Kingdom Coming Part 7

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Coming,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

This week is the beginning of Advent, and we are going to spend this season with the prophet Isaiah as we continue in our ‘Kingdom Coming’ series. The themes of Advent are Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This week, we will look in Isaiah Chapter 2 and talk about how hope is like a mountain.

Like a mountain, Hope stands firm and unshakable, offering a vantage point that transcends the valleys of despair and uncertainty. Isaiah 2:1-5 paints a vivid picture of the mountain of the Lord, where all nations stream to learn His ways. This prophetic vision is rooted in hope as steadfast as the mountain itself.

Isaiah 2:1–5 (NIV)
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2 In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Similarly, in Revelation 21:22-27, the New Jerusalem is a place illuminated by the glory of God, where nations walk in His light. These passages reveal a profound truth: hope is not just an emotion or fleeting optimism but a reality anchored in God’s promises.

Revelation 21:22–27 (NIV)
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Mountains evoke a sense of permanence and strength. They are immovable, rising above the chaos below. Hope, when placed in God, mirrors this resilience. Isaiah’s prophecy describes a time when the Lord’s mountain will be exalted above all others, drawing people to Him. This hope is not wishful thinking but an expectation rooted in God’s faithfulness. It reminds us that no matter how turbulent life may seem, there is a higher reality—a mountain of divine peace and justice—that we can ascend through faith.

Revelation amplifies this imagery with the vision of the New Jerusalem, where hope reaches its fulfillment. The city has no temple because God Himself is its temple, and His glory is its light. This eternal city reflects the culmination of hope—a place without sun or moon because God’s presence is all-encompassing. It is the ultimate mountaintop experience, where every tear is wiped away, and every longing is satisfied.

Just as a mountain offers a clearer perspective, the higher one ascends, hope elevates us above life’s struggles, giving us a glimpse of God’s eternal plan. The climb may be challenging, requiring perseverance and trust, but the view from the top—a vision of God’s kingdom—makes the journey worthwhile. Hope, therefore, is like a mountain because it lifts our eyes beyond the present, grounding us in God’s promises and drawing us closer to His presence.

In the valleys of life, we can look to the mountain of the Lord, remembering Isaiah’s vision and John’s revelation. These scriptures remind us that hope is not passive but an active pursuit of God’s light, an ascent toward His eternal peace and glory.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.