What does it mean to receive a "kingdom that cannot be shaken"? Setting the Scene “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28) What “Kingdom” Means in Hebrews • God’s sovereign rule made visible now through Christ’s saving work (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:13) • The promised future realm where righteousness dwells in fullness (2 Peter 3:13) • An inheritance prepared “since the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34) for all who are in Christ Why It Cannot Be Shaken • Established by the One who “sustains all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3) • Prophesied as indestructible: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44) • Guaranteed by the resurrection: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19) • Sealed by the Spirit “who is the pledge of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13-14) The Two “Shakings” Hebrews Describes 1. Sinai (Hebrews 12:18-21) – the mountain trembled; the law exposed sin. 2. Final judgment (Hebrews 12:26-27; Haggai 2:6) – heaven and earth will be shaken so that only the eternal remains. • Everything temporary—nations, economies, cultures, even the present cosmos—will crumble. • What survives is the unshakable kingdom and those united to its King. Living as Those Already Receiving the Kingdom • Ongoing tense—“are receiving”—points to a present possession growing toward future completion. • Daily priorities reorder: “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). • Courage in trials: “We are perplexed but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) because loss here cannot touch our true homeland (Hebrews 11:16). • Stewardship now anticipates reward then (Luke 19:17). Gratitude: The Heart’s Response • Thankfulness is not optional; it is the fitting echo of grace received (Colossians 3:15). • Gratitude guards against drifting back to the shakable (Hebrews 2:1). • Verbal praise, generous giving, and acts of mercy all flow from a thankful heart (Hebrews 13:15-16). Reverence and Awe in Worship • God remains “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29); familiarity never cancels holiness. • Worship that pleases Him combines confidence (Hebrews 4:16) with trembling joy (Psalm 2:11). • Corporate gatherings remind us that we belong to “Mount Zion… the city of the living God” (Hebrews 12:22-24). Assurance for Today • Believers “are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved” (Psalm 125:1). • No accusation, disease, or persecution can sever us from the kingdom (Romans 8:35-39). • Even death promotes us to the unshakable realm (Philippians 1:23). Hope for Tomorrow • Christ will “hand over the kingdom to God the Father” after destroying every rival power (1 Corinthians 15:24). • “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13) where the kingdom’s fullness is unveiled. • Until then, we serve gratefully, worship reverently, and hold every earthly treasure loosely, certain that “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” |
    |