Devotional Reading: Psalm 66
In a previous job position my employer was retained by a family torn apart. The mother had passed and left a dilemma as she did not leave a will. Among her assets was a church she had founded and pastored. Her children and family held various positions in the church, such as Assistant Pastor, Treasurer/Trustee, Church Secretary, etc. The heirs felt they should receive financial blessings from the church she had founded. But the children and family was divided, and there was no peace in the congregation. They insisted on suing each other, and as I observed their dilemma, I kept praying because I knew God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1 Cor 14:33 NKJV) There was no way I could fix their problem. And actually the courts could not fix their problem because there would still be deep wounds to heal. Only God through His Son, our Mediator and Go-between, could completely fix and heal their problem. I could only pray on their behalf to God in the Name of Jesus.
We are in Unit III “An Everlasting Covenant” of the three units of the quarter. This is the third lesson of a four lesson study. Last week we studied the establishment of the unconditional, unilateral covenant that was written on the hearts of God’s people, sealed by God’s pure grace through the blood of Christ, our Mediator, to grant us His forgiveness and the opportunity to eternal life. Today we shall further examine the difference between the old and new covenant and the fact the old covenant was made obsolete by the new covenant.
When we first step into chapter 12 of Hebrews we are encouraged to run a lifelong race of faith, knowing we shall be witnessed by many successful runners of the past. Christians are to be inspired when they look unto Jesus, the Author, Finisher, and Perfecter of our faith, who endured the cross for our sins and sat down at the right hand of God to mediate as a go-between for us. There is a grave danger in remaining stationery in the race. We don’t want to fall out of the race because we are too close to the edge of where we are running. In other words, the race is a narrow path. Stay focused and recognize we shall sometimes receive some chastisement from God to keep us on the straight and narrow path for our own good. The chastisement is not punishment, but it is for our wisdom. The wisdom will teach us how to become partakers of His holiness. His is absolute holiness: ours is to put on His holiness part, becoming “holy as He is holy,” by sanctification. The chastisement is many times painful, but the result of the correction will be for those who pursue the peaceable fruit of righteousness to be brought near to Him in conformity and communion. As we go through the trials and tribulations of this Christian race, God will always be with us with our Mediator next to His right side.
The writer of Hebrews made it clear the Jewish believers were in need of urgent encouragement to remain in the race of the Christian faith under the new covenant versus returning to the Mosaic old covenant of the Levitical priesthood. He continues his words of encouragement in Hebrews 12:14-15 imploring the Christian believers, Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the LORD: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; (NKJV) There obviously has been a church split, people are saying things that are causing arguments and/or hurt feelings, and confusion has crept into the church.
The Hebrew writer knew that both the old and new covenants encourage peace and holiness. He urged everyone to pursue peace (shalom), harmony in relationships with everyone, and harmony with God first. I know I personally have attended some church meetings and cringed with the disrespect I have seen displayed by some of our Christian brothers and sisters. I was personally embarrassed to be in the room and could understand why some members have stated they will not attend church meetings because of the disrespect and unholy conduct displayed in some of the meetings. This causes a blot on the church of Christ, but I continue to go to the meetings because I believe we have an obligation. Most importantly I believe we pursue peace and holiness when we do as Jesus stated in Matt 22:37b and 39b, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (NKJV) If we could do that, we could rid ourselves of the confusion. We must not fall short of the grace of God by refusing His offer of salvation. Also, we must not allow seeds of confusion and evil to become planted in the church or to be unchecked and eventually kill the congregation.
Once the writer admonished the readers to pursue peace and holiness as encouraged by both the old and the new covenant, he set out to share the differences between the covenants. He first described the old covenant of the Jewish church in Hebrews 12:18-21, For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. (For they could not endure what was commanded. “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.” (NKJV)
Mt. Sinai was described as the terrifying, physical mountain that could be touched, but it was forbidden. Not only were the people required to consecrate themselves (Ex 19:10), but they were not allowed to touch or come near the base of the mountain. If either man or beast touched the mountain, they would be stoned or thrust through with a dart. Once the trumpet sounded they could come near this terrifying mountain (Ex 19:12-13). The people were afraid and could not bear the terror of Mt. Sinai as they witnessed thunder, lightning, a loud long trumpet sound, the mountain smoking, and even Moses drawing close to God out of the midst of the thick darkness (Ex 20:18-21). Even though he was their leader, Moses was in fear also (vs. 21). And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. (Ex 24:18b NKJV) He drew near to the holy God to receive the Ten Commandments, Levitical laws, and other instructions God had for the Israelites to receive.
The author of Hebrews wanted to present the clear contrast of the new covenant against the obsolete old covenant by presenting its mountain, Mt. Zion, which is synonymous with Jerusalem. He described this special place in Jewish history (Ps 48:1-3) as the new special place in Hebrews 12:22-24, But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. (NKJV)
The gospel church represents the new covenant, the blessed mountain of Mt. Zion. Its blessings far exceeds the terrifying Mt. Sinai. Mt. Zion is a spiritual heavenly Jerusalem, versus a physical place, and of which the restored literal Jerusalem hereafter shall be the earthly representative to be succeeded by the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven (Rev 21:2-27). It is the city of the living God with a heavenly society. There is a full assembly of angels who are of the same family as the saints whose duties are to minister to the believers. There is the general assembly and the church of the Firstborn (the Messiah) which includes everyone’s name that is written in heaven even the former saints who saw and believed in the promise but never received it. It is here that God will judge everyone no matter what law they follow.
Mt. Zion is not a dark place which causes fear, but it is one that allows believers to have joy. The gospel church allows believers to have access to God through Jesus Christ. Without His atoning sacrifice, there would be no new covenant, and the Jewish Christians might as well return to the synagogue. Believers now have the opportunity to receive salvation and eternal life. The Hebrew writer then compared the shed blood of Abel at his brother Cain’s hands (Gen 4:11) to the shed blood of Jesus Christ. In the chapter on faith, the writer indicates at Heb 11:4, By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gift; and through it he being dead still speaks. (NKJV) Abel did not sacrifice his life; he gave an excellent animal sacrifice. Christ sacrificed His life. The comparison is between the shed blood of Abel vs the shed blood of Jesus and not the comparison of human sacrifices. However, animal sacrifices were necessary and continued to be given after the shed blood of Abel until Christ gave His life for the sins of mankind. Abel’s voice continuously speaking after his death does not have superiority over that of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. It is simply, unfortunately, the voice of one of the faithful martyred saints of God at the dawn of history. The shedding of Jesus’ blood is infinitely more valuable because He sacrificed His life once to bear the sins of many (Heb 9:28b NKJV).
There are Scriptural accounts which show perseverance in the Christian race as versus a reversion into Judaism (old covenant) is better. It is interesting to note that on the day Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, he found the Israelites had fell into disobedience and built a golden calf. On that day approximately 3,000 men were slain (Ex 32:28). In comparison, on the day the church was established in Mt. Zion, 3,000 souls were saved (Acts 2:41). The Mosaic Law was a law of spiritual death because nobody could keep it perfectly, but the law of Christ is a law of life because it provides for the forgiveness of our sins. For this reason the writer of Hebrews urged the readers not to refuse the inescapable God through unbelief. The author stated in Heb 12:25-26, See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, how much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. (NKJV)
There was no escape from the terrifying voice of God at Mount Sinai. Do not refuse the inescapable Jesus who speaks by His blood in a manner that is greater than Abel, and now He speaks in the heavens offering salvation. The author warned that if those who refused to hear the one who spoke on earth (Moses) and gave the Law did not escape God’s judgment, how could they expect to escape it if they refused to hear the very Son of God who speaks from heaven? In Christ, God has given His best and final revelation. To refuse Him is to perish. Escape is impossible. At Mount Sinai God’s voice caused an earthquake (Ex 19:18). But when God speaks in the future His voice will also produce a heaven quake (Haggai 2:6), shake the entire universe, destroying everything physical, and then remaking the heavens and the earth (2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 21:1). When God ends the sifting and shaking process only that which is real will remain, a system that cannot be shaken.
In this Thanksgiving season I always find it good to reflect on certain Bible passages. One of them happens to be one given by Jesus Christ to the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos. It is Rev 21:1a, 3-4 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (NKJV) That always gives me hope in my Christian walk. I don’t have a feeling of terror, but a feeling of joy and thankfulness. The author felt we should appreciate our situation in thankfulness as he penned the conclusion of chapter 12 at verses 28-29. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. (NKJV) Let us have thankfulness in Whom we have hope that we may serve well-pleasingly, with reverent caution and awe, since we are in receipt of a kingdom, the church, which cannot be shaken. Christians must remember that God is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow. Christians serve the same God who visited Mount Sinai. The covenant changed, not God. God demands respect as the One True God. (See Deut 4:24) Never take God’s grace through His Son Jesus for weakness.
Deborah C. Davis
No comments:
Post a Comment