Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place?
Psalm 24:3 KJV
In our previous discussions, we delved into the intricate nature of the human heart. We explored its complexities and recognized a sobering truth about the heart. Though it is the spring of life, yet, it is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Now, as we ponder the question: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place?”, this undeniable truth confronts us. Only those with a pure heart can enter into God’s sacred presence. It is through the transformation of our hearts, purified by the grace and love of God, that we find the path to stand in the holy place of the Almighty.
There is a Mountain where God dwells, from which man has fallen. After the fall, man lost his position in God’s holy place. Because of his corrupted heart, he became unfit to dwell in God’s holy place.
So [God] drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep and guard the way to the tree of life.
Genesis 3:24 AMPC
Thus, it became impossible for man to return to Eden. Worst of it all, his heart is now desperate to walk away from God in pursuit of evil. Meanwhile, Eden has thus become an archetype for God’s presence. So, at Mount Sinai, not everyone was qualified to climb up the mountain into God’s presence (Exodus 19). In fact, God instructed that the people should not even come close, as to touch the foot of the mountain. It was indeed a terrible thing that had befallen mankind.
However, the question remains: “Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?”
It is important to mention that good deeds alone are not sufficient to bring anyone closer to God when the heart – which is the spring of life, is corrupt and impure. We must be careful so that we do not fall into the error of the Pharisees whom Jesus says were able to make the outside clean but dirty on the inside (Matthew 23:25). They were able to camouflage with deeds that are known to be good but coming from a dirty heart – greedy and self-indulgent.
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalms 24:4 NKJV
A pure heart produces a holy life. So, we can see that purity of heart is the basis to ascend to the mountain of the Lord. The same is also confirmed in Hebrews 12:14, which says that “without holiness, no one will see the Lord”. So, without a pure heart, holiness is unattainable, thus, the presence of God remains unapproachable.
