THIS MOUNTAIN

DEUTERONOMY 1:6

A. "YE HAVE DWELT LONG ENOUGH IN THIS MOUNTAIN"
  1. Israel encamped at the foot of Mt. Sinai from the third month of the first year of the Exodus (Ex. 19:1) to the twentieth day of the second month of the second year (Num. 10:11)
  2. Their sojourn at Sinai was devoted:
    1. To the organization of the church
    2. To the giving of the sanctuary and its services
    3. To the giving of the ten commandments in written form
  3. Israel's stay at "this mountain" was good and very beneficial for their spiritual life:
    1. There the nation enjoyed a season of rest and what a rest that must have been as they looked back to their servitude in Egypt
    2. It was a supreme moment of the heavenly visions and visitation B. "YE HAVE DWELT LONG ENOUGH IN THIS MOUNTAIN
  4. A summons to advance, "Turn you and take your journey"
    1. Palestine - and not Mount Sinai was the ultimate goal for Israel - Deut. 1:39; Lev. 20:24
    2. There was great danger of Israel to forget that they had a great deal of journeying before them
  5. Mount Sinai was only a pause on their journey to the promised land:
    1. Their experience was a period of receiving'
    2. But to receive is to share and to use; and that they could do only in the promised land
  6. There can be no progress:
    1. In a state of relaxation, valuable as that is
    2. Think of the temptation of Peter in the mount enjoying the heavenly vision - Matt. 17:5
    3. There people waiting for them in the valley, there were duties waiting for them so it was time for the vision to pass away so that service could occupy the energies of the disciples C. A GREAT LESSON FOR MODERN ISRAEL
  7. God's summons to the church is to advance:
    1. "Go, - preach the gospel" is the heart of the gospel commission - Matt. 28:18-20
    2. We have a work to do and for that reason we must make everything else secondary
  8. The churches' danger:
    1. To abide at the Mount, to settle down into a state of apathy or simple receptivity is dangerous to the spiritual life of God's people
    2. It is contrary to God's plan for the church
    3. When people settle down to the formalities of the church services without witnessing for God, spiritual decay follows - Rev. 3:1-18
  9. The church's destiny:
    1. The promised land - 2 Pet. 3:13; Heb. 11:14-16
    2. The proclamation of the everlasting gospel - Rev. 14:6-12; Matt. 24:14
    3. To make converts for Christ and present truth - Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16
    4. The saving of souls from whom the Lord gave His life must be first in the program of the church
  10. The church's duty:
    1. "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward" - Ex. 14:15
    2. The church's duty is to obey the gospel commission
    3. Hungary hearts are waiting for the word of life
    4. A perishing world is in need of the gospel
    5. Every motive of gratitude and compassion for the lost should urge us on - "Go"
  11. Is it not wonderful to know that God has a supreme reason for the existence of the church:
    1. Not to idle its time away with the cares of this life
    2. Not to devote its energies to use the fruits of life for its own enjoyment
    3. But much rather to share its faith with a judgment bound world


Design © John Bryant 2011