The Great Race VI
Notes
Transcript
Today we close out our study of Hebrews 12 with verses 25-29. One of the things I want us to see here so the importance of God’s word as a whole— the Old and the New Testament. Even though the author of Hebrews uses them to show a contrast— Sinai and Zion— what it also does is show the entire picture. The God of Sinai is the same God of Zion. The God of judgment is the the same God of love at Zion. There are many who teach that the Old Testament is irrelevant now, but this is not true, it is still God’s word, yes we live under a new covenant but that does not mean we can not learn from the old. When you take the two halves they make one picture. Illustration.
The two halves may look different, but they fit together perfectly. This amazing book we have shows us who God is from cover to cover. Okay we are coming up on the finish line of our race, we can see Zion in the distance, but how do we stay the course and finish the race. The answer is obey and worship, this is how we keep moving.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
We are called to a life of obedience, a life dedicated to God. We know this from God’s word, which is unstoppably effectual. We are to not refuse the one who is speaking. Now the author is talking about God . He points out that those who did not want to listen at Sinai did not escape God’s judgement, then how how will we escape, for we are warned from heaven. Those who were disobedient at Sinai faced God’s judgment and never saw the promised land, and since God is unchanging and has now offered us His heavenly message of grace through His Son, no one will escape. Although we move towards a different mountain, we are still moving towards the same God. So what has changed, well, Christ, Christ has not changed but He did change everything. We now come to God at Zion through Christ. But to reject this message to reject the gospel has very serious consequences, eternal consequences. No one will escape God’s warning, if we reject Christ we face the God of judgement. Oh but if we accept Christ, what a wonderful day. We still face the God of judgment, but God’s wrath has been sufficed through Jesus sacrifice—the debt paid—.
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
“At that time” is again referring back to Sinai, when God spoke the ground trembled. And now we see the promise of God’s word not only shaking the earth but the heavens. God’s word is effectual and final, this would be a promise of hope to the Hebrew church, knowing that things would change. It is also a sobering reminder to those who continue to reject Christ, a reminder that they are playing a dangerous game, and one day the game will end, and it will be to late. This is why the author of Hebrews gives warning in verse 25 “see that you do not refuse him who is speaking”. It is that refusal that will cause them to be shaken our of place.
27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
Things must be shaken so that what cannot be shaken is the only thing left. A purge so to speak, getting rid of what cannot stand. God created the universe at His word, the ground shook at His word at Sinai, and the universe that He sustains will be shaken at His word. Revelation 21:1
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Our God that is a consuming fire will make all things new again.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Since God is going to shake things up we should be thankful we are a part of what cannot be shaken—God’s kingdom— through our relationship with Christ. We have been bought and paid for by His blood—cleansed and ushered into the family that cannot be shaken. All of this should cause us to worship God. Acceptable worship takes place when there is authentic “reverence and awe” (Fear of the Lord). Are we here to get or to give. Do we come to God offering ourselves as a living sacrifice or are we coming to God trying to get something. When we come to worship we must keep both mountains in view Sinai and Zion, because God is unchanging. He is the God of Sinai and the God of Zion. There is a theological balance.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Our God in whom we hope is also to be feared. God is love, yet God is also wrath against sin, a consuming fire. We must obey God’s word implicitly, for it is effectual (never fails) and it is final (it will shake the whole universe).
The Great Race VI
The Great Race VI
To believe in God is to totally commit your life to Him, it is not just a statement of fact.