A Holy Mount

Zechariah 14:4 speaks of a time when “his feet shall stand on the mount of Olives” (RSV) and a great earthquake will occur which splits the mount in two.

This is a well-known chapter throughout the Christadelphian world. We rightly use it to prove the physical return of Christ to the earth and the great confrontation between God and all nations to occur in the Middle East. But to correctly read the chapter and to get full benefit from it, we need to consider it carefully.

Not in chronological order

We were helped in our own appre­ciation of this chapter when we realized it is not in chronological sequence. Verses 12-15, for example, are obviously an amplification of verse 3. The chapter is presented as if it were a report of a series of events by one person followed by a report of the same events by another observer.

A holy mount

Verse 4 of the chapter speaks of the Lord standing on the Mount of Olives. When that happens, the ground of the mountain becomes holy ground. In Exodus 3:1-6, the angel who appeared in the burning bush made the ground holy by his presence. The same was true when the commander of the Lord’s army appeared to Joshua (Josh. 5:13-15). The Mount of Olives will also become holy ground when the Lord manifests himself, standing upon the earth.

On holy ground, man must be humble and God must be particularly honored or dire consequences can result. In this case, as soon as the mount becomes holy, a great earthquake occurs. The reason for it should be obvious; assembled all around are the massed armies of the nations, nations who honor themselves, not God.

We are gods

We can see the spirit of man-worship all around us. We see knowledge growing faster than man is capable of usefully employing it. He declares that anything he proposes can be done, it’s just a matter of spending the money on the project (cp. Gen. 11:6).

Mankind has always had a desire to be equal with God. This desire began in Genesis 3 and has been evident ever since.

The atomic age began with the explosion of the atom bomb. One scientist commented that man had unleashed the power of God. Then he wondered if man could control what he had done. Now man is trying to alter human genetics with the ambition of creating a physically (but not morally) superior race of humans.

The same condition is evident today that was true in the days of Noah. There are giants in the earth — political and economic giants who have built industrial superpowers like the giants who ruled the earth before the flood (Gen. 4:18-24;6:4). Some of us work for these giants. As long as we are useful to them, they supply us with the necessities and some of the luxuries of life. When we wear out, however, we are cast aside for the next generation of servants.

In the political sphere, gigantic fed­erations are forming. The European Community has become a major eco­nomic, political and religious power.

The North American countries are forming a giant trade association and the countries of eastern Asia and Japan comprise yet another industrial colossus.

One country that is not part of any of these groups is Israel. She is surrounded by hostile Muslim nations who still want to see her driven into the sea. With the diminishing power of the former Soviet Union, little Israel is no longer essential to the United States and at some point the power of all nations will be gathered to her borders. The nations will come to protect their self-interests, but whoever raises her hand against Israel invites disaster. This aggression will be the undoing of all nations when the mount becomes holy ground.

Hostile to Israel

It is not hard to see antagonism to Israel binding the nations in a great hostile force. The church wants the religious shrines in Israel. The Russians want the return of the Jews whom they have let go free (much like Pharaoh did long ago). The neo-Nazis in Europe want to finish what Hitler began.

But man, in his pride, will be brought low by Almighty God. “For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high” (Isa. 2:12 RSV).

When that mount is made holy by the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, the day will have come “when all the arrogant and all evil doers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 4:1 RSV).