Hebrews 12:18-24 — Sing to God! (Wait...Him?!)

READ THIS: 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 to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

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

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

In the Old Testament, specifically in Exodus 19 and Deuteronomy 9, God comes down to talk to Moses, and the way he does it is pretty scary. I mean, just look at the recap of it in the verses above (18-21). That's what the Israelites needed to experience in that time and place, but that is not what the author is trying to get the Hebrews to feel at this moment, even though if you look at yesterday's devo, the verses ended on a down note. 

It is true that God is a big God and He can be intimidating, but He is also the one who gives us joy. The same God described in the first paragraph of verses is the same God who is being celebrated and described in the second paragraph. He makes us perfect through Jesus, and it causes us to sing!!! God doesn't want us to live in fear and a constant depressive state over our sin....He wants us to live free in Him! 

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Look at verse 24. How does the death of Abel and the death of Jesus show the difference in how we should respond to God? (Why did Abel die? Why did Jesus die? How are those two reasons different? What do their deaths make us feel like on the inside?)
 
2. How do you view God most of the time? Does the description of God in the first paragraph or second paragraph feel more similar to how you experience God?

TRY THIS:

Look below at the song of the week! That is your challenge! (It is based on verse 22 above!)

SONG OF THE WEEK:
 
Imagine singing to God in a crowd of people who all love Him and each other!

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