College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Hebrews 12:25-29
D.
Warning. Hebrews 12:25-29.
Text
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused Him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from Him that warneth from heaven: Hebrews 12:26 Whose Voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. Hebrews 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: Hebrews 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Paraphrase
Hebrews 12:25 Take care that ye disobey not God Who is now speaking to you from heaven by His Son. For, if the Israelites did not escape punishment who disobeyed God delivering an oracle on earth, by Moses, commanding them to go into Canaan, much more we shall not escape punishment, who turn away from God speaking to us the Gospel from heaven by His Son.
Hebrews 12:26 God's voice at the giving of the law shook the earth, in token that idolatry was to be shaken in Canaan by the law of Moses. But now concerning His speaking by His Son He hath promised, saying, Yet once I shall not shake the earth onlythe heathen idolatry and the powers which support itbut also the heaven; the Mosaic worship and Jewish state.
Hebrews 12:27 Now this speech, Yet once, signifieth the removing of the things shaken; the abolition of the former religions, and the destruction of the powers which uphold them, as of things which were made with handsthings of an inferior and imperfect nature; that the things not to be shaken, the Gospel church and worship, may remain to the end of the world.
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we, the disciples of God's Son, having in the Gospel dispensation received the kingdom foretold by Daniel to be given to the saints, and which is never to be shaken, let us hold fast that gift, that excellent dispensation of religion by which we can worship God acceptably, if we do it with reverence and religious fear.
Hebrews 12:29 For, even under the gospel, our God is as much a consuming Fire to infidels and apostates, as under the law.
Comment
See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh
Who speaks?
a.
Evidently God, but there is an allusion to the shaking at Sinai.
b.
Christ spoke not threats that He carried out as this verse suggests, Of course Christ is the Word of God, but only in this sense can this verse apply to Him.
for if they escaped not when they refused Him that warned them on earth
What occasion is referred to?
a.
Noah surely is a possibility.
b.
Moses-' warning is a better one, since it fits the context better. Does this imply that now there is a warning direct from God without the messenger, man?
a.
No. Neglect for so great a salvation demands heavier judgment. Hebrews 2:3.
b.
No speaker of greater dignity speaks, but a greater message is delivered.
much more shall not we escape
We should not expect to go free, just because Christ taught that God is a Father. We sin against a greater demonstration of love, and we should expect a greater demonstration of wrath if we trample upon Christ.
who turn away from Him that wameth from heaven
Observe that warneth is in italics. Actually it reads that is from heaven.
a.
This clarifies the point perhaps. He is simply locating the Voice.
b.
Of course Moses-' message was from heaven, but it was more directly from a mountain that shook and trembled.
This atoning message is from heaven, and it must not be rejected. Mark 16:16.
Whose Voice then shook the earth
This refers to Mount Sinai, described in Exodus 19:18. The Psalmist described it, Psalms 114:4: the mountains skipped like rams.
but now He hath promised, saying.
Haggai 2:6 is the quotation though not literal, says Calvin. Milligan says it was spoken primarily to the building of the second temple by Zerubbabel and is therefore chronologically connected with the coming of the Messiah.
yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only but also the heavens
Though God shook the earth when He published the law, yet now He speaks more gloriously, for He shakes both earth and heaven. Has this been fulfilled?
a.
Calvin: The voice of the gospel not only thunders through the earth, but also penetrates above the heavens.
b.
The earth quaked at Jesus-' crucifixion and resurrection, so this could have been fulfilled.
The heavens, says McKnight, refers to the Jewish state and worship.
a.
He says here it pictures an alteration which was to be made in the political and religious state of the world.
b.
If heavens is literal, no explanation can be given unless it refers to the event of darkness that accompanied the shaking of the earth at the cross.
There is a possibility that this refers to the end of time.
and this word, Yet once more
Newell says this is the divine interpretation of the above verse, and three things are seen:
a.
Heaven and earth are to be done away.
b.
The reason is that their end is accomplished.
c.
Things unshaken will remain.
McKnight feels that Haggai 2 proves that earthly kingdoms, the Levitical system, etc., are meant.
a.
He feels that yet once means that the gospel will remain to the end of the world, as the only form of religion acceptable to God.
b.
This means then that shaking will continue until God's will prevails. Milligan agrees to this and refers to 2 Peter 1:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:24-25.
The words of the prophet are these, Yet a little while.
signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken
The destruction of Jerusalem almost destroyed Judaism, but God is still shaking it, for Jews will not give up their faith, The kingdoms of the world are yet to surrender to Jesus, but they will. Revelation 11:15.
If earth means idolatry, and heaven the Jewish economy, as McKnight suggests, much shaking needs to be done, Newell insists that heavens are included here, for sin began in heaven, and it too must be shaken.
as of things that have been made
Some suggest that this means things made with hands of man. McKnight and Milligan agree. Some suggest the creation.
that those things which are not shaken may remain
The kingdom of heaven was set up during the time when kingdoms and thrones were being shaken.
a.
It will endure when the heavens shall have passed away as a scroll. Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:24 and 2 Peter 1:11.
b.
This kingdom will not give way as did the old law. Daniel 2:44. Man has done everything that he can to shake the church, but it cannot be done.
1.
He tried persecution, burning Bibles, creating division, false doctrines, modernism, and worldliness and yet the church grows.
2.
The church will remain, for the gospel is to shake this world.
wherefore receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken
How wonderful it is to be a part of something eternal, victorious and with a destiny. Things created are subject to decay, to destruction, but not the church; for not even the gates of Hades can prevail against it.
let us have grace
Grace has been given to us, in that salvation has been provided. Calvin says this expression is strained. It reads as an exhortation. It should read, we have grace.
I prefer to let it be an exhortation.
a.
We will have more grace as we offer up service.
b.
The Christian is to work at grace, not just rejoice in it. Pulpit Commentary says it means, Let us show thankfulness.
whereby we may offer service well pleasing to God
Well pleasing is familiar. We read that without faith we cannot please God. Hebrews 11:6.
Service is the watchword for those in the kingdom.
a.
We were won to win, told to tell, saved to serve.
b.
James makes it plain that faith without works is dead.
with reverence and awe
Reverence is also translated, godly fear, We are to serve with promptness and delight, yet it must be united with humility and due reverence. If let us have grace means to give thanks, then with thankfulness, reverence, and fear we serve.
Awe is also translated dread.
for our God is a consuming fire
This verse is from Deuteronomy 4:24. Here the Israelites were warned of forgetting the covenant. The Lord's nature is not changed; He is a consuming fire as He declared at Sinai. If we scorn this present dispensation of grace, the day of judgment will be to us a day of terror.
Study Questions
2707.
Who is speaking in the reference of Hebrews 12:25?
2708.
Does this verse refer to one specific person's warning, or several warnings of men through one God?
2709.
Name some warnings that went unheeded.
2710.
Does this verse refer to one of them?
2711.
Does this verse teach that God gave a warning that did not come through man as other warnings did?
2712.
Why should we have less chance of escaping?
2713.
Do we sin against a greater speaker?
2714.
Do we sin against a greater demonstration of love?
2715.
Is the word warn in the original?
2716.
How does it actually read?
2717.
Was Moses-' message from heaven or from a mountain?
2718.
Who warns from heaven and what warning is meant?
2719.
Does the verse refer to Moses-' warning in comparison to Christ's warning?
2720.
Is the place the point of emphasis, or the person?
2721.
Does Hebrews 12:26 help to answer whether it is Christ or God referred to in Hebrews 12:25?
2722.
Whose voice shook the earth?
2723.
How does Psalms 114:4 describe it?
2724.
Where is the saying referred to here?
2725.
What is the difference in the second shaking?
2726.
Could it have been fulfilled when Christ was on the cross?
2727.
How was heaven shaken at Christ's crucifixion?
2728.
What does heavens refer tothat God will shake?
2729.
Could this refer to the end of time? Why?
2730.
Are shaking and trembling synonymous in ideas?
2731.
Could it be a shaking of political and religious conditions?
2732.
If the shaking is being done by the Gospel, what has been shaken?
2733.
What is meant by heavens?
2734.
Explain what is meant by yet once more.
2735.
What did God permit that was greatly responsible for breaking up organized Judaism?
2736.
Could Hebrews 12:27 be an interpretation of Hebrews 12:26?
2737.
How long will God shake heaven and earth?
2738.
What bearing does 1 Peter 1:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 have?
2739.
What is signified?
2740.
Will the kingdoms of the world ever be annihilated?
2741.
What made things are referred to here?
2742.
Are they of God's making or man'S?
2743.
Has the church been shaken?
2744.
Can it be shaken down?
2745.
What has man done to the church?
2746.
What remains in the earth that cannot be shaken?
2747.
Is there room for pessimism in Hebrews 12:28?
2748.
Does this suggest that evil will win and that the church will be impotent?
2749.
What is meant by let us have grace?
2750.
Is this an exhortation?
2751.
Is there any way for grace to be increased?
2752.
How can we offer service to God?
2753.
What is a prerequisite to pleasing God?
2754.
Will God always be pleased with things done in Christ's name?
2755.
Is there any spur to labor when you realize God's grace and victory are to be had?
2756.
What should be our attitude as we serve God?
2757.
Define reverence.
2758.
Define awe.
2759.
Were the Pharisees of Jesus-' day failing here?
2760.
What is our attitude in service to please God?
2761.
Where is the expression consuming fire found in the Old Testament?
2762.
How did the author prove that we should be in awe?
2763.
Will it be demonstrated again?
2764.
If we are not in awe, how will we appear some day?