(6) Hebrews 12:18-2918For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated 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: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To 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, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25See 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: 26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And 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. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:18‑29).
IN the latter half of this chapter we seem to have something different from that which has gone before, and yet the first word of verse eighteen distinctly connects it therewith. In verse fifteen we read — we trust we all did read — the practical exhortation to “look diligently lest any man fail of [or, lack] the grace of God.” Now they were to learn how they had been transferred from the rule of the law to the system of grace.
Probably they could appreciate the language of these verses better than we can, because they had been born and bred under the dominion of the law and had been made painfully conscious of their inability to keep it. The Jew knew much about Mount Sinai; he also knew about Mount Sion, though to his mind it was still future. We can therefore imagine the intense interest with which the Hebrew believers would read, or listen to, these remarkable words.
To catch their significance we should read the opening words of verses eighteen and twenty-two together. “For ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched. But ye are come unto Mount Sion.” Mount Sinai was an awe-inspiring sight. The majesty, the greatness, the holiness, the power of God were there displayed. The parenthetical twenty-first and twenty-second verses give us an idea of it. We do well to linger over these verses and to consider them well.
We, in this age of grace, occupy a position in relation to God unknown in any dispensation in the world’s history. We know Him as the Father, and we are privileged to come to Him in all the simplicity, and liberty, and confidence of children. Let us never forget however, that He is God. Then we will be marked by a reverence when we speak to Him, when we speak about Him, and when we sit before Him, that is not by any means too much in evidence in the, present day. The Hebrew believers were to learn that they had not come to Mount Sinai where the law was given, but they, had come to Mount Sion where royal grace abounded.
It has been pointed out that it will assist in our understanding of verses twenty-two to twenty-four, if we observe that the word “and” indicates the various divisions. Let us look at our Bibles and we shall see that at once. “Mount Sion” then speaks of grace. Obviously that must come first.
Next, “The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” which would speak of the Church in its administrative capacity in a future day. The city has a two-fold aspect. Abraham was told to count the stars, if he could, the heavenly side; and the sand, if that was possible, the earthly side; “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God,” and doubtless that is what we have here.
Then, An innumerable company of angels, the general assembly,” or “the universal gathering.” This reminds us of Psalms 68:17,17The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. (Psalm 68:17) “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels.” Angels have ever played a prominent part in God’s ways; and their interest in the Church, as well as their service to those who compose it, we learn from Ephesians 3:10,10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10) and Hebrews 1:1414Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).
After that, “The church of the firstborn [ones] whose names are written [or enrolled] in heaven.” That is the only register in which our names need be enrolled. Under the old order God claimed the firstborn for Himself. He still does so, but all who form the Church are “firstborn ones” and therefore belong exclusively to Him.
After all these previous statements why do we now read, “And to God the Judge of all”? That sounds very alarming, but it need not be. The Apostle Paul in telling Timothy of his near departure wrote, “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:88Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)). Paul will receive that crown from the Judge, and the righteous Judge at that; and so will all them also that love His appearing. Demas is not likely to receive it, because he “loved this present world” (verse 10). Those who love this present world do not love His appearing, and vice versa. So that to come “to God the Judge of all,” while having a sobering effect, should fill the heart with joy.
We proceed: “And to the spirits of just men made perfect.” We have only to connect this with chapters 11:39, 40, to catch the meaning right away.
Then the best seems to be reserved to the last. “And to Jesus.” We have come to Jesus. “Of course we have,” they might have said, as we, through mercy, can say, and praise His Name for it. We seem to be carried back to the beginning of our Christian history. But let us look at the verse again.
“And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.” The first covenant showed what God required from man; the new covenant showed what God offered to man. The first covenant meant death, the new covenant brought life. The first covenant demonstrated man’s inability to approach God, the new covenant told the story of God’s approach to man.
On what is it based? “And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” — surely the blood of Abel’s sacrifice. When we partook of the Lord’s Supper last Lord’s Day (Did you do so, dear reader? If not, why not?) as we drank of the cup, did we not hear our precious Lord saying to us, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, shed for you.”
But let us consider this verse further. If we did not have this we might ask, how was the transfer from the reign of law to the system of grace righteously made? Here we have the secret. Between Mount Sinai and Mount Sion comes Mount Calvary. There every demand of divine justice was satisfied; and now, on a righteous ground, they who were under the power of law have been brought under the sway of grace. Not only so, but we who were not under law have been brought under the same beneficent rule, and such is the triumph of grace, that now the righteous requirement of the law is “fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit” (Rom. 8:4,4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4) N. Tr.).
Verses twenty-five and twenty-six of our chapter are solemn. The whole epistle shows that the writer took into account that among the Hebrew believers were those who were mere professors. They had for the time being changed over from, the Jewish religion to what they might call the Christian religion. chapter 6 and 10 show that very clearly. Hence these serious words. The close of verse twenty-six shows that everything — earth and Heaven—will be shaken. We see that now, so far as the earth is concerned, as perhaps it has never been seen before. But the writer of the Epistle and the Hebrew Christians, as well as we who believe now, are among those of whom it is written, “wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved.” Thank God for that. Everything here is being shaken. Man in his ingenuity is seeking to build up a vast system without God, and “in one hour” it will come crashing down (Rev. 18:10, 17, 1910Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. (Revelation 18:10)
17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, (Revelation 18:17)
19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. (Revelation 18:19)). We have a kingdom which cannot be moved. We are not going to trust in a world that will go to pieces. We have that which cannot be moved and all our real interest is in that.
“But that is future,” says some one. It is. “Then why are we left here?” To serve God. That was the business of these Hebrew Christians in their day, and it is our business in this day. Just in the niche in which God has placed us, be it humble and obscure, or be it prominent, “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
Lastly there is a striking word: “For our God is a consuming fire.” That was written to believers. It is comforting to us. The fire tests. It consumes all that is not pleading to God, in order that what is pleasurable to Him may remain, and may in a coming day, be displayed to His praise and glory. Surely all this is calculated to lead us to magnify the grace of God and to produce, or deepen, the desire to be found here well pleasing to Himself.
W. Bramwell Dick.
Next month, God willing, concluding paper on Hebrews 13 Kindly read the whole chapter over and over again.