David Bahn – Reflections

Hebrews 12:12-29

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”²¹ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” ²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

²⁵ See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised,“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

When Moses encountered God on the mountain it was a tumultuous and cataclysmic event. Darkness, gloom and tempest, threats, terror and fear colored that whole experience. It was a defining moment in so many ways. Laws were given. God was revealed. Moses himself trembled with fear.

But this was not the ultimate revelation of God. That was not the final expression of who God is. That was to come 1500 years later when Jesus mediated a New Covenant, by his birth, life, teaching, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. It will be consummated when Jesus comes again at the end of time to take to himself all who are his and give us a place in his unshakable kingdom.

Jesus’ New Covenant was celebrated in the Passover as he pointed his disciples to a truth too profoundly mysterious to fully grasp: the Passover bread and wine were his body and blood – not just that of a lamb, but of The Lamb of God. Then, replacing circumcision with baptism, Jesus co-missioned his followers to gather others to follow him, teaching us to obey and baptizing us into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Our calling is simple: deep thankfulness for the gift of God’s kingdom and the invitation to come to “Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus”. More about that tomorrow!