Falling Off The Mountain

We have had the same background picture on our computer for the last few years. It’s a picture of a mountain range. The sky is filled with beautiful hues of violets, blues and pinks. The mountains are jagged with some snowy peaks. There are some glimpses of the valleys below but, your eyes continue to be drawn upward to the majestic mountain tops. In Numbers 20, Moses and Aaron found themselves in a valley. They had sinned. Despite God enacting judgement for their valley moment, He restored them to the mountain top.

In Numbers 20 the Israelites were camped in the wilderness of Zin. The people complained against Moses and Aaron because there was no water. Moses was told to speak to the rock and water would come out for them all to drink. Instead out of anger, Moses yelled at the people and struck the rock. Aaron did not correct Moses or try to rectify this act. Both of them were told they could not enter the promised land now.

Towards the end of Numbers 20 Aaron is about to pass away. In fact God tells Aaron he’s about to die. I still think this had to be the most incredibly awkward moment ever! How do you even respond to that? “Uhm…ok. Thanks? I wasn’t sure God. I had a feeling I was about to die but, could’ve been indigestion too!” Moving on, God lays out the plan for Aaron’s passing. He would be turning over the priesthood to his son Eleazer. Where? On the mountain top at Mount Hor, at the border of the land of Edom! Aaron was brought back to the mountain top and that’s where he passes away.

Now fast forward to Deuteronomy 34; the death of Moses. In verses 1-5 it says,”Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 'So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord .” Moses died on the mountain top after seeing the views of promised land.

The mountain top represented God’s presence. It was on the mountain that God spoke to them. It was on the mountain that Moses fasted 40 days and 40 nights and came down with the 10 commandments. (Exodus 31) It was from the mountain top Moses descended and his face radiated with the presence of God. It was so strong it scared the people so, he put a veil on. (Exodus 34) The mountain top represented intimacy with God, an immersion in His presence, and gaining guidance for the next part of the journey. God bringing them back to the mountain before they passed, was God restoring them. God does not judge our sin and then throw us away. We aren’t one use only products. We are prized possessions in the hands of a merciful Creator. God's restoration of Moses and Aaron, tells us that one mistake doesn’t define us. One lapse in judgement doesn’t eradicate our walk with God. One shortcoming doesn’t kick us out of favor with Him. King David is another prime example of this.

David started out as a humble shepard boy who took down a giant in the name of the Lord. (1 Samuel 17) He was the rightful king to Israel (1 Samuel 16) but, was hunted ferociously by King Saul. Not once did David harm Saul and take what was his. Instead he walked in humility, forgiveness, and gave respect to a man that didn’t deserve it. (1 Samuel 24) While on the run from Saul he led a band of misfit warriors; defeating the enemies of God and Israel. (1 Samuel 22- 30) Finally when he was able to openly become king, what does he do? He commits adultery, gets her pregnant, and orders a hit on the husband! (2 Samuel 11) You’d think God would’ve chewed him up and spit him out! No. God didn’t. God restored David and he becomes Israel’s most famous king. God honors the covenant with him that one of his descendants would always be on the throne. (2 Samuel 7, Jeremiah 33) Even more so, Jesus, would descend from the lineage of David. (Matthew 1)

David was far from perfect and Bathsheeba wasn’t his only mistake, but the love of God is greater than the magnitude of our failures. Whatever we do, good or bad, righteous or unrighteous, holy or unholy, God’s love is never wavered. Because His love is never wavered, His desire to reconcile remains unchanged. Don’t let one mistake or a lifetime of mistakes make you think God’s done with you. Don’t let a slip up keep you from climbing back up the mountain. God still wants a relationship with you. God wants to restore you. God will take you from the valley of your mistakes and bring you back to the mountain top of His presence!