"I am looking for Mt. Zion, a better mountain in a glorious city of lights!"

I am looking for Mount Zion, a better mountain in a glorious city of lights. What about you?

That's the message. The text is taken from Hebrews 12:18-29. Friend, this may be the year that Christ returns for you or for me. Now, I'm not prophesying. Listen carefully. I'm not giving you a false prophecy that says the Lord will return in 2026 as some did in 2025. I'm simply alerting you to the fact that any of us could pass away in this new year and indeed it is possible that it may be the year that Christ returns. And if He does, how will He find you? Will you be like the foolish virgins who lost their anointing and then had to run and find it? Or will you be like the wise virgins, ready, willing, and able to go with Christ at any moment? Live ready, my friend.

Mount Sinai, aka Mount Horeb, was a terrible mountain for the Israelites. Their visit to Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt was the highest point of their journey where they met for the first time their Jehovah God, the God of heaven and earth. It must have been an awesome experience to meet the God who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The God who is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer, who is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner. And He is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace. He's also Jehovah Rohi, the Lord our shepherd. And He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. Yes, friend, they met Yahweh, the only holy God, The Creator of the universe.

And yet their visit to Mount Sinai was perhaps the lowest point of the entire journey. The point where they fell in the worst way possible. They fell so low, in fact, that they began worshiping a golden calf right at the foot of Mount Sinai while God was still up in the mountain. And this is evidence that whenever we have a high point, the devil cannot wait to knock us back down if we're not vigilant. So, let's be on the lookout for Satan in 2026.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this message and for everyone that listens to it. I pray Your peace upon them, Your abundant grace and mercy. I pray for Your guidance and direction for them through the power of Your Holy Spirit in the precious and the holy name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

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The Israelites spent about a year at the foot of that horrible mountain, which ironically is also known as Mount Horrible. Did you know that they arrived there in the second month of the first year of their journey through the wilderness? And they stayed there until the second month of their second year in the wilderness. Then the Lord told them to move on. They spent just about a year stalled at the foot of the most significant mountain on their path to the promised land.

And it was here that they received the Ten Commandments and the Torah. It was here that they built the tabernacle. And it was here that the Lord made His covenant with them. And so they arrived at this mountain as more than a million runaway slaves. And they left the mount as the greatest nation on earth, equipped with laws and articles of instruction about how to live and how to govern themselves. And here we see God's transformative power changing the very worst and the very best of us. As believers in Christ, we come to God as slaves of sin under the control of Satan, and we leave as budding prophets, as priests and kings. We're turned into princes and princesses. We are transformed into royal servants of His Royal Highness, the Most High God. And we will never be slaves to sin again if we hold on to His Word. It is therefore essential that we know who and what we are in 2026 and it will help shape our behavior. Most of all, we will please God by demonstrating great faith.

Verses 18 to 21. Now, why was it the lowest point of their journey? Well, the Word of God tells us that the Lord had descended upon the mountain and His presence was overwhelming. And when He showed up, there was thunder, there was lightning, there was fire, there were thick clouds, black smoke, darkness covering that great mountain. And the people and even Moses began to tremble. The Word of God tells us a guardrail had been placed around the mountain because if anyone or even an animal touched the mountain, it would die.

The experience was so frightening that afterwards they told Moses that they did not want God to speak to them any longer. They preferred that Moses would speak to them himself. They were so terrified that they felt that if God spoke to them again, they would surely die. And it is so sad that they resisted changing and becoming better, becoming obedient like Moses was. And so they failed the test by instead of making decisions to change and to be more obedient, they chose to be separated from God. They decided they did not want to be in the presence of this holy God ever again. And they did not even want Him to say a word to them again. So sad.

Yes, it is painful for one covered in sin to stand in the presence of the holy Jehovah God. In fact, we would be consumed. We would be burned up, destroyed. And this is why those steeped in a life of sin sometime avoid coming to church. They will avoid the pastor, other church leaders and members. But this is not smart because the presence of the Lord will wash us. It will cleanse us of all unrighteousness and it will change us. Today we have foolish people cursing God in ignorance. But God is merciful and this is why He has provided a remedy for sin. So let's stay under the blood of Jesus Christ, my friend, lest Christ comes and finds you unwashed and unprepared.

On Mount Sinai, the Lord met with Moses in the cloud a number of times. At different times He met with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu. And He also met there with the 70 elders. But when they went up to the mount with God, only Moses was able to enter the cloud and meet directly with Him. Everyone else had to stay at a distance because they were not clean and obedient like Moses.

On one of Moses' 40 days and 40 nights visits to the mountain with the Lord, the people decided he was not coming back. They felt he stayed so long. They doubted he would return. And they persuaded Aaron to make a golden calf for them as a god to lead them. And this happened just 40 days after they had received the Ten Commandments. How quickly they broke their promise never to serve any other God. In fact, they rejected Jehovah God and they rejected Moses leadership. Because of their great sin God instructed the priest to kill 3,000 of them and He visited them with a plague. It was a terrible time for them.

But let's talk about the city of the living God, the New Jerusalem. We want to talk about a greater and better mountain and this one is called Mount Zion and is the mountain of greatest significance. Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem. Today it is a sacred site for Jews and Muslims. It is the location of King David's tomb and the room in which the last supper was held. Zion is also a biblical name for the city of Jerusalem or for the land of Israel. But most importantly, it is also a name for the heavenly city, the kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem.

In fact, many Jews are called Zionists. But not all are called Zionists. This is because Zionism is also a political movement which supports a Jewish homeland in Israel. And Zionists are the political right and far right in Israel. For the most part, they are Jewish nationalist. But Christ is apolitical. He does not favor nationalism nor any other kind of party. Christ is for all people. Christ is neither right nor left. Christ is straight down the middle.

But scripture tells us in verse 22 that today we have not come to stand before Mount Sinai, the mountain that thundered and that was covered with black smoke, the mount that could not be touched. We've come to Mount Zion, which is the city of the living God. We have come to the heavenly Jerusalem. And we've come to a place where there are numerous angels. There are so many angels in fact and spiritual beings that we cannot count them. It is Christ who has opened this door for us. Believe it.

The Word of God goes on to say that all those who have come to Christ have come to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven. We've come in fact to the spirits of just men made perfect. We've come to Jesus Christ, the mediator of the new covenant.

And yes, friend, all believers have come to a gloriously wonderful place. We've come to a gathering of God's chosen people in His holy kingdom. This also includes all who would have gone on before us and have now been made perfect. And we have come to the great Jehovah God Himself. The God of all healing. The God of all peace. The God who shepherds His flock. And the God who is the righteous king. What splendor. What holy amazement. The God who gives us the victory in every battle. The God who makes us someone. The God who protects us. The God who unifies us. What a wonderful thing He has done for us.

The writer of the book of Hebrews is painting a picture for us of a place that all believers in Christ have come to figuratively. We've come to this place because of the cleansing power and the work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And we now have access to God's presence through Christ, the mediator of the new covenant, the negotiator of the new deal. And our situation is not like the Israelites uncomfortable position when they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai when they could not touch that mountain and could not bear to even hear the voice of our great and mighty Jehovah God. We cannot see this mountain with our physical eyes yet. But we are destined to see it if we hold on.

In Revelation 14:1, we are told that Christ will stand on Mount Zion with the 144,000, and they will have His Father's name written on their foreheads. In Isaiah, we are told that now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, referring here primarily to Mount Zion. And shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Now, let's talk about the unmovable and unshakable kingdom of the Most High God.

The chapter ends with a warning calling upon us not to reject Jesus Christ, warning us of the consequences of refusing to listen perhaps to those who are speaking to us now. Because if the children of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to the voice of Jehovah God who warned them from the top of the mountain calling them to follow Him in obedience, how will we possibly be able to escape if we turn our backs on Him who now warns us from heaven?

And so we are admonished to listen to God's Word and to be obedient to it because in those days His voice shook the earth and the whole mountain. But He has now promised that once more He will shake not only the earth but will also shake the heavens. And this refers to Revelation 6:13 which tells us that the stars in the sky will fall to the earth. The way a fig tree sheds its late summer figs when the tree is shaken by a mighty wind. This will happen at the breaking of the sixth seal during the tribulation.

Therefore, because we are going to receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us demonstrate gratitude and thankfulness to God and offer Him not lip service but genuine heartfelt service that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. Worshiping Him with reverence and godly fear because our God is a consuming fire. God bless you in the mighty name of His Son Jesus Christ.

You've been listening to this message and perhaps you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Well friend, we want to give you an opportunity to make that commitment today to make it right with God to be cleansed of all unrighteousness so that you may be able to come into the presence of this awesome and holy God without being consumed. Please say this prayer after me:

• Father, I am a sinner.

• I am sorry for all my sins.

• Dear Lord, I crave Your forgiveness.

• Please forgive me, Father.

• Thank You, Father.

• I have decided to invite Jesus Christ into my heart.

• Dear Lord Jesus, make my heart Your home.

• I give You the key to my heart because I now belong to You forever.

• Please give me the Holy Spirit to give me Your peace and a good understanding of Your Word to guide me as I go forward.

• Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Amen.

Welcome friend to the body of believers in Christ. There are so many of us here awaiting the return of the Good Master. In the meantime, we want to encourage you to become water baptized as quickly as possible. Let your pastor know that you've committed your life to the Lord and you want to be baptized the way Jesus Christ was.

Begin reading the Word of God every day. Begin in the book of John and then go to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Praying daily always. And friend, do not forsake the attendance at church, the assembling of the body of believers in Christ. Go to church and let the Lord find you there. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name. Amen.