PERSONAL JOURNAL/MEDITATION AND REFLECTION: Hebrews 12:18-29

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,

19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.

20 For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.”

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

25 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 will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

26 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.”

27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 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;

29 for our God is a consuming fire.

“For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.” The preacher points to the wilderness generations experience at Mount Sinai. When the Lord spoke to the people from the mountain they trembled with fear. Listen to the words from Exodus 19, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, `Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.’ So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, ‘Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.’” This was no little thing for the people to endure. This was a terrifying thing. God is an awesome God and one to be feared.

“For they could not bear the command, ‘If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.’ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, ‘I am full of fear and trembling.’ But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” But we are the New Covenant people and we do not live in constant fear of God and His mighty judgment. Rather, we have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, which is the heavenly Jerusalem. Not the Jerusalem where the priest offered the sacrifices and the people are making pilgrimages, but to the one in heaven which is to come down in the end. We come to the place were the angles dwell and worship God. And we come to God, we enter into His throne room and stand before the great and mighty Judge without fear for He is our Father. And we enter into the general assembly and to the church of the first born, Jesus Christ, who are in heaven along with the Old Covenant righteous who have been made perfect by the blood of the Lamb, and into the presence of Jesus, our mediator before the Father in the New Covenant where the blood has been sprinkled to bring reconciliation between sinful men and God. Oh, how much better this blood is than the blood of Able.

“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 will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.” The God who speaks is speaking. He spoke through the prophets and now in His Son. Listen up! “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.’ This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” By the power of His word He will shake the earth and the heavens. All that will be left what He has established as unshakeable. He is going to in completely do away with the physical and establish the enternal. “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”. Worship should be the response to such a great gift. God has prepared for us a place of eternal dwelling that will never be damaged by sin. There is never to be anything wrong in this unshakeable kingdom and this should lead to praise and adoration. But for those who are not apart of this kingdom, “our God is a consuming fire” and should be greatly feared.