In Hebrews chapter 12 there is a particularly encouraging contrast presented.
* It is a contrast with God as He manifested Himself to people under the Old Covenant and His manifestation under the New Covenant.
* It is the contrast of the awesome power, majesty, holiness and wrath of God with His love, mercy, grace and compassion.
Under the Old Covenant, God was associated with thundering and lightning, thick clouds and fire and the sound of a trumpet that was so loud the people trembled. But under the New Covenant the awesomeness of God is manifested in a different way.
Our lesson begins at Hebrews 12:18-19:
Heb 12:18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
Heb 12:19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
The background for the Hebrews 12 passage can be found in Exodus chapters 19:1-25 and chapter 20 where under the Old Covenant the voice of God evoked fear and trembling.
The presence of God was manifested in an awesome display of His power:
Exo 20:18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.
Exo 20:19 Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."
At Mt. Sinai, Moses would talk to God on a regular basis but he never got used to the awesome display of God’s power.
Heb 12:21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling."
Have you gotten used to God? Have you gotten too comfortable with God? Have you lost the sense of awe and wonder when you enter into the presence of God? Do you lack the reverence you once had for Him?
In what is called, “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus teaches His disciples how they would pray and starts out in Matthew 6:9 with those familiar words, “Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” In Jesus’ own prayers He refers to God as “Holy Father.”
Have you gotten too comfortable with God? Some of us demonstrate a lack of awe, wonder and respect by the way we drag ourselves to church on the Lord’s Day. Some of us miss “The Lord’s Day” once or twice a month—giving preference to other endeavors that do not come close to measuring up to His majesty and worth. We come distracted and unfocused—even disinterested; thinking more about our problems than His praise.
Do you demonstrate a lack of longing to be with Him? Do you take delight in Him when you come to church or do you arrive with an attitude of indifference—church is just another slot on your weekly appointment calendar?
If this describes you then you need to meditate on Psalm 100 where the hymn writer says,
“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”
Never get casual with God. Never get comfortable with Him. He is more than “the man upstairs.” He is high, holy and lifted up. He is awesome and terrifying. While He is full of loving-kindness and tender mercies, He is more deserving to be treated as someone we call out to only when it is convenient for us.
The song says, “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God.” Some of us have gotten too comfortable with this awesome God. Have you gotten comfortable with our awesome God?
Earlier in the book of Exodus is the account of God delivering the children of Israel through the Red Sea and drowning the Egyptians. Moses and the children of Israel were so awestruck, they wrote a song to commemorate the event. Here is a verse from it:
Exo 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.
Exo 15:11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
This is the picture the Old Testament presents of God. And this is the picture the writer of Hebrews wants to remind his readers of in order to make a contrast. He wants to remind them of this side of God so that he might introduce to them another side of God.
* When you know something about the wrath of God then you will appreciate His love.
* When you know something about the justice of God then you will better appreciate His mercy.
* When you know something about the fierce anger of God you will appreciate His patience and longsuffering.
* When you know something about the awesome power of God you will appreciate His gentleness and compassion.
Two Mountains
In Hebrews chapter 12 our lesson begins at two mountains, Mount Sinai and Mount Zion.
In the book of Exodus we learn that God called Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and told him to instruct the people in how they were to prepare to receive the Ten Commandments. Moses was told to go back down to the people and have them prepare for God’s descent upon the mountain in three days.
The people were to wash their clothes and set a boundary around the mountain so that no one would go up into the mountain or even touch it under the penalty of death.
On the third day God came down upon the mountain and called Moses to come up to receive the Ten Commandments. While Moses was delayed on the mountain, the people abandoned God and made a golden calf to worship. Because of this, God was very angry and about three thousand were killed. Sometime later, the children of Israel would again gather around Mount Sinai to receive God’s law.
Now in Hebrews 12:18, by way of contrast, Christians are told that they are not gathered around Mount Sinai, instead, they have come to Mount Zion. (vs. 22)
It is interesting to note that on the day Moses came down from Mt. Sinai 3000 were slain (Exodus 32:28), but on the day the church was established in Mount Zion, 3000 were saved (Acts 2).
The first part of Hebrews 12:22 is a description of Mount Zion. She is called, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. The contrast again is Mt. Sinai with Mt. Zion. Mt. Sinai represents the Old Covenant of Law, and Mt. Zion represents the New Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ (see Gal. 4:19-31).
The heavenly city is God’s Mt. Zion (see Psalm 2; 110:1-2, 4). Mt. Zion is the city of the living God—the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city that the patriarchs were looking for by faith (Heb. 11:10, 14-17). Hebrews 11:10 says that Abraham “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
In Hebrews 12:22-24, the writer identifies five groups of individuals dwelling in Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Let’s look at each of them.
Myriads of Angels
First, there are “myriads of angels.” Literally, this phrase can be translated “myriads of angels in festal gathering.” In other words, these are probably millions of angels celebrating.
The Bible lets us know that angels have always been spectators of what God was doing in dealing with humans and saving them from sin:
* Luke 2 – the rejoice as the message of the Incarnation was given to the Shepherds.
* Luke 15 says, “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
* 1 Peter 1:12 tells us that angels desire to look into the results of the preaching of the Gospel.
* In Rev 5:11-12 the Apostle John tells us that angels worship in heaven along with believers saying, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
In our text, the picture from the book of Hebrews has myriads of angels gathered at Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem celebrating. This contrasts with the angels gathered at Mt. Sinai, who were there as protectors of the glory and presence of God—one slip up, one touch of the forbidden mountain by the children of Israel, the angels of God would strike them down.
But at Mt. Zion, the angels are gathered for a joyful, festive purpose.
The General Assembly and the Church of the First-born who are Enrolled in Heaven
Not only was there an innumerable company of angels gathered at Mt. Zion, there was also “the general assembly and the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven.”
This group includes all those who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior from Acts 2 until the Rapture—“the church of the first-born.”.
The terminology "firstborn" comes from the Greek word (prototokos) and is a reference to priority of position of Jesus. It is a term that emphasizes quality or kind, not time. The term “first-born” does not refer to Jesus' birth in the time of the Virgin Mary. It is referring to His preeminence among those who have risen from the dead, conquering sin.
In other words, Jesus is not a created being like us. In Colossians chapter one, the Scriptures say, “all things were created by Him, and were created for Him.” Not only did Jesus create all things, but it is by the word of His power that everything holds together (vs. 17). Colossians also says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity of the Godhead (KJV) lives in bodily form...”
Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and is the Head of the body, the church. When our text speaks of the general assembly and the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, it is speaking of those who have trusted and are following Jesus Christ, who is the Preeminent One!
God, the Judge of all
The third person inhabiting the heavenly Jerusalem is God Himself.
Heb 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all…
Revelation 21 tells us that God manifests and reveals His glorious presence in this heavenly Jerusalem:
Rev 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
By the way, the New Jerusalem is not heaven, it is the capital of heaven. Now there have been three Jerusalems...the historical Jerusalem, there is a millennial Jerusalem and then the eternal Jerusalem which I think is the capital city of eternity. The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven from God already prepared. Who prepared it? Jesus said in John 14, “I go to prepare a place for you…”
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Rev 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
God dwells in this city, Mt. Zion, as the “Judge of all.”
The Spirits of Righteous Men Made Perfect
The fourth group who inhabit the heavenly city are called “the spirits of the righteous made perfect.” Most Bible scholars believe this is a reference to the Old Testament saints. They are called 'spirits' because they are not yet in their heavenly bodies. They left their bodies immediately upon death and entered into the presence of God. They currently live in the New Jerusalem as spirit beings.
This is an important message to the Hebrews who wanted to return to the system followed by Abraham, Moses, and the rest of the Old Testament saints. This is a reminder that the Old Testament system has been abolished, being fulfilled in Christ Jesus. The Old Testament followers of Jehovah like Abraham, David, Moses, Esther and Ruth have been made partakers of the New Covenant. They live in the heavenly city too.
Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant
The fifth resident of heaven is the focal point. He is “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.”
Heb 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
By the time we get to this chapter, the readers have already been introduced to this “new covenant.” It has already been examined in detail in Hebrews 9. Hebrews 9:15 says, 'And for this reason He (Jesus) is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.'
In other words, Christ instituted this New Covenant by voluntarily giving Himself to die on a cross for the sins of mankind. His death pays the price of sin for both those who by faith followed God under the Old Covenant and those who would follow God through faith in Christ under the New Covenant.
Remember that Jesus was the “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) He is the “mercy seat,” that is, He is our propitiation. This means that He is the One who’s sacrifice on the Cross satisfied God’s justice and holy demand for judgment on sin.
Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sin of Adam and the sin of the world. (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10)
The Old Covenant required the high priest to enter into the innermost court of the tabernacle with the blood of a slain animal to make atonement for the sins of the people. This Day of Atonement would take place year after year.
But when God’s Lamb came on the sin, Hebrews 9:12 tells us that He didn’t come with the blood of bulls and goats. It says, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood (Jesus) entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant will reside in Mt. Zion, the heavenly city. In the book of the Revelation John writes, “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain….then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne…And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…”” (Rev. 5:6-9)
Who is this Lamb? It is Jesus!
The writer of the book of Hebrews points out that Jesus, the Lamb of God, is in the heavenly Jerusalem. He is the focal point; the spotlight is on Him. He is the center attraction; all eyes are fixed on Him.
Hebrews 12 goes on to say…”to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” (vs 24)
Do you remember what God said to Cain after he had killed Abel? He said, “...the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). For what did the blood of Abel cry out?
The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance. That was the focus of the whole Mosaic system. Judgment and vengeance!
* Exo 21:12 "He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
* Exo 21:15 "And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. Exo 21:17 "And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
* Lev 20:10 'The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.
* Lev 20:13 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
At Mt Sinai it was nothing but death, death, death!
God, by His very nature has to deal with sin. When Cain killed Abel, the blood of Abel cried out for vengeance because that is exactly what Cain deserved. Since God is holy, He has to deal with sin. He is the God of judgment and vengeance!
The theme of the book of Hebrews is “Christ is superior—Christ is better!” The New Covenant that Jesus has instituted brings something much better. The Law killed but Jesus brought life (2 Corinthians 3:6). His blood does not demand vengeance, rather, it brings forgiveness, salvation, and redemption. How does this happen?
When Jesus died on the Cross, He was in essence being executed for you and for me. We were the guilty ones and Jesus was the innocent One who was put to death to pay the penalty for the sins that we committed.
2 Cor 5:21 - For God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Pet 3:18 - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
Under the Old Covenant, the shedding of blood appeased the demand of a holy God for justice and vengeance but under the New Covenant, the blood of Jesus totally satisfied this demand, paying the penalty for our sin and bringing forgiveness, salvation, and redemption.
When the children of Israel stood at the base of Mt. Sinai, they were deathly afraid. God told Moses to tell the people to prepare to meet Him. They were told that in order to meet with Him they had to wash their clothes. Since no one puts clean clothes on a dirty body—they more than likely washed themselves as well.
When I was a boy, on Saturday nights we were made to take a bath—how about you? We took a bath and laid out clean dress clothes that we were to wear to church the next day. We did this because we were coming to worship God who was worthy of this kind of respect and reverence.
Exodus 19:14-15 tells us that under the Old Covenant the children of Israel were to cleanse themselves in order to stand in the presence of the Lord. The New Covenant requires a cleansing as well.
Heb 10:19-22 - Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
One can only enter into the presence of the Lord through a cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is not by our works, not by water baptism, not by church membership, or even our heritage, that we become citizens of the heavenly city. It is only by the 'Mediator of a new covenant,' Jesus Christ, through whom we received salvation and an eternal home in 'Zion.'
The message that God provides through Jesus Christ is redemption and forgiveness. In verse 25, the writer continues to develop this idea. He gives a strong word of warning about the danger of failing to believe the message that God is giving today in the person of Christ.
He says, 'See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.' (Hebrews 12:25)
The phrase 'See to it' is written in the present imperative, meaning it is something we are continually to be doing. We are continually to be alert that we do not 'refuse Him who is speaking.' Who is the “He who is speaking”? He who is speaking is the person mentioned in verse 24, 'Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.' It also refers to the first chapter of the book of Hebrews where we saw that God '...in these last days has spoken to us in His Son...' (Hebrews 1:2).
On Mt. Sinai when God spoke the people begged Moses to speak to them himself and not God because they were afraid. God was giving them His law but they refused to hear it for fear. In Hebrews 12 we are warned by God not to refuse to hear what He has to say through His Son because refusing to hear is the same as rejecting Him.
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,
* This King is the same God who quaked the mountain at Sinai.
* This is the same God who caused the lightning and the thundering.
* He is the same God that revealed Himself in fire and dark smoke.
* He is the same God who prohibited His people from coming near under penalty of death.
* He is the same “...yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8).
But now because of Christ, under the New Covenant, we can draw near. When God shook Mount Sinai, the people recoiled in fear and trembling. But when the next shaking comes, those who have a firm foundation in Christ shall not be moved.
Since we are, by God’s grace, entering a kingdom which cannot be shaken, the writer says, “let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.” In other words, our fear and trembling is now tempered by love and gratitude.
The song Awesome God says, He is an awesome God but with wisdom, power and love. We still remember “the judgment and wrath He poured out on Sodom” but we also greatly rejoice in “the mercy and grace He gave us at the cross.”
Chapter 12 ends with a very strong warning, “For our God is a consuming fire.” (vs. 29) This is telling us that we must worship God in light of what Christ has done, with 'reverence and awe,' because God is a 'consuming fire.'
This is a reference to Deuteronomy 4:24 where the smoke and fire on Mt. Sinai are a reminder of the holiness of God which would consume and devour anyone who would not obey His command.
The message to the Hebrews and to us ought to be clear; worship God in an acceptable way—in spirit and truth—with reverence, awe and preparation.
Our choice is: Worship God in a way that is pleasing to Him by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross or be condemned because of your own choice to reject God’s free gift of salvation.
The choices are crystal clear:
* Remain at the foot of Mount Sinai and face the fierce and terrible wrath of God as He judges your sin.
* Run to Mount Zion and find grace and forgiveness in the person of Jesus Christ who resides in the city of the living God.
* Under the Old convent God says: “Stay back.”
* Under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ God says, “Draw near;” “Come to Me.”
* In Exodus 3:5 God told Moses, “Do not come any closer," "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
* In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
John 6:35 - "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
John 7:37 - "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
James 4:8 - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Rev 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
