Psalm 121 (CSB) 1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. 4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. 5 The LORD protects you; the LORD is a shelter right by your side. 6 The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. 7 The LORD will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life. 8 The LORD will protect your coming and going both now and forever.
Every day is a day to celebrate the Advent of Jesus. With that in mind, it’s that time of year when we want to be daily aware of the season, and I want to share some Advent reflections daily to help us remember.
The Bible affirms that worshipers of other “gods”, who are manifestations of demons that have rebelled against the Lord, came down on tops of mountains as a gateway to their evil work on the earth. Adherents to that faith system would put their shrines on those mountains, like Mount Hermon, as their place of worship.
Locals in Nepal still do this with Mount Everest and the “god” associated with it, Chomolungma, “mother goddess of the earth”.
This Psalm is not saying these demonic entities are to be honored along with Yhwh. He is not advocating for how the people have succumbed to false worship.
The Lord does make it clear that when they look up to the mountains in search of divine help, there is only One who is a real help and only One who can save. Yhwh!
The Lord is good to meet them where they are and transform how they look at and interpret his world.
It is Yhwh who helps and saves!
Who is Yhwh? He is Jesus.
Jesus is the Latin version of the Greek name Yeshua…Joshua…Yhwh saves.
The hill in Psalm 122 to which the Psalmist looks should remind us that Jesus ascended a hill bearing the penalty of my sin and yours and died in our place for our sins. He was carried down the hill and laid in a tomb and he rose victorious over sin and the curse and death, and he ascended to the right hand of God to make atonement for all who would turn to him in faith.
We look to the hill of the cross for our help, and where does it come from? It comes from Jesus, the LORD, who made heaven and earth, came on a mission to seek and save the lost, died in the lost’s place for their sin, rose, and ascended to rescue all of those who would repent and believe as well as restore heaven and earth.
Look to Jesus today! He will meet us on the hill of the cross where our victory has been won.
Theology in the Dirt 