“Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” (And the world neither sees nor hears anything. Hold on.)
As we saw in the prior post, the above is Hebrews 12:26 and is the LORD telling of His shaking the wicked out of not only the earth but also heaven. There we see it is the voice speaking from heaven, which is before referred to in verse 22 as heavenly Jerusalem where the elect remnant has been corrected and quickened into becoming His children, whose voice has shaken the earth and is now telling of shaking heaven also.
Hebrews 12
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with [perikeimai – all around or through laid; elsewhere rendered “hanged” about the neck and “bound” to with a chain – here meaning now connected with all those before us, {“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” Hebrews 11:40}, and after us, in heavenly Jerusalem] so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us [prokeimai – before us, it was laid out – predetermined events, as in God’s plan],
2 Looking [aphoroa – only used here – meaning to remove (doubt) by studying the experience – thoroughly discerning] unto [into] Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider [analogizomai – only used here – meaning to raise your thoughts and reasoning, to contemplate] him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the chastening [correction] of the LORD, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
6 For whom the LORD loves he chastens, and scourges [disciplines] every son whom he receives.
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?
8 But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they truly for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
The word “shake” in verse 26, telling of shaking the earth, is the Greek word seio, which only appears four other times; three in Matthew and once in Revelation, all giving context to the Hebrews’ description. It is rendered “moved” in Matthew 21:10 to tell of Jerusalem shaken (moved) as the LORD entered.
Matthew 11
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the LORD; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved [seio], saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hear you what these say? And Jesus said unto them, Yea; have you never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise?
Seio is then used to tell of the earthquake as the LORD’s Spirit left Him and went to the Father.
Matthew 27
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. [Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.]
51 And, behold, the veil [His flesh] of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom [so the presence of God could be seen by all who could see – the blind and the lame He healed by correction]; and the earth did quake [seio], and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
The last appearance of seio in Matthew is in telling of the “shaking” of those guarding to keep the dead in the tomb (their churches), after another earthquake, (because apparently, the first one wasn’t enough to convince them.)
Matthew 28
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the LORD descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning [understanding], and his raiment white as snow [pure and true]:
And for fear of him the keepers [of the gates of Sheol] did shake [seio], and became [ginomai – were realized to be] as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the LORD lay [keimai].
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee [the inner circle – into His elect remnant]; there shall you see him: lo, I have told you.
The last use of seio is in Revelation 6:13 telling of the stars who fell from heaven, the lost, who fell away as fruit from a tree when it is “shaken” by a mighty wind, the wind of doctrine spoken of in Ephesians 4:14.
Ephesians 4
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind [anemos]of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the LORD, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart [reasoning mind]:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That you put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
26 Be you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.
Revelation 6
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: [all those who have come before us]
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O LORD, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun [the church without understanding] became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon [civil government without light] became as blood [draining life from men and society];
13 And the stars of heaven [God’s people leavening their fixed positions/ideas – as lights in heaven] fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken [seio] of a mighty wind [anemos].
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Friends, we have been raised for a purpose. We understand the dead world sees and hear nothing because they cannot understand the language of God, neither do they know His character (presence) when they see it before their eyes. These blind leaders of the blind are “They that observe lying vanities” and “forsake their own mercy.”
When Hebrews 12:26 tells of the LORD yet once more shaking the earth and the heavens it is quoting Haggai 2:6; verse 7 going on to say this is the LORD filling the house with His glory, which we know is the obvious manifestation of His presence.
Haggai is the LORD, through Haggai, speaking to Zerubbabel and Joshua, who we know from Zechariah 3 & 4 are the civil and church leaders, raised and purified.
Haggai 1
1 In the second year of Darius [the present generation] the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai [the sacrifice we feast on] the prophet unto Zerubbabel [born by coming out of confusion] the son of Shealtiel [from among those who have petitioned the LORD], governor of Judah [the leaders of God’s people], and to Joshua [Jehovah’s deliverer – Jesus, the church body as one] the son of Josedech {Jehovah’s righteousness – truth and correctness], the high priest, saying,
2 Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.
3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 Is it time for you, O you, to dwell in your cieled houses [refers to Jeremiah 22: 15 Shall you reign, because you close yourself in cedar? did not your father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? says the LORD. 17 But your eyes and your heart are not but for your covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.], and this house lie waste?
5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
6 You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.
9 You looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and you run every man unto his own house.
10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought [for hearing and understanding the word of God] upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
13 Then spoke Haggai the LORD’s messenger in the LORD’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the LORD.
14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
Haggai 2
1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,
3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work: for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among you: fear you not.
6 For thus says 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;
7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.
9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, says the LORD of hosts.
10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
11 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me [by touching the dead, making death your companion], says the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the press-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you turned not to me, says the LORD.
18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.
19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, has not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
23 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, will I take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and will make you as a signet: for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.
The “signet” above is the Hebrew word chowtham, the “seal” of Job 38:14, which shows the LORD’s authority (signature) as He shakes the wicked from the earth.
Job 38
12 Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal [chowtham]; and they stand as a garment [see Haggai 2:12 thru 14 above].
15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.
The word Haggai uses in Haggai 2:6, 7, and ONCE AGAIN in verse 21, to tell of this shaking, is the Hebrew word ra’ash, which also appears in Nahum 1:5 to tell us, as do all the prophets, this is the earth responding to the known presence of the LORD.
Nahum 1
1 The burden of Nineveh [those who don’t know their right hand from their left – ignorant]. The book of the vision of Nahum [comforter] the Elkoshite [those God has ensnared by their own table].
2 God is jealous, and the LORD revenges; the LORD revenges, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserves wrath for his enemies.
3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked [who vilify His word and work]: the LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers: Bashan [fruitfulness] languishes, and Carmel [in the fenced and protected place, as the garden of Eden], and the flower of Lebanon [purity] languishes.
5 The mountains quake [ra’ash] at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in him.
8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
9 What do you imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
10 For while they be folded together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
11 There is one come out of you, that imagines evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor [who are the leaders of those who vilify and rebel against this word and work].
12 Thus says the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.
13 For now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds in sunder.
14 And the LORD has given a commandment concerning you, that no more of your name be sown: out of the house of your gods [idols] will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make your grave; for you are vile.
15 Behold upon the mountains [Zion, which is shaking, heavenly Jerusalem, so the wicked will be shaken out of it] the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace! O Judah [my elect remnant], keep your solemn feasts, perform your vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.
The word ra’ash is used by David, in the day (light) the LORD delivered him out of the hand of his enemies. It appears in 2 Samuel 22:8 to tell of the earth “trembling,” and when the foundation of heaven shook. The description intentionally mimics Jonah 2, which those who have faithfully read will recognize. David’s deliverance from his enemies is as Jonah coming from the belly of Sheol.
2 Samuel 22
1 And David spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of Sheol compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled [ra’ash]; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful you will shew yourself merciful, and with the upright man you will shew yourself upright.
27 With the pure you will shew yourself pure; and with the froward [those who twist and pervert truth] you will shew yourself unsavory.
28 And the afflicted people you will save: but your eyes are upon the haughty, that you may bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
30 For by you I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he make my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet: and sets me upon my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your gentleness has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For you have girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me have you subdued under me.
41 You have also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people, you have kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.
45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
47 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48 It is God that avenges me, and that brings down the people under me.
49 And that brings me forth from mine enemies: you also have lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks unto you, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto your name.
51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and shows mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
