Tag Archives: Mount Zion

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 24

Bible Study, ,

Hebrews 12:18, 22-24 NLT
[18] “You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai….
[22] No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. [23] You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. [24] You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.”

In a grand crescendo of comparison and celebration, our writer shows his readers how vastly different is the destiny of those who remain faithful to Jesus from those who go back to the law and into slavery.

What constitutes the difference between the environment and atmosphere of worship at Mt Sinai and Mt Zion? Is it not uncertainty and fear versus confidence and joy?

Since the law given at Sinai demanded obedience, and disobedience was punishable by death, the people had no guarantee of ever satisfying God’s holy standards. How could they achieve the righteousness of God when all they had to offer, according to Isaiah and Jeremiah, was the “filthy rags” of their own self-effort?

Isaiah 64:6 NLT
[6] “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
[9] “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

As they wrestled with the unfaithfulness of God’s people, both Isaiah and Jeremiah recognised the futility of trying to get people to obey God. It would never happen because people are rotten to the core. There had to be another way.

Mt Zion speaks of the seat of God’s government. Who occupies the throne? None other than Jesus Himself.

Psalms 2:6-7 NIV
[6] “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” [7] I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.”

The writer has already triumphantly declared…

Hebrews 2:9-11 NIV
[9]”But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. [10] In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. [11] Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”

What a difference! The onus of perfect obedience to God’s law was shifted from sinful humans to the perfect representative human, Jesus Himself. No longer are humans judged for disobedience. Jesus was judged in our place. Since He perfectly satisfied all God’s holy standards and then died as though He had broken them all, He was elevated to the position of King in Zion.

Psalms 2:5-6 NIV
[5] “He rebukes them (the rebellious rulers) in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, [6] “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

Philippians 2:8-11 NIV
[8] “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! [9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Therefore, we have every reason to live our lives in joyful celebration because Jesus did everything for us to restore us to fellowship with the Father. We join with all the angelic hosts in heaven and all the saints who have gone before us to rejoice in God our Father, Jesus our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit our Helper, because we have been freed from sin to enjoy glory forever.

Just think of it! On which mountain would you choose to worship? On Mt Sinai, a place of fire and smoke, laws and commands, judgement and fear…or Mt Zion, in joyful and confident celebration, together with God’s entire family of people and angels, all because of Jesus,

Hebrews 12:24 NIV
[24] “… Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

Why Abel? He was the first victim of murder, the epitome of sin, his blood stolen from him and demanding vengeance for that which his brother did to him… murder, the outcome of Adam’s rebellion aginst God.

Jesus’ blood was also the result of murder but.. His blood was not taken by force but given willingly for us. For what purpose? Mercy, not vengeance! Blood for blood, God’s justice fully satisfied.

Hebrews 12:25-27 NIV
[25] “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? [26] At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” [27] The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

To refuse this gift and this promise of eternal life will have serious and everlasting consequences. When God came down on Mt Sinai, the earth shook and the people trembled in fear. How much greater will be the fear of those who refuse God’s grace when He shakes the universe at the end of time! Without the gift of eternal salvation, those who are not secured by faith in Jesus will go out with the trash!

Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV
[28] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, [29] for our “God is a consuming fire.”

There can only, ever be one appropriate response to this great salvation that God has achieved for mankind, to worship Him with gratitude and awe. Anything else will put unbelieving humans into fiery judgment and eternal loss.

To be continued…

What Changed Everything?

Bible Study, , , ,

WHAT CHANGED EVERYTHING?

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.’ The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’ (Heb. 12: 18-21).

Why did God reveal Himself to His people in such a terrifying way? Could He not have tempered His appearance to them and made it a little less majestic and frightening?

We must remember that this is the same person who met Moses at the burning bush; the one who called Himself “I AM”. He was the same one who, when He was here in the flesh, said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The pre-incarnate Jesus revealed Himself to people time and again before He came to earth as a man. He often appeared as “the angel of the Lord” and spoke as God. This was the majesty and glory of the one who was to become the Son of God, a humble servant who came as a man.

The people of God had lived under the shadow of the Egyptians who worshipped the heavenly bodies and multiple other gods which were represented by idols. How was God going to impress upon them who He was so that they would take Him seriously and obey the word that He spoke to them through Moses?

His appearance on top of the mountain in blazing fire and smoke so dense that it shrouded the mountain top with darkness and gloom, and the terrifying noise of the accompanying trumpet and the sound of His voice, was something they ought never to have forgotten. It should have been a reminder to them and to their children, that their God was not one to be trifled with. He was holy and untouchable, unlike the Egyptian gods who were just like them.

This spectacle should have been indelibly imprinted on their hearts. They should have   taught it to their descendants, that the God who visited them in the desert, and who came to dwell among them in the tabernacle, was real. He required them to obey Him because the consequences of disobedience would be in keeping with who He was.

Why are we no longer terrified of this God? Has He changed? Has He relented and down-scaled His glory? What changed everything? Where is the unapproachable, untouchable God? Where is the God who demanded the death of an animal who strayed too near the mountain? Where is the God who demanded blood for every infringement of His holy standards?

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, who names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb, 12: 22-24).

God has not changed, but He put in place, through Jesus, the plan He set up before the creation of the world, that would change the hearts of people. His appearance at Mount Sinai as the unapproachable God was the stark reality of the monstrous barrier of sin that separated people from Him. No amount of animal blood could remove that barrier. It could only remind them of the sin that stood between them and God as an insurmountable barrier.

The picture is different now – not terror but celebration; not fire and smoke and gloom and darkness and trembling and weeping and pleading with Moses to stop, but a huge party attended by angels and people of all races, languages and cultures. No longer Mount Sinai, but Mount Zion – the place where God has established His name forever. No longer a God who was hidden behind an impenetrable curtain but Emmanuel, God with us. No longer fear, but perfect love. No more guilt and shame but laughter and joy and worship and thanksgiving.

God has not changed. We have because He changed us. Abel’s blood cried for revenge. The blood of Jesus speaks mercy. Hallelujah!

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Glimpses Of The Great God: Day Two

Devotion, , , ,

DAY TWO

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain,

and a very loud trumpet blast.

Everyone in the camp trembled.

Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,

because the Lord descended on it in fire.

The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,

the whole mountain trembled violently,

and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder.

Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

Exodus 19:16-19

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched

and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; …..but you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.

Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably

with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:18, 22a, 28, 29

As you read through these Scriptures aloud, remember that you have been made acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus.  We worship an awesome God, who is a consuming fire, but we worship the One who has made us holy through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, and we no longer have to approach Him with terror and dread as the Israelites did.  We can worship Him with confidence because we are holy in His sight.