Jump Start # 479

Hebrews 12:22-24 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” 

  The Hebrew writer is contrasting what the Christians have compared to what ancient Israel had. This was done to illustrate how much greater and better the N.T. system is over the O.T. Some of the Hebrew Christians were going back to Judaism. They were giving up on Jesus. This was a fatal mistake that was not well thought out. This book contrasts how superior Jesus is in every way to the O.T. way.

  One of the contrasts is found in the context of our verses today. Ancient Israel came to a mountain. It was the mountain that Moses climbed and talked with God and received the Ten Commandments. But the mountain was encased in clouds and fire often came out of it and when God spoke it scared the people. They were so frightened that they told Moses to talk to God, they didn’t want to. There were serious laws about the mountain. If anyone tried to climb it they would be executed. Fear dominated the mountain experience.

  For the Christian, their experience through Jesus was much different. It was incredible. Seven times in our verses the word “to” is used. He is describing what the Christian comes “to”

• Mount Zion
• Myriads of angels
• The church enrolled in Heaven
• God
• Spirits of departed righteous
• Jesus
• Sprinkled blood

  What a list! These are the benefits of being a Christian. This is the support systems for a Christian. The O.T. way didn’t offer this. The world can’t touch this. This is only found in Christ. It is a fellowship of God and the things connected to God.

  I especially like the expression, “myriads of angels.” I’m not sure how much a myriad is, but I know it’s a lot. If you had myriads of dollars, you’d be rich. Some may think I have myriads of ties, not quite. You have come to massive amounts of angels. Angels that protect. Angels that help. We learn more about angels from Hebrews than just about any other book. We are told that they are ministering spirits sent by God to render service to God’s people.

  Angels are spirits, like God. Only when they take human form can they be seen, and often, they look so human that they are not recognized as angels. Have angels been in your life? Probably. You probably didn’t know it. They are not sent to be worshiped, praised or gawked at. They are God’s tools. They are sent to do what needs to be done.

  Do we each have a guardian angel? No, not like the common thought that most have. No, instead we have myriads of angels. I was awake the other night thinking about “myriads of angels” and wondered if there have ever been God’s angels in my house. I don’t know.

  The Hebrew writer is letting the Christians know that they are not alone. You do not journey alone. God is not on a far away island telling us to find Him. We have with us…Jesus, Christians, angels, God, and on and on the list goes. That’s what’s with us. That’s what we journey with.

  Not one lonely lost little angel, but myriads! Not one or two little Christians, but the church enrolled in Heaven—all of us! We do not journey alone. Help is not on the way, help is here!

  Some day Jesus is returning. He’s bring all the angels with Him. How many? Probably myriads. Some day we will surround the throne in Heaven and sing praises to the One who forgave us. Singing with us will be the angels. How many? Myriads. Won’t that sound powerful!

  We live in good times. We live on the best side of the cross. We have what others never had. All of this leads us to being stronger, more faithful, and definitely more thankful!

  Myriads—I like that word. I like the thought it brings!

Roger