![\"Heaven](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1417\/2025\/01\/256px-Brooklyn_Museum_-_Christ_Retreats_to_the_Mountain_at_Night_Je%CC%81sus_se_retira_la_nuit_sur_la_montagne_-_James_Tissot.jpeg\")
When marveling at the beauty and symbolism of mountains, I like to think of them as places of heaven touching earth. Thinking of our Savior\u2019s life on this earth, I am reminded of this sacred connection.<\/p>\n
Time with His Father<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\nJesus went to the mountains to spend time with His Father, in places and at times when They would not be disturbed. We find in the New Testament times when He sought this particular closeness.<\/p>\n
Jesus went to be in heaven touching earth in preparing to call his twelve Apostles.<\/p>\n
In these days he went into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom he called apostles. (Luke 6:20-12).<\/p>\n
We might conclude that their call came from the Father and the Son. The first four were exactly where Jesus needed them, as well as the state of meekness brought on by a no-catch night. As He arranged\u00a0 a net-breaking catch, Jesus gave them a symbol of the nature of their call. Peter, Andrew, James, and John came immediately\u2014unquestioning, leaving James and John\u2019s father to deal with all the fish.<\/p>\n
Another time of mountain retreat was after Jesus had expanded five barley loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000. He realized that in their excitement over the miracle the crowd would try to force Him to become a king; so He went to a mountain alone<\/em>, prayed, and remained there until He had to rescue His disciples from a boat in a violent storm (John 6:14-16).<\/p>\nElder Jeffrey R. Holland<\/a> noted the Savior\u2019s statement after a particularly taxing time; Jesus signed, \u201cO faithless generation . . . how long shall I suffer you?\u201d<\/p>\nElder Holland continued, \u201cHe had occasion to ask that question more than once during His ministry. No wonder He longed for the prayerful solitude of mountaintops!\u201d<\/p>\n
Healing, Teaching, and Other Blessings<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn a particular mountain, great crowds regularly brought individuals who suffered from illnesses and disabilities, laying them at the Savior\u2019s feet. He healed them all. Matthew recorded, \u201cthe crowd was in awe and worshiped God when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking and the blind seeing\u201d (15:29-31). The Savior\u2019s perfect compassion reached out to all. This was a chosen place, with the healing powers of heaven touching earth.<\/p>\n
The Mount of Beatitudes was another place where Christ\u2019s followers experienced heaven touching earth. I\u2019ve previously written of the Savior\u2019s focus on higher laws, teaching his followers how to\u00a0 purify their attitudes and desires to strengthen the motivation for their behavior (see Matthew 5-7).<\/p>\n
But the tender beatitudes, telling of blessed behavior, turned to strong warnings to pluck out an offending eye or cut off an offending hand. Loving enemies and being \u201ctherefore perfect\u201d made a good climax. Comfort, with positive images, was mixed with warning, with images less to be desired. Matthew\u2019s account concluded with the people being \u201castonished\u201d and recognizing Him \u201cas one having authority.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is so much for Christ\u2019s followers of all times, places, contexts, and conditions. It can be exciting to find something marvelous that might have slid past us before (as things sometimes can with something as meaning-laden as the Sermon on the Mount). For example, Elder Neil L. Anderson recently urged us to emphasize a life-altering consideration in one of the most oft-quoted beatitudes: \u201cBlessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
As we do our part, His promise is that we will be called the \u201cchildren of God.\u201d Every person on earth is the \u201coffspring\u201d of God [see Acts 17:28]\u00a0, but to be called the \u201cchildren of God\u201d means much, much more. As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him, we become \u201chis seed\u201d and \u201cheirs of the kingdom,\u201d \u201cchildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sacred Ordinances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/strong>Heaven touching earth on mountains has included the presence of heaven for sacred ordinances.<\/p>\nHeavenly Testimony<\/h4>\n
No one knows which high mountain was the Mount \u00a0of Transfiguration, but all Christianity knows what happened there: who came up from earth, and who was present from heaven.<\/p>\n
Peter, James, and John needed to witness the Savior\u2019s glory, to hear the Father introduce and bear testimony of His Son, and to see and hear Moses and Elijah interacting with Jesus. Also they would receive keys<\/a> from the visitors to be handed down to future generations.<\/p>\nThe Savior\u2019s face shone \u201cas the sun\u201d and His clothing was \u201cwhite as the light.\u201d As Moses and Elijah were talking with Him, Peter stumbled for something to say (but not particularly appropriate for the brilliant scene and divine participants). As he tried to speak, a \u201cbright cloud\u201d came over them all, and the Father\u2019s voice came from that cloud: \u201cThis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.\u201d<\/p>\n
What more testimony could be given? \u00a0At this point, the apostles were terrified. They \u201cfell on their face.\u201d Jesus gently touched and reassured them, \u201cArise, and be not afraid.\u201d Jesus only was with them. Walking down the mountain, Jesus commanded them to keep this experience secret until He had come back after His death \u201c(Matthew 17:1\u20139).<\/p>\n
Greatest Love and Sacrifice<\/h4>\n
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland<\/a> noted the Savior\u2019s statement after a particularly taxing time; Jesus signed, \u201cO faithless generation . . . how long shall I suffer you?\u201d<\/p>\n Elder Holland continued, \u201cHe had occasion to ask that question more than once during His ministry. No wonder He longed for the prayerful solitude of mountaintops!\u201d<\/p>\n On a particular mountain, great crowds regularly brought individuals who suffered from illnesses and disabilities, laying them at the Savior\u2019s feet. He healed them all. Matthew recorded, \u201cthe crowd was in awe and worshiped God when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking and the blind seeing\u201d (15:29-31). The Savior\u2019s perfect compassion reached out to all. This was a chosen place, with the healing powers of heaven touching earth.<\/p>\n The Mount of Beatitudes was another place where Christ\u2019s followers experienced heaven touching earth. I\u2019ve previously written of the Savior\u2019s focus on higher laws, teaching his followers how to\u00a0 purify their attitudes and desires to strengthen the motivation for their behavior (see Matthew 5-7).<\/p>\n But the tender beatitudes, telling of blessed behavior, turned to strong warnings to pluck out an offending eye or cut off an offending hand. Loving enemies and being \u201ctherefore perfect\u201d made a good climax. Comfort, with positive images, was mixed with warning, with images less to be desired. Matthew\u2019s account concluded with the people being \u201castonished\u201d and recognizing Him \u201cas one having authority.\u201d<\/p>\n There is so much for Christ\u2019s followers of all times, places, contexts, and conditions. It can be exciting to find something marvelous that might have slid past us before (as things sometimes can with something as meaning-laden as the Sermon on the Mount). For example, Elder Neil L. Anderson recently urged us to emphasize a life-altering consideration in one of the most oft-quoted beatitudes: \u201cBlessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.\u201d<\/p>\n As we do our part, His promise is that we will be called the \u201cchildren of God.\u201d Every person on earth is the \u201coffspring\u201d of God [see Acts 17:28]\u00a0, but to be called the \u201cchildren of God\u201d means much, much more. As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him, we become \u201chis seed\u201d and \u201cheirs of the kingdom,\u201d \u201cchildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Heaven touching earth on mountains has included the presence of heaven for sacred ordinances.<\/p>\n No one knows which high mountain was the Mount \u00a0of Transfiguration, but all Christianity knows what happened there: who came up from earth, and who was present from heaven.<\/p>\n Peter, James, and John needed to witness the Savior\u2019s glory, to hear the Father introduce and bear testimony of His Son, and to see and hear Moses and Elijah interacting with Jesus. Also they would receive keys<\/a> from the visitors to be handed down to future generations.<\/p>\n The Savior\u2019s face shone \u201cas the sun\u201d and His clothing was \u201cwhite as the light.\u201d As Moses and Elijah were talking with Him, Peter stumbled for something to say (but not particularly appropriate for the brilliant scene and divine participants). As he tried to speak, a \u201cbright cloud\u201d came over them all, and the Father\u2019s voice came from that cloud: \u201cThis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.\u201d<\/p>\n What more testimony could be given? \u00a0At this point, the apostles were terrified. They \u201cfell on their face.\u201d Jesus gently touched and reassured them, \u201cArise, and be not afraid.\u201d Jesus only was with them. Walking down the mountain, Jesus commanded them to keep this experience secret until He had come back after His death \u201c(Matthew 17:1\u20139).<\/p>\nHealing, Teaching, and Other Blessings<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Sacred Ordinances<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Heavenly Testimony<\/h4>\n
Greatest Love and Sacrifice<\/h4>\n