“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth in peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12
Dear Ones:
Throughout Scripture there are references to mountains. Sometimes the significance and meaning of them concerns difficult circumstances, radically changing circumstances. This is seen in Psalm 46:2, where the Psalmist writes of God being our refuge and strength: “Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” The wonderful application of faith to these “mountains” is laying hold of the fact that, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her right early.” (v.5)
Another meaning that the word “mountains” communicates to us is that of being an obstacle, hindrance, or point of resistance. Jesus refers to “this mountain” in the gospel according to Mark. He says, “For whosoever shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea…” (11:23) Of what is He speaking? We get some idea in looking at the Lord Jesus when He confronts Satan in the gospels. He rebukes Satan, and casts out demons. He deals with those powers of darkness which are always seeking to engulf Him, hinder and dissuade Him, from doing the will of God. These invisible “obstacles” are to be addressed in Jesus’ name, spoken to by the Spirit, believing God for their removal. The apostle James puts it like this: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (4:7)
In Jeremiah 51:25, we discover that the Lord addresses Babylon’s empire as being a mountain. He says, “‘Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain,’ saith the Lord, ‘which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee…” So here, this mountain speaks of an empire, and its corresponding power, even its army.
Lastly, in Zechariah, at the occasion of the rebuilding of the temple, the Lord addresses Zerubbabel by saying, “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying: ‘Grace, grace unto it.'” (4:7) The mountain here could refer to the resistance that Israel met up with by those in Jerusalem who did not want the temple to be rebuilt. It also could refer to the monumental task, and commitment necessary, to face that task and accomplish it.
In all of these examples, it seems that the mountain, or mountains, is always referring to that which is difficult to face, overcome, and reckon with. Whether it be an enemy, a difficult task, or the spiritual resistance by the devil himself, the mountain, as the Lord makes so very clear in Mark 11, must be addressed, must be spoken to, even commanded, IN FAITH.
There is another kind of mountain mentioned in Scripture, and is that of one singing. In Isaiah’s reference to the fact of God speaking through, and by His word, there are, and always will be, results, the realization of His purposes. This is a most wonderful assurance. He speaks of the His words not returning to Him void, or without effect. He declares, that His word, “…will accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (55:11) Why then does He the declare that the mountains and the hills, “…shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands?” (v.12) It is because of the blessing of the Lord, His immaculate and perfect goodness revealed. The hymn-writer puts it like this: “Blessings abound where’re He reigns: The prisoner leaps to lose his chains, The weary find eternal rest, and all the sons of want are blest.” The blessing of the Lord is accompanied with a promise: “For ye shall go forth with joy, and be led forth with peace.” It is when the believer is led forth in the will of God, that the Father demonstrates His pleasure by giving His joy and peace.
Dear Father, Cause the mountains to sing today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad