26 And his voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake, not only the earth, but also the heavens" (Hag 2:7). 27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

The Second Shaking of the Earth

In Heb 12:26-27, the author interprets Hag 2:7 as referring to the establishment of the first covenant and the new covenant. He begins by saying that that the Lord shook the earth during the giving of the Law (12:26a) (see Exod 19:18; Judg 5:4; Pss 68:7-8; 77:18; 114:7; see also 4 Ezra 3.18). But in Heb 12:26b, he says that the Lord promised that he would shake not only the earth but also the heavens, and then he quotes Hag 2:6 to prove his point. It must be noted, however, that he gives to this Old Testament passage a "pesher" type of interpretation. In the original prophecy, Haggai encourages Zerubbabel, the High Priest Joshua and the generation of those who returned to the land after exile by prophesying that Yahweh is with them and that once more he will soon shake the earth and heavens, the sea and the dry land, and all nations and cause all the "desired" of all nations to come. That the prophet Haggai refers to the giving of the Law by the first shaking of the earth is probable, but not explicitly stated. What the "desired of all nations" is exactly is not specified, but in the context seems to be the valuables of all nations, which will be sent or brought to the Temple as tribute. This is suggested by the next two clause: "'And I will fill this house with glory,' says Yahweh Almighty" and "'The silver and gold is mine,' declares Yahweh Almighty." Thus, God's second shaking of the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land would bring this wealth from the nations to Jerusalem, which is why the prophet promises that "the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house" (Hag 2:9), for it seems that the returnees were disappointed with the rebuilt Temple. (It should be pointed out that in rabbinic sources Hag 2:5 was interpreted messianically [Sanh. 97b].) Using the LXX version of it, the author finds a fuller, eschatological meaning for Hag 2:5, in particular for the phrase: "Once again, I will shake the earth and the heaven." He passes over in silence the coming of "the desired of all nations"; instead, he interprets the promise of another "shaking" as to be accomplished as part of the establishment of the new covenant, the fulfillment of which has already begun. The author also makes no reference to the shaking of the sea and the dry land, and adds to LXX Hag 2:6a "not only...but" (ou monon...alla), which serves to emphasize that in the second, eschatological shaking, the heavens also will be shaken. (The author's interpretation of Hag 2:6 recalls his interpretation of Ps 102[LXX 101):26-27 in 1:10-12.) The implication is that the second shaking will extend to all of creation, unlike the first shaking. In the same way that the Lord shook the earth in the establishment of the first covenant, so God will shake the heavens and the earth as part of the new covenant. This second shaking will result in the removal of all created things, so that only that which is uncreated, that which cannot be shaken, will remain. In second-Temple sources, an earthquake is often seen as accompanying the eschaton (1 En 60.1;  Sib. Or. 3.675; 2 Bar 32.1; 59.3). In Heb 12:28a, the author identifies that which is not shaken or shakable as the kingdom that they are receiving (present participle), which implies an on-going process. (The expression "to receive an unshakable kingdom" [basileian asaleuton paralambanein] is synonymous with other, similar expressions, such as "to inherit salvation" [klêronomein sôtêrian] [Heb 1:14], "to enter the rest" [eiselthein eis tên katapausin] [Heb 4:1], "to receive what what promised [komizein tên eppangelian] [Heb 10:36; 11:39].) He contrasts the earthly and created with the heavenly and uncreated; only the latter is truly real and enduring, whereas the former is destined to be removed by "shaking" (see parallel in 4 Ezra 7.31). The completion of the fulfillment of the new covenant will see the destruction of all temporal things, that which can be destroyed. He spoke earlier in Heb 11-12 of the heavenly Jerusalem as God's ultimate promise to all who have faith, which is symbolic of eschatological salvation; presumably, this is that which will not be removable in the second shaking, which means that it is synonymous with "the unshakable kingdom" that the readers are in the process of receiving. It is also the "rest" that believers will enter (Heb 4). In other words, what remains after the eschatological shaking is what believers receive as their eternal salvation (see Heb 5:9). This passage is as close to an eschatology that one will find in the Letter to the Hebrews, being the only reference to the eschatological kingdom. As such, it clearly refers to a non-earthly and non-temporal reality; it is in fact reminiscent of Isa 65:17; 66:22, the promise of the creation of a new heaven and a new earth (see also 2 Pet 3:7). (See Schröger, Der Verfasser des Hebräerbrief als Schriftausleger, 190-94.)

Final Events in Hebrews

Final Judgment	2:3: "How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" 6:1-2: "A foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God, of instructions about baptisms and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 10:27 : "A certain fearful expectation of judgment and a zeal of fire that will consume the adversaries." 10:30-31: "For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay" (Deut 32:35). And again, "The Lord will judge his people" (Deut 32:36). It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 12:29: "For our God is a consuming fire"
Return of Christ	9:28: "So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him." 10:37: "For still in a little time, the coming one will arrive and will not be late."
Culmination of Salvation	1:14 "For those who will inherit salvation" (see 2:3 "so great a salvation"; 2:10 "author of salvation"; 5:9 "eternal salvation"; 6:9 "accompanying salvation"; "will appear a second time for salvation." 2:10 "It was fitting for him...in leading many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." 2:14 "He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death all their lives were subject to slavery." 4:1: "Therefore, let us fear, while a promise remains open, in case any one of you seems to miss entering his rest [promised land]." 4:9 : "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God." 9:11; "A high priest of the good things to come" (see 10:1 "For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come") 10:34: "Knowing that you have for yourselves better and permanent possessions." 11:10: "For he [Abraham] was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." 11:14: "For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own." 11:16: "They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." 11:26: "[Moses] considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward." 11:39-40: "And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us." 12:22: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." 12:27-28: "The removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain....We are receiving an unshakable kingdom." 13:14: "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come."

    In Heb 12:28b, the author exhorts his readers to give thanks or to show gratitude (echein charin), presumably for the promise of eschatological salvation. To do so is to worship God with reverence and awe, which is pleasing to God. He adds that God is a consuming fire, which seems to be a reason for regarding God with reverence and awe. The reference to God in Heb 12:29 as a consuming fire is an allusion to Deut 4:24, where Moses warns the Israelites against idolatry: "For Yahweh, your God, is a consuming fire, a jealous God"  (see also Deut 9:3; Exod 24:17). God destroys all that which is temporal and disobedient. The use of the metaphor of consumption by fire to depict God's judgment occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament (Isa 33:14), in texts from the second-Temple period (Wis. 16.16; Ps. Sol. 5.4) and in the New Testament (Matt 25:41; 2 Thess 1:7; 1 Cor 3:13, 15).

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