With Reverence and Awe
Hebrews 12:25–29– Jesus Is Better
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 5th, 2026 (am)
I’m feeling shaky. I’ve noticed over the years that this is an expression that gains immediate attention from everyone in the vicinity of anyone who says it. One of the first questions is: Are you diabetic? Then: Does this happen often? Or: Do you need to sit down? Or: How can I help? This is one of the few statements we can utter that draws virtually identical responses from close friends and complete strangers. And it draws them immediately.
We don’t like feeling shaky. And we don’t particularly like being around people who’re feeling shaky. When people feel shaky, something’s going wrong that often isn’t entirely easy to assess, or to address. So, we begin to feel pretty uneasy.
Something that’s a whole lot worse, though, is when everything around us begins to shake. We don’t get earthquakes often in the Upper Midwest, but we’ve had a few. The first I remember was when I was playing high school soccer. Those of us on the field didn’t notice it. But we did notice when all the subs and fans along the sidelines jumped up at the same time and began looking at one another rather than the game. That was an odd experience! I also remember one that woke us up from a dead sleep in our home here in Warrenville during the early morning hours February 10, 2010, and another that happened about dinner time on March 25, 2015.
It’s a strange feeling when the earth begins to move under our feet, when the whole world begins to shake. We have family in southern California; they know what that’s like. So do the people of Venezuela these days. It’s terrifying (21). And, depending on the severity, it can cause massive damage. Some of you will remember the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989. It happened just before Game 3 of the World Series between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants, delaying that game for ten days. The most memorable damage was the collapse of sections of the Bay Bridge that connects Oakland and San Francisco. But I still remember the initial jostling of the cameras and the startled responses of the announcing team—Al Michaels, Tim McCarver, Jim Palmer.
It’s scary when the ground begins to move under your feet—there’s suddenly a wholly new definition of feeling shaky. Even so, it’s nothing like when God shook the earth in today’s passage (26)—either the lesser or the greater expression of it. And the lesser serves as a warning regarding the greater. Let’s look at this text in three parts.
The Warning Spoken and Substantiated – 25
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. There’s the warning. And it’s anchored to the text just above. It flows from the sprinkled blood [of Jesus] that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (24). But it also hearkens back to the voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them (19), that voice which came out of the tempest and blazing fire atop Mt. Sinai (18). Surely this is God’s voice speaking in each instance (Hughes 555): in the shed blood of Jesus, in His appearance at the giving of the Law, but also at many times and in many ways (1:1) throughout all of redemption history.
It’s a voice that must be heard! It must be obeyed! And this becomes all the more undeniable the further we advance in redemption history. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, from Sinai, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven, by his Son, the mediator of a new covenant Whose sprinkled blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (24), Who is the radiance of [His] glory and the exact imprint of his nature, Who upholds the universe by the word of his power and, [a]fter making purification for sins, sat down at [His] right hand (1:3). We must listen to this voice.
The terrors of Sinai [described] in vv.18-21 serve not only as a [contrast] to the joy of Mount Zion (22-24) but also now as the basis for [this] warning that the God who spoke in such awesome power then is still speaking to his people today, and his voice cannot be ignored with impunity (France 179). The warning: do not refuse him!
The Warning Amplified and Explained – 26-27
26 At that time his voice shook the earth (Exo.19:18, … the whole mountain trembled greatly), and we saw last week that this shaking was a terrifying (21) experience: 18 … a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and, here it is, a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. … 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” And this was Mt. Sinai, the giving of the Law, the initial appearing of God to reveal what covenant obedience should look like—but now he has promised (Hag.2:6), “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This will be a more serious, more significant shaking yet—seriously more significant and significantly more serious!
27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. This is talking about final judgment—the final removal of all things temporary, all things temporal—one final shake-out of this whole expansive universe! Haggai included a fuller description: Hag.2:6 … I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land, emphasizing the comprehensiveness of the final shaking—that is to say, the whole created order (Hughes 558). Peter described it vividly: 1Pe.3:10 … the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
It’s here we recognize most that the author is building toward a crescendo in this passage, one that launches him into his final set of imperatives in c.13. But first he gives a summary statement that expresses his aim quite eloquently.
The Response the Reflects Right Belief – 28-29
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, a kingdom that [will] remain (27), like the one Daniel prophesied from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the one that shall stand forever (Dan.2:44); let us be [deeply thankful that we] receive in Christ a kingdom [like this]! Our inheritance will last! It’s eternal! And it will never be shaken, never come to an end! We have every reason to be grateful and no reason not to be! [G]ratitude is the pulsating heartbeat of every positive response to the gospel, gratitude which spontaneously bursts forth in [Paul’s] exclamation: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2Co.9:15) As ingratitude lies at the very root of all sin and rebellion against God (Rom.1:21), … even so, [w]hatever his circumstances, whatever [she] does or suffers, the Christian should be “giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father,” “always and for everything” (Eph.5:20; Col.3:17; 1Th.5:18). [Our] whole [lives] should be one [continuous] expression of gratitude (Hughes 559-60), of thankfulness, thanksgiving.
[A]nd thus let us offer to God acceptable worship to God, the worship that is due to a God Who can not only promise an unshakable kingdom, but deliver it—an ordered and harmonious society governed by him who is the Sovereign Lord of all (Rev.19:6), that realm [already] described as Mount Zion and “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (22), that city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (11:10), where God eternally dwells with his people and righteousness reigns (Rev.21:1ff.), [that city] whose light is the glory of God and the Lamb (Rev.21:23) (Hughes 539). Acceptable worship is referenced a few times in the NT. But the heart of it is expressed in Rom.12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is… a matter of… righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. Such people 1Pe.2:5 … are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And we offer these spiritual sacrifices, this acceptable worship, with appropriate reverence and awe, an attitude of mind which acknowledges the greatness of God (Guthrie 1983 267), 29 for our God is a consuming fire, echoing the words of Deu.4:24 and Isa.33:14 (see Bruce 365-6). This awe-inspiring view of God takes its colouring from the Sinai event and [reminds us] that even [new covenant believers] must recognize [and respond to] the character of God [as] righteous, fully assured that his character will [never] change (Guthrie 1983 267). God is worthy of our reverent, awe-filled worship, but it must be shaped in a way acceptable to His revealed character.
Conclusion
What are we supposed to do with this? How are we supposed to respond? The same way as the original hearers did: 28 … let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. This whole world is accountable to God. He made it all. So, it all answers to Him. That’s our response that reflects right belief.
The best way to do that begins by recognizing it, that we belong to Him. So, we live into that reality. We accept it, then live it out. We present [our] bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, [as our] spiritual worship (Rom.12:1). And we don’t [conform] to this world, but [we allow ourselves to be] transformed by the renewal of [our] mind, that by testing [we] may discern what is the will of God[—His] good and acceptable and perfect [will] (Rom.12:2).
What does that look like, practically speaking? Those who have been around for a while might remember our reflections on Rom.12 during last summer’s tailgate series. This call to present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1) is followed by a chapter full of specific, detailed instruction on just how to do that. Rom.12: 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor—and on and on it goes for eleven more verses.
There’s a great place to start, but only after we’ve seen that same pattern right here in Hebrews. As soon as the author here has issued these calls—let’s be grateful, let’s offer acceptable worship (28)—he launches into a Rom.12-type listing of specific charges and reminders of what it should look like when we’re offering thankful, reverent, awe-inspired worship to God. See how similarly it starts. 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…, and so on through v.19.
We plan to drill into c.13 over the next three weeks. Acceptable worship, that’s what we’re offering as we press on in our race of faith, [eyes fixed on] Jesus (1-2). Grace Church, let’s run in this direction together for His glory.
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Resources
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Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 4, Hebrews to Revelation. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 2-82. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Barclay, William. 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Letter to the Hebrews, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.
Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 919-995. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Bruce, F. F. 1990. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, trans. by, John Owen. Logos.
Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Hebrews, by David Peterson, 1321-1353. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.
Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed., David S. Dockery, NT ed. 2010. The New American Commentary. Vol. 35, Hebrews, by David L. Allen. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.
Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 19, The Message of Hebrews: Sticking with the Best, 413-425. Wheaton: Crossway.
Fee, Gordon D., gen. ed. 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Revised Edition, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Hebrews, by David W. Chapman. Wheaton: Crossway.
Guthrie, George. 1998. The NIV Application Commentary. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Hubbard, David A., & Glenn W. Barker, gen. eds. Ralph P. Martin, NT ed. 1991. Word Biblical Commentary. Vols. 47a, Hebrews 1-8; Vol.47b, Hebrews 9-13, by William L. Lane. Dallas: Word.
Hughes, Philip Edgcumbe. 1979. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2006. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 13, Hebrews-Revelation. Hebrews, by R. T. France, 17-195. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 1983. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 15, Hebrews, by Donald Guthrie. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.
Owen, John. 1855. Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 7 Vols. Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter.
NEXT SUNDAY: Hebrews 13:1–6, Pastor Kipp Soncek