Hebrews 12:18-24 (the 5th warning continued) 

“For ye (we) have not come unto the mount that might be touched (that might be felt, not only seen) and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of trumpet, and the voice of words; (the terrifying voice of God; “I am the Lord thy God… thou shalt have no other gods but me”… “I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God”) which voice they (the elders) that heard entreated (Moses) that the word would not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure (or bear the thought of the prohibition) that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” [Hebrews 12:18-24 (These verses have Exodus chapters 19-24 in view.) 

Obviously this 5th warning of falling from grace (verse 15) and shunning the promised privileges of the Gospel, as those other four warnings previously discussed in other lessons, is being addressed to born again Christians. The Author begins to make parallels of the honors bestowed and lost between them and the redeemed Israelites from Egypt. “For ye are not come…But ye are come…” (verse 22) The Israelites were in the third month from coming out of Egypt and were being led to the mount of God and now camped close to the foot of Mt. Sinai / Mt. Horeb, where God had determined to frighteningly reveal Himself to them. (Exodus19-24) This sets the scene for these warning and instructive verses before us in the 12th chapter of Hebrews. Compare with Galatians Chapter 4 where the inferiority of the earthly Mount is declared. (In verses 18-21, there is a further fulfillment which answers to the future terrifying day of the great tribulation of Matthew 24:21, expounded upon in the Book of Revelation.)  

The Author’s idea is to comfort and warn these Hebrew Christians, who although having lost their Jewish privileges of Temple sacrifice and priestly intermediacy, are now guided and instructed. For those historical happenings at Mt. Sinai were but shadowing examples of the heavenly realities. (1st Corinthians 10:11) Privileges now were being granted unto all these Hebrew Christians who had been led by Christ, the true and great Mediator of a new and better covenant, (that covenant being with all mankind) to the foot of that heavenly Mount Zion. And that being on the same basis as those led to Mt. Sinai; that basis being God so loved the World, and because he would keep the oath which He spoke to Adam and swore to Abraham. (Deuteronomy 7:8 with Genesis 3:15; 15:18; 22:17) This new covenant heavenly access was solely granted by the sprinkling of Jesus’ Blood; the Lamb of God. (See Exodus 24:6-8 where the covenant of Moses was ratified and sealed by the sprinkling of the inferior blood… “And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.” See also Hebrews 9:13-15… “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” And also Hebrews 10:22… “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”)  

“But ye have come unto mount Sion/Zion, (And how have we come near to Mt. Zion? By the spirit. When? When we by faith, not by sight, believed in the Blood of the Lamb and were then led out of Egypt into this wilderness of the World. We, now have in our view (by faith, though veiled) these heavenly objects, where we wait for the sound of the trump to ascend unto Christ. Like Moses, Christ is our forerunner, and like the 70 elders waited, we will wait here in the wilderness of faith in awe and reverence, until summoned up to Him. (1st Thessalonians 4:17) …and unto the city of the living God, (see Revelation 1:18, the City built by the Hand of the God of life has no connection with death which is in contrast with the city built by man; full of sin and death) …the heavenly Jerusalem (the Mount of the Law has no eternal dwelling place with God.) Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “…the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father…but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him, God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” [John 4:23-24] The mount with heavenly Jerusalem is now our place of worship in the spirit, although it cannot be felt or seen and shall one day stand alone as the resurrected firstborn’s royal dwelling place and appointed place of worship. (Revelation 21:1–2) Just as the portable temporary Tabernacle of Moses preceded the Temple of Solomon, the temporary tabernacle of the first heavens precedes the eternal “Temple” of the heavenly Jerusalem by a 1000 years. (Revelation 20:6) …and to an innumerable company of angels, (contrasting Mount Sinai where there was a limited number of Angels in attendance, here the believer’s mind cannot open up fully to the vista that will far exceed anything imaginable to man that is laid out to his spirit–guided imagination. What wonder, what a mass of magnificent creatures of intelligence assembled in Passover–like festive worship in the triumph and rescue of the firstborn into their heavenly inheritance with the living God. Ministering spirits now on glorious display, what unimaginable honor that awaits the Bride of Christ. Matthew 25:31, Revelation 7:9-12)   

“To the general assembly and church of the first born (ones Exodus 4:22, Romans 8:29, this inheritance will be to the exclusion of all the rest of God’s intelligent beings; now to be possessors of the wondrous heavenly rights of the firstborn of God. This is that Passover meal in fulfillment of Luke 22:15…“And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”) …which are written in heaven (Just as Moses enrolled the firstborn of the Old Testament by right of nature in the earth, (Numbers 3:40) these first-born ones are enrolled in heaven. (As regenerated believers in Christ, our names are enrolled for the rewards of the the firstborn inheritance, but they could be blotted out if we don’t regard the inheritance.)  

Israelite firstborns were those who were mystically sealed to God by the blood Passover lambs; these enrolled in heaven by THE Passover Lamb are uniquely knit unto Him. (Luke 10:20, Philippians 4:3) Every year it was to be an appointed celebration/memorial in Jerusalem. Originally it was the firstborn of each family, but later it was determined that the entire Tribe of Levi would represent the firstborn of Israel. (Exodus 32:26) “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.” The Levites thereafter held the exclusive right to draw near to God in a way that none of their brothers were permitted to. The Levites then in type is the overcoming firstborn of the Gospel Covenant; the first-fruits and Harvest, (Revelation 14:4, and verses 15–16) reaped by God out of the Body of Christ.)  

And to God, the JUDGE of all …angels and both the World and His two peoples. It was judgment that brought Moses down from the Mount of God, and it will be Judgment that will bring Jesus Christ down from Heaven. This declaration is set against the doctrine of “grace only”. The Scriptural doctrine of Christ’s imputation of righteousness to the redeemed stands firmly, but it should be understood, that although the tenor of the passage assumes that we come as participants in the new covenant privileges and not to be judged; it is assumed God most assuredly judges beyond redemption’s Blood unto the standard of personal holiness owned by obedience to Christ’s commands in the power of the spirit/Spirit. That is, the cleansing and good deeds unto inheritance or the lack thereof are accepted or rejected by God on the ground of the fullness of provision realized in cleansing of the leaven of sin by each believer through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Redemption’s grace is followed by judgment in sanctification’s grace. (Matthew 25, Luke 19, Matthew 5:25; 7:1–2, and verses 21-23) And on this, turns our having right in the assembly of the firstborn set before us. (1st Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-11) His leading us in faith to the base of the Mount, and His continuing orchestrating of our daily affairs and circumstances has in view the finishing our faith unto the honor and privileges for those who successfully face the Judgment Seat of Christ. These are the general prospects of dignity promised to the overcomer declared in Revelation chapters 2 & 3 of ruling with Christ. 

…and to the spirits of just men made perfect…”  Scripture teaches that a man’s spirit goes back to God who gave it at death. (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Luke 23:46) The spirits of just men awaiting there in Heaven is an allusion to their return to the just at the First Resurrection in renewed glory. (1st Corinthians 15) This statement cannot lend itself to mean there are “saved” and “glorified” saints of Old (or New) Testament in Heaven because it is not possible that anyone has been made perfect, in the Scriptural sense of Christ’s resurrected glorified perfection (1st Corinthians 15:22-24; and verse 52) For “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” [Hebrews 11:40] (Perfect is when the soul is united with spirit and body in the First Resurrection.) The qualifying faith of Old Testament believers has been established in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, but the Scriptural reality is they are yet in faith and hope, awaiting the First Resurrection in Hades/the intermediate place of the dead, as the out-gathering of a Gentile people for his name carries on today, and that until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. (Acts 15:14 with Romans 11:25) And on the third day… “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” [Hosea 6:1–2] In type, what is being held out to us is that we stand at the foot of the Mount looking up unto the possibilities. Certainly we are the redeemed, surely then our names are enrolled in New Jerusalem as “first-born”, but we, as they were, are yet in the wilderness. We are redeemed, but may yet give up our first born rights as did Esau. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow… (today and tomorrow represents Hosea’s two 1000–year days) and let them wash their clothes “ (Compare Exodus 19:10 with Revelation 19:7-9) The washing of the robes is an allusion to being cleansed. What is in view is now that redemption’s Passover has been accomplished, (the threat of eternal death is gone) and the days of un-leavening have set in and leaven/sin is to be removed from us. At present then, seen from the types and shadows, we are to be keeping the feast of unleavened bread. (Exodus 34:18-20) From this point of view, Christ our Passover has been slain in our stead. (1st Corinthians 5) We are waiting for the call out of this World, and the smiting of this World’s firstborn, as He did Egypt’s first born, at the strike of midnight. (Exodus 11:5,12; 12:29, Revelation 16)  

The Israelites were instructed to wash with water to be cleansed; with threat of being cut off if refusing to purify oneself. (Leviticus 14:8,9;47, Numbers 19:19–20) This relates to us being cut off from the body of firstborn inheritors. And unlike the Israelites who washed with water, we wash with Blood. See 1st John 1:7… “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The word “cleanseth” is in the present tense and speaks to the ongoing need for cleansing here in this wilderness of the World. “And be ready against the third day: for the third day (prophetically Hosea’s beginning of the 3rd day, after 2000 years since Christ’s Crucifixion and Ascension and at the dawning of the 7th day since Re-Creation. This also being when “ the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people…” [Exodus 19:11] See also Revelation 7:14.) Those accounted faithful and holy shall be invited up and see Him. Those being they who “…have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This declaration is in the past tense. Now, the need for cleansing is over. They have passed the test. Faithfulness in life is judged and past, they have ascended up into the heavens above the earth; in the heavenly congregation. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant…“This is My Beloved Son: hear Him!” …Jesus the better and greater Mediator is set against Moses in the 24th chapter of Exodus. Jesus brings in the mediation unto eternal inheritances through the merits of His own Blood, which is first sprinkled on us then afterwards the warranting in our approach of spirit into the holiest place in Heaven to attain grace and mercy in the willful sprinkling and ongoing cleansing of our hearts from and an evil conscience. That is to say, it purges or cleanses us through renewed conscience enlightened by the Word and the Holy Spirit unto habitual loving obedience to His Words; “…from dead works to serve the living God. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:13-15) Through this means, we become consecrated as Christ’s witnesses to the Church and World.   “…and to the blood of sprinkling, (of Christ, this verbiage again is a reference to Mount Sinai in Exodus 24 in the two sprinklings of the Altar and the people that speaketh better things than that of Abel(’s blood which calls for vengeance and brought down a curse on Cain and drove him from the presence of God. And in like manner Israel, slaying the true Abel who gave the acceptable sacrifice, was driven out from the land, “fugitives and vagabonds”. But the Blood of Christ, and in answer to His priestly pleas for grace and mercy, brings forgiveness and blessing and will lead us on into the heavenly inheritance in the very presence of the Father.