18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Vs. 22-23 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
And so in contrast to the Israelites drawing near to God through the Old Covenant; which again is represented by Mount Sinai where God first came down upon it and in engulfing it with fire He then spoke to them from it; which also speaks of the Old Covenants temporary nature in mediating between God and mankind, for God did not remain upon Mount Sinai, but only came down upon it to give the Law through their temporary representative Moses, whom he had appointed to deliver it to them, consider John 1:17). And so in striking contrast to that we who believe In the Lord Jesus Christ are now drawing near to God on Mount Zion, the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, (vs. 22) to the general assembly and church of the
firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Mount Zion then is God's eternal dwelling place, not Mount Sinai, and thus it is from Mount Zion that God has sent forth His New and Everlasting Covenant through His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sole Mediator of the New Covenant, for He Himself is exceedingly Superior to Moses and thus so is the Covenant which God the Father has given to us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. And thus we have the exhortation that it is Mount Zion is the city of the Living God, the New Jerusalem, (Rev 21:1-27; also see Heb. 11:8-10; 13:14; Rev. 3:12-13 etc.) not Mount Sinai. For neither the living God, nor His Son, nor His heavenly Host are there, rather they are all on Mount Zion. For it is from there where He Rules, and it is from there where He Judges, and it is from there where the Lord Jesus Christ is His Mediator of the New Covenant; and thus it is there where there is an innumerable company of angels, and where the general assembly is, where the church, the firstborn by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are registered in heaven, and so it is there that we will be serving and worshiping the Lord God on Mount Zion forever (Rev. 7:9-19). Therefore it is Mount Zion (not mount Sinai) which is speaking of God's eternal dwelling place with God's eternally redeemed people (the church, the Body of Christ) through the eternal and everlasting sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ whose shed blood on the Cross for our eternal redemption from sin and death speaks to things way better than that of Abel (and his temporary blood sacrifice which was not just the first blood sacrifice, but also is figurative of all of the temporary blood sacrifices offered to God according to the will of God by mortal and sinful mankind that God accepted on their behalf until the reformation, that is until the Lord Jesus Christ having fulfilled the Law by His own Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead paid in full the penalty for all our sins and transgressions by His own shed blood. Therefore it is there, Mount Zion, (not Mount Sinai) where we can now draw near to God in full confidence through the Lord Jesus Christ alone (see Hebrews 4:14-16). For it is from there that the sprinkling of blood, Christ's blood is Ministered, which purifies all of us His worshippers.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Commentary
Vs. 18-21 18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
The Word of God now recalls the incredible fiery scene on Mount Sinai and the terror and fear that Moses and the whole congregation felt as they approached it (see Exodus 19:10-20:21...). , Now this is being recalled here to contrast how they through the Old Covenant drew near to God (represented by Mount Sinai) and how we through Christ and the New Covenant now draw near to God (represented by the heavenly Jerusalem). For drawing near to God through the Old Covenant meant that even Moses as their God appointed representative only did so with great trepidation and fear.
The Word of God now recalls the incredible fiery scene on Mount Sinai and the terror and fear that Moses and the whole congregation felt as they approached it (see Exodus 19:10-20:21...). , Now this is being recalled here to contrast how they through the Old Covenant drew near to God (represented by Mount Sinai) and how we through Christ and the New Covenant now draw near to God (represented by the heavenly Jerusalem). For drawing near to God through the Old Covenant meant that even Moses as their God appointed representative only did so with great trepidation and fear.
Vs. 22-23 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
And so in contrast to the Israelites drawing near to God through the Old Covenant; which again is represented by Mount Sinai where God first came down upon it and in engulfing it with fire He then spoke to them from it; which also speaks of the Old Covenants temporary nature in mediating between God and mankind, for God did not remain upon Mount Sinai, but only came down upon it to give the Law through their temporary representative Moses, whom he had appointed to deliver it to them, consider John 1:17). And so in striking contrast to that we who believe In the Lord Jesus Christ are now drawing near to God on Mount Zion, the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, (vs. 22) to the general assembly and church of the
firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Mount Zion then is God's eternal dwelling place, not Mount Sinai, and thus it is from Mount Zion that God has sent forth His New and Everlasting Covenant through His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sole Mediator of the New Covenant, for He Himself is exceedingly Superior to Moses and thus so is the Covenant which God the Father has given to us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. And thus we have the exhortation that it is Mount Zion is the city of the Living God, the New Jerusalem, (Rev 21:1-27; also see Heb. 11:8-10; 13:14; Rev. 3:12-13 etc.) not Mount Sinai. For neither the living God, nor His Son, nor His heavenly Host are there, rather they are all on Mount Zion. For it is from there where He Rules, and it is from there where He Judges, and it is from there where the Lord Jesus Christ is His Mediator of the New Covenant; and thus it is there where there is an innumerable company of angels, and where the general assembly is, where the church, the firstborn by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are registered in heaven, and so it is there that we will be serving and worshiping the Lord God on Mount Zion forever (Rev. 7:9-19). Therefore it is Mount Zion (not mount Sinai) which is speaking of God's eternal dwelling place with God's eternally redeemed people (the church, the Body of Christ) through the eternal and everlasting sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ whose shed blood on the Cross for our eternal redemption from sin and death speaks to things way better than that of Abel (and his temporary blood sacrifice which was not just the first blood sacrifice, but also is figurative of all of the temporary blood sacrifices offered to God according to the will of God by mortal and sinful mankind that God accepted on their behalf until the reformation, that is until the Lord Jesus Christ having fulfilled the Law by His own Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead paid in full the penalty for all our sins and transgressions by His own shed blood. Therefore it is there, Mount Zion, (not Mount Sinai) where we can now draw near to God in full confidence through the Lord Jesus Christ alone (see Hebrews 4:14-16). For it is from there that the sprinkling of blood, Christ's blood is Ministered, which purifies all of us His worshippers.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
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