Hebrews 12:18-29 | What's happening (and who's involved)?

28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 29“For our God is a consuming fire.”
-Hebrews 12:28-29 BSB

These two verses sum up this section perfectly. To paint the picture simply, there was a time where man could not approach God. He would appoint a representative on His behalf to mediate between God and man. Any who would oppose this command and try to approach anyway was doomed for death. Just as when Moses was upon Mount Sinai, any who would touch the mountain, be that man or beast, would be condemned to death. Even Moses trembled at the sight of this mountain. But it is not that mountain that we approach the Lord upon.

Thanks be to Jesus, we approach Mount Zion, the mountain of salvation. We are joyfully received instead of severely condemned. We approach with Jesus, the minister of the new covenant. He is the Mediator by which we may now approach. Any who comes to God must come through Him, for He is the gate and He is the way.
Given that we are invited to this new covenant, we must see that we do not refuse the Lord in what He speaks. As He speaks, He will remove all that would be shaken. If we are planted upon the things of this world, then we too shall be removed. But if we are built upon Mount Zion and established by the Son, then only the things that must be removed shall fall off from us.

It is to this context that our verse this morning comes from. We are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. It cannot be removed. It is eternal. So our attitudes are to be turned to praise with reverence and awe in our hearts.

What observations are you making?