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Pastor's Blog March 5, 2019

"Warning"

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After He had given the signs of His coming, Christ said, "When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." "Take ye heed, watch and pray." God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me." Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city." Genesis 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So Christ's disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ's second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.  {DA 634.1}

 

 

Harold Williams

"Mt. Zion"

Adventists are used to thinking about how God's temple shows us God's love and holiness; however, have you ever considered how Mt. Zion also shows us the love and holiness of God?  Translated directly from Hebrew, Psalm 48:1 has this to say about Mt. Zion: "Yahweh is great and to be praised much in the city of our God, the mountain of his holiness."  This verse is one of several that equates Jerusalem, the city of God, with Mt. Zion - and demonstrates that Jerusalem and Mt. Zion are two different names for the same location. 

This makes sense, because Jerusalem is actually built on top of a mountain.  But why is the city of God, which is situated on Mt. Zion, considered holy in Psalm 48?  The answer is simple: because God is there.  God dwells on Mt. Zion (which is why it's called "his mountain") and God resides within the city (which is why Jerusalem is called "the city of God").  And God's presence in the city that is Mt. Zion results in rescue for the city: God is seen as protecting the city from her enemies (v. 7); God is said to secure the city (v. 8); and God's love, judgments, and guidance are demonstrated in the well being of the city (vv. 9-14).  The presence of God in the ancient city of Jerusalem is what made it a holy city, the city of God.  Likewise, Mt. Zion was viewed as the mountain of God's holiness because God chose to use it as a symbol of his holy strength, his loving care, and his saving activity on behalf of his people. 

Throughout the Bible, God has used the image of Mt. Zion, the mountain of his holiness and his very own city, to reassure his people that he was taking care of them and that they could trust him (e.g., 2 Kings 19:31; Psalm 74:2; Psalm 78:68; Psalm 125:1; Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 40:9; Joel 2:32; Obadiah 1:17; Galatians 4:26-28; Hebrews 12:22-24; Revelation 14). 

Today, let us remind ourselves of God's holiness by paying attention to what Mt. Zion tells us about God in Scripture: that God's holiness is supremely shown by his continued presence with us, and that God loves to dwell with us and make himself known to us as the God who saves us in his love and holiness.