For centuries, military leaders have valued the high ground. In countless battles over the years, generals would seek to gain and hold high ground positions, as this was the best place to set up a strong defense. On the top of a stony hill, an army could entrench behind rocks and fallen trees, while the attacking enemy would be obliged to struggle up a steep incline, over rough terrain, through an open field of fire. Many a powerful attack, launched by even greatly superior numbers, has been repulsed in such a manner. Those who possessed the high ground had a position of great strength and advantage. In Scripture, however, I believe that attaining the high ground takes on a more spiritual meaning. The “high places of the earth” spoken of in Deuteronomy 32 would seem to refer more to a place of heavenly blessing, rather than a place of military advantage. This would be a place where God brings His earthly people in order to bless and care for them. In Deuteronomy 32, we see this picture contained within the song that God instructed Moses to write for the people of Israel as they readied themselves to cross into the land of Canaan. In verses 9-13 of that song, we read: “For the LORD’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
so the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock….”

In this song, in its entirety, we see the greatness of God, and His faithful dealing with His people beginning with their birth as a nation, and His loving care for His own all along their way. Here, Israel is personified as a man, Jacob, whom God is caring for. Israel had been delivered from bondage by the mighty works of God, and the people were led and cared for by Him as they journeyed towards the land of Canaan, their land of promise. When the people failed the Lord, God was yet faithful. Even though they had been obliged to wander 40 years through the wilderness, God still held them as the apple of His eye, and continued leading them and caring for them whatever their circumstances. In the verses of this song cited above, we see God’s love for His people likened to the meticulous care of a mother eagle for her young. Despite the fact that His people often wandered astray, yet God never left His dear ones, but led them faithfully toward their ultimate blessing. In verse 13, the song turns prophetic, describing the benefits of the promised land for Jacob: “He made him ride on the high places of the earth”, and this was a place where He would care for His people, and where they would be blessed beyond their highest expectations. Here, on higher ground, they would eat the increase of the field, and even the honey and oil would be made available to them, as it were, from the very rocks, so abundant would be their blessing.

Now, a sense of actual spiritual elevation might be seen in the prophesy in Micah 4:2. Here, I believe that the city of Jerusalem itself might be thought of to represent a higher spiritual plane. A good friend of mine recently went to Israel, and he reported back on the appearance of the land, and on the scriptural lessons he learned about the places he visited. He described how that Jerusalem was set upon a hill, and thus all journeys away from Jerusalem are described as “going downward”, whether traveling north, south, east or west. Thus, traveling to Jerusalem is spoken of as “going up to Jerusalem, and leaving the place in any direction is phrased “going down”, regardless of the location of the destination on the map. But in a very real way, being that this is the place of the temple, and the site of the Great King’s return, Jerusalem might well be thought of as higher spiritual ground in the sense that it is the place where God will bless His people, and as well, the people of the world. In this portion in Micah 4:2, we read about this ascent to higher ground in that latter day: “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”.

Jerusalem in that day, will be the site of the heavenly city, and the throne of the Great King, who will return there and rule the world in righteousness. At this time, Israel will be blessed, and the nation restored to the glory intended. In this place, all the people of the world will come to be blessed, as they will come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, and to learn of Him. This spiritual ascent to Jerusalem describes that high ground of blessing, traveling upwards to learn more of the Lord and to be cared for by Him. I do believe that this is a beautiful picture of the spiritual ascent which God’s children, believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, may take as they walk with Him today through this wilderness world. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? If so, you are one of God’s people, whom God faithfully leads through a world full of trials and difficulties. We may travel through deep valleys, such as the valley of the shadow of death described in Psalm 23, or perhaps we must course through a dry and thirsty land where no water is, as described in Psalm 63. Come what may, being His dear children, He leads us faithfully along as we walk closely with Him. As we learn more about Him and His lovingkindness towards His own, we daily gain spiritual elevation, growing in the things of the Lord, ever ascending to higher spiritual ground. I believe this is what the hymn writer had in mind in his beautiful words:

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground!

Lord lift me up And let me stand;
By faith on Heaven’s table land.
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord plant my feet on higher ground. (Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1898).

My dear friend, are you one of God’s children? If you are, then you can have full assurance of God’s continuing care for you whatever your station or circumstance in this life. The Lord cares for you even as a mother eagle cares for and teaches her young, so that one day, they may soar along those footless paths, high above the hills and valleys of the earth. Our spiritual ascent is sure, walking hand in hand with the Lord, as He will faithfully lead His dear children along the upward way, to spiritual heights as yet unknown to us. In those higher realms, despite even the most difficult realities of the path, we will be nourished and blessed; while with every foot of our journey, He is leading us to the promised land, which is His rest. In Psalm 121, we read: “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep,” (Psalm 121:3,4). The Lord will not suffer our foot to be moved from the path that leads to glory.

But, my dear friend, if you have not yet believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you cannot have even begun this spiritual ascent. You cannot as yet realize the heights of blessing and comfort that the Lord wants to offer you, even as you read these words. But, this can all change for you in a moment of faith, if you would but believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. In the Gospel of John, we read about the many wonders and signs regarding the Lord Jesus which were written about in that book. The apostle sums up the purpose of this record in John 20:31 where we read, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” Will you believe and have life? It is my prayer for you that just now, you will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Then, as one of His dear children, being ever in His loving care, you will join the countless thousands who are pressing upward daily in faith to higher spiritual ground.