Daily Thoughts from Hebrews: The Better Mountain (12:18-24)

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and 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 a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-24,ESV)

Judaism, and, for that matter, the world systems, offered something touchable with its sacrifices and other rituals.  Though these were meant to foreshadow a greater reality, the clues to which our author has carefully laid out, sinful humans still want to cling to what cannot really save.  And yet as Israel experienced at Mount Sinai, the touchable mountain was not to be touched on pain of death and the thundering voice of God made their knees knock with terror.

But with Jesus’ coming, the mediator of the New Covenant, we are come to another mountain, Mount Zion, God’s city in the heavenlies, and no, we cannot touch it yet.  Like those before us who believed but did not receive the promise without us (chapter 11), we are awaiting our entrance to that promised land.  And oh, how different it is from Sinai.

The heavenly Jerusalem has a constant party going on and angels are leading the festivities.  Also present are all believers from all generations who are now treated as firstborns because we are connected to The Firstborn Son.  God Himself is there and He will judge us all.  That will not be a negative judgment for those of us enrolled in heaven.  In fact, we will find our spirits have been made perfect and we will await only our resurrected bodies to be complete.  And Jesus is there, the one who sprinkled his own blood, shed like Abel’s blood was but with such a more blessed result.

Why would the Hebrews want to miss this?  Why would we?  When we came to Christ it was like our lives before him were meaningless.  We found our true purpose in the universe.  We were reconciled to our Creator.  How could we stand to go back!

After forty years of faithful service to the Lord as a missionary to Africa, Henry Morrison and his wife were returning to New York.  As the ship neared the dock, Henry said to his wife, “Look at that crowd.  They haven’t forgotten about us”.  However, unknown to Henry, the ship also carried President Teddy Roosevelt, returning from a big game hunting trip in Africa.  Roosevelt stepped from the boat, with great fanfare, as people  were cheering, flags were waving,  bands were playing, and reporters waiting for his comment, Henry and his wife slowly walked away unnoticed.  They hailed a cab, which took them to the one bedroom apartment which had been provided by the mission board.

Over the next few weeks, Henry tried, but failed to put the incident behind him.  He was sinking deeper into depression when one evening, he said to his wife, “This is all wrong.  This man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody throws a big party.  We give our lives in faithful service to God for all these many years, but no one seems to care.”

His wife cautioned him that he should not feel this way.  Henry replied “I know you’re right, but I just can’t help it.  It just isn’t right.”

His wife then said, “Henry, you know God doesn’t mind if we honestly question Him.  You need to tell this to the Lord and get this settled now.  You’ll be useless in His ministry until you do.”

Henry Morrison then went to his bedroom, got down on his knees and, shades of Habakkuk, began pouring out his heart to the Lord.  “Lord, you know our situation and what’s troubling me.  We gladly served you faithfully for years without complaining.  But now God, I just can’t get this incident out of my mind…”

After about ten minutes of fervent prayer, Henry returned to the living room with a peaceful look on his face.  His wife said “It looks like you’ve resolved the matter.  What happened?”

Henry replied, “The Lord settled it for me.  I told Him how bitter I was that the President received this tremendous homecoming, but no one even met us as we returned home.  When I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said, ‘But Henry, you are not home yet!’”