Hebrews 12:18-24—The Tale of Two Mountains

MP—Through Christ’ righteousness we belong to a spiritual, eternal, and unshakeable kingdom.

Introduction

In our text today we are given a picture of two different places where God meets to speak with his people.

Mt. Sinai and Mt Zion.

Both are significant, but eternally different. Both are significant, but eternally different.

Through this comparison we can see that free and confident access to God the Father is available, not through the Old Covenant, which was given at Sinai, but the New Covenant celebrated at Zion.

The original audience would have been encourage by the contrast between the two mountains to persevere knowing that they can “boldly approach the throne of grace through the shed blood of Christ.

In a time when the world was judging them because of their beliefs, but God, the eternal judge of all, has accepted them by the shed blood of Jesus, which has cleansed them from all sin.

They are accepted as Jesus is accepted

as a beloved son in whom God is well pleased.

So let’s look to the hills and see where our help comes from...

vv.18-21—Mt. Sinai; The Unapproachable Mountain

I will be referencing both accounts of Mt. Sanai, the first given in Exodus and the other given in Deuteronomy.

You may remember that God delivered his people from Egyptian slavery and at Mt. Sinai he gave them a set of laws to govern and teach them how to live as his representative people. However, the rebelled against God and were not allowed to go directly into the promised land, so God made that generation wander in the desert for 40 years.

Once that generation died off, the next generation was able to enter the promised land, so just before Moses died he gathered everyone together to teach them what they needed to know before entering the the land of promise.

Ex. 19:1-6 “On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””

Ex. 19:16-18 “On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.”

Already we can see God’s holiness and majesty emphasized by natural signs which accompanied his presence. At Sinai, under the old covenant, the emphasis was on the infinite distance between God and man.”

Sinai and the law are a reminder of sin and separation.

UNAPPROACHABLE

v.18— “We have not come to what may be touched...”

The presence of God was so powerful that an animal that happened to stray to close to the mountain must be killed.

The presence of God was unapproachable.

Ex. 19:12-13 “And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”

The was unapproachable and the voice of God was so overwhelming that the people couldn’t bear it, so they employed Moses to be their mediator. To go between them and God. They believed that if God were to go on speaking to them they would die!

“v.19— The voice of YEWEH was such that “the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.”

Deut 5:25-27 “Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’”

Sinai struck fear in the hearts of God’s people.

Fearful —The Law was given under the penalty of death.

Heb. 12:20 “For they could not endure the order that was given.

They knew that they should not be in God’s presence, and that they could not keep his law perfectly.

This is further displayed by the tabernacle and the priestly system. The Holy of Holies was where the presence of God dwelt, and the priest was the only one who could go in on the day of atonement.

Ordinary people couldn’t come and approach God, and no one could come whenever they wanted to.

Mt. Sanai reminds us that the law of God cannot give access to God, but in fact the law condemns.

Gal. 3:10 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.””

The dread of Sinai was such that even Moses trembled with fear.

The shadow of Sinai reminds us that the law could never fully deal with sin, God’s judgement, and was therefore inadequate!

Vv. 22-24–Mt. Zion— The Accessible Mountain

ACCESSIBLE

v.22— You have not come to Sinai, “For you have come to Mount Zion”

There is an “already, but not-yet dimension to this promise. We have come to Zion, but they have not yet experienced all of the blessings and benefits of Zion.

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

Phil 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Zion in the OT was a place captured by David, connected with Jerusalem, and is considered “God’s Holy mountain.”

Ps. 132:13-14 “For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

This is already true, but is also not yet fully experienced.

v.22—“City of the living God” “The heavenly Jerusalem”

The recipients of this letter were being persecuted and were tempted to turn away from God for temporal earthly comforts, and here they are being told that there is a better city, and you have come to Zion!

Abraham — Heb. 11:10 “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

The dwelling place of God

Ps. 48.2 Mount Zion, the city of the great King.”

From Zion God the Father and the Son rule and reign justly over all things.

v.23—God is the judge, and to come into his presence means you have been declared holy!

v.22b— You have come to “Innumerable angels in festal robes”

Guys, if Sinai was a place of fear, Zion is a festival!

Rev. 5:11-12 “Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!””

The dwelling place of God’s people

v.23— You have come to Zion, to “the assembly (the church) of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.”

This is the gathering of the NT saints who are born of Christ; he is the first born .

Rom. 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

This assembly is made up of those whose names are “enrolled in heaven.”

Those foreknown by God have been predestined unto salvation, therefore Jesus says, in Luke 10:20, to rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

We rejoice because our righteousness is a foriegn righteousness, it is not our own, but Jesus’.

And in Rev. 21:27, we are told that only those who names are written in the lambs book of life will enter the city of God.

This assembly is also made up of the “Righteous made perfect”—perfected OT saints (Heb. 11:40), who have been perfected in Christ, not the law.

v.24— You have come to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant

Sinai is linked to Moses as mediator of the OC, while Zion is linked to Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant.

You see, those who are enrolled in heaven, can freely come to God through the Son, and they are considered righteous and are made perfect by his atoning work. As mediator of the OC, Moses could never do this!

Heb. 8:6 Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”

By his blood we have been cleansed. Jesus’ sprinkled blood is better than Abel’s, even though Abel’s blood of sacrifice was acceptable before God—his sacrifice could not atone for sin.

Abel’s blood spoke from the earth and cried for justice (Gen. 4:10), while Christ’s blood speaks from heaven and announces mercy for sinners. Abel’s blood made Cain feel guilty (and rightly so) and drove him away in despair (Gen. 4:13–15); but Christ’s blood frees us from guilt and has opened the way into the presence of God. Were it not for the blood of Christ, we could not enter this heavenly city, the presence of God!

Jesus’ blood is better because it is perfect, it makes perfect, and by it we can “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts cleansed from an evil conscience and our bodies washed pure white (Heb. 10:22).

Sinai says come, try, and by your efforts, die.

Zion says come, be, and by the righteousness of Jesus, live

Prayer — So we come to you, Oh God, in the all-prevailing name of Jesus, with nothing of my own to plead, no works, no worthiness, no promises, but solely by the name of Christ, Amen!