Mount Sinai and Mount Zion : Discontinuity and continuity in the book of Hebrews

Copyright: © 2013. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. The author of Hebrews draws significant contrasts between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion which both played a major role in the old covenant. For the author of Hebrews the former mountain, Mount Sinai, only had limited significance with respect to the new covenant, whereas the latter mountain, Mount Zion, continued to have significance in the new covenant. Mount Zion was viewed as a shadow of the heavenly reality, which is the true destination for the pilgrimage community. Mount Sinai as the locus of encounter or meeting between God and Israel only played a transitory role, whereas Mount Zion had perpetual significance as the destination, the dwelling place of God and his people.


Introduction
The Book of Hebrews pictures the new covenant people or the church as a community on a pilgrimage 20) describes it, Israel's wandering through the wilderness appears in Hebrews as a type for the new co pilgrimage is one that is deeply rooted in the old covenant community and it is a continuation thereof.promise of entering God's rest still stands.Israel's wandering in the desert and their entrance into Can narrative within a macro-narrative in which God's rest, which God entered after he had completed his w stands.Secondly, Old Testament believers looked beyond their micro-narratives through faith; howeve the promises: • 'Abraham ... looked forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God' (Heb 11: • ' [Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob] were still living by faith when they died ... they were longing for a b heavenly one.Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them • 'By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter ...He r sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his rewa • Regarding all the heroes of faith, it is stated: 'These were all commended for their faith, yet none of the been promised.God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be m 11:39-40).
The author of Hebrews draws on several micro-narratives from the Old Testament to show the points discontinuity, and points of contrasts between the old and the new covenant.In this article, I intend to drawn between Mount Sinai and the heavenly Mount Zion in Hebrews 12:18-24.For some the contrast mountains represents discontinuity between the old and the new covenant, which in turn represents th Judaism and Christianity (Attridge 1989:374;Gordon 2000:157; see also Lehne 1990:103;Williamson & Attridge (1989:374) contends that 'the two mountains and their symbolic equivalents are contrasted an the discontinuity rather than the coherence of God's action'.The idea that the contrast between Sinai a expresses 'contrast' and 'discontinuity' tends to undermine the correspondences and progressive relat mountains which form the basis of the contrast.I will argue that for the author of Hebrews, Mount Sina character and of limited significance whereas Mount Zion as a destination has perpetual significance; y continuity and discontinuity flow from the contrast that is drawn.The elements of continuity and disco when the contrast drawn between Sinai and Zion in Hebrews 12:18-24 is viewed as a conceptual framew converges with other symbols within the author's redemptive-historical framework that spans from cre eschatological earth and heavens at the climax of which stands a superior covenant mediator, Jesus.Pa contrast drawn between Sinai and Zion in Hebrews 12:18-24 is not 'the' conceptual framework from wh Hebrews developed his argument throughout the book; rather, the contrast drawn has its place and fun redemptive-historical framework.For the author of Hebrews, the primordial act of creation set the stag which culminates in the eschatological transformation of creation (Heb 1:2; 12:26-28).It is within this b historical framework that the author of Hebrews makes a contrast between the two mountains, Mount S heavenly Mount Zion, and within which the pilgrimage motif is set not only as a forward movement bu movement.
Exposition in Hebrews 12:18-24 is given by the following pattern of contrast: ' [for you have n 12:18 in contrast with [but you have come] in Hebrews 12:22.The pilgrimage motif is characte motion' just as we find in Hebrews 12: 18-24 (Käsemann 1984:22-23).In Hebrews 3-4, where the leading [ ], the goal of the new covenant people as a wandering community is to enter God's rest.The 'rest into when they took possession of the land of Canaan is now viewed as a type of God's eternal rest, wh available.As Johnsson (1978:239-251) points out, the tone in that section is one of expectancy -the goa realised.In Hebrews 12:18-24, the goal is no longer just eschatological; it is in some sense realised: 'Yo backdrop in this case is Israel's experience at Sinai and Israel's experience at Mount Zion.

Mount Sinai -Mountain of transition
Although Mount Sinai is not explicitly mentioned by name in Hebrews 12:18-21, the author is alluding surrounding the giving of the law when Israel was camped at the desert of Sinai.In this retelling of the use of the Exodus account (Ex 19:1-20:23), its retelling in Deuteronomy (Dt 4:9-5:33), and interpretive in author's use of the events at Mount Sinai in this instance evoke, inter alia, three things: the theophany m and the fear motif.

Theophany motif
The author of Hebrews introduces the contrast between Mounts Sinai and Zion by reminding his audie pilgrimage has not led them: 'For you have not come'; then it continues to offer a description of the pla already noted points to Mount Sinai, the locus of the old covenant.The description first of all recalls th theophany.Mount Sinai is used elsewhere to refer to the place of theophany and the giving of the law ( with Ex 19:18,20;20:22;Dt 4:36;cf. 4 Ezr 3:17ff.;Bar 2:28;Sir 17:11ff.;24:33;Jdg 5:14).Mount Sinai, due to manifestation, could not be touched; anything that touched it, even if it was an animal, had to die (Ex 19 terrifying for the Israelites: the mountain was on fire, darkness was over it, as were gloom and tempest this terror, there was the sound of a trumpet and a voice speaking.The Israelites requested Moses to be than risk their lives by directly conversing with .As the author of Hebrews also points heard the voice they begged that no further word be spoken to them (Heb 12:19).Then he continues to nobody could approach that mountain, not even an animal.
In the Exodus narrative, the preparation for the theophanic manifestation at Mount Sinai clearly set a b mountain.For the people to partake in the meeting they had to abstain from sexual intercourse and to 19:10-12, 23; cf.Dt 5:1-5).This was to set God apart as a Holy One separated from all imperfections and from this theophany and from the other theophanic manifestations that a place where God reveals him ground and protected by explicit restrictions (cf.Ex 3: 1-5;Harrington 2001:46).The burning fire on the m (2001) points out: [...] is a good symbol of God's exalted, dangerous holiness.Fire separates pure from impure, cre which cannot be bridged.For that which can stand its heat, fire functions as purifier and perfecte even uncontrollable; if unleashed it represents a dangerous threat which is respectable by all.(p In line with this, the author of Hebrews, as will become clear subsequently, stresses the fact that this mo unapproachable. This also needs to be understood within the broader religious context of the ancient Near East, where t played an important role (see Clifford 1972;Levenson 1985:111-137;Talmon 1978:427-447).Mountains locations where the gods held their divine assemblies and also as the homes of the gods.For example, was thought to live on Mount Zaphon which in the Bible came to be an epithet for Zion (Levenson 1985 the ancient world to holy mountains, as Clements (1965:1-2) points out, could be explained by the expe peoples for the gods to continue to reveal their presence in certain localities where a theophany occurr certain localities were identified as their dwelling places and altars were erected.Attached to this was th on which a god dwelt was a chosen, a 'holy spot' or 'holy mountain'.This is evident in the following Ug by Clifford (1972): Come, and I will seek it, In the midst of my mountain, divine Zaphon, In the holy place, the mountain of my heritage, In the chosen spot, on the hill of victory.(p.68) When God descended on Mount Sinai it became a holy and unapproachable spot.However, when God to Mount Sinai, he did not make Mount Sinai his permanent dwelling place.Mount Sinai was rather a te God as he continued to narrow the gap between himself and the people by descending even further fro tabernacle.God became a wanderer with his people in the desert dwelling in a tent until many generat of David and Solomon when he chose Jerusalem and Zion to be his dwelling.Mount Sinai was never in destination for Israel in their pilgrimage, nor did God make it his permanent dwelling.Mount Sinai rath in Israel's pilgrimage.

Visio Dei and Motif of Fear
The theophany goes hand in hand with the visio Dei motif.The author of Hebrews uses the verb of seein about this linkage: 'Indeed, so fearful was the sight [ µ ]...In the Exodus narrative the two also go h 19: 20-24; 20:18-21; 33:12-13; 40:35-38).'To the Israelites the glory of the Lord (at Sinai) looked [äàAEøÀîÇ on top of the mountain' (Ex 24:17).The forbidding voice warned the Israelites not to 'force their way th and many of them perish' (Ex 19:21).The visio Dei motif is also confirmed by God's words in Exodus 20 [äàÈøÈ] for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.'The significance of the visio Dei motif is passages, which strengthen the connection between seeing and death (see Ex 20:19; cf.Dt 5:24-27; Hagu pleaded with God to show him his glory, God warns Moses saying: 'You cannot see my face, for no one (Ex 33:20).It should also be observed that the author of Hebrews relates the theophany motif with the visio Dei an so fearful [ ] was the sight that Moses said, "I am filled with fear and trembling"' (Heb 12:21).The fea Exodus 20:20, is the basis of the Sinai covenant: 'Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid.God has c the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."'As Jacob (1992:578) observes, the intent of 'was to restrain the people from sin'.However, the author of Hebrews expands the fear motif to include The words ascribed to Moses in this regard are not recorded in the Old Testament.The author was mak tradition that is attested elsewhere in the New Testament and in haggadic tradition, reproducing it in hi with the other interpretive traditions.In Acts 7:32, Stephen describes Moses as trembling with regard to which Moses saw on Mount Sinai: 'and trembling, Moses did not dare look'.The textual basis was prob hid his face for he was afraid to look at God' (Hughes 1977:543;Lane 1991:464;Thurston 1979:30-31) an 'I feared the anger of and wrath of the Lord .' (Bruce 1990:354-355).As Hughes (1977:543) expresses it, ' the divine presence within the fiery cloud, must have been inspired with awe beyond the rest of the peo below.'It should be noted, however, that a similar motif is found in the Bayblonian Talmud: Sabbat 88b accordi Sinai declared, 'I was afraid that the angels could consume me with the breath of their mouths.'The the is an important one in the Old Testament and is fully developed in wisdom literature, where the 'fear o in a positive sense identified with wisdom.However, the fear in this case is one, which is associated wit of the Most Holy God.The emphasis in Hebrews 12:18-24 is on the holiness of God, in which there is n The Sinai covenant, or the old covenant, is one that made man conscious of his imperfection and show worship in fear due to his unworthiness.

Mount Sinai as representative of the old covenant of fear
We have established so far that Mount Sinai, although not explicitly mentioned by name, is identified the locus of the giving of the law, the mountain of encounter between God and Israel.Mount Sinai is th Israel covenantally came together to journey together to their final destination.The author of Hebrews the abolition of the significance of the covenantal encounter between God and Israel.Rather, he focuse establishing the weakness of that encounter.The chronotopic encounter at Mount Sinai, an encounter i between God and Israel is presented as weak.It was a fearful encounter.The sight was terrifying, the vo terrifying so that the people were terrified and Moses, the mediator between Israel and God, was also t In so doing, the author continues with his hermeneutical strategy that can already be observed in the e pointing out the weakness of the old covenant that was established at Sinai.The old covenant failed to perfection demanded by God: 'If perfection could have been attained ... why was there still need for an Again he states: The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing pe introduction of the better hope through which we draw near to God.The same idea is repeated in Hebrews 10: The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming -not the realities themselves.For th never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw ne could, would they have not stopped being offered?(vv.1-2a) The old covenant is characterised by imperfection: the people failed to remain within the covenant bou 7-8).The Levitical priesthood was administered by fallible and weak men who also needed atoning for the gifts and sacrifices that they offered could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper (Heb 9:9); the in a sanctuary that was a copy of that in heaven (Heb 9:23-24).The law was a conscious reminder of ma holiness that God demands (Heb 10:1-4, esp.vv.4-5).
Mount Sinai, as Levenson (1985) describes it: [I]s the mountain of Israel's infancy, of the days of Moses, when the nation, as the story has it, wa generations old.Mount Sinai is the location of only one great event in Israel's history, the revela (p.89) However, for the author of Hebrews, this great revelatory event was one that was clouded in fear, the fe cast negatively as it was contrasted with the joy at Mount Zion.The idea that meeting with God is dange recalls the post-fall encounter between God and the first human couple, Adam and Eve.God's presenc unthreatening was now perceived as threatening, and so out of fear Adam and Eve hid from God (Gn 3 However, the covenantal encounter at Mount Sinai is not simply presented as weak, it was also transito Sinai, both God and the people of Israel were in transition.Mount Sinai was not to be a permanent dwe terrifying as the initial encounter was, the covenant-making process proceeded.God instructed Israel t him that would house him in their midst.God narrowed the gap between himself and Israel by making the midst of Israel, becoming a wanderer with Israel to her final destination.The final destination for th Jerusalem, on Mount Zion (1 Ki 8:1).On the other hand, Israel at Mount Sinai still looked forward to the there within the land for 'the place the Lord will choose' (Dt 12:5,11,14,18,21,26;14:23,24,25;15:20;1 10;18:6,26,31), that is, a place where he will 'put his name there' (Dt 12:5, 21; 14:24) or 'make his name 14:23; 16:2, 6, 11; 26:2).Israel became a carrier of God to his dwelling place.For the author of Hebrews community unlike Israel at Sinai has come to Mount Zion.

Mount Zion -The destination
Mount Sinai and Mount Zion both played significant roles within the old covenant.However, for the au Zion has a continual significance in the new covenant whereas the significance of Mount Sinai does no boundaries of the old covenant.As we have already observed, Mount Sinai played a transitory role as a as God prepared to make his dwelling amongst men.As Levenson (1985:89) argues, as significant as th Sinai was in altering Israel's religion, 'the mountain itself had no ongoing significance for the people w destiny was transformed there.'Mount Zion, a hill within the bounds of the city of Jerusalem, became the centre of Israel's cult and the highest mountain on earth, and the peripheral city of Jerusalem became the centre of the world (Ander Clifford 1972:154-173;Levenson 1985:111-137).Mount Zion passed into the hands of the Israelites duri when he conquered the city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites, formerly known under the name Jebus an Zion (2 Sm 5:6-9; 2 Chr 11:5).The name Jerusalem, however, predates the conquest of the city by David correspondences between the king of Jerusalem and the Egyptian pharaoh in the 14th century BC (Tell 2003:COS 3.92A & 3.92B).This city was also known as Salem (Ps 76:3), which was initially a name of a C 1949:72-83).In the patriarchal narrative, we are told about the encounter between Abraham and Melch of Salem (Gn 14:18).This, as Levenson (1985:93) points out, was 'perhaps in adumbration of the priestl of the city from David's time on'.
Jerusalem was transformed in a unique way into a city of God by two complementary events, the bring the city by David (2 Sm 6; 1 Chr 13:1-14; 15:1-16:43) and the construction of the temple by Solomon (1 K also Alexander 2008:45).However, as the story of the old covenant unfolded, Jerusalem, the city of God name as a symbol of the transcendent action of God in creating a people for himself in the world, that i Kingdom' (Porteous 1967:109).

Mount Zion as God's Heavenly Dwelling of Joyful Celebration
The author of Hebrews uses Mount Zion synonymously with 'the city of the living God,' which is in tur 'heavenly Jerusalem' (Heb 12:22).Pace Westcott (1909:413) and Casey (1976:337-346), who treat Mount separate entities in order to accentuate the distinction made between the three designations -I regard t be referring to one and the same destination for the pilgrim community.The synonymous use of Moun one that is also deeply rooted in the old dispensation (e.g. 2 Sm 5:6-8; Ps 147:12f.; Am 1:2; Mi 4:2; Isa 24: Jr 31:38; Jl 3:17).In the cultic hymns, Mount Zion is the dwelling place of God (Ps 9:12; 74:2), God's holy 99:9) and the home of his holy house (Ps 5:7; 27:4).The tradition of the election of Zion is based upon t Jerusalem after David had captured the city from the Jebusites.'With or without the temple, the presen Jerusalem meant that Yahweh was now dwelling there and had chosen this place for his abode' (Hayes Zion as God's abode was transformed into a sacred place where no imperfection was allowed. The city motif recurs in Hebrews under a variety of metaphors: 'the place' (Heb 11:8), 'the heavenly hom unshakable kingdom' (Heb 12:28), and 'the abiding city which is to come' (Heb 13:14).Thus, the idea o 12:22 ties this section with Hebrews 11 together, wherein the author introduces the idea of an eschatolo Hebrews 11 is that 'God's people throughout the OT looked beyond the present life to a heavenly rewa better country, the city of God, but did not attain to it' (Johnsson 1978:240).They regarded themselves a on earth (Heb 11: 13) because 'they were longing for a better country -a heavenly one' (Heb 11:16).Lik people, the new covenant people are supposed to live as aliens and strangers in the world (see also 1 P for the author of Hebrews, the destination for the community of faith is heavenly, not earthly.The citize of faith is in this heavenly city where their names are written (Heb 12:23;cf. Phlp 3:20).The heavenly M wherein Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, resides and continues to fulfil his duty (Heb 12:24).
The city motif should also be identified with God's rest, which he entered into at creation.The author o depth the issue of God's rest in Chapter 4. The promise of God's rest, or the Sabbath rest, still remains o into (Heb 4:1, 6).Israel's wilderness experience is analogous to and has a typological bearing on new c indebted to Richard B. Gaffin with the lecture he gave at Westminster Theological Seminary).The Chris currently living in 'today' [ µ ] which is not the situation of rest in Hebrews 4:7-8, rather, it is the wilde experienced by Israel when they entered Canaan was only a type of God's rest at creation, which believ enter.The Christian community is still on a pilgrimage; God's rest is still available for many to enter th not yet fully manifested itself, it is still 'the city which is to come' (Heb 13:14), 'but the privileges of its c enjoyed by faith' (Bruce 1990:357).
The encounter of the new covenant community with God takes place at a different spatial location.The the earthly Jerusalem as significant as it was in the old covenant, is no longer the locus of encounter be covenant community.The earthly Mount Zion like Mount Sinai also represents the old order.At Qumra rejected the Zion cult, the temple -its priesthood and rulers continued to use the Zion symbolism for b and the future reality (Knibb 1987:3-6;Vermes 1995:19-35).The Qumranian community in the interim r temple until such time when the earthly Zion or the temple would be restored (1Q32; 2Q24; 5Q15; 11QT i.2-9; cf.Apoc.Abr. 29:17-18;Sib. Or. 5.249-255, 420-427;see Hughes 1977:546;Isaacs 2002:69).The autho shares a view similar to Paul's.Paul, in his allegory in Galatians 4:21-34 regarding Hagar and Sarah, tak representing two covenants: Hagar represents the covenant of Mount Sinai, and Sarah represents the co Jerusalem.Paul regards the present (earthly) city of Jerusalem to correspond with Mount Sinai.As Hug in Paul two concepts of Jerusalem: the present or earthly Jerusalem representing bondage and the heav representing freedom.The old covenant is inferior due to spatial location -it is earthly and finds expre earth, whereas the new covenant has its centre in heaven and finds its expression in heavenly forms (V (2009) notes: The heaven-earth duality is not for our author an antithetical dualism: heaven and earth are not [Hebrews] 11:13-36, the earth is depicted as a place of sojourn, not the final settlement of the peo 'heavenly' country is valued above the existing earth, but the distinction is hierarchical ('better') (p.134) Furthermore, Mount Zion unlike Mount Sinai, is an inhabited city.The author of Hebrews gives a welco Zion, comparing it favourably to the darkness, gloom, tempest, trumpets and voice coming from the m terrified the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai.On the heavenly Mount Zion there is life, and multitud seen, all in 'festal array [ ].' The term , as some commentators (Hughes 1977:547;Attridge 1989Attridge : 1993:220:220) have suggested, gives the assembly of angels a festive character -joy, celebration and worshi However, in their company is the 'assembly [ ] of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven' and 'to men made perfect' (Heb 12:23).The covenant people of God are given a title of honour, which in Hebre Jesus, 'firstborn' [ ] (Lane 1991;Samuel 1998:68), thus, indicating that the enrolment in heaven is th who is the firstborn par excellence.Furthermore, as DeSilva (2000) argues: The fact that these 'firstborn' were 'inscribed in heaven' recalls the Jewish notion of the names o being written in the 'books' of heaven (Dan 12:1; Rev 13:8).Here, however, since no books are ac the image may call up more strongly in the hearers' mind 'enrollment' (i.e. as a citizen) in the cit God, the enjoyment of full participation for which the people of faith, now dead, had sought ([He for which the hearers now are themselves being trained ([Heb] 12:5-11).(p.467) The heavenly Mount Zion is pictured positively as a place of joy in contrast to the fear that was experie motif of joyous celebration also recalls the joyous occasion when David 'brought the Ark of God from t city of David with rejoicing [2) [ ' ' Sm 6:12).However, in this case it is not God who is receive with joy, but the pilgrim community that is received in the city of the living God with joyous celebration heavenly Mount Zion is inviting and welcoming, whereas the picture of Mount Sinai is uninviting.To c Zion is to come to a populated mountain in contrast to the uninhabited Mount Sinai; it is to come into t worldly, the company of angels; it is to come into contact again with the familiar, God's firstborn childr written in heaven, the righteous ones; it is to come into the presence of his majesty, King Jesus, who sit at the right hand of God as a mediator of the new covenant.

Already and not yet
For the author of Hebrews, the church as a pilgrim community 'has come to Mount Zion' (Heb 12:22).O pilgrim community, unlike Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, has come to its destination, Mount Zion; an like Israel at Mount Sinai, they have not yet reached their final destination.The latter is evident from th exhortation sounded to the new covenant community: they were to run with perseverance (Heb 12:1), n fainthearted (Heb 12:3), beware of the 'root of bitterness' (Heb 12:15) and irreligion (Heb 12:16-17), and speaking (Heb 12:25;Johnsson 1978:241).The pilgrimage has not yet culminated in Mount Zion, in the the heavenly Jerusalem.However, we should ask ourselves in what sense this new covenant communi heavenly Mount Zion and yet was still not there?
For the author, the answer to this question lies in the fact that this is a community of faith, a faith that ch old covenant and those in the new covenant.This is a faith which is not simply directed toward the futu unseen realities that already exist, though they will not be manifested till the consummation (Barrett 19 new covenant pilgrim community has an advantage over those in the old dispensation because 'for the which God will one day enact is no longer entirely unseen; it has been manifested in Jesus' (Barrett 195 points out, it is so because: He [Jesus] himself is our forerunner ([Heb.]vi.20), and it is precisely because he has passed thro ([Heb] vi. 20;x. 20) and entered now into the holy place in the city of God that we can be confiden that in due course we shall endure the time of shaking ([Heb] xii.26) and reach the city that is to 14).(p.383) For the author of Hebrews, the new covenant people already tasted the heavenly reality through their r brother, Jesus, who had travelled the route on their behalf and he was there making the preparations fo new covenant community in terms of their union and solidarity with the ascended Christ, believers 'ha Jerusalem.As Samuel (1998:56) points out, the verb µ [to come or to approach] [Heb 12:18, 22]) is t regard to the call for believers to approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16); with regard to those who app Jesus, who intercede for them (Heb 7:25); with regard to those who had to approach to worship in the o sacrifices that had to be repeated endlessly (Heb 10:1); with regard to the confidence of the believers in through Jesus, who entered the Most Holy Place (Heb 10:22); and to show the impossibility of approach (Heb 11:6;Samuel 1998:567).The new covenant people were already able to approach the Most Holy P went ahead of them as their high priest.
The pilgrim community is one that walks by faith, which for the author of Hebrews entails two things: b hope for and being certain of that which they do not see.The two go hand in hand: faith entails expecta expectancy of the unseen things hoped for.On the other hand, the unseen has become a reality through "already tasted the powers of the age to come," though the full glory of that life is not yet' (Robinson 19 Mount Zion, which has existed eternally in heaven, is now realised in and through Christ, yet it is still to However, the author of Hebrews projects three comings to the heavenly Mount Zion.Firstly, the new co through faith has already come to the heavenly Mount Zion (Heb 11:1; 12:22); secondly when they die t assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven (Heb 12:22); and thirdly they God shakes the earth and also the heavens (Heb 12:25).The final coming is in line with the author of H earth is the place of sojourn in the expectation of a city that is to come.The formulation in Hebrews 11: looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God' and Hebrews 13:14 lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come', 'suggests a future "earthly" manifestation of the city heavenly reality' (Adams 2009:138).Thus, the author of Hebrews seems to project on the one hand an a make their dwelling with God, and on the other hand, a coming or a descent of Mount Zion, the heaven 2).The final, climactic moment of entering the heavenly Mount Zion is still to come.

Warning and Blessing
The heavenly Mount Zion is presented in Hebrews as both the throne of judgement and the throne of g Hebrews 12 tells his audience: [Y]ou have come to God, the judge of all men, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, mediator of the new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the bloo 23b-24) There is an intimate relationship between the two, even in the way that the author juxtaposes God as ju righteous men made perfect on the one hand, and Jesus as mediator of the new covenant, whose blood blood of Abel, on the other.God's justice and mercy go hand in hand, there is no mercy without justice has been satisfied through a perfect mediator who stands between God and man, Jesus who 'by means perfected [ ] forever those who are being consecrated to God' (Heb 10:14).Man can have confiden holies only through the blood of Jesus, the 'great priest of the house of God' (Heb 10:21).
The phrase 'spirits of the righteous ones made perfect' gives the impression of 'complete divine favour as judge (Dumbrell 1976:158-59).
It would be wrong, however, to suppose that the fear motif no longer plays a significant role in the new exhortations in the book of Hebrews carry a negative slant of warning.For the author of Hebrews, God however, this time he has spoken through an even greater theophany, the Son, 'who is the radiance of [ exact representation of his being [ µ ]' (Heb 1:3a).The Son, on the other han he speaks through his blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.In Hebrews 12, the author of H warning regarding this voice: See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.If they did not escape when they refused him wh on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven ! (v. 25) This serves as a warning to the new covenant community not to be like the Israelites who begged not to by refusing to take heed of the gracious voice which proceeds from the blood of Christ (Hughes 1977:55 The voice that proceeds from the heavenly Mount Zion is more powerful than that which proceeded fro Mount Sinai, the voice 'shook the earth' (Ex 19:18), whereas in the eschaton the voice of God will shake (Oberholtzer 1989:71-72).The shaking of the earth and the heavens is one which would result in the 're 'things which can be shaken ' [ µ ] (Heb 12:27); only those things which are unshakable will remai new heaven and new earth.The coming judgement is one which is inescapable for those who fail to ho (Thompson 1975:580-587).
The pilgrim community is especially warned against apostasy (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17).For those reject God's truth, having been enlightened by God's theophany through his Son, are warned to wait w judgment' [ ] because they have trampled the Son of God underfoot, undermined the blo insulted the Spirit of God (Heb 10:27;cf. Ex 24:17;Dt 4:24;5:25;Ps 21:9;Is 30:27,30;33:10).To drive this p states, 'it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God' (Heb 10:31).The fear motif, with regar not the basis for the worship of God but a terror which follows those who continue in unbelief: 'No sac only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God' (Heb 10 believe in Jesus the high priest approach the most holy place boldly and with assurance of faith (Heb 4 God expects those who draw near to him to pursue holiness 'without which no one can see God' (Heb Mount Zion, as Kasemann (1984:53) notes, is viewed: As a site of the proclamation and the diathëkë established and guaranteed in Jesus' blood is the prim people of God and its wandering, just as in the shape of the 'inheritance' to be won it will be the fina wandering people of God, and just as Jesus is both 'pioneer and perfecter of our faith.(Heb 12:1,[ emphasis]) To come to Mount Zion is to escape God's judgement -the fearful theophanic manifestation that will b appears as the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

Concluding observations
The hermeneutical strategy that the author of Hebrews employs is one of contrasting the old covenant In the case of Hebrews 12:18-24, the old covenant is contrasted unfavourably with the new covenant, ho the old can only be realised through the optic lens of the new.Thus, the old is reinterpreted in light of t the coming, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, as an event that ushered in a new age.For the a has spoken in 'these last days' through his Son, a Son who currently sits at the right hand of God in the (Heb 1:1-3).The author of Hebrews, like Paul, discovered that the Christ event was the means through inaugurated (Hooker 2009:209).
The contrast between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion forms part of the broader redemptive-historical fra creation to the eschatological shaking of the earth and heavens.For the author of Hebrews, the micro-n pilgrimage to Mount Sinai and ultimately to Mount Zion has its place and function within the broader r framework, which climaxes with the Son.For the author of Hebrews, the new covenant continues God's humanity to enter into his 'Sabbath rest' (Heb 4:4, 11), alternatively identified with the 'true tabernacle' to come' (Heb 11:10;13:14); Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God (Heb 12:22) established at Mount Sinai only functioned on the one hand as 'a copy and a shadow' [ µ ] of th 8:5), that is, a 'shadowing down,' and on the other hand, as 'symbol' [ ] of the new age that is realise 9:9), a 'shadowing forward' to the time of the true high priest, and the true sacrifice (see Attridge 2009:1 realised new age is no mere shadow of the heavenly reality but the actual substance of the heavenly re Hebrews confidently states it, 'you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, heavenly Mount Sinai is presented as the locus of the old covenant, which has limited significance in relation to Sinai was not the final destination both for God and Israel -it was a temporary stopping place for God to dwell amongst Israel and it was a temporary stopping place for Israel as they journeyed to the Prom was the place of encounter between God and Israel as they came together to continue together the jour Land.Mount Sinai was indeed the mountain of God's descent where Israel experienced great theophan experience at Mount Sinai is presented as one that terrified the people of Israel and Moses, their media manifestation was so terrifying that Mount Sinai may be described as the mountain of terror.
The earthly Mount Zion, on the other hand, was the destination, the chosen site and dwelling of God, a worshiping community.Mount Zion as the site of the new covenant is superior to Mount Sinai because transitory.The earthly Mount Zion is viewed as a type or a shadow of the heavenly Mount Zion, the tru experience at the heavenly Mount Zion is presented as a joyful one so that Mount Zion may be describ joy.Heavenly Mount Zion -unlike the unpopulated Mount Sinai -is a populated mountain.For the au covenant people through faith already experienced the heavenly reality, however, for as long as it is sti covenant community, is still a pilgrim community awaiting the full manifestation of the heavenly Moun continues.
For the author of Hebrews, the new covenant stands in continuity with the old covenant in its discontin covenant supersedes the old covenant and replaces it.The supersession of the old is not the obliteratio and the old are interrelated inter alia in terms of promise-fulfilment, redemptive history, law-gospel, ol various perspectives offer alternative ways of establishing the relationship.In the case of Hebrews 12:1 represented by Mount Sinai is superseded by the new covenant as represented by the heavenly Mount number of motifs: the terror-joy motif, uninhabited-habited motif, transit-arrival motif, Moses-Jesus m blood-Jesus' blood motif, earthly-heavenly motif.Thus, the new covenant as represented by heavenly cases oppositionally better (terror-joy motif, uninhabited-habited motif) whereas in some cases it is su better (transit-arrival motif, Moses-Jesus mediator motif, Abel's blood-Jesus' blood motif, earthly-heav Furthermore, similar hierarchical and oppositional contrast can be observed elsewhere in Hebrews.Th leadership of God's faithful servant, Moses, is superseded and drawn to a close by the new cult under t God's faithful servant, in continuity of God's plan to bring his people into his rest, heaven (Heb 3-4).Th Joshua is superseded by the true rest that is achieved under the leadership of Jesus (Heb 4:1-16).The L priesthood is superseded and replaced by the new priesthood in the order of Melchizedek with Jesus a 4:14-5:10; 7:1-8:6).The ministry of Levitical-Aaronic priesthood that took place in the earthly tabernacle ministry of Jesus who ministers in the heavenly tabernacle (Heb 8:1-6).The sacrificial system of the old conscious, to wash away sin and to make perfect (Heb 7:19; 9:9, 13; 10:4) and so it is superseded by a ne system that effectively deals with sin once and for all (Heb 9:14-15, 27-28).Thus, the cultic order establi gives way to the new cultic order established on the earthly Mount Zion through the death and resurrec do not stand side by side in continuity -the old gives way to the new.The new renders the old non-fun (1981:255) points out, this is not simply a chronological replacement of the old by the new but a fading time frame of the world.The old gives way to the new, which is substantially superior (Heb 9:10).
It should also be noted that the earthly Mount Zion as the sight of the establishment of the new cultic o location for the continual service of Jesus as high priest and destination for the pilgrim community, rat Mount Zion -the heavenly Jerusalem, the true tabernacle not set up by man, but by God.The author, b of his audience to the heavenly Mount Zion, probably wanted to avert the distress caused by the destru AD 70 (Isaacs 2002:12-13;Hooker 2009:191).The destroyed earthly copy and shadow did not mean the covenantal order -the heavenly reality remains functional.It is there where Christ, the firstborn, sits at and mediates for them as high priest; it is there where the covenantal people are registered; and it is thi faith have experienced already through their union and solidarity with Christ.It is surprising, however, mention the destruction of the temple and the end of the sacrificial system there, as this would have su Christ had fulfilled once and for all the demands of the old covenant sacrificial system (Hooker 2009:19