In the passages preceding the end of Hebrews 12, we have been urged to run the race unhindered by sin and distraction, to fix our eyes on Jesus, to remain strong, and to be diligent in pursuing peace and holiness. We don’t do these things in order to get God to do something for us. We do them as an outpouring of our trust in Him and in celebration of the work He is in fact already doing in us.
When I was growing up, the church was regarded as a sacred place. Everything in the sanctuary seemed to be serious with no room for frivolity. It was a big mistake to regard this environment as anything but holy. In a way, it was like Mount Sinai. People approached this holy mountain with fear, lest they be destroyed. Even Moses trembled with fear in His approach. (Deut. 9:19) Many approach God this way, regarding Him as a harsh judge who expects perfection and punishes those who fall short.
Today, the church environment is more relaxed; some might say too much so. None the less, the intended message is a beneficial one: Welcome. Come as you are. Come meet Jesus and find peace with God. This is akin to our approaching Mount Zion, “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” the place where angels rejoice and the church of those whose names are written in heaven. We come to this mountain, not only to meet God the judge but also Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. (Hebrews 12:22-24)
God’s children approach our Heavenly Father, certainly with reverence and trepidation, but not in trembling fear of His wrath. We approach Him at His invitation in the confidence that comes with being His beloved children, heirs to His kingdom. We listen when He speaks to us (v 25). And while God will once again shake the earth and even the heavens, we are receiving a kingdom that cannot and will not be shaken. In this fragile life, everything can be shaken: the ground beneath our feet, our health, our relationships, our finances and possessions, even the thoughts of our mind. Where on earth do we find security? But God promises that His children who trust Him need not be shaken, even if all the earth and heavens are shaken. (v 26-27)
When everything else comes crumbling down around you, do you have a trusting faith that remains unshaken? It comes from and it yields itself to thanksgiving. That is our natural response to such a gift of grace. Our God IS a consuming fire (v 29): one that destroys all that stands against Him but also a fire that refines as gold is purified in the heat of the cauldron. Come to God’s mountain of joy and live thankfully, worshiping Him throughout each day.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:28-29
