The Tale of Two Kingdoms

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Those are the famous first words from the book “A tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens. In the book he is contrasting the great disparity between the great advances of the 18th century as the industrial revolution was taking shape and opportunities for more people were arising mean while in France there was suffering oppression and injustice.

Two kingdoms. two mountains, two covenants, one of them towers above the other, one of them remains in the shadow of the other. One is a kingdom shrouded in death the other life, one a kingdom of fear the other a kingdom of celebration, one a kingdom of earth the other a kingdom of heaven, one a kingdom of covenant broken, the other of a covenant fulfilled. The worst times are behind us the best is yet to come.

Galatians 4:24–26 ESV

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Galatians 4:30 ESV

But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”

The kingdom represented by Mt. Zion is full of fear and isolation but Mt. Sinai represents celebration and community.

Mt. Sinai represents fear and isolation.

Why does Sinai represent fear and isolation?

Sinai represents the old covenant that the Lord made with the people of Israel. The are preserved for us namely in the 10 commandments, the moral law. The people of Israel after they had left Egypt were in the wilderness of Mt. Sinai encamped at its base. God tells Moses to tell the people in Exodus 19:5-6

Exodus 19:5–6 ESV

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.”

The amazing thing is that a few moments later after hearing these words the people all together said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And if the people of Israel had kept the commands that the Lord had given then what would they have to fear, but also, they did not, in fact after the covenant with the people had been established and Moses comes down from the mountain, what does he find? He finds the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. They had broken the first and second commands, not to worship any other gods, and not to make any graven image. That same day 3,000 Israelites were killed by the hands of their own kin.

Not only does sin separate us from God, it puts brother against brother, it causes division. Contrary to common belief, sin may be public, sin my be private, but the consequences are never private. What we do whether in public or secret effects those around us. It isolates and divides us. Most of you know that we have relatively new puppy, he is a miniature Bernadoodle although admittedly more mountain dog than miniature poodle. Not much miniature about him. But when you correct a dog, and they do something that they know they should not all you have to do is say no, bad dog, and what do they do, they put thier tail between their legs, and go over in the corner away from you. We do the same thing we become distant and isolated and less connected because of our sin.

This is why it is so important for us to keep a short list of sins, to confess our sins to one another and to bring them to light. I remember hearing somewhere a long time ago, I don’t remember where I heard it but it goes like this, “I would rather be judged by men here on earth than to be judged by God in heaven.” The point is this. When we bring to light our sin, before our brothers and sisters, and seek forgiveness and reconciliation in our relationships, we are judging our sin and receiving forgiveness.

The Law brings with is fear of judgement and death, and isolation. The law could never bring about the righteousness of God, it could never bring about life and perfection.

Galatians 3:23–24 ESV

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Mt. Zion represents joy and community.

I want you to see what the kingdom of Mt. Zion is like,

It is the city of the living God.

As opposed to the fear and death of Sinai. Imagine every year people in america by the thousands gather in the Desert for a festival called burning man. The giant wooden man that is burned every year symbolizes the death of the inner violence and social turmoil that man feels. Sound a lot like the Israelites around the golden calf. Such a thing could never create true community, because it is all about self indulgence, and free expression, and ultimately the worship of man.

It is a heavenly kingdom.

As opposed to an earthly one, which it one day will be.

“For you have not come to what can be touched”

It is a kingdom that we long for and desire, it is the same city that in chapter 11 Abraham longed for.

Revelation 11:15 ESV

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

It is a celebration.

We like probably most of you eat at the table most nights together. We set the table and get the food ready and the drink ready. All is prepared and then we sit down. It’s not always perfect there is the occasional grumbling and complaining who is going to do what but for the most part it is a time of connecting and reflecting on the day. But we sit down sometimes we have to wait on on person to arrive at the dinner table. Now imagine the kingdom of God where He is gathering around the throne around the table that is set, and at this table is a seat for every person. And the kingdom rejoices and waits for the time when every saint will join together at the feast.

Who is joining us in the celebration? Innumerable angels, I believe that in light of the context especially of Hebrews 11 and 12:1-2 the great cloud of witnesses, that the all of the old testament saints that went before us that they are the firstborn, God who is the judge of all but we must remember that judgement is not the same as condemnation. We do not fear the punishment of sin because Jesus is also there.

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Jesus endured for us what we could not endure. We do not fear judgment or condemnation.

Hebrews 12:20 ESV

For they could not endure the order that was given,

Hebrews 11:40 ESV

since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Luke 10:38–42 ESV

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Sharing a meal with other people we get to know them? Eating is a very intimidating and intimate. When my wife and I first started dating we went out to dinner and

What if we were a community of people who patterned our church after the church in heaven?

If you say to yourself I am an introvert and don’t like people, or I cant open my home to people, its too much work, I am energized by being by myself, and away from people, rather than one of those who is energized by being around others. I dont know what to tell you, heaven is going to be about community and the assembly of angels and the saints.