7).
Hot fiery coals should burn and maim any body parts but the live coal that touched Isaiah’s lips not only did not disfigure him, but instead empowered him to use the least confident part of his body to do what God had in store for him. God needed a prophet and before He ‘commissioned’ Isaiah for the task, He needed the prophet to be upfront and honest with Him about his hidden insecurities. Indeed, the apostle Paul later taught that his personal weakness only revealed God’s power at work in him (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Those who lack the confidence in their ability to help others or do anything meaningful for them may find it easier to be passive bystanders, to pray for people from a distance and not get involved in the details of their lives. They have reasons to be anxious because when we speak, we ‘leak’ and reveal our inner selves to others. Matthew 12:34 says, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Some like the safety of living in relative recluse but it is the opposite of God’s design for us to live in community and relationships.
We are told in Proverbs 10:11 (NLT) that “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain”. When we allow God to reveal to us the hidden insecurities that stand in the way of our living out purposeful and mission-driven lives, we will find new courage to be the voice of comfort, clarity and correction where it is needed. When God sets us free from performance anxiety, we go the distance to obey Him; taking risks where necessary.
Or else, we would be guilty as charged in Matthew 15:8-9, “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
THE RESOLUTION ON THE ASSIGNMENT
In response to the question, ‘Whom shall I send? And Who will go for us?’, Isaiah volunteered, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ (Isaiah 6:8).
It is noteworthy that in Isaiah’s vision, God offered neither the details of what he was to do nor the rewards of the assignment. Yet, he volunteered himself without reservation, without any terms and conditions only to discover that the assignment had no end date and he would be speaking with people who would remain resistant to God. Still, he dedicated his life to do what God directed him to do.
We tend to romanticize God’s assignments as short stories with happy endings. Even the best of us find ourselves hesitant to step into chaotic situations to be the counter-culture voice of change. Think about the times in our prayer groups when we earnestly pleaded with God to send us to ‘wonderlands’ to live and work as a sign of His blessing. We leave out unpleasant-sounding words, over-emphasize God’s grace, and lead people to believe that Christians can create change without any sense of urgency or personal agency to be a godly force for good.
What assignment has God given you in 2024? It may not be an easy assignment when God wants you to be the voice of acceptance where discrimination is normalized. Or to be a voice of hope that builds up disheartened and disenfranchised people in a culture of shame and humiliation. Or to be a voice of wisdom and revelation to counter widespread gossip and backstabbing.
Even if you feel that the year has started on a standstill, know that God is still on the throne. Seek Him on the mountain of the Lord’s temple, that He might reveal to you His plans and purposes that will be accomplished through you despite your inadequacies and failings.
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 20 January 2024.
