12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded,
And if so much as a beast touch the mountain,
it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: {Ex 19:12,13}
a beast- Even the lowest creatures within the camp (those without knowledge of right & wrong)
were unfit to approach the Holy God.
12:21 And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said,
I exceedingly fear and quake:)
Moses- Even the best man of the congregation (the one who was invited to approach God)
12:23 To the general assembly and 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,
the church of the firstborn ...written in heaven-
-- the firstborn- GK=prototokos, the first or chief begotten.
This refers to Christ's pre-eminence (see note at 1:6).
The church of Christ exists by Him & for Him.
-- the church...- GK=ekklesia, called out ones
Individual believers are called out & joined to the body over which He is Head.
new- GK= neos, young, youthful. In every other occurrence of "new covenant",
the word for 'new' is GK=kainos, a new kind, unprecedented, novel.
The 'new kind' of covenant which Christ secured historically by His blood,
having been 'newly implemented', has begun to blossom with blessing (and will increasingly continue to do so), for those to whom it applies.
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
the blood -
of Abel- cried out from the ground for vengeance (God's wrath) against sin. Gen 4:8-10
of Abel's lamb- could not take away sins,
but it spoke of the (then future) coming of the Lamb of God. (see 11:4 note)
of Christ- cries out "It is finished",
secures God's mercy, puts away sin, and purifies the sinner. Heb 9:14; 10:22
12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.
For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth,
much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:
refuse not- GK=paraiteomai, lit., to ask aside, to decline, to beg off.
(Elsewhere translated: entreated, v.19; to make excuse Luk 14:18,19.)
they escaped not- The Israelites, in shrinking from the voice of Him who
gave the Law (v.19), could avoid neither their obligation to obey nor the consequences of disobedience.
much more... we- Our obligation is far greater because
we have been privileged to receive much fuller revelation. God Himself has spoken to us in the person of His Son (1:1-3) and in the power of His blood (12:24).
12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: {ie., at Mt. Sinai, v.18-21; Ex 19:18,19} but now he hath promised, saying, {quoting from Hag 2:6,7} Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. {cp. Mat 24:29,30}
12:27 And this [word], Yet once more, {ie., once more only} signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made,
that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.