HEBREWS 25 Unshaken Kingdom of God (Heb 12:18-29)

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel… Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Heb 12:22-24, 28)

God’s Fearful Presence on Mount Sinai (Heb 12:18-21)
​In this section, the author compares God’s presence on Mount Sinai under the old covenant to the kingdom of God we’ve received under the new covenant.
 
First, the author talks about God’s fearful present on Mount Sinai. Hebrews 12:18-21 says,
 
“You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (Heb 12:18-21)
 
Here, the author describes the moment that God led the Israelites to Mount Sinai after delivering them out of Egypt.  The mountain was touchable. The Israelites could see it with their eyes and directly feel God’s presence.
 
There were visible signs that appeared when God was present on the mountain—burning fire, darkness, gloom, and a trumpet blast. This scene is depicted in Exodus 19. Verses 16-18 say,
 
“There was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled… Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently” (Ex 19:16-18)
 
The Israelites were afraid of these frightening signs of God’s presence. They were overwhelmed by them. None of them could dare to go near the mountain. When they saw the sight, “They trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance” (Ex 20:18).
 
What’s more, they heard God’s voice directly and were terrified by it. So, they begged Moses,
 
“Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Ex 20:19)
 
The visible signs accompanied by God’s presence terrified all the Israelites. They were not ready to meet God or hear his voice.
 
In addition, at that time it was strictly prohibited for people or even animals to go near the mountain. For God had said to Moses,
 
“Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.... No person or animal shall be permitted to live.” (Ex 19:12-13)
 
There was a clear line that the Israelites couldn’t cross. That shows a deep separation between God and people because of sin. God wanted to be with his people, but he couldn’t allow them to come near him. We can see this separation in the structure of the tabernacle. Even though God had the Israelites make the tent of meeting because he wanted to be with them, he didn’t allow them to enter the Most Holy Place where His presence was.
 
That’s the limit of the Old Covenant that was made on Mount Sinai. God’s presence was a terrifying thing. And no one was able to have a direct relationship with him.
 
The City of the Living God (Heb 12:22-24)
But the relationship we have with God through Jesus changed dramatically under the new covenant. Hebrews 12:22-24 says,
 
“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Heb 12:22-24)
 
In the previous passage, the author described 7 characteristics of God’s presence on Mount Sinai under the old covenant. In this passage, we find 7 characteristics of the spiritual blessings we have in Christ under the new covenant.
 
1) Mount Zion, The City of the Living God, and the Heavenly Jerusalem
Here we find another mountain—Mount Zion. It doesn’t refer to a physical mountain, but to a spiritual place. In fact, Mount Zion, the city of the living God, and the heavenly Jerusalem all refer to one place—the kingdom of God.
 
 The visible Mount Sinai was a terrifying place, but the invisible Mount Zion is a place of joy and celebration. There was a line that people couldn’t cross at Mount Sinai, but we can boldly go to Mount Zion without any limitation because our representative and eternal high priest, Jesus, goes ahead of us. By faith in Jesus, we’ve been allowed to enter the kingdom of God.
 
Even though this will happen in the future, the author writes as if it has already taken place. It shows us what faith is.
 
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). By faith we can enjoy the kingdom of God in our present lives. The kingdom of God is where we’ll go in the future, but at the same time, it is what we already see and possess by faith.
 
2) Angels
In this kingdom, we see thousands upon thousands of angels joyfully praising the Lord. This contrasts the fear of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Rather than being filled with fear, we enter the kingdom of God with unending joy, surrounded by innumerable angels.
 
3) The Church of the Firstborn
The author also says that we’ve come to the church of the firstborn. This refers to all those who are saved by Jesus Christ. We are the firstborn because we share in the inheritance of Jesus, God’s firstborn, through our faith in him.
 
4) God, the Judge of All
We’ve also come before God, the Judge of all. This refers to us standing before God’s throne of judgment. But this judgment is in fact good news to believers because God will declare us righteous on that day.
 
5) The Spirits of the Righteous
We’ve come to the spirits of the righteous made perfect. This shows that we’ll be complete in Jesus. We’ll be perfectly glorified and there will be no separation between God and us anymore.
 
6) Jesus the Mediator of a New Covenant
That’s what Jesus achieved as our High Priest. He is the mediator of the new covenant.
 
7) To the Sprinkled Blood
Under the old covenant, animal sacrifices couldn’t perfectly cleanse people from their sins, so they had to offer the same sacrifices year after year. But as our High Priest, Jesus obtained eternal redemption once for all by his own blood. Under the new covenant, we can go to the Most Holy Place with confidence through Jesus Christ.
 
This is where we are spiritually in Jesus. We’ve come to the city of the living God, an assembly of angels, the church of the firstborn, God, the Judge of all, the spirits of the righteous, Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and the sprinkled blood.
 
This is not only what we’ll have in the future but also what we can enjoy now in our present lives by faith. These are the spiritual realities the author of Hebrews wants us to know.
 
Do Not Refuse Him Who Speaks
Then, how should we live with this knowledge? What are the spiritual lessons that the author wants to give us through this?
 
Let’s read the last paragraph of Hebrews 12.
“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken - that is, created things - so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:25-29)
 
Here, once again, the author compares the Israelites under the old covenant and God’s people under the new covenant.
 
The Israelites under the old covenant which was inferior to the new covenant refused God and couldn’t escape his judgment. Then, how much more severe will the judgment we face be if we deliberately disregard and disdain God’s word?
 
The last judgment God will bring on earth will be much broader and larger than all judgments in the past. He shook the earth before, but he will shake both the heavens and earth this time and no one will be able to escape from his judgment. Here, the author quotes Haggai 2:6-7, which says,
 
“In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory” (Hg 2:6-7)
 
So, the time is coming when God will shake everything. He will judge everyone and those who refuse him will be judged severely on that day.
 
Everything in heaven and on earth will be shaken. By doing so, God will renew and restore everything “so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”
 
The Unshakable Kingdom of God
Here, what cannot be shaken refers to the kingdom of God. Even when everything is shaken, we won’t be shaken but will have peace because the kingdom we’ll receive is the kingdom that can’t be shaken. We will rely on God in the midst of the last judgment and he will protect us.
 
Those who are outside of the new covenant will face eternal judgment, but those who are in the new covenant will enter the unshakable kingdom of God and enjoy their salvation eternally.
 
Then, where should we put our hope? We shouldn’t put our hope in earthly things that will be shaken and fade away, but in God and his kingdom.
 
It’s important to take note that when the author of Hebrews talks about permanence and stability, he always relates them to Jesus.
 
Hebrews 1:10-12 says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” (Heb 1:10-12)
 
Everything will change, but Jesus will remain the same forever. Everything in the world will perish but his kingdom will be established forever. And Jesus is always faithful to us even when we’re not faithful to him. Whenever we need him and seek him, he will be there for us. Those who rely on worldly things will be shaken on the last day, but those who put their trust in Jesus won’t be shaken.
 
That’s the promise we have in God. We’re promised to inherit the kingdom of God “that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Pt 1:4)
 
By faith, we “are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pt 1:5).
 
That’s the spiritual blessing and inheritance we should always seek in our lives. We should never exchange this spiritual gift for worldly things. As those who are promised to receive the unshakable kingdom of God, we shouldn’t refuse God when he speaks to us, but be thankful always and worship God with reverence and awe.