Hebrews 12

“Be holy, because I am holy,” says God (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:15-16). It is God’s will that you should be holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3). … without holiness no one will see the Lord (see Matthew 5:8 and comment).

When we look at ourselves and at our church, what do we see? Holiness, or un-holiness. Peace, or strife. Let each person examine himself.

15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God (see Hebrews 4:1). God’s grace is always available to us (Hebrews 4:16). But sometimes we don’t take it or appropriate it. Instead, we reject it. And when we do this, we have fallen away from grace (Gal-atians 5:4).

Why do we so often refuse to accept God’s grace? Because of sin. As long as we continue in sin, we cannot receive God’s grace. Sin is like a bitter root, which makes the whole tree bitter. Sin in our life makes our whole life impure. Sin in the church makes the whole church impure; and in so doing, it will defile many. Let us take care that no “bitter root” like this grows up among us. And if it does, let us be quick to root it out (see 1 Corinthians 5:9-11,13).

16 The writer here gives two examples of sin: sexual immorality and godlessness. Sexual immorality was a very common sin in New Testament times, and new believers and new churches were always in danger of being defiled by it (see 1 Corinthians 5:1).

The second example is godlessness. Isaac’s son Esau was godless, because in exchange for a small earthly benefit he gave up his God-given inheritance rights, his rights as the oldest son. One day Esau was very hungry, and asked his younger brother Jacob for something to eat. Jacob, being crafty, agreed to give Esau some food in exchange for Esau’s inheritance rights. Because of his great hunger, Esau agreed (Genesis 25:29-33). So Esau despised his birthright (Genesis 25:34). In this way, Esau missed God’s grace (verse 15). His sin was this: He desired the pleasure of this world more than the blessing of God.

Esau was like a small child who prefers a piece of candy to a thousand dollar bill. And we also are like that, when we value the things of the world more than the things of God. How many there are who in trying to gain earthly wealth lose their heavenly inheritance (see Matthew 6:19-20 and comment).

After Esau had given up his birthright, he tried to get it back but could not. And it will be so with us. If we knowingly reject God’s grace, we, like Esau, will lose our inheritance in heaven (see Hebrews 10:35).

17 The story of Isaac blessing Esau is told in Genesis 27:30-40 (see Hebrews 11:20 and comment). Esau never truly repented of his sin of rejecting God’s grace. Yes, he later regretted it, and wept with sorrow over the blessing he had lost; but he never wept over his sin. Because when a man rejects God’s grace, his heart becomes hardened, and he loses all inclination to repent (Hebrews 3:12-13).

18-19 Here the writer of Hebrews describes how God gave His law to the Jews. God came down on Mount Sinai in fire to speak with Moses; the mountain was burning with fire. A great cloud covered the mountain; there was darkness, gloom and storm (verse 18). The whole mountain trembled violently. There was a trumpet blast as God descended onto the mountain. And then God spoke out of the cloud. All the Jews were filled with fear (Exodus 19:16-19; 20:18-21).

20-21 If any man or animal touched Mount Sinai during the time God was on the mountain, that man or animal was to be put to death; this was God’s command. Because of God’s presence, the whole mountain was filled with His holiness. God’s holiness was so awesome and fearful that even an animal that strayed near the mountain had to be killed because it had come too close to that holiness. The animal itself couldn’t even be touched; it had to be stoned to death from a distance (verse 20). When the Jews heard such commands and felt the terror of God’s presence, they could not bear it. No one could survive who came close to God’s holiness (Exodus 19:12-13). According to Deuteronomy 9:19, even Moses was trembling with fear (verse 21).

22 Under the old covenant men were afraid in God’s presence. But under the new covenant, every believer can come into God’s presence without fear. We don’t have to be afraid, as the Jews were, because we are coming into the presence of our loving and merciful heavenly Father.

Mount Zion is the place where King David established the city of Jerusalem. This earthly Mount Zion—that is, Jerusalem—was the main center of the Jewish religion. It was here that David’s son Solomon built the great Jewish temple.

Just as the earthly sanctuary of the old covenant was merely a copy of the heavenly sanctuary of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:24), so the earthly Jerusalem is merely a copy of the heavenly Jerusalem. The “heavenly Jerusalem” is the city of the living God. It is God’s heavenly sanctuary, where He dwells with His angels. It is that better country, which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were seeking (Hebrews 11:16).

23 Here the heavenly Jerusalem is called the church of the firstborn. The firstborn is Jesus Christ Himself; in the kingdom of God Jesus is the first, the oldest, (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:6). But through faith in Him, we too become firstborn in a spiritual sense. We are the “firstborn” who will inherit the kingdom of God. We are members of the joyful assembly—Christ’s church. Our names are written in heaven (see Luke 10:20; Revelation 21:27).

The righteous men made perfect are the Old Testament heroes of faith, many of whom are mentioned in Chapter 11. They also will be included in the church of the firstborn.

Based on what is written in this verse, many people think that as soon as believers die their spirits are made perfect and they at once enter heaven, the “heavenly Jerusalem” (see Luke 23:42-43). Thenlater, after Christ comes to earth again, their bodies will be resurrected, and they will receive a new, redeemed spiritual body (Romans 8:23).

God is the judge of all men. He will take vengeance on His enemies, and He will vindicate His people. But He will also judge His own people; none of us will escape the judgment of God. If we obey Him, we will have nothing to fear. But if we deliberately disobey Him, we will have much to fear (see Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 10:30-31).

24 When we enter the heavenly Jerusalem, we shall meet Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant (see Hebrews 8:6; 9:15 and comments). Through His sprinkled blood—that is, through His shed blood—our consciences are cleansed (Hebrews 9:14). Thus we are able to enter the heavenly sanctuary and draw near to God (Hebrews 10:19,22). Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than Abel’s blood. The blood of Abel cries out for vengeance against sinful Cain (see Genesis 4:8-10; Hebrews 11:4). But the blood of Jesus cries out for mercy for sinful men. Jesus’ blood speaks of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. Therefore, Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than Abel’s blood.

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks—that is, God. God warned the Jews on earth. He came down onto Mount Sinai to speak with them (see verses 18-19). But in the end the Jews did not heed God, and they were punished.

Today God continues to speak to us. Even now He is warning us from heaven. If the Jews did not escape punishment when they rejected God’s warning on earth, those of us today who reject His warning from heaven will certainly not escape punishment (see Hebrews 3:7-12; 10:28-29).

26 When God spoke to the Jews from Mount Sinai, the whole mountain trembled violently (Exodus 19:18). Later God spoke through the Old Testament prophets, saying that He would again shake the earth—and not only the earth but also the heavens (Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6). The meaning is this: God will one day destroy both heaven and earth, and in their place He will establish a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

27 God is going to remove what can be shaken—thatis, created things. These created things are heaven and earth. God is going to remove them. That is, heaven and earth will be destroyed; they will pass away (Mark 13:31). But the kingdom of God—the heavenly Jerusalem (verse 22)—cannot be shaken; it will remain forever.

28-29 We believers are citizens and heirs of that kingdom that cannot be shaken (the kingdom of God). Therefore, let us always be thankful to God for the great grace He has shown to us. At the same time, we must worship God acceptably—that is, we must worship Him with reverence and awe. God is a loving and merciful heavenly Father, but He is also a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 33:14; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; Hebrews 10:26-27; 2 Peter 3:10-13). Those who deliberately reject Him will never know Him as a loving Father; they will know Him only as a consuming fire, a “fire” of judgment and punishment. Therefore, all men must come to God with reverence and awe; He is mighty to save, but He is also mighty to punish.