A Tale of Two Mountains

Intro - There are two mountains in your life with God. Either the Mt. of Sinai representing the law, rules and the effort of your flesh or the Mt. Zion representing God’s grace and provision for your sin. While the former may offer satisfaction of the flesh it also offers the disappointment of failure. The latter relies upon complete trust but offers unmitigated delight of the Lord.

The Fear of Sinai

Hebrews 12:18–21 ESV

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”

The Covenant of Moses was unapproachable because of sin

God was a distant deity who had dominion and was based in reverential fear

This is where the Hebrews learned about God and that He was righteous....and they were not.

Sinai produced fear even in friends of God like Moses

The Hebrews in this passage were cut off from that which was physical, Mt. Sinai and the things associated with it, yet it was exactly that which they should fear.

There is one multiple two paths to God, one through the Law and the other through the Cross of Christ.

Some think they can approach God’s majesty directly.

Yet that path, while righteous, is impassible.

How does God’s righteousness impact your walk?

What does the fear of God look like in your life?

How do you think the Hebrews viewed God? What can you learn from it? What did they not understand?

The Favor of Zion

Hebrews 12:22–24 ESV

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:22-

Yet unlike Mt. Sinai, Mt. Zion, representing the New Covenant of God is approachable

Rather than a earthly location, you partcipate in the heavenly city.

Imagine the picture the Hebrews were seeing in Jerusalem, trampled by a foreign power, and a temple corrupted by the greed and immorality of the priesthood and perpetual death

Now they have a heavenly city of a God of

Instead they are gifted with the city of the living God, incorruptible and heavenly.

Angels that are rejoicing and those OT saints that have already gone ahead.

And while Abel offered a sacrifice that was accepted by God, Jesus’ sacrifice was far superior.

You can actually approach God, the one who was previously feared and unapproachable, is now not only approachable but WELCOMING!

How have you focused too much on the physical things of God rather than the spiritual things?

What do the blessings gifted in the passage mean for your walk with God?

How can we as a family of Christ encourage one another to pursue the heavenly things of God?

The Fire of Yahweh

Hebrews 12:25–29 ESV

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. 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.” 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. 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, for our God is a consuming fire.

Yet, although the God at Sinai was terrifying and the God we serve now is approachable, make no mistake it is the same God

If you reject the God of Grace make not mistake that same God will be a God of Wrath for you!

This is not the American God that grants all mercy no matter their disposition

This world, this nation, and the people and things that are in it will be shaken!

Shaken doesn’t mean to quake but to be removed.

Imagine someone sifting through the mud trying to find gold. They get a filter and they shake and shake all of the sediment away until that which is valuable remains

If you reject the God of Heaven, who approaches you in peace, you will get the God of Sinai, who is a consuming fire

Make no mistake God desires to be approached by His people but with them never forgetting to do so with reverance and awe

Why is it important to keep in mind that the God of the Old Covenant is the same God of the New Covenant?

How can you live a life of worship to God with reverence and awe?

How do the promises given in help you to be grateful?