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FOUR MOTIVATORS TO FAITHFULNESS

 

Learning from an OT Character

Hebrews 12:18-21

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The writer just finished a lengthy section about Old Testament examples who manifested faith in God.

 

B.      In this chapter, he reminds his readers of these Bible greats, but then points them to one even greater, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

 

C.     The inspired penman also notes three other things that he hopes will encourage these Christians to remain faithful under great pressure to apostatize.

 

D.     Outline:

 

i.                    LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

ii.                  LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

iii.                LEARNING FROM AN OT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

iv.                 LAUDING THEIR PRESENT SITUATION (Heb. 12:18-29)

 

I.                   LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

 

II.                LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

 

III.             LEARNING FROM AN OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

 

IV.              LAUDING THEIR PRESENT SITUATION (Heb. 12:18-29)  The writer now contrasts two mountains, one is physical Sinai and the other is spiritual Sinai.  “These verses were designed to produce one final argument to convince them of the superiority of Christ over Moses” (Wacaster, p. 518).

 

A.     We have not come to a Material Mountain (Heb. 12:18-21).

1.        Sinai was touchable (Heb. 12:18a).

 

For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched…

 

a.       Mount Sinai is a real, physical mountain. 

b.      It was at Mt. Sinai that Israel received the Law of Moses (Exo. 19:1-2).

 

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

 

c.       Description:

1)       The mountain is also called by the name “Horeb” (Deut. 1:6).

2)      Presently, there are two places that could be Mt Sinai.

a)      Jebel Serbal (6,791 feet high)

b)     Jebel Musa (7,500 feet high)  This mount has a broad plain at its base where Israel may have camped.

 

Mount Sinai hike from St Catherine

 

d.      The fact that it could be “touched” indicates that is was a physical, material mountain.

2.       Sinai was terrifying (Heb. 12:18b)

 

…and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest.

 

a.       God appeared to Israel on this mountain in a very intense display (Exo. 19:16a, 18).

 

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount…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.

 

b.      When Israel heard and saw all that was happening, “all the people that was in the camp trembled” (Exo. 19:16).

3.       Sinai was troubling (Heb. 12:19-20).

a.       Alarmed by the Almighty (Heb. 12:19-20a)

 

And the sound of the trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore:  (for they could not endure that which was commanded…).

 

1)       Three times in Exodus 19, the trumpet is mentioned.

a)      “…when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount” (v. 13).

b)     “…and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud…” (v. 16).

c)      “And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder…” (v. 19).

d)     This trumpet apparently alerted Israel that God was about to speak.

2)      And, when He spoke Israel was extremely troubled.  So much so, that they no longer wanted God to speak directly to them (Exo. 20:18-19).

 

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking:  and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear:  but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

 

a)      They could not endure

1)       Strong (5342):  to bear or carry, endure

2)      Thayer:  to bear the rigor of a thing

b)     It is difficult to image a voice so powerful that it strikes fear into the hearts of those who hear it.

c)      LESSON:  This is just one proof of the mighty power of God.

b.      Dread of death (Heb. 12:20b)

 

…And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart.

 

1)       This command is found in Exodus 19:12-13.

 

And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it:  whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death.  There shall not a 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.

 

2)      God’s mountain was holy and was not to be defiled by man or beast.  Anyone who defiled it with a touch would be slain. 

4.      Sinai was terrible (Heb. 12:21)

 

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

 

a.       Terrible

1)       Strong (5398):  frightful, (objective) formidable

2)      Thayer:  inspiring fear.

b.      Clarke:  “and even to Moses, who held the highest intimacy with Jehovah, the revealed glories, the burning fire, the blackness, the darkness, the tempest, the loud-sounding trumpet, and the voice of words, were so terrible that he said, I exceedingly fear and tremble” (e-sword).

c.       NOTE:  We do not have any record of these words of Moses in the Old Testament account of Israel at Sinai.

5.       POINT:  There are several things to keep in mind from this description.

a.       The Old Dispensation was for Israel only.

b.      The Mosaic Age was one that highlighted fear and awe of God.

c.       Under the Old Law, man is still kept at a distance from God.

d.      The Law of Moses was lived often under the threat of punishment or death.

e.       This was not a mount that readily drew individuals to it.

f.        REMEMBER:  The writer told his readers:  For ye are NOT COME unto the mount that might be touched…  The Christians to whom he is speaking were no longer part of that Old Testament system.

 

B.      There were come to Spiritual Sion (Heb. 12:21-24)  “But ye are come unto mount Sion…”  Zion was the mount upon which Jerusalem sat.  It was the beginning place for the church, “for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:4; See also Acts 1:12).  Note how the elements on this mount stand in sharp contrast the elements of Sinai.