Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 12:18-29 November 20, 1994 Hebrews 12:18-29 Introduction The Jewish believers who were reading the original letter had been going through a great deal of persecution since they started believing in Jesus as their Messiah. Some of them had even been tempted to just give up in trusting in Jesus and go back to Judaism like they were before they were saved. But the writer has over and over again stressed the importance of faith, of trusting and continuing to trust in Jesus. There is a danger of not continuing in Jesus, of falling away. Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Last week we talked about the need to keep encouraging each other, lest any of us fall away, or get caught in sin. This week We are going to get a contrast between the Old Covenant, the Law, and the New Covenant, Grace under Jesus. 18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) :18 ye are not come unto the mount... Exodus 19:1 - 20:2; 20:18-21 The giving of the law on Mount Sinai It was a terrible, scary, awesome sight. :20 it shall be stoned, or thrust through... Exodus 19:13-AV There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether [it be] beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. :21 Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake" Deuteronomy 9:19-AV For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also. What Moses saw was very frightening. 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, :22 mount Sion ... Here's now the contrast with Mount Sinai Sion (Zion) is sometimes used to refer to Jerusalem, but here it is being used in it's other usage, to describe heaven. The Old Covenant originated on an earthly mountain, the New Covenant comes from heaven itself. :22 innumerable company of angels 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, :23 the general assembly paneguris {pan-ay'-goo-ris} 1) a festal gathering of the whole people to celebrate public games or other solemnities 2) a public festal assembly (All + marketplace) All of heaven's inhabitants Psalms 89:7-AV God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all [them that are] about him. Psalms 111:1-AV Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with [my] whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and [in] the congregation. Could refer to angels in specific. :23 church of the firstborn Could refer to several things: 1) Believing Israel. Israel was called the firstborn Exodus 4:22-AV And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn: 2) All believers in general BKC: May mean the assembly of those whose inheritance rights are already won (since under the OT Law the "firstborn" was the primary heir) 3) The church of Jesus Jesus is called the firstborn Luke 2:7-AV And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Romans 8:29-AV For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Colossians 1:15-AV Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Colossians 1:18-AV And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. :23 which are written in heaven or, "enrolled" in heaven. True for every believer Luke 10:20-AV Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. We have to have some kind of "membership roll" for the government to qualify for being a church. It's great that you can be a member of our church, but it's better to be sure you're a member of the church in heaven. :23 God, the judge of all Hebrews 9:27-AV And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Every person will give an account of their life to God. It doesn't matter if they "believe" in Him or not. :23 the spirits of just men made perfect 1342 dikaios {dik'-ah-yos} 1) righteous, observing divine laws - brought in line with God's standards We are made right according to God's standards through Jesus' work on the cross. Romans 3:24-AV Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:28-AV Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 5:9-AV Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. People who have walked with God, and then have entered into perfection. We are made "just" here on earth, but when we pass through the curtain of death, we are made perfect. I think of Claude Pickett Note: It says "spirits" of just men made perfect. Technically, those who have already gone to heaven are in a temporary, transitional state. They are in their true form, as spirits. They do not receive their new bodies until the Rapture. 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 AV For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16-AV For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17-AV Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18-AV Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. :24 Jesus the mediator of the new covenant We've seen this throughout Hebrews, contrasting the Old with the New covenant. The mediator of the Old Covenant was Moses. God said He would make a new covenant with man. Hebrews 8; Jer. 31:31f. :24 the blood of sprinkling We've seen in Hebrews how awesomely powerful the blood of Jesus is. It cleanses us from all our sin. :24 speaketh better things than that of Abel. Cain was jealous that God had accepted Abel's sacrifice and rejected his own. Genesis 4 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [is] Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now [art] thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; Abel's blood cried out for judgement. Jesus' blood cries out for salvation. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: :25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh What a contrast! If an person could not escape judgement who walked away from an earthly Old covenant, how could a person hope to escape who walks away from the better, heavenly, New Covenant? 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. :26 Whose voice then shook the earth Exodus 19:18-AV And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. :26 Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven This is a quote from the prophet Haggai: Haggai 2:6-7 AV For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land]; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. It is thought that this is talking about the ultimate remaking of the heavens and earth which will follow the millennial kingdom. Whatever remains after this cataclysmic even will be eternal. 27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. :27 those things which cannot be shaken may remain God will allow a great shaking to filter out the bad from the good. The temporal from the eternal. God does this in a small scale in our lives today. From time to time God will allow things to shake us up. The things that get left behind in the shaking are better left behind. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: :28 a kingdom which cannot be moved Make sure you are putting your time and energies in building things that will last the quaking. We understand this in California! :28 let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably NASB: "let us show gratitude" NIV "let us be thankful" Charis - grace! (130 out of 156 times in NT) It's only with grace that we can "serve" Grace is God's "givingness" to us. Grace is not the things we do for God, but the things that God does for us. Grace is not telling you what you owe God, but showing you how much God has lavished upon you. serve 3000 latreuo {lat-ryoo'-o} 1) to serve for hire 2) to serve, minister to, either to the gods or men and used alike of slaves and freemen 2a) in the NT, to render religious service or homage, to worship 2b) to perform sacred services, to offer gifts, to worship God in the observance of the rites instituted for his worship 2b1) of priests, to officiate, to discharge the sacred office We might look upon it as our "worship" to God. And to worship God acceptably, we must have grace. We can't be in a mode where we are trying to earn brownie points with God. We must be in a mode where we understand our own inability to please God, and we just open ourselves up to receive all that God has for us. acceptably 2102 euarestos {yoo-ar-es'-toce} 1) in a manner well pleasing to one, acceptable :28 with reverence and godly fear reverence 127 aidos {ahee-doce'} 1) a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect godly fear 2124 eulabeia {yoo-lab'-i-ah} 1) caution, circumspection, discretion 1a) avoidance 1b) a reasonable shunning 2) reverence, veneration 2a) reverence toward God, godly fear, piety 3) fear anxiety, dread These words don't quite fit with those who want to make Jesus out to be their "Big Buddy in the sky". We need to be careful to keep in balance God's love and intimacy with us, yet understanding just who He is! 29 For our God [is] a consuming fire. :28 a consuming fire Here's the reason for our reverence and godly fear. Though we are on one hand overwhelmed with God's grace and mercy, we should never get too far from being aware of God's justice and holiness. Nadab and Abihu Leviticus 10:1-AV And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. Leviticus 10:2-AV And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. God is HOLY! All this is a warning To the Hebrews who were tempted to fall away from the Lord because of their persecution.