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FOUR MOTIVATORS TO FAITHFULNESS

 

Lauding Their Present Position

Hebrews 12:26-29

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).

 

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.

1.        The Description of Sion

2.       The Duty of Christians (Heb. 12:25-29).

a.       Refuse not Him that speaketh (Heb. 12:25)

b.      The removing of things that are shaken (Heb. 12:26-29)

1)       The promise (Heb. 12:26)

 

Whose voice then shook the earth:  but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth, but also heaven.

 

a)      This verse is taken from a statement found in Haggai 2:6.  It applied to the reconstruction of the temple under Zerubbabel. 

 

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.

 

b)     That same God whose voice shook the earth as He filled the temple with His glory now promised to shake both the earth and heaven.

2)      The purpose (Heb. 12:27)

 

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of those things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

 

a)      The writer seems to be pointing to the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in this verse.

b)     Although the Old Law was done away at the cross, it continued to be practiced as a religious system.

-          There was still a priesthood.

-          There was still a temple in Jerusalem.

-          There were still sacrifices being offered.

-          There were still feast days being kept.

c)      These would be shaken when the Roman army came against Jerusalem in A.D. 70.  The things which kept Judaism alive would be destroyed.  Remember, this is the system to which many of these Christians were thinking about returning. 

d)     Christianity, however, would remain. 

-          The church would continue.

-          The New Testament would still be proclaimed.

-          The blood of Jesus would still save men from their sins.

-          These are some of “those things that cannot be shaken” mentioned at the close of verse 27.

3)      The plea (Heb. 12:28)

 

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

 

a)      Our possession:  “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved.”

-          We are members of the kingdom of Christ, but we have not received it in its fullness.  (See II Pet. 1:11).

 

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

-          This is one of those unshakeable things for it “cannot be moved” (Matt. 16:18).

-          NOTE:  The church and the kingdom are one and the same thing (Matt. 16:18; John 18:36; Col. 1:13).

b)     Our prayer:  “…let us have grace”

-          Grace

+  Strong (5485):  graciousness                :- thank (-s, -worthy)

+  Thayer:  thanks for (benefits, services, favours)

-          We should bow our heads and bend our knees before the throne of God for the kingdom He has allowed us to access.  It is a blessing purchased by the blood of Christ.  Those who are members of it will live forever and ever.

c)      Our practice:  “…whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

-          If we are truly appreciative of the blessing of being citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we will serve God.

-          We will not serve Him the way we see fit.

+    We will serve him acceptably.

                                                            ~  Strong (2102):  quite agreeably

                                                            ~  Thayer:  in a manner pleasing to one

                                                            ~  Vine:  well-pleasing

                                                       +  Reverence

~  Strong (127):  through the idea of downcast eyes, modest,

    shamefaced before God, awe

~  Thayer;  a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness,

     reverence, regard for others, respect

                                                        +  Godly fear

                                                            ~  Strong (2124):  reverence, peity

                                                            ~  Thayer:  reverence, veneration, godly fear, piety

4)     The property (Heb. 12:29) 

 

For our God is a consuming fire.

 

a)      Again, the writer points his readers to the wrath of God, one of God’s many properties.  He reminds them that God is a consuming fire.

b)     This is a quote with which his readers were familiar.  It comes from Deuteronomy 4:24.

c)      Consuming

-          Strong (2654):  to consume utterly

-          Thayer;  to consume

d)     This was important from two standpoints:

-          God was about to consume the Jewish religion.

-          Those who did not remain faithful to God would be consumed by the fire of His wrath on the last day (II Thess. 1:7-9).

 

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.