Hebrews 12:26

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Whose {G3739} voice {G5456} then {G5119} shook {G4531} the earth {G1093}: but {G1161} now {G3568} he hath promised {G1861}, saying {G3004}, Yet {G2089} once more {G530} I {G1473} shake {G4579} not {G3756} the earth {G1093} only {G3440}, but {G235} also {G2532} heaven {G3772}.

Even then, his voice shook the earth; but now, he has made this promise:

“One more time I will shake
not only the earth, but heaven too!”

At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”

whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.

Commentary

Hebrews 12:26 serves as a powerful reminder of God's immense power and the profound distinction between the Old and New Covenants. The verse vividly contrasts God's past dealings with humanity, specifically at Mount Sinai, with a future, more comprehensive divine intervention.

Context

The preceding verses in Hebrews 12 speak of the solemnity of approaching God, contrasting the terrifying scene at Sinai with the joyous approach to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Verse 26 harks back to the giving of the Law, when God's voice literally "shook the earth" as He descended upon Sinai, accompanied by fire, thunder, and trumpet blasts (see Exodus 19:16-18). This dramatic event underscored God's holiness and the gravity of the Old Covenant.

However, the verse immediately shifts to a future promise, quoting or alluding to the prophecy found in Haggai 2:6. This "once more" shaking signifies a final, ultimate upheaval, not just of the physical earth, but also of the heavens – a cosmic disturbance far exceeding the initial event at Sinai. This foreshadows the removal of all that is temporary and created, making way for the eternal and unshakable.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Power: The verse powerfully asserts God's absolute control over creation. His voice alone is sufficient to cause cataclysmic shakings, demonstrating His supreme authority over all things, both physical and spiritual.
  • Transition from the Old to the New: The shaking at Sinai marked the inauguration of the Old Covenant. The promised future shaking signifies the culmination of God's redemptive plan, ushering in the permanent reality of the New Covenant and the establishment of an unshakable kingdom. Everything that can be shaken will be removed.
  • Eschatological Transformation: The shaking of "not the earth only, but also heaven" points to a comprehensive, end-time purification and transformation of the cosmos. This echoes other prophetic passages that speak of the dissolution of the present heavens and earth to make way for a new creation (e.g., 2 Peter 3:10-13).

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "shook" and "shake" is saleuō (σαλεύω), which means to cause to waver, stir up, or throw into commotion. It implies instability and disturbance. The repetition emphasizes the profound and comprehensive nature of God's transformative action, moving from a localized tremor at Sinai to a universal, cosmic upheaval that affects all of creation.

Practical Application

This verse calls believers to examine what they are building their lives upon. In a world characterized by constant change and instability, the message of Hebrews 12:26 encourages us to anchor our hope and faith in God and His eternal kingdom, which cannot be shaken. It reminds us that temporary earthly structures and systems will ultimately pass away, while God's truth and His spiritual kingdom endure forever. Therefore, we should strive to live lives that reflect the values of this unshakable reality, focusing on what truly lasts.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Haggai 2:6 (21 votes)

    For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land];

  • Haggai 2:7 (21 votes)

    And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Isaiah 13:13 (18 votes)

    Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

  • Exodus 19:18 (12 votes)

    And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

  • Joel 3:16 (8 votes)

    The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

  • Isaiah 2:19 (8 votes)

    And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

  • Habakkuk 3:10 (5 votes)

    The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high.