What is the meaning of Hebrews 12:27? The words “Once more” - This phrase reaches back to God’s promise in Haggai 2:6—“In just a little while, I will once more shake the heavens and the earth”. - Hebrews 12:26 reminds us that God has already shaken Mount Sinai; yet He declares another, ultimate shaking. - “Once more” signals a definitive, final act—not an endless cycle. Because Scripture is accurate and literal, we can trust that this future shaking is certain and unique. signify the removal - Shaking is not merely for display; it accomplishes removal. Think of wheat sifted so the chaff drops away. - 2 Peter 3:10-12 describes the heavens passing away and the elements melting; Revelation 6:14 pictures the sky receding like a scroll. God’s shaking clears away everything that cannot stand in His holy presence. - The purpose is redemptive: eliminating all that hinders full fellowship with Him. of what can be shaken - Anything capable of being rattled is, by definition, temporary and fragile. • Physical creation (mountains, seas, stars) • Human institutions (kingdoms, economies, cultures) • Personal props (health, wealth, reputation) - Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away” (Matthew 24:35), underscoring the temporary nature of every created support we might lean on. that is, created things - The writer defines “what can be shaken” to prevent misunderstanding: all created things. Nothing in creation is exempt. - Colossians 1:16-17 affirms that everything was made through Christ and currently “holds together” in Him, yet creation itself is not permanent in its present form. - 1 John 2:17 states, “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever”. so that the unshakable may remain - God’s goal is preservation, not annihilation. What endures is “an unshakable kingdom” (Hebrews 12:28). - Daniel 2:44 foretells a kingdom “that will never be destroyed.” Psalm 145:13 calls it “an everlasting kingdom.” - Believers are citizens of this kingdom now (Philippians 3:20) and will experience it fully in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4). - When every created scaffold falls, the King and His kingdom stand firm, and all who belong to Him stand secure with Him. summary Hebrews 12:27 assures us that God will shake the entire created order one final time. Everything temporary will be removed, fulfilling His promise and making room for the eternal kingdom that cannot be shaken. For those anchored in Christ, the coming shaking is not a threat but a transition into unbreakable, everlasting reality. |
    |