The Mountain and the Dwelling of God

Not a mountain, but the house of God; for this is interpreted as Bethel, which is not only a house but also with other things according to what was said in Aisma: 'My brother is like a deer or a young hart upon the mountains of Bethel' (Gen 25:9). For many mountains and hills are in the house of God, as from 'Behold, this one comes leaping upon the mountains, fleeing upon the hills' (Ps 42:6); and with each progress there is to ascend to a hill, and from the hill to a mountain, and from lower mountains to higher ones; for this is known both in the introductions of virtues and in the virtues themselves.

But there is one mountain above all, the Savior and Lord of us, concerning whom it is said: 'The mountain of the Lord shall be made manifest at the latter end of the days' (Zech 14:4), which is another thing compared to the other mountains, so as to speak for the sake of the holy teaching, so that no one might misunderstand: 'Why do you suppose it is fortified mountains?' Then, teaching the most excellent mountain, he says: 'The mountain of God, a fertile mountain, a fortified mountain, a fertile mountain. Why do you suppose it is fortified mountains, the mountain in which God was pleased to dwell?' which signifies the Lord having become man. For the incarnation is shown through this word, just as also with Job: 'Did you not care for me like milk, and did you not curdle me like cheese?' (Job 10:10). For the Savior alone comes from a virgin; therefore it is said. Is this said concerning others? For no one else had such a constitution. Therefore Job did not say 'I was curdled,' but 'You curdled me like cheese'; for what the Spirit has done, the casting of the seed in others worksthe command of God. And the same 'fertile' exists from the presence of the Spirit and from the power of the Most High.

And in the common sense, all and even the temple of the Savior are by creation from God, but the Savior is exceptional through the Lord; for He has used it as an instrument toward the incarnation. And just as all the earth of God is a creation, but the temple had it exceptional because of the God being honored there, so also regarding the things previously mentioned. And since, wherever God honors, that place is called His house, Jacob testifies saying: 'How fearful is this place! This is nothing else but the house of God, and this is a gate of heaven' (Gen 28:17). Therefore one must not pay attention, if he says...

Many will call themselves Christs according to what is said: 'Many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ' (John 8:56). For there is a mountain in which God pleased to dwell; for the pleasure of the dwelling was not made by any man. Therefore, Abram, advancing through the intellect, burns toward this mountain.

Indeed, coming without neglect, he testified to him, saying: 'Your father Abraham rejoiced in order to see my day, and he saw and rejoiced' (John 8:56), having been enlightened by the true light being presented to him from the preceding advancements. And it is also good to say that this mountain is 'toward the east'; for it has lights from every side. Whatever conception of this mountain you take, it is luminous; for it is called wisdom, word, life, truth, justice, sanctification, and redemption. All these things, while rising, are lights—not many lights according to their essence, for they have one underlying subject, the Son of God—but diverse according to their energies.

Therefore, 'toward the east' of the house of God, which shines through all, the holy man came, being led by virtues; and it is also possible to call the various doctrines of piety 'eastings,' through which Abraham had arrived at the tent, which he used for the advancements—for this tent signifies the house of God being permanent; for 'I will pass through a place of wondrous habitation until the house of God' (Psalm 84:10). Having passed through the tent, he presses into the house that remains forever, with which there is no other ascent. This is also said in another psalm: 'How beloved are your habitations, Lord of powers! My soul longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord' (Psalm 84:2).

For he who has not yet reached the courts, while in the tents, has love advancing and expects completion in saying: 'My heart and my flesh shall rejoice in a living God' (Psalm 36:9), when it occurs in that establishment, with which there is no other, into which those who have reached are called blessed, the psalmist saying: 'Blessed are all those dwelling in your house' (Psalm 84:4), not as sojourners but as dwellers; for this belongs to those in tents and advancements, but to dwell is to come into the house of God, in which they are blessed, as it were 'unto the ages of ages,' praising him.