Hebrews 12:18-24, 28 (NASB)
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 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. For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 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, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel… 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; for our God is a consuming fire.
In this paragraph, we find two different experiences of the presence of God. Both are important for us to understand. Imagination can be a very potent way to meditate on this section.
Take a moment to imagine those first few verses – the mountain before you, covered in a Heavening fire, whirlwind blowing fiercely around you, the sounds of trumpets loudly blasting, and then the very voice of God speaking His commandments. What fear would come into our hearts were we to be present at this moment at Sinai. To know that if we were to approach the mountain we would die adds further dread and fear of breaking even the least command given. Close your eyes and take a moment to really be there.
Now imagine the next scene, the city of the living God, where the angels and God’s chosen people from the ages gather before Him, the Judge of all, and before Jesus, our very Savior. This is a throng that pushes forward with expectation. There He is! The source of our great joy, the Worthy Son of God. No more fear, only rejoicing and praise.
We need to remember God is worthy of both fear and adoration. We need to remember that God is a holy God who will not put up with sin, but will judge it to its fullness of evil since sin is rebellion against His authority. To forget that God is a consuming fire is to reduce Him to an impotent jolly Santa. But as we know God in His greatness, we can live in ancitipation of that day when we will get to join with the multitudes before His throne, no more fear of death, but life, true life, unending.
This is made possible because Jesus became a man. Like the high priests of old, He brought blood from the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. But it was a better sacrifice than those brought by the priests in the temple. It was His very own blood He brought that bought us the freedom to boldly come before the very throne of God. This was the reason He came.
Faith Gym 