Hebrews 12:26&F
8/9/15
Sunday Morning
Heb.12:18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a
blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
V.19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that
those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.
V.20 For they could not bear the command, "IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE
MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED."
V.21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I AM FULL OF FEAR and
trembling."
V.22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
V.23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven,
and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
V.24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which
speaks better than the blood of Abel.
V.25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape
when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn
away from Him who warns from heaven.
V.26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE
MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
V.27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which
can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain.
V.28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show
gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
V.29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Review:
1) Because Jewish believers were losing heart
a) The writer had one overriding goal
b) To help them realize that Christ is better than – anything/everything in
Judaism!
2) Even the contrast of how they received Judaism & Grace emphasizes the
difference between the two.
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V.21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I AM FULL OF FEAR and
trembling."
V.22 (NP)
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*He describes the difference in V.18&F
Heb.12:18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a
blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
V.19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that
those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.
V.22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
V.23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven,
and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
V.24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which
speaks better than the blood of Abel.(time of praise, rejoicing, celebration, light, glory, perfection)
a) Satan doesn’t want the believer to think about his future – it is so
great!
i) He doesn’t want the lost person to think about their future
either – it is so awful
b) Don’t become bogged down in the quagmire of this world V.25
V.25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape
when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who
turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
1) “See to it that you do not refuse Him”
a) This is a stern warning
b) The NLT says – “V.25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen”
2) “For if those did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on
earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from
heaven”
a) That sounds like he is comparing the person who spoke on earth
w/ the person who spoke in heaven
b) But the language does not concur w/ that
c) It turns out that he is comparing where they spoke from
d) It is God who spoke from both places
e) So what is the comparison between?
i) Before we go there an explanation is in order
And after all – Scripture does say that when we accept
Christ we become a “New Creature”
2 Cor.5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creature; the old things passed away; behold,
new things have come.
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f) For many people, it is hard to watch a so called believer live in sin
& think that person is really saved
i) Man wants to put some human works in the salvation equation
somewhere
ii) They don’t like it that a believer is supposed to live like a
believer – but many times doesn’t but is really a believer
iii) So many think they are not really saved – down deep it just
doesn't seem right/fair
(1) Some think that way b/c they don’t see the whole
picture
iv) No one is “getting by” w/ anything when they don’t live for
Christ
v) Before us is an example of that principle
V.25 x See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape
when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who
turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
3) “if those did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth”
a) Must look at the circumstances to understand what he is saying
b) He is referring to Mt. Sinai
c) He told them to take the land of Canaan
Ex.23:23 "For My angel will go before you and bring you in
to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will
completely destroy them.
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Num.14:22 "Surely all the men who have seen My glory
and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the
wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and
have not listened to My voice,
V.23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their
fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
Num.14:28(God speaking to Moses) "Say to them, 'As I live,'
says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I
will surely do to you;
29 your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your
numbered men, according to your complete number from
twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against
Me.
30 ~'Surely you shall not come into the land in which I
swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and
Joshua the son of Nun.
31 ~'Your children, however, whom you said would become
a prey—I will bring them in, and they will know the land
which you have rejected.
32 ~'But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness.
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d) Their rebellion surfaced at Kadesh Barnea – They didn’t listen to God
e) God spoke to them from earth – they didn’t listen
V.25 x See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape
when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who
turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
4) “much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven”
a) Why is it more severe to not listen from heaven?
b) B/c we have an advantage they didn’t have
i) God is going to put His Spirit in believers
Jn.14:16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you
know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
V.20 "In that day you will know that I am in My Father,
and you in Me, and I in you.
c) The Holy Spirit teaches believers in an intimately personal way
Jn.16:12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you
cannot bear them now.
13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide
you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own
initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will
disclose to you what is to come.
14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will
disclose it to you.
15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said
that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
d) It is one thing to hear from Moses (a man on earth) what God said
for them to do
e) It is another all together to hear it from 3rd member of Trinity – (from
heaven!)
f) The comparison is from hearing God w/ an ear of flesh – to hearing
God w/ your spirit (from the inside)
g) Being disobedient now is so much more serious than then!
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V.26 (NP)
V.26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE
MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
V.27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which
can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain.
1) “but now He has promised” (V.26)
a) In the perfect tense
b) His promise has been made w/ current ramifications
i) Those 2 ramifications
ii) #1.We aren’t to put too much emphasis on things that won’t last
iii) How much time did you put on things that won’t last, last
week?
iv) You say, well I have to deal w/ daily things all the time
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V.26 x And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET
ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
V.27 x This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which
can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain.
2) "‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken,
as of created things”
a) There isn’t much physical here that will remain
b) Everything is wearing out
Ps.102:25 (NP)
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v) It isn’t what you deal w/ - it is how you deal w/ them
1 Cor.10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God.
Eph.6:5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters
according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the
sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves
of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to
men
*There will be employees shocked at God’s view of
how they worked for others
*There are going to be employers shocked at how
God judges their working others
*People will be shocked at how God views everyday,
mundane thing of life
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vi) There are 1 ramifications for knowing that most things are only
temporary
Ps.102:25 "Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens
are the work of Your hands.
26 "Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them
will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change
them and they will be changed.
27 "But You are the same, And Your years will not come to
an end.
28 "The children of Your servants will continue, And their
descendants will be established before You."
c) You are not getting old – just your body is getting old
V.26 x And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET
ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
V.27 x This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which
can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain.
3) “so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain”
a) V.26 is a quote from Haggai 2
Haggai 2:6 "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once more
in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the
earth, the sea also and the dry land.
b) #2. Second ramification to the promise God made to shake the things
that can be shaken to expose those which can’t be shaken V.28
V.28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show
gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and
awe;(because – V.29)
1) “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken”
a) We don’t just receive eternal life – but a kingdom
b) What some have spent their lives trying to get – from Nimrod, Attila
the Hun, Napoleon, Hitler men have wanted their own kingdom
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2) “#2. let us show gratitude”
a) It is literally – “let us have grace that we may serve Him”
i) It does mean to show gratitude – but it means more than that
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Dan.7:17 'These great beasts, which are four in number,
are four kings who will arise from the earth.
18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the
kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to
come.
c) When it is all said & done – When God is thru shaking – out of the
ruins of it all – you & I will rise, victorious! (by His grace)
ii) It means that it is by His grace – that we can even serve Him
b) How can you not have a heart of gratitude when you think of all God
has done for us thru Christ?
i) Anyone not overwhelmed by His grace to us hasn’t spent any
time thinking on the things of God
c) It is in subjunctive mood
3) “by which we may offer to God an acceptable service”
a) IN a manner that is acceptable to Him
b) We can’t define that ourselves – He has defined it
c) Service to Him isn’t being “churchy” – it is a living, vibrant relationship
w/ Him
d) It is in subjunctive mood
e)
4) “with reverence and awe”
a) It is the idea that only a fool would try to dictate to God what is
acceptable to Him
b) Only a fool would decide to walk away from Him as some of these
folks were doing
c) Only a fool would choose not to live for Him
d) He is God!
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2 Pet.3:10 (NLT) But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then
the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will
disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly
lives you should live,
12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the
heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
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V.29 for our God is a consuming fire.
1) Quote from Deut.4
Deut.4:24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a
jealous God.
a) The warning is severe to all believers who would ignore God’s call
upon their lives
b) We are called to a high calling
Rom.12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of
worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable
and perfect.
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13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a
world filled with God’s righteousness.