The Greatness of Mount Zion - Part 1

- Well, if you would take your Bible, turn back to Hebrews chapter 12. I did say that we'll cover verses 18 to 24 this morning. And I did tell you that we will turn to John chapter three at the conclusion of the message. Now, we have moved past those general exhortations from verses 12 to 17. And here in verses 18 to 29, we have what some consider to be the most important verses of the book. In his commentary on the book, Al Mohler says these verses are the climactic point that the author had been building towards for the past 11 chapters. That's a very large statement, I agree with him.

Mohler says these verses are the climactic point that the author had been building towards in all 11 chapters. Now, it has been a while since I had mentioned this, but we know the point of the book of Hebrews. Hebrews is all about presenting the supremacy of Christ, the preeminence of Christ. Chapters one to 11 are about presenting Jesus and the new covenant as a fulfillment of and better than the old covenant. Chapters one to 11 are all about what is better in the new covenant and the fact that we do not need the old covenant because it has been fulfilled in the new. As a matter of fact, the old covenant is obsolete. It is done away with.

In his introduction to the book, John MacArthur says that chapter eight verse one is a summary of the entire book. Hebrews eight one says, "Now the point in what we are saying is this. "We have such a high priest, "one who is seated at the right hand of the throne "of the majesty in heaven." MacArthur goes on to say, "Ours is the high priest of high priests and he is seated.

"His work is done, completely finished, "for all time and for us." And I say because the work of providing redemption from man on the cross is finished and Christ our Lord is certainly seated at the right hand of our father as our perfect high priest we can draw near to God. We can draw near to God in a way that those Old Testament saints only dreamed of. They only dreamed of these things church. But remember those who originally received the letter when it was written and why. Hebrews was written to a Jewish congregation and scholars believe that it was written before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem which took place in 70 A.D.

And some scholars believe they were located either in Jerusalem or very near Jerusalem. Many in this congregation had truly been saved while some professed Christ and they had not truly believed. And some scholars believe that there were some associated with the church that didn't profess Christ at all. And the author was writing to exalt the supremacy of Christ and the new covenant and to encourage them not to go back to the old covenant, back to the temple and the sacrifices there at the temple and their former way of life in Judaism.

And they were certainly pressured to do so because of the rejection and persecution they experienced from other Jews. And get this church this would have included friends, family, people they knew, people they would have known their entire lives. And we have studied their trials, we have examined their rejection, their persecution quite a lot and quite often. So after the author exalted the supremacy of Christ and the new covenant and the fulfillment of the old covenant the author went on to encourage them to run their race of the Christian life, to run their race of faith well. We see that starting in chapter 12 verses one to 17.

And this morning we will see the next step the author took and encouraging them to run their race well. He took them to a comparison. He took them to a great comparison and to a crossroads where they had to make a choice. They had to make a choice. And the comparison he presented was between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion, between the Old Testament law and Jesus as the fulfillment of that law, between the fear and judgment under the law and Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant who provides forgiveness for those who believe. And the crossroads he brought them to was very simple but tough.

They could go the way of the old covenant and the law that was given on Mount Sinai that could have never provided salvation but could only reveal sin, God's justice and wrath which is against sin in the center or they could go the way of Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant who provided perfect salvation for men and men. So that's what we have here this morning before us. This is all about going from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion and the greatness of Mount Zion. Again, he makes a comparison, a great one. And he brings them to a crossroads. We'll see that crossroads today and especially next week.

Now that brings me to the title of the message. This is all about the greatness of Mount Zion, the greatness of Mount Zion. And I'll go ahead and tell you at the end of the message, I will add to that title, kind of change that title and it's a part of helping us see the major point of the message in the verses. Now let's go back and read the verses 'cause the verses are a lot, can be confusing for some but I think when we get through waiting through them, it will all make sense. Verse 18, "For you have not come to what may be, "may not be touched.

"Blazing fire, darkness, gloom, a tempest "and the sound of the trumpet and the voice "whose words made the hearers beg "that no further messages be spoken or brought to them. "For they could not endure the order that was given. "If even the beasts or animals touch the mountain, "it shall be stoned. "Indeed, so terrifying was the sight "that Moses said, I tremble with fear." Verse 22, "But you have come to Mount Zion "into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem "into innumerable angels infestile gathering "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 "and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant "and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word "than that of the blood of Abel." Now out of this message this morning, we will have two points of teaching.

First, we will see this call to look back. This call to look back in verses 18 to 21, the author called them to look back into the Old Testament and to Mount Sinai. Then second, we will see this call to look forward. A call to look forward in verses 24. In verses 19 to 24, he called them to look forward into eternity to the heavenly Mount Zion, which is the heavenly Jerusalem. So let's get started. Number one, the call to look back to Mount Sinai. This call to look back to Mount Sinai. Now these verses can be confusing unless we really remember our Old Testament.

This week I was talking with one of the men of our church about these verses and when I pointed out that this is describing what took place at Mount Sinai when God gave Moses the 10 commandments. Well, he saw what the author was referring to. The light bulb kind of came on. But I will summarize and I'll explain what we have here. Then I will help us see the point the author was making for this original congregation and then also how it relates to us. Now even though the author did not name Mount Sinai, he was referring to what took place at Sinai. Mount Sinai is inferred in the original language.

So that is why the legacy standard Bible, the New American, they have the word mountain italicized. The King James uses the word mountain as well. But the author was calling his readers to look back to what took place at Sinai and they knew all about these events. They were Jews, they knew their Old Testament and they had their Old Testament scriptures. This phrase have not come to what may be touched reminded them of the origin of the law of God on Sinai and that's seen in Exodus 19. Sinai was the mountain God called Moses to climb to receive the law for him on behalf of Israel.

And God commanded Moses to warn the people not to go up the mountain or to even touch it. Exodus 19.12 tells us that if they touched it, they would surely die. They could not touch the mountain because the very presence of God consecrated the mountain as holy and set it apart from the sin and the sinfulness of the people. If someone who was not called by God even touched the mountain again, when God was present there, they would be put to death. He reminded them that even if an animal, a beast was to touch the mountain, it was to be stoned to death. We see that in Exodus 19 as well.

And when God was present on the mountain, it was consumed by smoke, earthquakes, thunder, and lightning as seen in Exodus 19.16. And this all took place because God had literally come down on the mountain in fire. But there's more. The mountain resounded with very loud blasts of a trumpet that grew louder and louder with each blast. And this was the point of these events. These things happened as they did to prove the very presence of God on the mountain. These events spoke of and to the great power and perfect holiness of God.

Therefore, the mountain was a place of absolute terror and fear for those people as they stood before God at the mountain. And it was God through Moses who had led them to the mountain and to witness these events. And these events were so terror filled and so fearful. Verse 21 says that even Moses trembled with fear and he lived closer to God than any man. And at this point, we have to ask a few questions. What was the meaning of these events? That's a big question. What did all this mean? What did this mean for this original congregation? And what does this mean for us in our day?

Well, at the time of these events that took place at Sinai, the Jews, the people, the nation, they were just starting off in their journey with God. They were just babes as a people in a nation. And God was giving them his law, the 10 commandments, and all these other worldly events. They were to strike fear as this never diminishing, never ending holy fear into the people. They were to fear God. They were to fear the law. They were to fear the judgment of God because they could never keep the law of God. John MacArthur says the ultimate purpose of these events was to prove to the people the absolute unapproachableness of God.

Let that sink in. These events were to prove and demonstrate to the people the absolute unapproachableness of God. They were sinful. God was holy. They could not come near to him and live. So these events were meant to bring the people to this never diminishing, never fading fear of God and to prove to them the absolute unapproachableness of God. Now think about this original congregation. The author was calling them to look back to Sinai and showing them that if they left Jesus in the new covenant and they went back to the old covenant, they were going back to nothing but a life of fear.

They would have been going back to a fear of God, a fear of his perfect law that they could never keep, a fear of judgment. They would have been going back to an unapproachable God. But how does this apply to us? We're not Jews. We're not Israelites. I think we all know that. We're not even members of that original congregation. So what does this have to do with us today? This is rather simple. If someone is not born again, if they do not savingly believe in Christ, they are standing before and accountable to the perfect law of God that they can never keep.

And they are standing before a holy God they have sinned against and they can never approach and live. If a person is not savingly in Christ, they are standing figuratively at the foot of Mount Sinai, helpless and hopeless before God. And notice their utter hopelessness. Notice their utter doom. If that person dies in that state at the end of all things and all times, at the great white throne judgment as seen in Revelation 20, 11 to 15, they will stand before Christ as an unbeliever when Jesus judges all unbelievers. All their sin will be exposed. Their guilt will be revealed according to their works up against God's perfect law.

Because Galatians 3, 10 says, cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, which is actually a quote of Deuteronomy 27, 26. And they will be cast into the lake of fire in eternal punishment because their name is not found in the book of life, which is the book containing the names of all of the redeemed. And look church, we must remember that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. A direct quote of Hebrews 10, 31, listen to that verse in the Amplified. It says, it is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God incurring his judgment and wrath.

You may ask, was the author trying to strike great fear into the hearts of those who were not truly saved in this original congregation? You better believe it. The author was trying to strike great fear into their hearts if they were not truly converted. And you may ask, am I trying to strike fear into the hearts of unbelievers here this morning? I sure am. And if I wasn't, I would not be doing my job. If you do not know Christ savingly, I pray you are moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

I pray that you were moved upon by the Spirit and this inspired fear of falling into the hands of the living God comes upon you and you run to Christ and you're saved. You run to Christ. And as we will see, all people reside. All people reside either at the foot of Sinai and Holy fear, unable to approach God or on Zion in the heavenly city of Jerusalem with God. So this look back to Sinai, he called them to look back to Sinai and he calls us to do that as well. Next number two, the call to look forward to Mount Zion. The call to look forward to Mount Zion. Now I wanna read these verses and we'll see the transition. Verse 22 to 24.

He's given this description of Sinai verses 18 to 21. Notice the change. But you have come to Mount Zion into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, into innumerable angels in festal gatherings, and to the assembly of the firstborn who were 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 that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Now, here we have some strange language like before and we may not understand these things at first, but when we wade through them, I think you'll see what it all means.

Now, whereas before the author was calling this congregation to look back to the Old Testament, back into their Jewish history to Mount Sinai, here he is calling them to look forward into eternity. Notice the text says heavenly Jerusalem, and it will help us to see that these verses pertain to eschatology. He is speaking of the new and heavenly Jerusalem in eternity future, just as I did with the earlier verses, I will give us a summary of these things, along with pointing out some specifics we need to see in the verses, and I will help us see the point the author was making for this original congregation and how it applies, this applies to us.

Now, it will help us to know that the Old Testament scriptures, that in the Old Testament scriptures, the earthly Zion was a part of Jerusalem that was captured from the Jebusites by King David, as seen in 2 Samuel five, and Mount Zion became so identified with the city of Jerusalem, it became analogous to the city. For the Jewish people, Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem were really one and the same, one and the same. But here the author was not talking about the physical city of Jerusalem, he was and he is speaking of the heavenly Jerusalem, it's in the text, that's in eternity future. But notice that we have a conundrum here.

In verse 22, he tells them they have already come to the heavenly Jerusalem. But here's a problem, or what seems to be a problem, they were still on earth near the physical city of Jerusalem. So how can this be? Scholars tell us that we have an already not yet here. And in the scriptures, we have quite a few already not yet. It's a tension between them. Let me give you an example. As born again believers, we are already saved, but not yet saved. We are already saved in this world, but when we leave this earth, we will be saved ultimately and finally. So we can accurately say we are saved, but yet not saved. The kingdom of God is here and now.

As born again believers in his church, we are a part of the kingdom of God, but yet it is not come. There is a kingdom of God to come in eternity future, you see? And that is what we have here. As believers, they were living in the eternal Jerusalem spiritually, but they had not yet arrived because they were still living on earth and in time. Now, Mohler says it like this, and I'm quoting him, the kingdom of God is inaugurated already, though not consummated yet. Let that sink in. The kingdom of God is inaugurated already, though it's not consummated yet.

And he goes on to apply this to us saying, and I'm quoting Mohler, in other words, Christians can experience in part the fulfillment of God's promises, even as they await the complete experiences of those promises in the new creation. This is the tension we feel between this age and the age to come. Notice that. This is the tension we feel between this age and the age to come. Now, notice what the author is telling this congregation here in verse 22. Now, I'm really putting it in my works. He's saying you, you are not out Mount Sinai. You have come to the Mount of Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

And this is not a city of fire, darkness, earthquakes, and gloom, but a city of a great gathering of angels in this festive and glorious celebration. See the contrast? So the author was calling them to look forward to the heavenly city of Jerusalem, the heavenly Mount Zion. In one way, they were already there. They were there spiritually, and he was calling them to see that. No doubt, the spirit of God just burned in their hearts as they heard these things. But in another way, they were still waiting to get there. He was calling them to see that as well, and even to yearn for that day. No doubt, they burned in their hearts to get there.

But I want us to take the time to see a few details about the city. I want us to see who's there, what's there, really what this is all about. First, this is the city of the assembly. Those enrolled in heaven. This speaks about who is there. The English Standard says to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. The New American says the general assembly in church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. Now some debate what this is referring to, but really it's not complicated at all. The assembly of the firstborn of the redeemed children of God who belong to the firstborn. The firstborn is Jesus.

We see this connection easily in Romans 8.28. Paul says, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. The firstborn being Christ, and the many brothers being the redeemed, those who are enrolled in heaven. And we know who those who are enrolled in heaven are. These are those whose names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life as seen in the Scriptures. Listen to Revelation 21.27. This speaks of who gets into heaven and who does not.

This speaks of those who are enrolled in heaven, but nothing unclean will ever enter it, that's heaven, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. So notice who is in the heavenly Jerusalem, those whom he foreknew, whom he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and Revelation 13.8 says those names were enrolled in that book before the foundation of the earth. Second, this is the city of God, the judge of all, that shows us who else is there. The city of God, the judge of all.

Now at Sinai, to come into the presence of God meant death and judgment. But here, the author says the opposite of truth is true in the heavenly Jerusalem. Those who belong to the firstborn, thus Jesus, can enter into the heavenly Jerusalem and into the very presence of God. How, why? Because of Christ's finished work of redemption. After Jesus finished the work of redemption, the great curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, signifying that redemption and forgiveness had been provided for men and men. So the redeemed man can enter into the very presence of God.

I like how John MacArthur sums this up saying, to come into God's presence at Sinai was to die. To come into his presence at Zion is to live. See the contrast? And I add to that saying, this is only applied to those who belong to the firstborn. This is only applied to those who were enrolled in heaven, the born again. So notice who is there in the heavenly Jerusalem. The assembly of those whose names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, those are the ones who can come into the presence of God. Then third, this is the city of the righteous. Again, this speaks to who is there.

Now scholars tell us these righteous men are the Old Testament saints who went before these believers in this original congregation. These are the Old Testament saints like the ones we studied in chapter 11, the great hall of fame of the old saints of God. So notice who else is there, the Old Testament righteous who went before these original saints and who go before us as well. And fourth, this is the city of Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. Again, this speaks to who is there. The city of Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. Look at verse 24.

And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than that of the blood of Abel. Now here we come to the most important person in the heavenly Jerusalem. Let that sink in. This is the most important person in the heavenly Jerusalem, the one who provided redemption for men and men. And notice the author points out two details that are important. Jesus is the mediator. He was the mediator, meaning he was the go-between between a holy God and a sinful man.

He was the mediator, meaning he made a way so that the sinful man can be redeemed and put into a right relationship with God before God, a holy God, an unapproachable God. Matthew Henry describes this saying, he, this is Christ, is the middle person that goes between both parties, God and man, to bring them together in this covenant. Well, what covenant? The new covenant. And the other important detail. Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, the text says. And the word used for new here is not the usual term for new, which can mean new as in something of a different form.

This word new here speaks of something recent, something newly established, as opposed to the old. And notice what this meant for that original audience now. The heavenly Jerusalem is the city of the mediator who would mediate between them and the God of Sinai. He was the mediator, the mediator God, who made a way so that sinful man who was terrified of God and the judgment of God could be not only made right with God, but be ushered into the very presence of the unapproachable God. And this included them.

And this mediator is the mediator of a new covenant, which is something new as opposed to the old because the new fulfilled the old making the old obsolete. So notice who is in the heavenly Jerusalem, Jesus. He was and is the mediator between God and man, between man and God who mediated this new covenant. Fifth, this is the city of a better blood. Now we go from who to what is in the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of a better blood. Let's look back at verse 24. And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant into the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Now we learned of this back when we studied Abel in chapter 11, verse four, we saw that Abel's sacrifice was better than that of his brother, Cain's. And although the text does not say it, we firmly believe that Abel's sacrifice was that of blood. We covered Abel back in September of last year, September the 14th to be specific. But here the author writes of a blood that is better than the blood that Abel provided. And that is the blood of Jesus, the blood that he shed on the cross. And notice why Jesus' blood is better than Abel's. It's rather simple, it's rather obvious. Abel's sacrifice of blood was acceptable to God.

His sacrifice was made by faith because Abel worshiped God by faith and in faith. But Abel's blood sacrifice could not do what Jesus' blood sacrifice did. Abel's sacrifice could not provide atonement for men and men. His sacrifice could not even provide atonement for his sins. But Jesus' blood was and is sufficient to cleanse the sins of all who savingly believe. I'll repeat that, the blood of Jesus was and is sufficient to cleanse the sins of all who savingly believe. Colossians 1.20 says, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

So here we see that in the heavenly Jerusalem, we have a better blood, the blood of Christ. We have the blood of Christ that provided peace and reconciliation between God and man. But we must see the point the author was making for this original congregation and for us. We may not be able to understand this, but this call that the author gives this congregation to look forward to the heavenly Jerusalem to Mount Zion in heaven was very, very radical for them. This was actually the opposite of everything they had been taught to believe for generations since the time of Moses.

That is because to be Jewish meant to view themselves and their history through Mount Sinai. Sinai is where God met them in and under the old covenant and he gave them the law. But not in and under the new covenant. In the new covenant, God meets with his people in the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly Mount Zion, but not in fear, not in judgment, not in the unapproachableness of God found at Sinai. And this was radically different than anything they had ever heard or seen before. In the heavenly Zion, God meets with his people in redemption, forgiveness and acceptance.

He meets with his people in love, mercy and grace because of and through the better blood of Christ Jesus. And again, this was radical and completely different from everything those Jews have been taught for generations. This was in stark contrast to Sinai. Notice how this applies to us. We're not Jewish. We're not a part of that original congregation, but this applies. Remember the already not yet tension we see in the scriptures. That's how it applies to us here. Let me explain. As a born again believer today, we already dwell in the heavenly Jerusalem, spiritually speaking.

But we have not yet reached the heavenly Mount Zion because we are still here on earth. But one day in God's time, we'll get there. And look at this. On that day, as born again believers, we will enter into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and we will be with that whole host of angels in that festive worshipful gathering. Of course, that's a loose quote of verse 21. Again, we are already dwelling in the heavenly Mount Zion, but yet we hadn't got there yet. But those who are not born again, they already dwell somewhere as well.

They dwell not in the heavenly Jerusalem, but in the eternal lake of fire as seen in Revelation 20, 14 to 15. You may say, "Pastor Chris, how can I say that?" Well, I can say it because Jesus said it. This is where I would like you to turn to John chapter three, verse 16. You might say, "I know, verse 16, that's not what it says. That's because most people stop short." John 3, 16, we know it. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." Verse 18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he is not believed in the name of the only son of God." Here Jesus said it, "Those who are not born again, they dwell not in the heavenly Jerusalem, but in judgment already. It is if they are judged already and cast into the lake of fire as seen in Revelation 20 verses 11 to 15 already, but that judgment has not yet happened." You see, they are still waiting on their arrival to the lake of fire.

Remember earlier when I talked about fear? I'm not a fear monger. We don't even give an invitation here. Many times folks will visit our church and they're not confused by the doctrine. Many times they're confused because we don't give an invitation. I'm not against an invitation. It just doesn't suit us. And I'm not a fear monger. I don't twist your arm or try to scare you. But folks, if you're not born again, you should be scared right here.

I pray the Holy Spirit of God causes you to fall into the pit of fear that you can't sleep, you can't eat, you can't function because you're fearful, fearful of falling into the hands of a living God, seeing that you were judged already because you are not in Christ Jesus and you have no hope for the heavenly Jerusalem unless you run to Christ. If you're lost, run to Christ, please run to Christ. He'll save you. He'll save you. This, so this call to look forward to Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem for them and for us as well. Now I wanna close by revisiting the title of the message. I mentioned this earlier.

As I do from time to time, I'll give you a message and I'll alter the title. I'll offer maybe an alternative way to title what we have here. And you know that titles are a big deal for me. To me the title should represent the theme, the direction, the heart of the message. But I call this the greatness of Mount Zion. Hopefully with what I have shared and what you've seen and how the Spirit has worked in you, you are seeing the greatness of Mount Zion, that Mount Zion in heaven. But we could also call this the greatness of Mount Zion versus the dread of Mount Sinai. Have you ever seen the dread of Sinai before?

See the contrast, the greatness of Mount Zion in heaven and the dread of Mount Sinai. And we could also call this from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion. See if we're born again, we can look back and see where at one time we were dwelling at the foot of Sinai, but by God's grace, he changed our home to a heavenly home. And my prayer and my desire for all of us is that we have all gone from the dread of Sinai to the great beauty of Zion and that we see more and more, or for the first time, the greatness of Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem that is waiting for us. And I pray that for us as believers, we'll yearn for that place more. This is not our home.

This is not our home.