Sermon Tone Analysis

Hungry For A Holy God

Revelation 4:8-11 describes the worship of God who sits on His throne.

Verse 10 tells us that the 24 elders will fall down before him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him forever and ever (cf.

Rev 4:8-11).

Revelation 5: 7 also describes the 24 elders falling down before the throne of God in worship (cf.

Rev 5:7-9).

When one is in the presence of God’s glory, he or she can’t stand before the Almighty.

Whenever the word “holy” is spoken in heaven, they fall down.

And yet, here on earth, we haven’t yet begun to worship.

We will never tire of worshipping God the Almighty.

Falling down before God is the eternal reaction of worship.

We will be on our knees and never tire of worshipping God.

Yet, on this side of heaven, we are getting just small glimpses of what it is to be in God’s literal presence.

*Examples: *In Genesis 17, Abraham saw God’s glory and fell down.

When Joshua faced the Commander of the army – he fell down.

When Moses and Aaron faced the glory of God, they fell down (which we’ll talk about in a moment).

When the fire came down upon the sacrifice in Leviticus 9, In the days of Solomon’s temple and Elijah at Mount Carmel, the glory of God came down and the people fell down.

At the moment of transfiguration and the cloud of glory descended on Jesus,  Peter, James and John were on the ground.

John in Revelation 1:10, it’s the same thing.

He hears the trumpet and turns around to see the Son of Man, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and he falls down as a dead man in the glory of God.

(cf.

Rev 1:17)

This glimpse of glory has a response of falling down in worship, and it will be like this through endless ages.

It’s not just that we have mortal bodies, and our bodies can’t contain the weight of His glory; even in the glory to come, they cannot stand.

It’s the act of falling before the Lord and casting the crowns down.

This act of worship we see in Revelation, chapters 4, 5, 7, 19, and 22 is constant.

They can’t stand; they just keep falling before the glory of God in worship and adoration.

I believe the seeds of this are found here, are found now, our found in our day.

That’s why I believe glimpse in the Old and New Testament show us this.

It is the ministry, and person and work of the Holy Spirit that plants this seed from the very beginning.

I’ve come to talk to you about Him.

Not about “it,” but about “Him.”

I’ve come to talk to you about being hungry for God’s presence every second of your life!

For as we’ve just seen, in glory (heaven) we will have the joy of worshipping God forever and ever!

And on this side of heaven, God wants us to be so saturated with His glorious presence that we carry His presence with us everywhere we go in this life.

Do you desire Almighty God’s presence in your life more than anything else?

Are you hungry for a Holy God to reign in your life?

* *

God’s presence is real and available in our lives.

* *

Let’s look at our text and see what it says about how God’s presence is now available to us today.

* *

Hebrews 12:18-24: */18/*/ “You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; *19* to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, *20* because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned."

*21* The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

*22* But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.

You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, *23* to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.

You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, *24* to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel./ (NIV)

 

(This passage is not a new topic, but builds on Hebrews 12:14, which reads: “/Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord/.”)

(NIV)

 

Verse18 refers to Mount Sinai, where more than 3,000 Israelites were killed!

Deuteronomy 4:10-12 provides the background for Hebrews 12:18:

 

*/10 /*/“Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children."

*11* You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.

*12* Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire.

You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice/.”

(NIV)  (see also Ex 19:18: Deut 5:22-23)

 

The focus is not so much on Mount Sinai itself as on the appearance of God who revealed His majesty and power.

The Israelites had consecrated themselves outwardly by washing their clothes (Ex 19:10-11); but, inwardly, they trembled with fear when they looked at the mountain, for they had come to “darkness, gloom and storm.”

God Himself was present and made Himself heard by the sound of the trumpet (v.

19).

The Israelites were awestruck.

No one was allowed to touch God’s holy mountain, not even an animal that strayed near it (Heb 12:20).

Should man or animal touch the mountain, God said, “he shall not be permitted to live” (Ex 19:13).

The emphasis is on God’s holiness, as God wanted the people to be aware of His sacred majesty, His awesomeness & obey Him.

God came to the Israelites with this covenant so that the fear of God Himself might reside in His people to keep them from sinning (Ex 20:20).

The Israelites were filled with fear and terror.

The overwhelming sight and the thunderous voice of God struck mortal fear into the hearts of the people, so that those who heard it begged no further word be spoken to them (see also Ex 10:19; Deut 5:25-26).

Moses was the intermediary between God and man, for he was God’s spokesman (Heb 12:21).

At the sight of God’s splendor and on hearing God’s voice speak the Ten Commandments, Moses was one with the people and shook with fear.

When God reveals His holiness to man, fear and trembling result.

This is like *Isaiah*, who saw the Lord God “seated on a throne, high and exalted,” and cried out, “/Woe to me!

I am ruined!

For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty/” (Is 6:1,5).

*John the Baptist – Apostle Paul – Apostle John*

 

God spoke to the people and gave them the Mosaic Covenant.

Scripture reveals that the people at Mount Sinai heard the voice of God, but the words He spoke failed to penetrate the hearts and minds of the Israelites.

How do we know this the words failed to penetrate their hearts and minds?

Of all the Israelites who were present at this event in Mount Sinai, no one entered the Promise Land, with the exceptions of Joshua and Caleb.

What a difference between the description of Mount Sinai and that of Mount Zion that we see in Hebrews 12:22.

What a contrast!

The first scene at Mount Sinai under the law is one of doom and dread; the second scene in Hebrews under the New Covenant portrays life and joy in God’s presence.

How do you think of God’s presence in your life, with life and joy, or doom and dread?

Mount Zion is described as the “heavenly Jerusalem” and as “the city of the living God.

The verb “have come,” which is used in verse 22, emphasizes to the readers of Hebrews have arrived at a permanent place.

That is, the temporary conditions of the Old Covenant have ended, and the everlasting terms of the New Covenant now prevail.

The New Jerusalem is the place where Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant dwells.

In the days of the Old Testament, Mount Zion was the highest elevation in the city of Jerusalem.

As a fortress, it was fiercely defended by the Jebusites, who were defeated at last by David.

In time, the fortress, including the surrounding area, was called the city of David, but poets and prophets used the name /Zion/ and designated it God’s dwelling place (cf., Ps 2:6; 20:2; 99:2; 135:21; Isa 4:3-5; Jer 8:19).

In the New Testament, the heavenly Zion is where God dwells with all saints (Rev 14:1; 21:2)

 

And the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem are known as sons and daughters of Zion.

It is the place where “God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev 21:3).

The heavenly Jerusalem excels its earthly counterpart, for sin and death are banished eternally in heaven.

The city has no need of sun or moon, “for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Rev 21:23).

The living God lives among His people forever!

What an honor!

Consider this: Moses was given the honor of climbing Mount Sinai and being with God for forty days and forty nights (Ex 34:28).

But we shall be with Him in heaven always, along with thousand and thousands of angels (Heb 12:22)!

*/Example/*: If every grain of sand on the beaches and sand dunes in the world = 10,000 years of eternity time, if is still just the beginning of eternity!

We belong to the New Covenant, and our names already have been recorded in the Book of Life (see also Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3; Rev 3:5; 13:8; 20:12).

Verse 23:  We will be worshipping the Son, who is the Firstborn!

(Heb 12:23)

 

We will be with the Firstborn forever!

There are *9 occurrences* in the NT of the phrase “first born” – Mt 1:25; Lk 2:7; Rom 8:29; Col 1:15, 18; Heb 1:6; 11:28; 12:23), and *7* of these refer to Jesus.