Come With Me To Mount Hebrews

It has been a month since I've written on this blog. During that time my wife and I took a wonderful trip to Alaska to visit several families of cousins. And what a awesome experience it was. In addition to the joy of seeing these people once again, we had a renewed sense of wonder at the vastness and beauty of God's creation. The entire state is dominated by Mt. McKinley or in the native Alaskan tongue, Denali (Koyukon Athabaskan for "The High One"), at 20,320 feet above sea level, the largest mountain on the North American continent. Here's a photo that I took from a field near the home of cousins Kathy and Rick.

As you can see, that huge mountain dominates the landscape. Because it is so high, it is often clouded, but on this particular evening the clouds had dissipated and the mountain became very visible. The sign in front points to the fact that Rick maintains a field of grain set aside especially as a sanctuary for cranes. 

All that got me to thinking about the wonder of God's revelation. What He has revealed in Christ dominates all of human history. This fact is particularly lifted up in the Epistle to the Hebrews where the writer begins his letter with these words: 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high . . .  - Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV

• God has spoken to us by His Son 

• Heir of all things 

• Creator of time and the universe 

• The Radiance of God's glory 

• The exact Imprint of God's nature 

• Upholder of the universe 

• God's Right Hand on high

• Purifier for all  sins

Over the next months I want to spend some time gazing upon that Revelation through the eyes of the writer of this wondrous epistle. Some long ago suggested that the Apostle Paul wrote it, but such a claim (inserted in some manuscripts) is uncertain. At best we can say it was written to believers who were well established in the Old Testament Scriptures. Those Scriptures, the history of the Children of Israel and the religious rites they practiced all point to Jesus, the Messiah or Christ. He is the Fulfiller of all God has spoken by the prophets of old. 

I invite you to join me on this new journey—not to Alaska, but through the wondrous terrain of the Epistle to the Hebrews and to the awesome mountain of His revelation in Christ. 

Even The Flowers Proclaim God's Word

As planned, we made it to Yankee Boy Basin, outside of Ouray, Colorado in the great San Juan mountains. The flowers are a little late this year, but they have certainly begun to bloom in their glory. Below are a few of the snaps I took after our Jeep reached the basin. I cannot begin to describe the vistas around us. Today, however, I'll simply share a few images of the flowers that grow up there in abundance and add a couple comments. If I've mis-identified, I welcome corrections. 

Yellow Monkey Flower

Mountain Bluebells

 Buttercups

Columbine

Here are a few passages from God's Word to meditate upon as we consider the wondrous beauty of the mountain flowers. 

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you,even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? - Matthew 6:28-30

As a lily among brambles,
   so is my love among the young women. . .
for behold, the winter is past;
    the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
   the time of singing has come - Song of Solomon 2:2,11-12

As for man, his days are like grass;
   he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him - Psalm 103:15-17 

Yankee Boy Basin And All The Mountains

David Carriere created this photographic image of Yankee Boy Basin. You can order it from him. That's where we're heading today—to the top of the San Juan Mountains, outside Ouray, Colorado. What a privilege. I can only wish for you that you were with us. This image will give you some idea of why we love the mountains of Colorado.

Mountains play an important part in the stories of the Bible. I found a site listing major Bible Mountains. For instance, Moses met the Lord and received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.

 Join us and the thousands who made their way to Mt. Zion and the Temple to sing the Song of Ascents, Psalm 121—

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.