To be here tonight is always a privilege and a joy to meet with you around God's Word. And we're thankful tonight that we have the open book of God before us. And that we come tonight to dwell upon its pages. These are days of exceeding great confusion. But we thank Our God, that He's in control. A little verse in Psalm 146, or part of a verse, the last part of the verse, speaks about the way of the wicked being turned upside down by the Lord. And I think our nation is being taught that lesson. Men wouldn't like to look upon themselves tonight as being wicked, but when you consider the legislation that has been passed and supported over the years, that's exactly how God looks upon it. But we as children of God can take encouragement tonight because He will turn the way of the wicked upside down and he'll bring into confusion those who set themselves on that course that is contrary to God and we need to in these days be looking more on to the Lord. Therefore tonight we're glad to be around God's truth. We've come here to London to open our Bibles and to hear the Word of God and we thank God for the passage that is before us tonight and we trust that as we look into God's book that the Word will be opened and that our hearts will be opened to the Word as well by God the Holy Spirit. The subject in hand tonight is Sinai and Zion contrasted. And perhaps we could just read again some of those words that our brother read to us a few moments ago, beginning at the verse 18 of Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 18, for we are not come on to the mount that might be touched. and that burned with fire, nor on to the blackness and darkness and tempest. The sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more. For they could not endure that which was command it, and this so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. But ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly, the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men, made perfect. And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of evil. Amen, may God bless his word tonight to our hearts. The words we single out here are found in the verse 18 and the verse 22. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched. And then verse 22, but ye are come unto Mount Zion. Ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, but ye are come unto Mount Zion. With God's word before us, let's just seek the Lord please again in prayer. Seek his help tonight as we look into the book of God. We need his assistance. We need his Enlightenment. We need the power of God, the Holy Spirit, to apply God's truth to us each one tonight. Father in heaven, we still ourselves now before thee around the book of God. We thank thee for journeying mercies that have brought us here to this place. We look back over the years with thankfulness that year upon year, yes, month upon month, Thou hast blessed the people of God as they have come and met around God's truth in this place. We thank the Lord for the meetings that have passed this year. We thank the Father for the speaking voice of God, for the recordings that have been made of those meetings, many others have listened to what has been preached. Oh Lord, today draw us closer to thee. Show us much more of what we have in Christ. That our hearts might be made strong. And that we would be enabled to meet the hour and the day that that if we are to endure, if we are to persevere through these times, then we desperately need the blessing of God. For Lord, we're not sufficient. We're not sufficient for these things in and of ourselves. We thank Thee for those we read of in Daniel, including Daniel himself, who set us an example of what through the blessing of God can be achieved, that in the darkest of times, in the most heathen of situations, we can be burning and shining lights for God, we can be witnesses for Jesus Christ. Oh Lord, we thank Thee that no set of circumstances ever binds our God. we're praying Lord that you will help us and that you will build us up in our most holy faith through thy word tonight that as Paul was intending here with these Hebrew believers that he might build them up and make them strong to fight the good fight of faith, and to stand faithful to Jesus Christ. Bless us to this end. Even now as we come to thy word, for Christ's sake. Amen. Amen. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched. But ye are come onto Mount Zion. Can anyone really overestimate this evening the place that the book of Hebrews has in the canon of scripture? Can we put too great a value upon this wonderful book in the scriptural record. I firmly believe tonight that we can't. To every earnest reader of God's Word, it appears to me, the fact has to be clear, here is an epistle that has a central and a key function in God's revelation. Just take for one thing tonight, it's setting forth that true connection that is between the Old and the New Testaments. The book of Hebrews establishes emphatically that link, that connection between both the Old and the New. It bridges the gap as it were. And if Paul had not been inspired to pen these words, then how dark, how dark would our understanding be of this all important matter. Oh, I say without hesitation then tonight, and without fear of contradiction, this book of Hebrews that we have been studying throughout this year in our meetings here in London is a book of fundamental importance in the whole canon of Scripture. A careful look at these chapters will show that the Apostle's great purpose is not, as some have alleged, to cast aside God's revelation in the Old Testament or to treat it somehow as of lesser worth That's not the message of the book of Hebrews. No, no, tonight, if we come to that conclusion, then we make a dreadful mistake. Rather, Paul's aim here, as he writes to the Hebrews, is to put the New Testament in its proper relationship with the Old Testament. Because the Old Testament is leading us into the New Testament. And these two Testaments are interdependent, the one upon the other. They're not set against one another. All in the Old Testament have been, of course, ordained by God, and Paul, as he writes through Hebrews here, is recognizing this fact. It had all been given by God, ordained by God, but was not His final word. It was not His final And that's the point that Paul is making. That's the point that Paul is emphasizing here. The Old Testament is incomplete without the New. That's the major point that Paul is driving at as he writes here in Hebrew. And when I think of the book of Hebrews and think of summing up the book of Hebrews, my mind automatically turns to four little words we find in the chapter six and the verse one. I think they're significant words and what Paul says here in chapter six, verse one, You can find it right throughout that all he has to say, therefore leaving the principle of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on, on to perfection. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. Let us go on. To me, that little phrase permeates Paul's message all through the chapters of this book. Let us go on, on to perfection. On to that full stature in Jesus Christ. And that thought will lead me to another point that I would like to emphasize here tonight by way of introducing my subject. Because in this book, Paul is striving. He's striving to prevent the Hebrew believers from turning back from the side of Christ. He is striving with every fiber of his being to prevent them leaving the side of Christ. In other words, to prevent them from apostatizing from the faith that they had embraced in Christ. And I will suggest that this fact gives this book particular relevance to these times of ours. And many scriptures underscore this fact that one of the key features of the end times is this great departure from the faith. This danger that Paul saw amongst the Hebrews and to which he addressed himself in writing to them is a danger that's Facing us in these times we think of those words of Paul again writing to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 4 and the verse 1 1st Timothy chapter 4 and The verse 1 where he says, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Departing from the faith is going to be a feature, Paul says, of the end times. And seeing that this is particularly something that Paul addresses here as he writes to the Hebrews, it makes the book of Hebrews, therefore, a book for study by every Christian in this age in which we live. And Paul here, as the faithful shepherd of the flock, indeed like every heaven-sent messenger, Every heaven-ordained witness that has ever been raised up of God to speak for God here upon earth clearly sees the danger that these Hebrews were in. And what is more, he addresses himself to the subject. He doesn't ignore the subject. He doesn't pretend that it's not there, but he addresses the subject. Moses in his day did the very same thing. You remember what he says there in Deuteronomy chapter 31 in the verse 29 before he gives that great song of witness in chapter 32? He spoke there in the verse 29, ye will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside. That was a departing from the truth of God. Moses saw that that was a danger. And like Paul here, he addresses that a danger. He speaks about this matter. You find the very same thing in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. If you turn to John's gospel, the chapter six and the verse 67, where you have those familiar words John chapter 6 verse 67 then said Jesus on to the 12 He's addressing the 12 themselves and what does he say? Will ye also go away? Will ye depart? Let us not mistake the matter tonight. It's a matter that's addressed throughout the epistles as well. Galatians chapter 1 and the verse 6 gives us another example. Galatians chapter 1 verse 6. This was a subject addressed by the apostle without fail to all to whom he wrote. Galatians chapter one verse six, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ onto another gospel. Here then is a message. at the heart of this book of Hebrews, a message of great importance for all of us today to give heed onto. Paul's great antidote to this problem of departing from the faith. His great medicine is to bring them to fully grasp what they have in the gospel of Christ. He shows them here throughout this epistle, the great building that God has erected upon the foundation of the Old Testament. All the way through the chapters Off this book, Paul has been comparing what they had in the Old Testament with now what they were enjoying in the New Testament. And all the while, he was setting clearly and plainly before them this great blessing that they enjoyed. Your studies here over the months that are past have noted some of the highlights in that journey. And this evening we come to the last great contrast Paul emphasizes here in this book, where he's pointing out these two great mountains in the scriptures, Sinai on the one hand and Zion on the other. Although Cyanite is not actually named here, it is undoubtedly the mountain that is in view. These are mounts with great significance. They are mounts with a message for us all. For these Jewish believers to go back to Sinai would, in truth, be a retrograde step. The truth was Christ had brought them now into Zion itself. This was the heart of Paul's message, the message that he was delivering here with all of his soul and with every fiber of his being. And as we compare and contrast tonight these two mounts, there are many things for us to take notice of. And tonight, we will quickly pass through some of them. Look with me at what, in essence, these two mounts are, namely one is founded upon the earth. It's earthly in its nature. The other, Zion, is eternal. What a contrast that is tonight. Oh, the very first thing we're told here by Paul in our passage of Sinai, was that it might be touched. That's what he emphasizes right away there in the verse 18. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, that burned with fire, nor unto the blackness and the darkness and tempest. The mountain that might be touched. That verse 18 sets plainly before us the fact that here is a mount that is very much founded upon the earth. Plainly, the statement shows us the fact that the possibility was that it might be touched. Therefore, this command is given. This command not to put a hand upon it. Over there in Exodus chapter 19, in verse 12 we read these words, shall set bounds onto the people roundabouts, saying, take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount or touch the border of it. Whosoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death. This mount therefore was clearly earthly. It was physical. It was here. It was in this world. It was all too easy for the people to touch it, to put their hands upon it. Therefore, the deed was clear. The censure was given. Keep back. Do not touch this mount. Thus, in essence, it was earthly. and therefore would not continue forever. It would be dissolved with the rest of the world itself. But over against what Sinai is, we have Zion. And here is a mount that Paul stresses to be of an altogether different nature. It's described here in our verses as heavenly. Look at the verse 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. It's heavenly. Thus it contrasts with Sinai in the fact that it is eternal. It's not subject to the restraints of this earth. It will not pass away. So right away we are seeing here there's a vast difference. A few chapters back in the book of Hebrews, in the chapter 11 and the verse 10, we have reference made to Abraham. Abraham, we're told there in that verse, looks for a city whose builder and maker was God. Verse 10 of chapter 11, for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Well, here it is, glorious Zion, the city of God. Oh, what a blessed truth to strengthen the believer's heart. We are not come onto that which is passing away, but rather we have come through Christ onto that which is eternal. Should these Hebrew believers succumb to the temptation that is before them of turning back. Paul is saying you're turning back to that which is temporal and turning away from that which is eternal. They're contrasted here in what they essentially are. But I'm again struck with the contrast between these two mountains when we come to consider the peoples that gather on and at these two mountains. Around Sinai, as God came down in all his glory, were gathered the people of God. but it was only part of the company of God's people. It was only the Jewish believers. Moses was there in the mount. The camp of Israel were at the foot of the mount. Yes, we can see today, without hesitation, the people of God gathered around Sinai. But it was only a section, a part of the company of God's people. Yet when we come to Zion, and around Zion are found not just a part of the assembly of God's redeemed, but all the people of God. Here we come to consider the family of God in its entirety. All the saved of all time from Adam down to the last blood-washed soul on earth. Look at what's said in the verse 23. To the general assembly, the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men, made perfect. Here are God's people in there entirely. This is not as it was at Sinai, just a part of the redeemed. But here are the full company of God's people. Unto this mount, Saint of God, we have come through our Redeemer. Our names are there in Zion written down in the Lamb's book of life. All these twice-born children of God joining in the praises of the Lord. What a blessed, blessed sight this is. In all ages, yes, in the most dark of ages, the people of the Lord have looked forward with anticipation to that assembly at Zion. Next, we must think of the overwhelming impressions that are made at both of these mounts. Upon visiting these mounts, there will be an impression made upon us. If we go back, as it were, in our minds, aye, back and stand there with Israel at the Mount of Sinai and ask ourselves the question, what impact will this great sight have upon us? Stand there with the Israelites of old. What is the overwhelming impression that this sight will have upon our souls? Well, I have no hesitation in saying tonight, terror will be, without doubt, the word that you will want to use to express how you feel as God and all His holiness is revealed on that mount. Fear was that which filled the hearts of the Israelites as they took on board the sights and the sounds that met their gaze at the foot of Sinai. Look at what we read in the verse 21 of Moses himself. And so terrible was the sight, we're told here. So terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. This is the impression that is forcefully made upon the great man of God himself, Moses. I exceedingly fear and quake. Turn back again to that chapter in Exodus chapter 19. But let's look at a verse further on, Exodus chapter 19, again. Exodus chapter 19 and the verse 16 this time. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mountain, the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled, trembled. That that was the overriding impression left upon these people. This was the impact that this great sight had upon them. They exceedingly feared and quaked. They trembled. Terror filled their hearts as God revealed His holy law. And all of this stands, of course, tonight in stark contrast with the scene that we meet with when we come to Zion. On this mount, there's tranquility. On this mount, there is quietness. All here is calmness. There is stillness here. Heavenly harmony. Perhaps we could take in a couple of verses from the book of Isaiah, just to emphasize this point. chapter 33 of the book of Isaiah chapter 33 and the verse 20 reads thus of Zion look on to look upon Zion the city of our solemnities thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not One of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. Can the contrast be greater? Surely we have to conclude as we read these words between Zion and Sinai. Turn on over a page or so in the book of Isaiah to the chapters 35 and the verse 10, the last verse of that chapter. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Well, here's what we meet with at Zion. And it's an altogether different picture. Not hear the terror, not hear the quaking. All hear is stillness and calmness and heavenly tranquility. Here's another contrast to be drawn between Zion and Mount Sinai. But fundamentally, we must also see How man is viewed at both of these mounts. At one, man is declared to be the sinner. At the other, he stands justified. Justified. That which we must carry away is clear and plain. At Sinai, man is declared to be the sinner. The law is broken. Wrath and judgment are his due desserts. There, at Sinai, in all its ugliness, man in his true sinful condition, his own view. Man the sinner, man the rebel is there clearly seen. And this is the great and the only verdict that does to be reached. Yet switch our attention tonight again to Mount Zion And what do we find? Man now is seen to stand in a very different place with his God. Mark that wonderful statement in the verse 23 here. To the general assembly, the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Just men made perfect. All who choose to stop and put their confidence in Sinai are without hope. Because God's law cannot save. It was never so intended to save. That wasn't the end to which it was given. But that enmity that is so clearly out to view at Sinai, that enmity has been put away. Now man stands a justified soul made perfect in Christ Jesus. Here's another great contrast that is to be laid to heart as we compare and contrast these two mounts that are brought to our attention here by Paul. You will need also to give attention tonight to the two contrasting voices that are to be heard coming from these mounts. On Zion, on Sinai, it is That unretractable law of God that speaks forth with all its power and with all its majesty. Understand, that law has not been drawn back. It cannot be rescinded. Verse 19 speaks here about the voice of words and the sound of the trumpet and the voice of words. Those 10 great commandments sound forth. And as we have said, they cannot and they are not rescinded. They still stand as God's revelation of his holiness. This is for sure a salient point in these last of the last days because are we not all so aware that from every angle Man, men in the world, yes, that's to be expected, but sadly also the professing church are seeking ever to change, ever to dilute, ever to set aside the claims of God's law when God says thou shalt have no graven image, when God says, remember this Sabbath day to keep it holy, when God says thou shalt not kill, when God says thou shalt not bear false witness and all the other words spoken by God there on Sinai. Lawless man comes along and seeks to explain away the claims that that law makes upon him. While Sinai is all about the clear plea and setting forth of God's law, Zion causes us to hear another voice. A very different voice. Here on Zion, we hear the voice of the blood speaking. Look at the verse 24. And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh, that speaketh. Oh, just as there's a voice speaking on Sinai condemning man, calling man's attention to God's holy character and law, so there's a voice on Sinai tonight. And it speaks, speaks better things than that of evil. It's the speaking blood. It's the speaking blood. The blood that justifies and reconciles the sinner to God. Have we not to admit here is a subject in deep decline? Oh, have we not even to go further tonight and say here is a subject that has absolutely disappeared in so much of modern day preaching? When was the last time you heard a sermon preached on the blood? How many pulpits year in and year out are silent upon this wonderful subject, the redeeming blood of our Jesus Christ? Thank God that's not the case in Zion, for it is the blood that speaks. speaks loudly, speaks clearly, the blood of sprinkling, the blood of the one who kept the law perfectly, the blood of he who was declared at the very beginning to be the Lamb of God, the taking away the sin of the world, the one who died to redeem our souls from the curse of the law, by being made a curse on Calvary's middle tree. And by moving here then from one mount to the other, we have to give thought to the contrasting voices that are heard upon these two mounts. But look again. Oh, there are many things for us to learn here. Many things for us to learn. Look again and you will find a great contrast in the demeanor of man himself in both of these places. When the Lord spoke on Sinai, there was a clear and discernible effect made upon the people. They feared and they trembled and they quaked as we have seen. But what did that result in? Separation. Separation. Turn back to the book of Exodus, this time to the chapter 20. The chapter 20 of the book of Exodus, chapter 20 and the verse 18. And all the people saw the thundering and the lightning and the noise of the trumpet and the mount smoking. And when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off. They removed, mark the words, underline the words, highlight the words. They stood afar off. could not remain, they could not live with such a revelation of God's holiness. The consequence, therefore, was separation. Man placed by the law at Sinai, at a distance far off from God. far off from God, but how exceedingly different is the placement of man when we come to Zion. The idea now in this place is forcefully pressed upon our attention and it is one of gathering, one of assembling, one of coming together, and this is key with the Lord. No more separation, no more afar off. Man now is standing nigh to God. No longer in a distance. Man now at Sionite is dwelling with God. All the redeemed, his own people, are here in close heavenly harmony and fellowship with the Lord. Oh, man's experience in both of these places, in both of these mounts, cannot be more different. On one, he's afar off, but on the other, he's close as it's possible for man to be to God. But let us conclude tonight With contrasting here in these two mounts, the two great mediators. The two great mediators. On these two mounts, we must view the two men who stand as mediator between God and man. One of them was the mighty man of God, Moses. but the other is the altogether lovely Saviour Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that the Old Testament mediator Moses failed is more than clearly to be seen, for he had to be replaced. Had he prevailed, then another mediator would not have been required, wouldn't have been needed. Moses is seen here to feel. In that he said himself, he feared and quaked. But our eyes are turned rather to Zion. To the Lord Jesus Christ, our eyes are lifted up, are fixed. They're turned away from Moses here. They're fixed, in verse 24, upon the Lord himself, upon Christ, the blessed God-man. He it is who truly intercedes for the people of God. Look at verse 24. And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of evil. And to Jesus the mediator. As in the Gospels, we find Christ is said to be greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon. So here in this place, Christ is again declared to be greater than Moses himself. What a contrast. What a contrast. What a mediator we have in Christ Jesus tonight. I wonder tonight as we bring this meeting to a close, is Christ your mediator? Are you looking to Him? Are you depending upon His finished work? Upon His once for all sacrifice on Calvary's middle tree? Is that what you have come to? Or is it tonight that you're resting upon your good works? You've come to Zion. Oh, learn the lesson. Learn the lesson from this passage. The law cannot save. It was never designed to save. As Paul in another place puts it, the law is our schoolmaster. It has a great lesson to teach us. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. It teaches us tonight that there is none righteous, no not one, we have all fallen short of God's glory. And it points us to Christ. Christ is the only mediator between God and man. Oh, tonight, as I trust and I hope you have at least to some degree learned, there are many lessons to be learned here. by comparing and contrasting these two great mounts. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, but ye are come unto Mount Zion. O tonight, put all your faith and all your dependence and all your reliance upon the blessed Saviour. the blessed God, man, because he alone is our hope. May the Lord bless his word for Christ's sake. Amen.