09/30/Th – The Unshakable Kingdom

NT: “See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven. His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken  — that is, created things — so that what is not shaken might remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:25-29‬ ‭CSB)

When God descended onto Mount Sinai, His glory consumed the entire mountain, His voice reverberated across the sky like thunder, and Mount Sinai quaked to its core with the weight of God’s glory and the power of His words. Understandably, the people were awestruck and scared to death. Yet, despite the awe and terror they experienced that day, eventually they ignored and rejected God’s words. Because of that, God eventually brought His judgement on those people and the nation. If God brought judgement to those who ignored the words that came from Mount Sinai and broke His first covenant, How much more will He bring judgement on those who ignore the words that proceed from the heavenly Mount Zion and become unfaithful to the covenant sealed in His Son’s blood?

Just as Mount Sinai quaked under the weight and power of God’s glory, eventually everything that is not of God will be shaken and destroyed – to the point that all that remains are things that are of God’s unshakable kingdom. The stuff of earth will eventually pass away or be consumed by God’s consuming fire of glory. That is why Jesus taught us to store up riches in heaven and not be consumed with the riches of this earth (Matthew 6:19-21). That is also why Paul taught (in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15) to build your life on Christ and solid doctrine, and to build on that foundation with things that will not get incinerated in the fire. When we heed God’s word, follow His ways, and submit to His will in faith, our lives will be built on and with kingdom things and will withstand the shaking and the fire. When we choose to ignore God’s word, follow our way or the ways of the world, and pursue our own will, we will have a life founded on and made up of the shakable and corrupted stuff of earth… and at the end of our life, we will be empty-handed and wanting. As Rich Mullins alluded to in his song, “If I Stand,” don’t allow the stuff of earth to compete for the allegiance owed only to the Giver of all good things. Give yourself fully to the things of God and of His Christ and become unshakable.

Psalms: “Hallelujah! Happy is the person who fears the Lord, taking great delight in his commands. His descendants will be powerful in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭112:1-3‬ ‭CSB)

Psalm 111 and 112 are both acrostic poems that extol the benefits of heeding God’s word, following His ways, and submitting to His will in faith. That is what it means to fear the Lord – to give honor, respect and reverence to God’s name and His word, will and ways. Those who heed God’s word, follow His ways, submit to His will and honor His covenant will experience the life-giving blessing of the Lord, not just in this life, but forever.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that Your kingdom is unshakable, and that as I pursue first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, You will make me unshakable in the process. The more I devote myself to kingdom pursuits, the less of a hold the world will have on me. May my life be founded on You. May my riches be primarily heavenly treasures. May my life be built with godly things as I listen to Your word and keep my eyes on You in faith. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.