Ascending Mount Sinai

“Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, ‘Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.’” (Exodus 19:3-6)

The stone has been rolled away. 

The grave is empty. 

Jesus has resurrected.

The power of death, hell, and the grave now lies eternally powerless over the children of God. The Holy Father can now be reconciled with His children, whom His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, has ransomed through His obedience. Christ’s obedience dresses them in righteousness, removing the garments of shame and accusation. His obedience cleanses them of their sins, once and for all time—securing a fate they couldn’t have achieved on their own. His obedience makes the offer of deliverance and freedom accessible to all. His obedience tore the veil in two, revealing the once-restricted Holy of Holies. His obedience opens the curtains of the Tabernacle, making more than the outer courts accessible to those who desire to enter. His obedience allows the Father’s children to enter His presence with boldness and confidence. His obedience engrafted the Father’s children into His bloodline through spiritual adoption. His obedience grants the Father’s children the opportunity to experience an inheritance beyond the scope of their understanding—an inheritance that had been stored up for them before the foundations of the Earth. 

His obedience presents an invitation to the believer—an invitation to join Him in complete surrender to the Father.

While glory is the fixed outcome of aligning with the will of Yahweh, suffering is often the precursor of the obedience and surrender necessary to experience it. Christ’s resurrection points to the authority, power, and sovereignty of Yahweh. However, resurrection also calls our attention to the accompanied journey to root our faith in the truth that greater glory requires a greater cost. 

Jesus was obedient to the cross, enduring its shame, for the sake of offering salvation to the world, while we were enemies to God. All sin—past, present, and future—weighed on His back, which was torn open by whips of a scourge. A crown of thorns pierced into His skull, where thoughts of us floated to motivate His endurance. Humiliating words were spoken over Him while His actions spoke life and love over us. The hefty cost He paid matched the weight of the assignment. His death was necessary for all generations to see the face of God. We were unable to remedy our infirmity caused by inherited sin. We were unable to cover the insurmountable price. So, on Resurrection Sunday, we rejoice with shouts of thanksgiving to acknowledge our immense gratitude. However, Resurrection Sunday also presents the opportunity to accept Christ’s invitation, handed through His suffering: the invitation to press in for greater glory. 

The invitation to ascend Mount Sinai.

The very process of our salvation, completed by Christ, should inspire us to model His footsteps in radical pursuit of the face of God.

When thinking of desperation, I often think of Moses. On two occasions, He ascended Mount Sinai for the sake of speaking with Yahweh. While the duration of His climb is not specified in scripture, we can assume it wasn’t an easy feat. It was likely challenging navigating through rough terrain. He probably struggled with balance as the mountain gradually got steeper with his ascent. There were no guardrails to support safety. Also, at his old age, he likely was not at optimal physical strength. But Moses persevered through the unsettling and significant climb for the joy set before him—the joy of meeting his God. 

In Hebrew, the word “Sinai” is translated to “thorn bush”. To receive divine revelation and the outline of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, Moses had to endure the piercing of thorns. Isn’t it interesting how the Lord weaves thorns—symbolic of pain, sorrow, hardship, and curses—into narratives that showcase a move of glory?

What if Moses decided the cost of communing with Yahweh was too extreme or unreasonable? What if he succumbed to the likely presence of fear within him? What if he doubted His ability to climb? What if he didn’t shift his perspective to see the other symbolic meaning of thorns: resilience—the very attribute Yahweh was aiming to develop within him through the climb? What if he was unable to see the beauty in danger—the beauty of being welcomed into a relationship with Yahweh?

The cuts and wounds Moses was willing to endure contributed to his formation as Israel’s leader and the revelation he later received of the character of Yahweh.

“Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’” (Exodus 34:5-7)

Perhaps what stands between us and achieving another level in God is thorns—perseverance to the end in the midst of challenge.

The message of the cross is a call to action. We behold, then we carry. Beholding is meant to ignite the fire to carry our own crosses; chasing the opportunity to witness the fulfillment of glory and stand before the face of God. 

This Resurrection Sunday, I feel the simple yet urgent call of the Lord: ascend Mount Sinai.

Grow in desperation to experience the complete essence of glory made available through the life of Christ. He longs to give you a clearer view of Himself through new heights.