Evangelism 101 - Part 5 - A Tale Of Two Mountains: Mt. Sinai And Mt. Zion Series

The danger of rejecting God is certain judgment. The writer says, “For if those did not escape when they refused Him on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25)

If those who refused God in the Old Testament were judged by God, how much more will He judge those who refuse His superior revelation in Jesus Christ?

The writer ends this chapter with one last contrast in verse 26. He says; 'And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, `yet once more, I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.' (Hebrews 12:26)

Again, one will notice the contrast between 'then' and 'now.' We saw in Exodus 19 that when God descended on Mt. Sinai, the whole mountain quaked violently. Now He “has promised saying `yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”

This is a reference to Haggai 2:6-7: “For thus says the LORD of hosts: “Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,” says the LORD of hosts.”

Here we are told that another shaking will come that is far more significant than any of the shaking at Mt. Sinai. Before Christ returns to earth, there will be a terrible tribulation, and at that time, all creation (land, sea, stellar heavens, etc) will undergo complete upheaval.

There is coming a day when Christ will return and all those who rejected Him will experience a judgment that far surpasses anything the Israelites experienced in connection with Mt. Sinai. (See also Zechariah 14:4, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 6:12-17)

The first shaking was that which occurred at Mt. Sinai, but now the next shaking (Hebrews 12:27 says) will result in the removal of “created things.”

The picture is of a tree that has rotten fruit or dead leaves. When it is shaken, those things are removed from the tree. The purpose of this latter shaking will be to shake loose the 'bad fruit' (unbelievers). He will remove them from His kingdom, which will be established in righteousness. But those who have trusted in the person and work of Jesus Christ for salvation will not be removed by judgment and will enter into eternity as citizens of Mt. Zion, the heavenly city.

In verse 28 the writer says, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”

The phrase “we receive a kingdom” is written in the present tense. Those who have trusted Christ as Lord and Savior are in the process of receiving a kingdom because that kingdom has not been established yet. But when the kingdom is finished being created it will be one that 'cannot be shaken.'

The heavenly city will be safe, secure, and eternal. Everyone who is allowed to enter the kingdom will experience the same security, and the same stability that characterizes the kingdom and the King who rules over it. In other words,