This passage contrasts Mount Sinai, where the Israelites received the old covenant, with Mount Zion, where believers now belong under the new covenant. 1) At Mount Sinai, the Israelites were terrified by God's presence as demonstrated through thunder, lightning and a loud trumpet. God warned of death for any who touched the mountain. 2) In contrast, believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, where they enjoy fellowship with God and other believers. They have received an unshakable kingdom and should worship God gratefully through their lives. 3) The writer warns believers not to refuse God who now speaks from heaven through Jesus, just as the Israelites were punished for refusing God at Sinai.

1. A Tale of Two Mountains
Hebrews 12:18–29

2. Hebrews 12:18–29
18 For you have not come to a mountain that
can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to
darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to
the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words
which sound was such that those who heard
begged that no further word be spoken to
them. 20 For they could not bear the
command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE
MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” 21 And so terrible
was the sight, that Moses said,

3. “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” 22 But you
have come to Mount Zion and to the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to
myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn who are enrolled
in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to
the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks
better than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that
you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if
those did not escape when they refused him
who warned them on earth,

4. much less will we escape who turn away from
Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice
shook the earth then, but now He has
promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE
NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” 27 This
expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the
removing of those things which can be
shaken, as of created things, so that those
things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which
cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by
which we may offer to God an acceptable
service with reverence and awe;

5. 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

6. A Tale of Two Mountains
Hebrews 12:18–29

7. Exodus 19:10–14
The LORD also said to Moses, “Go to the
people and consecrate them today and
tomorrow, and let them wash their garments;
11 and let them be ready for the third day, for
on the third day the LORD will come down on
Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12
“You shall set bounds for the people all
around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up
on the mountain or touch the border of it;
whoever touches the mountain shall surely

8. be put to death. 13 ‘No hand shall touch him,
but he shall surely be stoned or shot through;
whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When
the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall
come up to the mountain.” 14 So Moses went
down from the mountain to the people and
consecrated the people, and they washed
their garments.

9. Preparations and Warnings
Consecrate-set apart or make holy
Wash
Be ready
Fenced in
Death penalty

10. Exodus
19:16–25
16 So it came about on the
third day, when it was
morning, that there were
thunder and lightning flashes
and a thick cloud upon the
mountain and a very loud
trumpet sound, so that all the
people who were in the camp
trembled. 17 And Moses
brought the people out of the
camp to meet God, and they
stood at the foot of the
mountain.

11. Exodus
19:16–25
18 Now Mount Sinai was all in
smoke because the LORD
descended upon it in fire; and
its smoke ascended like the
smoke of a furnace, and the
whole mountain quaked
violently. 19 When the sound
of the trumpet grew louder
and louder, Moses spoke and
God answered him with
thunder. 20 The LORD came
down on Mount Sinai, to the
top of the mountain;

12. Exodus
19:16–25
and called Moses to the top
of the mountain, and Moses
went up. 21 Then the LORD
spoke to Moses, “Go down,
warn the people, so that they
do not break through to the
LORD to gaze, and many of
them perish. 22 “Also let the
priests who come near to the
LORD consecrate23 Moses said
to the LORD, “The people
cannot come up to Mount
Sinai, for You warned us,

13. Exodus
19:16–25
saying, ‘Set bounds about the
mountain and consecrate it.’ ”
24 Then the LORD said to him,
“Go down and come up again,
you and Aaron with you; but
do not let the priests and the
people break through to come
up to the LORD, or He will
break forth upon them.” 25 So
Moses went down to the
people and told them.

14. God spoke

15. Their reaction
…the sound of words
which sound was
such that those who
heard begged that
no further word be
spoken to them.

16. Price of disobedience
“For I was afraid of the anger and hot
displeasure with which the LORD was wrathful
against you in order to destroy you, but the
LORD listened to me that time also.
Deuteronomy 9:19

17. Paul would say
But if the ministry of death, in letters
engraved on stones, came with glory, so that
the sons of Israel could not look intently at the
face of Moses because of the glory of his face,
fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the
Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if
the ministry of condemnation has glory, much
more does the ministry of righteousness
abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory,

18. in this case has no glory because of the glory
that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades
away was with glory, much more that which
remains is in glory. 12 Therefore having such a
hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13
and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil
over his face so that the sons of Israel would
not look intently at the end of what was
fading away.
2 Corinthians 3:7–13

19. A new mountain
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to myriads of angels,
…for he was looking for the city which has
foundations, whose architect and builder
is God.
Hebrews 11:10

20. Our Spiritual Reality and Promise
1. Mount Zion
Rev. 14:12.
2. City of the Living God
Rev. 21:2
3. Heavenly Jerusalem
Gal 4:26
1. Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold,
the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion,
and with Him one hundred and forty-four
thousand,
2.Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, made ready as a bride adorned
for her husband.
3. Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is
free; she is our mother.

21. Remember
But as it is, they desire a better country, that
is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God; for He has
prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16

22. Inhabitants of the land

23. General Assembly
General Assembly-a festal gathering of the
whole people to celebrate
Saints living and dead

24. Church Of The Firstborn
Ekklesia-a called-out body of people
Enrolled in heaven-Dan. 7:10 and Rev. 20:12
Spirits of the righteous made perfect

25. Made possible
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks
better than the blood of Abel.
according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to
obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His
blood..1 Peter 1:2a

26. Comparison
New Covenant
sprinkled with
Christ’s blood
Old Covenant with
the shedding of
animal blood

27. Warning
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is
speaking. For if those did not escape when
they refused him who warned them on earth,
much less will we escape who turn away from
Him who warns from heaven.

28. The invitation to come up higher
This calls for patient
endurance on the part of the
people of God who keep his
commands and remain
faithful to Jesus.
Revelation 14:12 (NIV)

29. Don’t Refuse
…by a new and living way which He
inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His
flesh, (Hebrews 10:20)
Jesus said…“I am the way, and the truth, and
the life; no one comes to the Father but
through Me. (John 14:6)

30. Shake up
“For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more
in a little while, I am going to shake the
heavens and the earth, the sea also and the
dry land.
Haggai 2:6

31. More shake ups
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
in which the heavens will pass away with a
roar and the elements will be destroyed with
intense heat, and the earth and its works will
be burned up.
2 Peter 3:10

32. His gives, we receive, we give
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which
cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by
which we may offer to God an acceptable
service with reverence and awe;
Hebrews 12:28
An Unshakable Kingdom
Show gratitude through service

33. 1 Peter 2:9 (NASB95)
9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A
royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY
NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s
OWN POSSESSION, so that you
may proclaim the
excellencies of Him who has
called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light;
Hebrews 13:15 (NASB95)
15 Through Him then, let us
continually offer up a
sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that
give thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:21 (NASB95)
21 equip you in every good
thing to do His will, working
in us that which is pleasing
in His sight, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Not Just A Chosen Few

34. On many levels
for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:29
Jealous God-Deut. 4:24
Judging God-Lev. 10:2
God’s Glory-Ex. 24:17
Consumes the offering

35. A Tale of Two Mountains
Hebrews 12:18–29