Rejoice with Trembling
Notes
Transcript
22 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, 23 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, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
English Standard Version Chapter 12
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. 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.” 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. 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, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Don’t Sell Your Birthright, as Esau Did
Don’t Sell Your Birthright, as Esau Did
Hebrews 12:14–17
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
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. 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.” 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. 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, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
14 Strive means to pursue zealously. 🏃🏽♂️
“Peace keep pursuing . . .along with everyone”
Holiness is necessary to commune with God in the new heaven and new earth
“Within the community of faith, there is to be no separation of peace and holiness. If ‘peace’ binds the community together as the achievement of Christ, ‘holiness’ is that quality which identifies the community as the possession of Christ.” (Lane)
15 See to it …be watchful over one another in view of a clear and present danger ⚠️
no one misses out on God’s grace offered in Christ
root of bitterness… living in rebellion with false assurance
Deuteronomy 29:18–20 (ESV)
18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. 20 The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven.
15b many become defiled - unbelief is contagious
The bad report of the spies caused the people to say it would be better to go back to Egypt!
16-17 sexually immoral or unholy like Esau (arch-apostate)
“To abandon Christ would be to spurn the one who fulfilled the promise Esau disregarded.” (Cockerill)
Esau became idolatrous under the influence of his foreign wives (Gen 26:34–35; Exod 34:14–16).
unholy... Esau treated “his inheritance rights as the oldest son” as something of no value.
Esau could not undo his horrible exchange of birthright for soup no matter how much regret he felt. (not godly repentance)
Do not be like Esau and throw away the inheritance you have in Christ for worldly comforts and pleasures.
Because you are about to receive your heavenly inheritance.
Because you are about to receive your heavenly inheritance.
Hebrews 12:18–21 (ESV)
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”
18 For gives a reason not to be like Esau
come = draw near
Israel drew near to God at Sinai in response to His call to gather corporately and hear the words of the covenant.
Alongside these words came terrifying physical manifestations of God’s holiness: 🌋 🔥 🌒 🌪 ⚡️
Why did God come in such a frightening manner?
Why did God come in such a frightening manner?
Deuteronomy 4:36 (ESV)
36 Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.
discipline - same as ch. 12!
Exodus 20:18–21 (ESV)
18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
God was teaching his people to fear him.
A fear forbidden and a fear commended.
forbidden fear - Israel’s hearts were in bondage to ungodly thoughts of God and of his word, such that they were driven away from him in unbelief
commended fear - reverential awe in response to knowing the holiness of God
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”
Fearing God is step #1 in knowing God.
The first time God tells his people to corporately draw near to establish the Old Covenant he teaches them to fear Him.
“Everything is awesome” culture
Apart from a perfect priest, drawing near to God would always include terror because of his holiness.
Apart from a perfect priest, drawing near to God would always include terror because of his holiness.
Under the New Covenant, we can now draw near to God with a joyful anticipation of heaven.
Under the New Covenant, we can now draw near to God with a joyful anticipation of heaven.
This section “summarizes” the main points and themes throughout the theological section of Hebrews:
This section “summarizes” the main points and themes throughout the theological section of Hebrews:
“angels,” “heaven,” “first-born,” “perfection,” “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,” and “sprinkled blood.”
Mount Zion
The holy mountain where God specially dwells and the place of his messianic rule:
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
The Cair Paravel of heaven
City of the living God / heavenly Jerusalem
The eternal city God prepares for his people!
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Innumerable angels in festal gathering
Angels, revered mediators of the Law (ch. 1), gather in countless numbers for the heavenly festival - a feast celebrating our covenant with God through worship and “holy partying.”
the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven
the beloved children of God gathered as citizens of heaven, inheriting everything with Jesus
firstborn (1:6) - A title for Jesus drawn from Ps 89:27, the ultimate Davidic king as God’s privileged Son, the legal heir and authoritative representative of God’s rule.
27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Esau was the firstborn yet gave up his privilege for something far less valuable.
God, the judge of all
“to a Judge, God of all” (κριτῇ Θεῷ) emphasizes his holy role as judge of all
“This joyful fellowship is not to be taken lightly. God has not relented in his holiness.” (Cockerill)
“This wonderful scene of blessing is possible only through the salvation he has provided in his Son.”
“God is still the holy God of Sinai.”
“The pastor has interwoven comfort and warning throughout his sermon.”
the spirits of the righteous made perfect
The last time “perfect” is used, showing us the end goal of Jesus being “made perfect” for us:
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant , and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel
The author crescendos with a summary of the whole book of Hebrews: believers now have access to God through the high priestly atoning work of Jesus.
Jesus’ blood is superior because it secures forgiveness, whereas Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance.
Mount Zion is comforting because we have direct access to God through the blood of Jesus.
We are already tasting God’s presence and will soon experience it in full!
Therefore, listen to God and fear him so you don’t face his judgement instead.
Therefore, listen to God and fear him so you don’t face his judgement instead.
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. 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.” 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. 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, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
See = beware of
We have come full circle:
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
The earthquake at Sinai is now applied to the future judgement.
The earthquake at Sinai is now applied to the future judgement.
Final Imperatives
Final Imperatives
Be grateful
Offer God worship with reverence and awe