“Therefore, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15-16)
For one week (seven years), this foreigner(beast) will make a firm covenant with many people, and halfway (31/2 years) through this week, he will end all sacrifices and offerings. Then the “Horrible Thing” (abomination) that causes destruction (desolate) will be put there (holy place). And it will stay there until the time God has decided to destroy this one who destroys (beast). (Daniel 9:27 CEV, AMP)
In Luke 17:26-32, we observe an instance of fleeing to the mountains during the times of Noah and Lot. Those who did not seek refuge in the mountains were judged, while those who did were saved. It is stated that when Jesus returns, it will resemble the days of Noah and Lot.
According to Matthew 17:20, if your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you can move a mountain. And Zechariah 4:7 says, “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone (cornerstone) thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
Is the mountain that can be moved through faith, and the mountain before Zerubbabel, truly a physical mountain?
The physical characteristics of a mountain are: It is a high place with a lot of soil, stones, plants, trees, and animals.
We have learned that the figurative representations of trees, animals, soil, and stones symbolize people. Here are some examples: John 15:5, John 1:4, 1 Corinthians 15:32, Matthew 13:2-8, 18-23, Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:11, Matthew 21:42, and Isaiah 28:16.
So, what does the spiritual mountain represent as a metaphor?
A figurative mountain signifies a gathering place for many individuals, such as a church or an organization.
There are three notable mountains identified in the Bible that indicate where individuals belong based on their actions and associations. So, by your fruits we shall know where you belong in life and where your partners are gathered, too.
Did you know that a criminal cannot appoint a police chief as their leader, and vice versa? Do two men walk together unless they have agreed? The mountain you run to will prove your fruit.
Mountain of Betrayal: This refers to a group of God’s followers or a church that began with God but was ultimately deceived by the serpent, leading them to break their covenant with God and resulting in His departure from them. (Hosea 6:7, Genesis 6:3, Rev 2:4-5).
In the book of Genesis, the Mountain of Betrayal was represented by the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:8-9,16-17, 3:4-8; Ezekiel 36:1-2,8).
During the time of Jesus’ first coming, the Temple of the Seven Golden Lampstands symbolized the reality of the Mountain of Betrayal (Rev 8:8, Rev 1:19-20, Rev 2:4-5). However, they turned away from their first love (Rev. 2:4-5) and separated from Jesus, causing the Spirit to depart from them, much like Adam, leading them to become spiritually blind.
Revelation 6:14 states that mountains and islands will be displaced from their positions. This displacement does not refer to a change of address but rather an alteration in affiliation, transitioning from God’s allegiance to Satan’s, and that is, apostasy.
Revelation 8:8-9 describes that a great burning mountain will be cast into the sea, where the sea represents the world of falsehood ruled by the prostitute, indicating that the mountain now belongs to the domain of Satan. Those who have forsaken their love for Christ in favour of worldly pursuits belong to this congregation or church.
They are ex-Christians and ex-believers who started well with God but ended up in the coffers of the devil due to fake promises and falsehood from the altar.
So, Jesus said, when you shall see the abomination that makes desolate, stand in a holy place, flee to the mountains. Remember, this was a holy place, but due to apostasy, the abominations took over. Therefore, it is no longer a holy place and is no longer a safe place. That is why you must flee to the mountains for salvation, or you will be counted and destroyed as an accomplice. (Rev 18:4-5).
Mountain of Destruction: This mountain signifies Satan’s kingdom, likened to how Egypt consumed God’s people during Moses’ time, and Babylon captured God’s people too. This includes the gathering of the serpent’s seed, like Cain, Esau, and others. Who informed Cain about murder before he killed Abel? He mirrors his father, the devil, from the moment of his birth.
See John 8:44, “For you are the offspring of your father the devil, and you desire to do the wicked things he does. He has been a murderer from the start. He has always hated the truth, and there is no truth within him. When he lies, it is in accordance with his nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Hence, in Jeremiah 51:6-8, it instructs us to escape from Babylon (Satan’s kingdom), which is portrayed as a golden cup making the entire world intoxicated. Here, Babylon, the golden cup causing intoxication, symbolizes the wine (word) of Satan. Jeremiah 51:25-26 describes them as the mountain of destruction, stating that He will topple them from the rock, making them a burnt mountain and a barren wasteland.
The genuine identity of the mountain of destruction during Jesus’ first coming was represented by the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, who opposed Christ’s teaching and eventually caused His death.
What will the mountain of destruction represent at the time of Jesus’ second coming? In Revelation 17:1-5, a prostitute is introduced. In scripture, a woman symbolizes a shepherd (Gal 4:19, Rev 17:18), and she is depicted as a shepherd who has committed adultery by receiving the seed of Satan—that is, the words of Satan—and not the seed of God, which is the Word of God. The prostitute is described as sitting upon seven mountains (churches/organizations), which symbolize seven heads (leaders) (Revelation 17:9).
It is indicated that all nations have succumbed due to the wine of fornications (false doctrines), represented by the golden cup that this prostitute holds (Revelation 18:2). The term “all nations” refers to the entire world. This suggests that false teachings are widespread, not confined to a select few. Therefore, it’s essential to verify whether what you receive in your church originates from God or is merely a human teaching. Ultimately, Cain never disclosed to his wife about his curse from God, nor did Esau inform his spouse of God’s disdain for him.
The promoters of falsehood will never admit they are feeding you lies from the pit of hell because denial is the first sign of a drunk. So, it is your responsibility to examine the scriptures and discern all spirits to understand your position and what you are consuming as the Word of God (1 John 4:1-5).
In Revelation 18:4, God’s people are advised to exit Babylon (the kingdom of Satan), as Babylon represents the mountain of destruction. We must escape from the mountain of destruction and seek refuge in the mountain of salvation.
Mountain of Salvation: This represents the spiritual gathering of God’s children from various places to learn about His teachings and words.
This mountain serves as a location where God’s people will convene in the final days to receive the word of testimony to triumph over Satan, as referenced in Revelation 12:9-11, “…and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…”
This mountain is identified as Mount Zion in Revelation 14:1-5, “Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his father’s name written on their foreheads.” Here, the Lamb refers to Jesus, who stands with 144,000 sealed believers around the world who did not succumb to false teachings from the woman beast, the prostitute, in Revelation 18:1-4. These 144,000 individuals are both the physical Jews and spiritual Jews (Rom 2:28-29), who honoured their covenant with Jesus and remained untainted by false doctrines.
In Matthew 25:1-13, they are the wise virgins who brought lamps and oil in preparation. In Matthew 13:30, they are the first fruits collected from Jesus’ field and taken to the barn, and in Matthew 13:48, they are the good fish caught from the sea and placed in a basket.
The reason the Bible refers to the 144,000 sealed believers as the firstborn of God is that they are the bride who will be with the bridegroom at the marriage supper (rapture), while the other believers will enter the kingdom of God after the great tribulation.
Remember the five foolish virgins who later obtained oil for their lamps (Matt 25:10-13); they represent the multitude that the apostle John saw in Revelation 7:9-14 NLT. They came to the throne of God after the great tribulation because they had oil and a lamp, which is one of the qualifications to reign with Christ in his second coming.
According to Hebrews 12:22, you have arrived at Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the celestial Jerusalem, accompanied by countless angels, to the universal assembly and church of the firstborn registered in heaven, to God the ultimate Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous individuals made perfect.
Jeremiah 3:14 states that He will select one from a town and two from a clan and lead you to Zion; this relates to the 144,000 in Zion. The path that leads to Jesus is narrow; that is why the firstborn believers who will agree with the lamb are few.
He promises to provide a shepherd who aligns with your heart and will nurture you with wisdom and understanding through that shepherd.
Isaiah 2:2-3 mentions that the mountain of the Lord will be revealed in the final days, and this mountain, the highest of all, Zion, will attract many people to learn God’s word. The reason they convene at Mount Zion is that the law and the word of God emanate from there, unadulterated and pure.
Where are you convening to receive the word of God today? How pure and truthful is it? Why are they not talking about the figurative meaning of the word of God and the book of Revelation? why can’t they speak on the Second Coming of Christ? Why are they only interested in faith, motivation, prosperity, prayer, prophecy, miracles, moral teachings, biblical history and healing? Why can’t we hear the gospel like in the days of Jesus from their assembly? Check your association and your location. Is that place the Zion where Jesus has placed his word on the last day? If not, flee to the mountain Zion now.
Psalms 2:6-7 proclaims, “I have established my king on Zion, my holy mountain. I will announce the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’”
Moreover, Isaiah 28:16 asserts, “Behold, I lay a stone in Zion, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone laid for a firm foundation; the one who trusts in it will never be overwhelmed with fear.” Acts 4:11 states, “This Jesus is ‘the stone the builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’”
Jesus is the precious cornerstone of Zion, which is where He currently resides. The resurrected Jesus is spiritual; therefore, Zion is not merely a physical location but a spiritual realm. Although there is a physical Mount Zion in present-day Israel.
Seek refuge in the mountain (in Jesus) whenever you encounter the abomination of false teachings in holy places (like churches and synagogues). Jesus warned that in the last days, there will be a rise in lawlessness, and the love of many will diminish. Individuals will establish gathering spots for prophecies, healing, miracles, and to convey teachings that align with what they wish to hear instead of adhering to God’s guidance.
Whenever you observe such gatherings, it is essential to flee to the mountain Zion, where Jesus has preserved His word for these last days, as wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will congregate.
At the time of Jesus’ 1st coming, the reality of the mountain of salvation was Jesus, the Disciples and the believers; those who ran to them were saved.
The mountain of salvation in the second coming of Jesus will be Revelation 14:1, where Jesus and the 144,000 sealed believers will teach the gospel. Mount Zion is a mountain that is blessed with eternal life (Psalm 133:3). At first, the believers will gather little by little, one from a town and two from a clan, but gradually more and more people will gather to form 12,000 people each from the 12 tribes. After that, they will form countless multitudes. And they will heal all the nations from falsehood.
The mountain of betrayal and the mountain of destruction share similarities in their messages and mission: to mislead and draw God’s seeds into darkness.
However, they diverge in that the mountain of betrayal began with God’s truth and love, earning the trust of the people, only to later diverge from sound doctrine after succumbing to Satan’s deceit and attack. Refer to Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23.
They were aware that God had abandoned them, but their congregations, lacking scriptural knowledge, fell victim to deception as well.
Conversely, the mountain of destruction commenced with erroneous doctrines from the beginning, showing no regard for public opinion. They bear no remorse for their false teachings and will never relinquish them as they stem from Satan himself.
Did Cain ever express regret to God or his parents after murdering his brother Abel?
John 8:44 states, “For you are the offspring of your father the devil, and you desire to do the wicked things he does. He has been a murderer from the start. He has always hated the truth, and there is no truth within him. When he lies, it is in accordance with his nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Changing them is impossible; the only solution is to flee to Mount Zion, where true salvation exists. (Acts 4:12, Revelation 18:4-5).
God bless you, and we look forward to your feedback through our channels. helives2001@gmail.com, www.helivesoutreach.org, P.O. BOX 3244, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Written by Chidi Declan