“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” Heb 12:22-23 (ESV) This idea of coming to the heavenly Jerusalem and Mt. Zion (the mountain on which Jerusalem is built) is a contrast to the previous verses in Hebrews 12 about the fear of the destructive power of God that the Jews experienced when God descended on Mt. Sinai. There is a great contrast between the two mountains, Mt. Zion is fearful but Mt. Zion is blessed.
God transports followers of Jesus to the joyful mountain in heaven, the heavenly Mt. Zion. And this is not just a future experience; it is something that has already happened, for the Scripture says “you have come” which is a translation of a perfect verb tense in Greek, which means it is a completed action. Thus, our role is to trust this truth and live accordingly. The new self we sense inside us that longs for God is the evidence of the new spiritual reality, the heavenly Jerusalem, in which we dwell. Incredibly, part of us is at a great party in heaven with angels and righteous people and God Himself. This gift encourages us when times are hard or when we want to refocus on our spiritual connection with God.
How much do you think of yourself as having come to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God? How can you better grasp this truth?
