His Unshakable Kingdom
Scripture
“When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: ‘Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.’ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”
Hebrews 12:26–29 (NLT)
It’s easy to lose sight of the power and majesty of our God. When He speaks, creation responds. According to Exodus 19, Mount Sinai trembled violently at the sound of His voice. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that a greater shaking is still to come, one that will shake not only the earth but the heavens as well. Everything temporary, fragile, or corrupt will be removed, and only what is eternal will remain.
“We are modern people, and modern people, though they cherish great thoughts of themselves, have as a rule small thoughts of God.”¹
J.I. Packer
Packer is right. We tend to shrink God down to a size we can manage. But the God of Sinai is not small, and as followers of Jesus, His greatness should not frighten us. Rather, it should fill us with gratitude. We are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, a Kingdom that will stand long after this world passes away. While everything around us feels uncertain, unstable, or constantly changing, God’s Kingdom remains solid and unmovable. That’s why we can give thanks even when life feels shaky. Our hope is rooted in something eternal.
And gratitude is only part of our response. The writer of Hebrews also calls us to worship with holy fear and awe, because our God is a devouring fire. Moses used those same words to describe the Lord in Deuteronomy 4:24. The God who loves us is the same God whose voice shook a mountain. His holiness is not something to take lightly or treat casually. Small thoughts of God lead to small worship, but when we see Him as He truly is, reverence and wonder follow. His holiness is not meant to drive us away but to draw us into deeper worship and surrender.
So today, lift your eyes from whatever feels unstable and remember the God who never changes. You belong to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, no matter what is happening around you. Let that truth steady your heart and fill you with gratitude. And don’t settle for small thoughts of God. Draw near to Him with reverence and awe, and worship Him as the holy, mighty, unshakable King He is.
Reflection
- What areas of your life feel shaky right now, and how does the promise of an unshakable Kingdom bring you comfort?
- In what ways might you be holding small thoughts of God, and what would it look like to see Him as He truly is?
- How can you make space this week to slow down, worship, and let God fill you with a deeper sense of awe?
Prayer
Thank God for giving you a place in His unshakable Kingdom. Ask Him to steady your heart, enlarge your view of His majesty, and fill you with holy awe as you draw near to Him in worship.
Footnote
¹ J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 83.
