HEBREWS 12:22-29
Our God is a Consuming Fire
November 6, 2016
Todd Chapman
Hebrews 12:22-29 ESV: [22] But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, [23] and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, [24] and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. [25] See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. [26] At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” [27] This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, [29] for our God is a consuming fire.
As the author culminates his argument, he leaves us with an overpowering truth “our God is a Consuming Fire”. He wants us to understand that whether or not we hear this truth, determines our eternity.
Our God is a consuming fire.
o To not hear: If we don’t hear, we do not endure in faith. Eternity will be disastrous.
o To listen: We happily endure in faith. Eternity is inexpressibly joyful.
Life Group Questions:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
1. How would you summarize 12:18-24?
2. Who is the “him” that is speaking in v25?
3. What is the scenario that is being juxtaposed in v.25 between those warned on earth and warned from heaven? Who was being refused and who is doing the warning?
4. What are the things which can be shaken and what will happen to them? What are the things which cannot be shaken?
5. In what way will the future shaking be greater?
6. For what are we to be grateful?
7. What does the author mean by saying “Let us offer acceptable worship”?
8. How does reverence and awe relate to acceptable worship?
9. How is this awareness that “our God is a consuming fire” different from the blazing fire of Sinai (12:18) and the terror Moses felt (12:21)?
10. How would you paraphrase the big idea of 12:25-29?
HOW DOES IT APPLY?
1. What reason is given that we should listen to God? In what ways do people refuse God’s voice today?
2. How do you evaluate whether your life is invested in shakeable or unshakeable things? Explain.
3. Are we to enjoy God as the consuming fire or endure God as a consuming fire? Explain.
4. What does it look like in our lives to enjoy God as the consuming fire?
5. What does gratefulness look like for God’s promises and His unshakable kingdom in our lives?
6. What does it look like to for us to offer acceptable worship to God?
7. How do we encourage and challenge each other to live lives that enjoy God as the consuming fire