Coming to Church, But Which One? (Hebrews 12:22-24)

Questions to answer

Sometimes we are asked, where is your church? Usually, the person asking the question has in mind the building where we worship. Imagine asking it in Saudi Arabia? What would someone reply there? Or if someone asked, what is your church like? There could be a lot of answers to that question. Or if someone asked, how often do you meet? And how many attend?

 

What would be the answers if we asked those questions to the author of Hebrews? After all, some people were stopping attending the gatherings. They were doing so for two reasons. One reason was that the circumstances were difficult, mainly caused by persecution. The other reason was that they thought church was drab in comparison to what the Jews possessed in their temple worship, with all the visible rituals and performances that went on. His remedy for them was to consider the real picture of the church in the presence of God.

 

Of course, there are different ways of looking at the church. One is what we call the visible church, the church in the sense that we can see it. The visible church is the church with its organisation and activities. But that is not the only way to consider the church. There is also what we call the invisible church, which we cannot see, but which is nevertheless very real. In fact, it is more real than the visible church.

 

Location

So where did the author of Hebrews say the invisible church meets? It meets as a city. From the description in these verses, we can make four deductions: it is a permanent city, it is an accessible city, it is an inhabited city, it is a peaceful city. It is permanent because God built it, it is accessible because we can go to it, it is inhabited because citizens are resident in it, and it is peaceful even although God and the residents were once opposed to each other.

 

The author calls the city by three names. First, it is Mount Zion. Perhaps the significance of this name is seen by contrasting it with Mount Sinai, the place where God gave the law. When he did so, it was a glorious occasion. Yet the occasion did not last long whereas Zion is eternal. Moreover, God came down to Sinai, but we go up to Zion. When he came down to Sinai, the people were told to stay away; when we go up to Zion, we are invited to draw near. Sinai, in the main, was only for the Israelites; Zion, as Psalm 87 tells us, is composed of people from all nations.

 

Second, it is the city of the living God. As we mentioned earlier, it is his because he built it. It is also the location of his throne, the place from where his kingdom is governed. It is the place where he is worshipped. Other cities had their idols, but in his city the inhabitants worship the eternal God who has always been and always will be.

 

Third, it is the new Jerusalem. We know that the old Jerusalem sadly was going to be destroyed within a few years of this letter being sent. The new Jerusalem is beyond the reach of enemies. Jerusalem means the city of peace, and its life is marked by the peace of the living God.

 

Where are we just now if we belong to the invisible church? Our location is the heavenly city, a place of wonder. One thing we can say about it is that it does not have a tourist office, it is only for residents. They can walk round it as much as they want, but they do so as worshippers, not visitors. Nor is there a prison in the city because all the inhabitants have been set free from condemnation.

 

Audience

The author reminds us that those who have come to Mount Zion have come to ‘innumerable angels in festal gathering’. His readers had a great interest in angels because of the history of Israel, as we can see in the first two chapters. And angels had been at Mount Sinai and they contributed to the awesome solemnity of that occasion. They would not have rejoiced when Aaron made his golden calf at the foot of the mountain. But in Mount Zion, they are full of joy and gladness as they meet with the redeemed.

 

We are told in the Book of Ephesians that angels learn truths from observing the church. They discover truths about God as they do so, especially about his grace. Whereas there will be many benefits for them from being close to believers, they also participate in the worship of God, and the nature of their worship as described here is that of celebration of God’s actions in creation and salvation.

 

Participants

The participants in the activities of the invisible church are described in two ways, with each way being followed by a reference to a divine person. The description ‘the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven’ is followed by a reference to God as the judge of all. What does the description mean? 

 

First, given that it probably does not include the spirits of just men made perfect who are mentioned later, it must be a description of believers on earth. Second, they are described as one gathering, although we know that physically they are in different places. In saying that they have one gathering, the author is stressing the essential unity of believers with one another. Third, they are the firstborn – it depends how we regard the word ‘of’ – does it mean that all of them are firstborn or does it mean that they belong to someone else who is the firstborn? Fourth, their names are recorded in the register of the inhabitants of the heavenly city, which is a reminder of their security.

 

Going back to the meaning of firstborn, if we take it as referring to God’s people on earth, then it means that they are like the privileged elder son in an Israelite family who received a double portion of the inheritance. In other words, they are going to receive a great inheritance. Even if we take the word ‘firstborn’ as referring to Jesus, because it is one of his titles indicating his high position, the idea of inheritance is still there because they will be joint heirs with Christ. And if it does refer to Jesus, it is a reminder of how great he is, because it is a title that reveals he possesses all things. So either way, those who belong to the church of the firstborn are greatly blessed.

 

So it is a great blessing to be a member of the invisible church on church – the church of the firstborn. As such, we are united with all God’s people throughout the globe, our names are recorded in the annals of heaven, and we have a wonderful inheritance, being heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. 

 

As we noticed, this reference to the church of the firstborn is followed by a reference to God as the Judge of all. It is an awesome thing to be so close to a judge in a courtroom. But how does God the Father see his people on earth even although they are still affected by sin? He sees them as pardoned, forgiven, justified through faith his beloved Son and they are accepted in his presence, having been introduced there by Jesus and given permanent access.

 

The other participants are said to ‘the spirits of the righteous made perfect’, and we know who some of them are. Characters in the Bible, others from church history and others whom we knew in this world. Now they are perfect in holiness. Yet although they are perfect, we and they are still one.

 

The writer also points out that we have come to Jesus. The point that is made about him is that he is mediator of a new covenant. As we know, in biblical terms, a covenant was ratified by blood of a sacrifice. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice in order for us to be forgiven and to experience the benefits of the new covenant, including having the law written on our hearts, increasing in the knowledge of God and having fellowship with one another. 

 

The author, however, while contrasting Jesus with Moses as mediators, points out that the blood of Jesus speaks better things that the blood of Abel. The point of this comparison is that the blood of Abel cried out for vengeance against Cain whereas the blood of Jesus cries out for forgiveness in the ears of the Father. The ones who receive the blessing of forgiveness are his brothers, whereas Abel’s blood in a judicial sense cried out for vengeance against his brother.

 

Application

The first application is to think of the church to which you belong. Most Christians are connected to a denomination, but they are not united fully to one, even if it is the best in the world! Rather, if we are converted, we are united to the church of Christ, the one that he is in the process of building for his joy and glory. We belong to the church of living stones, each of whom is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

 

The second application is to remind ourselves of those we meet with in church. We gather surrounded by joyful angels, a way of saying that the church has a closer relationship with God than they do, even although they are in his presence. We meet with all the saints, past and present. We meet with the Father and the Son beside the judgement throne and receive the blessings of the new covenant from Jesus the Mediator. This is blessed to us by the Holy Spirit, even although we cannot understand how it all happens.

 

The third application is that we should be glad that we do not come to Sinai. The gathering at Mount Sinai was a great occasion as the nation of Israel came into being, a people set apart for the worship and service of God. Yet although God came down to the top of the mountain, he did not come near to the people and ensured that a distance was maintained. Sadly, idolatry was possible at the foot of the mountain, and so was divine punishment. How much better is Mount Zion, the city of the living God!