The Mountains of Bashan

The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever. (Psalms 68:15,16)

"Why leap ye, ye high hills?"

For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. (Psalms 132:13)

Bashan was an area east of the Jordan River. Og, the King of Bashan, fought Israel in the battle at Edrei. Israel prevailed and the territory was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh.

And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. (Deuteronomy 3:13)

The "mountains of Bashan" are those who seek to be "giants" in the Kingdom of God, who are soulish and self-willed.

Og, the king of Bashan, was a giant and his territory was the land of the giants (the Rephaim). Bashan symbolizes that which is exalted in the flesh, that which God's people will conquer as they make their way toward the rest of God.

The elect have labored for many centuries in the bondage of self-will and fleshly ambition. But God has promised to bring them back from the "depths of the sea" of humanity and give them their true inheritance.

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: (Psalms 68:22)

The "mountains of Bashan" are high mountains. They "leap," that is they look and act enviously regarding the mountain God has chosen. The mountain God has chosen is Mount Zion.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalms 2:6)

Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. (Psalms 74:2)

In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. (Psalms 76:2)

Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Psalms 48:2)

God will bring his chosen people from the bondage of sin and self-will and establish them on Mount Zion, the place of their true inheritance.

For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. (Psalms 69:35)

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22)

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

Salvation and eternal life are found only on Mount Zion. The mountains of Bashan, of human endeavor, strive in vain to give life. Eternal life comes only from the Father through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psalms 133:3)

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)

The Mountains of Bashan 2

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