18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. (New Living Translation).

There is a strong contrast drawn in these verses between the Old and New covenants. When we come to Jesus (”the one mediator between God and mankind…” 1 Tim.2:5) we also ‘come to church.’ We are brought into the church which is a holy mystery. Let us tread with sacred wonder. It is a place of supernatural encounter where, above all, we meet God in and through Jesus, but we also share communion with angels and believers (both visible and invisible).

”Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven,
we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you…”

In one sense, believers have already arrived in the heavenly city (they/we are seated with Christ in ”the heavenly realms” Ephesians 2). ”They already belong there; in prayer and worship they are already welcome before God’s throne. This leads to the obvious question: does your life of prayer and worship, whether alone or with your fellow believers, carry the sense of joy and excitement that comes bubbling out of these verses? If not, why not?” Tom Wright: ‘Hebrews for everyone’, p.163.