Mountains are a great place to see a long way. Near my house stands a tall hill that is bare and one can drive to the top. It is the only hill of anywhere near that height for miles so it provides a view of a good portion of the state on a clear day. If one were to make an announcement from a physical place that would have the greatest reach, the top of a mountain would be it. That is where Jesus taught from in His sermon on the Mount, it is also where Moses met with God. The song Go Tell it on the Mountain catches that principle in its chorus. It combines the great commission to go and tell, make disciples of the world, with the Christmas story.
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light.
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth.
Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn.
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills, and ev'rywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
However, while this is generally considered a Christmas song, it points to Easter and has a far deeper meaning. Christmas is not just about Jesus being born, but most importantly about His mission to save us from sin, to die in our place. That is the Good News that we need to preach from the mountain tops. “Repent, for your salvation is at hand!”
Even deeper than that is the symbol of the mountain. The mountain top is often equated with God’s presence, and yet is a barrier between us and God’s presence as seen in the Old Testament, especially with Moses. One cannot simply climb the mountain to meet with God. It is similar to the curtain in the temple which separates mankind from the Holy of Holies. Yet Jesus came to bridge that gap, to rend the barrier. It is our sin which separates us from God, but through repentance and belief in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins we not longer have to be enemies with God and estranged from Him. Jesus’ life on earth brought God’s presence down to us so that we no longer have to stay separated. He tore the curtain so that we can enter the most holy place. Now, the mountain top is not a place to gaze at God’s presence but a place from which to shout the Good News of His salvation and presence with mankind! We only have to repent of our sin and believe in Him.
Have you found God’s salvation? Are you regularly aware of God’s presence and seek it? Do you tell others of the Good News that began with Christmas? It is the work of all believers to declare this Good News so that all may believe. Ask God to give you boldness and wisdom to share His love and presence with those around you.
Hymn information taken from https://hymnary.org/text/while_shepherds_kept_their_watching
