The Voice from Heaven

Hebrews 12:25-29

In the previous section we discussed the two covenants.

Mount Sinai- The Law

Mount Zion- Grace

The writer was concerned that Hebrew Christians were being tempted to return to the Old Covenant. He warned them by reminding them of what happened when Moses received the law:

Blazing fire

Darkness

Wind

Trumpet

Voice that made the hearers beg not to hear it again

Moses trembling

He reminded them how much better the new covenant in Christ is:

Angels in festal gathering

City of the Living God

Assembly of the firstborn

Jesus

Covenant of mercy instead of justice

In this section he continues the thought. He ends the chapter with a reminder that one day the One who has spoken from heaven will speak again. When He does it will be a final time. Judgement will come to the earth. Only those who are a part of the new covenant will be safe.

v. 25 “See that you do not” This is a warning.

“Refuse” Notice refused is used again later “when they refused”.

“reject” is used as well “if we reject Him”.

The warning is against rejecting Christ.

These are people who have already said they accepted Christ.

The question is “Can one reject Christ after they have accepted Him?”

The answer is yes. But we understand that their initial acceptance of Jesus was only an intellectual one. They believed the facts about Jesus.

If you get to a place in your life where you reject Christ, you can’t say “I’m ok” because there was a point in your life you accepted Him.

If you reject Christ it proves your “acceptance” of Him was not a sincere one.

“Him who is speaking” This is Christ. The book opens by telling us in these last days God is speaking to us through Christ (1:2).

In 12:24 we saw the blood of Jesus speaking. It was speaking for us. For our salvation.

Now we see Christ speaking to us. Christ is God so God is speaking.

There was a voice speaking to Moses on Sinai (12:19) when the Old Covenant was given.

That same voice has spoken to them through the New Covenant.

“They refused him” the Jewish people under the Old Covenant refused the words of Moses.

“him who warned them on earth” The words of Moses were the words of God. But the focus here is on the prophet who spoke the words.

He is contrasted with Jesus who speaks from heaven.

The Jewish people in Moses day did not escape the punishment of God. They refused Moses.

The current generation is refusing one greater than Moses- Jesus. Therefore, their judgment would be even greater.

Because it’s a greater covenant the consequences of rejecting the covenant are greater.

God has spoken to this world through the work of Christ. That message has been extended into the darkest places you can imagine. The cross is almost a universal symbol.

Think about our culture:

The amount of churches

TV/Radio

Christians

Tracts

Symbols (crosses and steeples)

God is speaking right now to this world through the new covenant. The simple gospel message is easy to understand and should not be refused.

v. 26 “At that time” When Moses received the Law the earth shook (Exodus 19:18). We’ve already discussed what the Israelites experienced when they saw the mountain Moses was on. It was a frightening ordeal.

“His voice shook the earth’ His voice was all it took to shake the earth. This highlights the power of God.

“now He has promised” in this dispensation more than the earth will shake. He quotes the prophet Haggai 2:6.

The promise from Haggai is a coming shaking of the heavens and the earth. In other words, all of God’s creation will be shaken. It will not be a localized shaking like it was in Moses’ day. It will be universal.

This will happen when Jesus returns (2 Thess. 1:7-10). We should notice something here. When the prophets spoke, God spoke.

“he has promised” The promise was given through Haggai but by God. We can trust the Bible. The world wants to convince you the Bible is not the Word of God. They will say “It was written by man.” To some degree they are right. It was recorded by men but inspired by the Holy Spirit.

v. 27 This is a great verse because it gives us commentary on an Old Testament passage. It tells us what Haggai meant.

‘Shaken’ means that God is going to remove some things from his creation.

“things that have been made” These are physical things. The purpose of the shaking is to remove some things so they can be replaced by others.

“things that cannot be shaken” are the eternal things God will establish for His glory and His people.

When Christ returns, He will create a new heaven and earth. His kingdom will be established, and His people will be established.

This should be a wake-up call for all of us. There are some people who only possess things that can be shaken. When Jesus returns everything they have built will crumble to the ground.

How much of what you are working for in life is temporary? What will be shaken when Jesus returns?

Your house

Your bank account

Your entertainment

Your sin

Let me share with you what will not be shaken when Jesus returns.

What Jesus has :

Said- His word remains

Saved- His people remain

Secured- Your treasures will remain

Set-up- Your home in heaven will remain

Notice something else. It says these are things that “cannot be shaken.”

No one can shake them. There is no threat at all to what God has prepared for Himself and His people.

v. 28 This is how we should respond to the wonderful gift of God’s unshakeable kingdom.

Let’s begin by thinking of what believers have received.

“A kingdom that cannot be shaken” When we think of our eternity, we should keep in mind we are a part of a kingdom. We don’t just enjoy a mansion on a hillside. We inherit the earth. The kingdom of God is ours. Everything the King enjoys we are a part of.

We should be grateful. This is the proper response. We should worship God in reverence and awe.

God shakes all of creation and we are still standing. We should praise Him for that. When we see the strength and beauty of the kingdom of God it will humble us. We will be in awe of all that we see. We will be amazed that we are a part of it.

There is no reason we must wait to express humility, awe and reverence for the gift of God’s Kingdom.

We thank the Lord for the temporary things, don’t we?

You know you want always have:

Your health

Your home

Your money

Your friends

You know these things are passing away.

Yet you praise God for them.

How much more should we praise God for the things we know will not be shaken at the return of Christ?

Instead of entertaining the thought of leaving this new covenant the Hebrew Christians should be praising God for being a part of it. Why would we ever want to leave what God has promised us?

v. 29 Notice this verse says “Our God is a consuming fire.”

It doesn’t say Moses’ God was.

It doesn’t say our God was.

It says our God is.

God never changes. The God Moses met on the mountain is the same God that saved us. There are two covenants but only one God. God is just as much a consuming fire today as He was when He gave the Law to Moses on Sinai.

The Bible says when Jesus returns, He will return “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God.” (2 Thess. 1:8).

God’s mercy is granted to us because we are in the new covenant. We are in Christ. The grace of God has been granted to us through our faith in Jesus. This serves as a reminder to those Hebrew Christians entertaining the thought of returning to the Old Covenant.

The mercy of Jesus cannot be found under the Law. Only judgment and condemnation are found there. If we refuse Christ, we refuse grace. If we refuse grace, we must face the wrath of God.

Christ speaks to the world. He speaks through the gospel. He invites the world to come to Himself and find grace. If they do they can be sure when He shakes the earth they will remain.