Exploring Hebrews 12:26-27 and the Hope of an Eternal Realm
“Yet once more” — a phrase echoing with prophetic gravity and spiritual promise — finds its most memorable resonance in Hebrews 12:26-27. In these verses, the writer invokes a vivid image: God’s voice once shook the earth at Sinai, and yet, the apostle proclaims, there remains a future shaking, one that will encompass not only the earth but also the heavens. This future shaking is not mere destruction, but a decisive divine action: a removal of all that is temporary, clearing the way for an unshakable kingdom, a new reality both promised and secured by God.
Biblical Context
Old Testament Roots: The Mountain That Trembled
The phrase “yet once more” draws upon the ancient drama at Mount Sinai. When God gave the law to Moses, the mountain itself quaked and the people trembled, awestruck by the power and holiness manifested in thunder, fire, and the overwhelming voice from heaven. The book of Exodus describes this as a moment where the boundaries between heaven and earth blurred, instilling reverence — and fear — in all who witnessed it.
Sinai represented the formation of the Jewish church-state, a tangible place, “a mount such as might be touched,” though forbidden to be so. This encounter was rooted in the physical: a mountain, a people, an audible voice, and the giving of laws etched in stone. The impact of Sinai was inescapably external and earthly, fostering a sense of dread and distance between humanity and the divine.
New Testament Fulfillment: A Greater Shaking
The conversation shifts dramatically in the New Testament. The writer of Hebrews seizes upon the imagery of Sinai, but casts it forward: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” Here, the apostle (traditionally considered to be Paul) interprets the Sinai event as a foreshadowing of a far greater, future act of God. This time, the shaking is not restricted to a physical mountain or a single nation; it is cosmic in scope, encompassing “the heavens” as well as “the earth.”
The passage in Hebrews 12:18-29 contrasts two realities. Sinai, with its tangible terror and legal demands, stands in contrast to Mount Zion — the symbol of the gospel, the new covenant, and God’s invitation. Whereas Sinai was about distance and judgment, Zion is about approach and welcome; under the gospel, all are beckoned to come boldly into God’s presence.
The Meaning of the Shaking
Temporary Versus Permanent
What does this future “shaking” signify? According to Hebrews, it is the removal of all that is created, all that is transient, all that can be “shaken.” It is a purification, a thorough reordering of reality, so that only what is unshakable — that which is of God, eternal and incorruptible — will remain. The shaking is not merely cataclysmic; it is creative. It is not the end, but the unveiling of a new beginning.
This motif of shaking recurs in the prophets. Haggai (2:6) prophesies, “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.” The writer of Hebrews appropriates and magnifies this, teaching that the shaking at Sinai was but a precursor, a small demonstration of what is to come. The purpose is not destruction for its own sake, but the removal of impermanent things to make way for what is everlasting.
The Unshakable Kingdom
What survives this final shaking? Hebrews answers: it is the kingdom of God, the community of the redeemed, the realm established by Christ’s blood and secured by God’s unwavering promise. This “unshakable kingdom” is the New Covenant community, a spiritual society whose foundation is not in human works or external laws, but in grace, mercy, and the mediating work of Christ.
This kingdom is Mount Zion — not a physical mountain, but a symbol of the heavenly Jerusalem, the assembly of believers, “the church of the firstborn.” Here, each child of God is an heir; each is invited to join the glorious company above. And unlike the earthly, the perishable, and the fleeting, this kingdom cannot be moved.
Significance for Believers
A Promise of Hope and Security
The phrase “yet once more” is not meant to terrify, but to comfort. It is a promise that after all that is shakable has fallen away, after the world has been cleansed and reordered, what remains will be eternal, untroubled, and secure. For the early Christian communities facing persecution and uncertainty, this assurance was a bulwark against despair. It remains so for believers today, inviting trust in the permanence of God’s purposes.
Faithfulness and Godly Fear
The passage in Hebrews concludes with a call to worship “with reverence and godly fear,” recognizing that God’s grace does not abolish His holiness. The God who shook Sinai is the same God who welcomes us to Zion. The difference lies in Christ — the Mediator of the new covenant, whose sprinkled blood pleads not for vengeance, but for mercy.
Believers are urged not to turn away from this gracious invitation. To refuse the voice from heaven is to choose the shakable over the unshakable, the temporary over the eternal. God now deals with humanity in a way of grace, but those who despise the gospel will face judgment. The security of the unshakable kingdom is not a license for complacency, but a summons to gratitude and awe.
Mount Sinai and Mount Zion: Two Covenants Compared
· Mount Sinai: A place of law, fear, and outward holiness. The Mosaic covenant was shadowed by dread, for even the most righteous would despair under its demands without a Saviour.
· Mount Zion: A place of grace, invitation, and spiritual inheritance. The gospel is suited to our frailty, offering access to God’s presence and the privileges of the “first-born.”
Those who cling to the present world, its pleasures and ambitions, miss the essence of the unshakable kingdom. The gospel promises a transformation of soul — away from pride, guile, and earthly lusts, toward the purity and joy of heavenly citizenship.
The Mediator of the New Covenant
Christ is the bridge, the Mediator who brings God and humanity together. He pleads with God for us and with us for God, maintaining the bond established by His sacrificial blood. This covenant is sealed not by our merit, but by the mercy that flows from Christ’s atonement.
Just as the blood of sacrifices was once sprinkled on the altar, Christ’s blood is sprinkled on the conscience, cleansing and reconciling sinners. Here, the voice from heaven is not thunderous judgment, but gentle invitation. To refuse Him is to reject not only a message, but a relationship — and a future.
Living with an Eternal Perspective
What does it mean, practically, to live in hope of the unshakable kingdom? It means to seek grace, to serve with reverence, and to set one’s heart on what cannot be lost. The inheritance of believers is secured, and all things pertaining to salvation are given in answer to prayer.
Worship, then, is not a mere ritual, but a response of awe and gratitude for a promise that endures when all else falls away. The “shaking” of the world, with all its uncertainties, is not cause for fear, but an invitation to build one’s life upon the foundation that cannot be moved.
Conclusion: The Final Promise
“Yet once more” is both warning and assurance. It declares that nothing built on the shifting sands of this world will last, but it also announces the dawn of an unshakable kingdom — a home for all who trust in Christ, where grace reigns, and where God’s promise endures forever. In this hope, believers find courage to persevere, faith to endure, and joy to worship with “reverence and godly fear,” awaiting the day when the eternal, divine realm is fully revealed.
Minister A Francine Green
September 2025
afrancinegreen.com 