What will it take for any of us to throw a mountain into the ocean?
By Dean Collins
Throwing mountains into the sea and having a healthy fear of God go hand and hand.
When was the last time you tossed a mountain into the sea? Have you seen anyone else do it? Do we have any historical records that any human being has picked up a mountain and thrown it anywhere? Of course not. These actions are impossible for any human. So why would Jesus tell his disciples this? “Have faith in God,” he said. “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ‘“ And Jesus followed up with this instruction: “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Consider the context
When we read passages like this in Scripture we might feel inspired or we might feel hopeless because we know we are lacking in the kind of faith Jesus described. But before we give up on our faith and more importantly on Jesus, let’s remember the context of his words.
Just ahead of this teaching about tossing mountains and praying big prayers, Mark tells that Jesus arrived in Jerusalem to a crowd who hailed him as the one who comes in the name of the Lord. The crowds lined the streets, tossing down palm branches and their coats to honor the one they believed to be their long-awaited King who would free them from Roman and spiritual bondage. Before the end of the day, Mark tells us Jesus did a drop-by at the temple. It appears he simply looked around to see if what was going on was anything that he and his Father would approve of. He then left with the Twelve and went to Bethany where he was staying until his crucifixion.
The next day as he walked back to Jerusalem, he was hungry and saw a fig tree flush with leaves indicating that this tree likely would have some figs. Jesus found nothing but leaves, and he cursed the tree causing it to wither. On that day he would not have been accepted into the Arbor Day foundation!
It is important to remember that as with everything Jesus said and did, he had a higher purpose to bring the good news of the kingdom of God to earth and to all people.
The very next day Jesus went back to the temple and turned tables upside down and demanded that the opportunists leave this holy space so God’s purposes might be achieved, and his purposes begin with prayer.
See the meaning
Now we can see the dynamics unfold. Imagine the contrast the everyday Jewish citizen saw as they compared the hypocrisy of many of the religious leaders with the teachings of Jesus about his new kingdom. Imagine how threatened the Pharisees were by the attraction the crowds had with Jesus and his teachings. The contrast of character was obvious. Humility vs. pride. Giving vs. receiving. Generosity vs. stinginess. Grace, mercy, and love vs. law and humiliation.
And then the fig tree. All through the Old Testament, the fig tree was a symbol of prosperity and wealth. Jesus approached a tree whose foliage suggested there would be a wealth of fruit, but he found empty branches. And he cursed the tree. The disciples and anyone who heard the story might have very well seen the contrast of the turning over the tables in the temple as the same kind of judgment on the ones who should have been producing fruit yet (to quote Jesus in another verse) were like whitewashed tombs.
Turn to God
As Jesus taught about prayer, he was indicating who had real power and authority over those who didn’t. The suggestion in Mark 11 might just be “have faith in God” versus having hope or faith in Rome and even the religious leaders. Jesus wanted his disciples then and now to understand that no systems on earth and no individuals have the power to throw mountains into the sea. That is work that only God can do. His instruction is to pray believing that he can move the mountains of problems, including the mountain of sin, in our lives. And it starts with faith but translates into real fruit like the fruit of forgiving others.
The psalmist of Psalm 46 called us to turn to God in every situation, for he alone is our refuge and strength. Turn to him when the earth shakes and turn to him when God throws the mountain into the sea. Whatever the noise of opposition, struggle, illness, or oppression, God can and will be our refuge and give us the strength to endure until he comes to bring final restoration and renewal.
The writer of Hebrews says the same and gives us the reason. Jesus our Savior King endured the ultimate suffering and death so that we might become a part of his unshakeable kingdom. Because he is King of kings and has conquered death itself, we can come to him in worship, in reverence, and in awe of his unmatched power, his amazing grace, and his irresistible and extravagant love.
Your time with God’s Word
Mark 11:22-25; Psalm 46:1-3; Hebrews 12:3, 28-29 ESV
Photo by Avinash Patel at www.pexels.com
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