TOUCHING THE MOUNTAIN
by Rick Trice
TRINITY FELLOWSHIP
RATON,
4/22/07
HEBREWS 12:18-29
I want to contrast today two mountains. A mountain located in Sinai, and one located in
SINAI
When Moses went to get the 10 commandments, the law of God, directly from God’s hands, he journeyed up to
By contrast, joy and confidence characterizes the eternal
Let’s read further in Hebrews:
SINAI (18)I
The mountain on which the law was given is part of the things that are made, that are destined to be shaken up, and eventually removed by God’s very voice from Heaven (27). If we’re living on the mountain that can be touched, we’re living on something that’s going to be destroyed. That is the testimony of the mountain of Sinai.
(19) In Exodus 20:19, the Hebrews, fleeing from Egypt, were full of fear; afraid to have direct contact with Mount Sinai, which burned with fire and darkness and storm. They pleaded with Moses to go ahead of them into the mountain.
I believe they fully expected him to die! Why? Because when he eventually came back, he found they’d already given up on him, and made themselves a golden calf, a new god, to worship.
But they were correct about one thing: fear was the absolute proper response to
When you see God almighty in person, fear is the only proper response:
Isaiah 6:4-5 says, “’Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ and the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: ‘woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips. And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King. The Lof Hosts!’”
ZION
(22ff) we are still in our earthly journey, just like the Hebrews, looking for the “City to come, the new Jerusalem.” Just think about this: all that we see, touch, and feel is still going to be shaken by God. And all that we see and touch is going to pass away!
But now we have Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and what He mediates for us is our right to enter into the most holy place, through worship! We can “touch the mountain” without fear of being burned.
YOU HAVE COME
(22) Instead of fear, the proper response in
(23) The church of the firstborn. Under the old covenant, the firstborn of Israel were set aside and consecrated as priests. Only they could enter into the sanctuary to worship in God’s presence.
Under the new covenant, through Christ, we are all firstborn, and in the heavenly assembly of Mount Zion, all may worship, both in Heaven and on earth.
(24) Abel’s blood cried out from the earth for vengeance. Jesus’ blood cries out for forgiveness.
GOD’S HEAVENLY VOICE:
(27ff) God’s voice must be listened to, today! Even more so than when he spoke on Mount Sinai. When God spoke on Sinai to Moses, He shook Moses to the core. When God spoke at
When Jesus speaks again(27) not only the earth, but the heavens, will be shaken apart! Hebrews 1:12 says that Christ will roll up the heavens and the earth “like a cloak,” but that He will remain.
In other words, it’s all going to pass away! Only Christ will remain as our reality.
OUR RESPONSE?
Acceptable worship of God, who (by the way) is a consuming fire!!!
HOW DO WE WORSHIP GOD ACCEPTABLY? (GO BACK AND LOOK AT HEBREWS 12:12-17)
RENEWAL OF SPIRITUAL VITALITY
STRENGTHEN THE HANDS
STRENGTHEN THE KNEES
MAKING STRAIGHT PATHS
PURSUING PEACE AND HOLINESS WITH ALL PEOPLE
LOOKING CAREFULLY LEST ANY FALL SHORT OF GRACE
LOOKING CAREFULLY LEST BITTERNESS CAUSES TROUBLE
LOOKING CAREFULLY LEST ANY ARE DEFILED
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