No Greater Love Than His
  • Home
  • In The Son of His Love--a blog
  • Relational Theology 101
  • Mystery of Godliness I Tim. 3:16
  • Galatians- Learning to Rest
  • The Body of Christ
  • Romans 1:16-17 The Gospel
  • Ephesians, the Father's adopted family
  • Prevailing Intercession-Henry Law
    • Psalm 2 Henry Law
  • A Practical Study of Hebrews
  • Satan's Hatred of Women
  • Quotes from old authors
  • John Welch on Romans 8:1
  • Topical Analysis of the Bible
  • LEARNING TO LIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
  • The Kingdom of God in Christ
    • The Kingdom Foretold
    • The King and His Kingdom Come
    • The Kingdom in its Biblical Context
    • The Kings introduction-the wild man and the real man
    • The Ultimate Test of the Father's Word-The Temptation
    • The Goal of the Kingdom Conquest
    • The Blessed of the Kingdom
    • Blessed are they that mourn
    • Blessed are the meek
    • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
    • Blessed are the Merciful
    • Blessed are the Pure in Heart
    • The Blessed of the Kingdom are the Salt & Light of the World
    • Kingdom Righteousness
    • Sermon on the mount-Getting the Law Right
    • Restoring God's Most Reflective Relationship
    • Being Sons and Daughters of the Heavenly Father
    • Understanding our Lord's Father Context
    • Breathing Pure Air in a Polluted World
    • Living in the Presence of the Secret Benefactor
    • What Serving God Looks Like
    • Self Righteous need not apply, but beggars can't be losers
    • Final Warnings From Our King
  • Audio Studies
    • Audio & Outline--On Spiritual Gifts
    • From the Futility of the Human Mind-to the Mind of Christ
    • Audio Study: I Corinthians 6:1-11
    • AUDIO-Waiting On God
    • Audio-Gospel of John
    • AUDIO-A Relational Discussion of the Holy Spirit
    • Audio-Studies on the Sermon on the mount
  • From Death to Life
  • All Creation Groans
  • Traveling down the ladder of self knowledge
  • Zions' hymn
  • Power in Weakness
  • What's In A Name?
  • The Heavenly Father's Pity/Spurgeon
  • On Affliction
  • Christ Our Intercessor
  • Spurgeon's Dream
  • Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
  • Stomping Among Lillies
  • The More Excellent Way
  • All Creation Sings Praise to the God of Heaven and Earth
  • The Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Ruler of the Nations
  • From Captivity to God's plan for peace, a future, and an eternal hope
  • Man Looks on the Outward Appearance, but the Lord of Hosts Looks upon the Heart
  • The Earth is the Lord's
  • The earth is the Lords
  • A Wedding Meditation-The Gospel Mystery
  • Be Strong in the Lord
  • The Girdle of Truth
  • Having feet shod with Gospel of Peace
  • Shield of Faith
  • Helmet of Salvation
  • Praying with all prayer & supplication
  • Sword of the Spirit
  • A Wedding Meditation
  • The Power of the Gospel is the Resurrection
  • What is this Mystery
  • A letter of encouragement to faith
  • Great is Mystery Part 3
  • The Mystery of Godliness part 4
  • Mystery of Godliness part 5
  • Seen of angels part 2
  • Preached among the nations
  • Great is Mystery of Godliness Part 8
  • Mystery of Godliness part 9
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 10
  • A Father's Hand--on Affliction
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 11
  • Mystery of Godliness part 12
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 13
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 14
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 1
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 2
  • It is the Power of God
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 4
  • Christ, the Glorious Hybrid of God
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 5
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 6
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 7
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 8
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 9
  • Romans 1:16-17 Pt 11
  • The Necessity of the Body of Christ
  • The Perfection of the Body of Chhrist
  • The Role of the Holy Spirit
  • The Application of Body II Pet 1:1-4
  • application of body of Christ #3
  • Practical application body #4
  • Part 5 The application of the body
  • Application of body of Christ #6
  • The Application of the Body #7
  • application of body of christ #8
  • Application of body of Christ #9
  • application of body of Christ #10
  • The Kingdom of God
  • Galatians 1:1-6
  • Galatians 1:6-9
  • Abraham's Gospel-Melchizedek
  • cutting the covenant
  • The Mark of the Covenant
  • Gospel to Abraham-resurrection
  • Galatians 1:10-17
  • Galatians 1:18-2:10
  • Galatians 2:11-21
  • Galatians 3:1-9
  • Beholding the Glory of God
  • Intro to Gospel of Abraham
  • Melchizedek Gen. 14:18-20
  • Melchizedek #2
  • God's cutting the Covenant
  • Mark of the Covenant
                                                                                      From Mount Sinai to Mount Zion
                                                                              Hebrews 12:18-24

 Mount Sinai  12:18-21
A.     The burning mountain experience:  Exodus 19
        1.      Note the restrictions.  Vs 10-13
                   Clean clothes!
                   Boundaries:  No touching on the threat of death!
                   No sexual relations between husband and wife!  Totally separated to the Lord!
This strikes me as a very “one on One” situation.  The Law is a one on One issue.  An individuals’ sin could impact God’s blessing on the nation.  Achan (Joshua 7:1), Phinehas’ single handed deliverance by slaying one offender spared the nation.
       2.  The physical manifestations.  Vs 16-20
                   Vs 16  Thundering & lightning, a thick cloud, sound of a loud trumpet
                   Vs 18  Mount Sinai covered in smoke, the Lord descended upon it in fire, the mountain being like a smoking furnace.  The mountain shook with an earthquake.  Fire=vs18.  earthquake=vs26
                         Fire:  most likely His angelic hosts, his servants/ministers.  Acts 7:53, Ps 104:4/Heb 1:7
                   Vs 19  There was a loud blast of a trumpet that increased in volume and duration.  The Lord     spoke audibly/voice of words (Heb 12:19)  No visible speaker-“Now Hear This!”
        3.   Additional warnings.  Vs 21-24
                   God leaves no room for curiosity!   Vs 21-24  Moses reminds God that He had already warned the people, but God very firmly tells Moses to do it again.  God knows our human nature better than we do!  The curious need not apply, only the desperate will find a listening and receiving God!
         4.   The Peoples’ response.  Vs 16  “All the people in the camp trembled.”  Heb 12:21 “So terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.  (Deut 9:19)

Mount Zion  12:22-24  The most glorious “but” in all of scripture!!!!  “But you have come”.
A.     Mount Zion, the city of the Living God
Note:  “You have come”, not “you will someday come”.  There is a real sense in which we now dwell there and receive currently the benefits of this dwelling place of the Most High God!  It is a faith dwelling!
        1.      Zion was the goal of the Old Testament.  Ps 2:6, 9:11, 48:1-3; Jer 31:6, 10-12; Joel 2:28-32; Micah 4:1-2  “Zion” occurs 150 times in the OT.
        2.      Zion is the heavenly Jerusalem!  This is the city Abraham looked for 11:10, 16.  Notice that we move from Mount Sinai to the heavenly Jerusalem.  That leaves no room for a restored earthly Jerusalem.
        3.      “to an innumerable company of angels.”  Contrast this with the “ministers of fire” at Mount Sinai!.  Remember I Peter 1:12?  According to Hebrews 1:14 & II Kings 5:15-17, the angelic “looking into” the grace of God in our salvation is a lot more that standing around twiddling their thumbs while redemptive history plays out.  They are actively involved!!  They are his "ministering spiritsn (Hebrews 1:14)
        4.      “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn”.  The actual meaning of “general assembly” is an festive gathering, a universal  companionship.  How different from “come not at your wives” in Exodus 20!  Here we have hosts of angels, and an eternal family reunion of the church of the Firstborn who bear their Father’s name (Eph 3:15),  Registered in heaven in the Lamb’s Book of Life!  (Rev 13:8)
        5.      “To the Judge of all”.  What a comfort!  We come to the judge and live to tell about it!  The Judge is perfectly “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Rom 3:26)  We need have no fear!
        6.      “To the spirits of just men made perfect.”  We are justified, righteous by the perfect plan of the Judge!  II Cor 5:21  These are not disembodied spirits for they are still men/humans.  Humans are evidenced by their bodies!
        7.      “And to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant.”  Unlike Moses (vs21), our Mediator is perfectly at home, with all authority and power.  He operates from the Throne of Grace, assuring our acceptance to this Mount Zion eternally.  (Heb 4:14-16) 
        8.      “and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”  Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance! (Gen 4:8-10)  The blood of Jesus, the blood of sprinkling speaks of mercy and grace.  And by this shedding of blood, by this sacrifice, He took away Mount Sinai and a trembling people, and established Mount Zion, the place of fellowship, relationship with the Most High God, His holy angels, and the eternal family reunion of the Firstborn and His many brothers and sisters!

Question:  Which mountain are you residing at?  Does judgment, fear, guilt, anxiety define your day?  Perhaps you are spending too much time at the foot of Mount Sinai.  Our Christ Jesus has brought us to a new Mountain, to the City of our God, and the gate is wide open!  Come on in!  Come in and rest, come in and enjoy the incredible benefits that are yours for the asking! (John 16:23-24)  Jesus paid the total price.  Come and welcome!