9.43 You have come to Mt. Zion, the city of the living God
Today, we will contrast between two mountains. The first is Mt. Sinai, where the Old Covenant was established. The second is Mt Zion, which represents the New Covenant.
Mt Sinai represents the law which points out man’s sin, and it speaks of judgment for sins. It is a fearful thing to be under the law. Mt Sinai burned with fire, to blackness and darkness and tempest. Anyone who touched the mountain would be stoned and shot with an arrow. Even Moses was exceedingly afraid and trembling.
But Mt. Zion represents Jesus’ finished work. It speaks of man’s forgiveness and the gift of righteousness that came through grace. It speaks of the spirit of righteous men made perfect by the blood of Jesus. It speaks of man’s reconciliation to the presence of the Father. And the Church is one family in heaven, in the innumerable company of angels. Today, we have Jesus as our mediator, not Moses.
(Hebrews 12:18-24)
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.”)
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.
The blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel. The blood of Abel cried for revenge. The blood of Jesus cries for our forgiveness.
The author of Hebrews is telling us that we have come to Mt Zion. What a wonderful place to be. What a hope we have in Jesus. Today, we must live on the basis of Mt Zion. We do not live on the basis of Mt. Sinai. We share the gospel that flows from Mt Zion. We no longer preach the Old Covenant that is from Mt Sinai.
Today, we relate to God on the basis of Jesus. We no longer relate to God on the basis of the law. Today, we experience relationship and life through Jesus; we no longer live from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Mt Sinai represents the law which points out man’s sin, and it speaks of judgment for sins. It is a fearful thing to be under the law. Mt Sinai burned with fire, to blackness and darkness and tempest. Anyone who touched the mountain would be stoned and shot with an arrow. Even Moses was exceedingly afraid and trembling.
But Mt. Zion represents Jesus’ finished work. It speaks of man’s forgiveness and the gift of righteousness that came through grace. It speaks of the spirit of righteous men made perfect by the blood of Jesus. It speaks of man’s reconciliation to the presence of the Father. And the Church is one family in heaven, in the innumerable company of angels. Today, we have Jesus as our mediator, not Moses.
(Hebrews 12:18-24)
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.”)
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.
The blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel. The blood of Abel cried for revenge. The blood of Jesus cries for our forgiveness.
The author of Hebrews is telling us that we have come to Mt Zion. What a wonderful place to be. What a hope we have in Jesus. Today, we must live on the basis of Mt Zion. We do not live on the basis of Mt. Sinai. We share the gospel that flows from Mt Zion. We no longer preach the Old Covenant that is from Mt Sinai.
Today, we relate to God on the basis of Jesus. We no longer relate to God on the basis of the law. Today, we experience relationship and life through Jesus; we no longer live from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:28 PM
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