What is the kingdom that cannot be shaken in Hebrews 12:28?

Nations, countries, and kingdoms of this world rise and fall. Even those that once seemed unshakable—like the kingdom of Egypt, the Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire—eventually crumbled after centuries of amassing power, wealth, and widespread dominance. But the kingdom of God possesses a strength and permanence of an entirely different kind. This is why Hebrews 12:28 says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

The word translated “cannot be shaken” comes from the Greek term asaluetos, which describes something that is firm, stable, and unmovable. The kingdom of God is permanent. No rival or weapon can threaten its existence or thwart its advance. Jesus uses the same Greek root word to describe how, in the end times, even the creation will be less stable than the kingdom of God: “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29; 2 Peter 3:10, 12).

This kingdom that cannot be shaken refers to the rule of God. His kingdom is not limited to a single nation or future event but encompasses His sovereign reign over all things. This involves His reign over creation, as Psalm 47:7 reads, “For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.” It also includes His reign over Israel, as Isaiah 33:22 declares, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.” Additionally, God reigns over Gentile nations, as Daniel 4:17 affirms: “The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” While the kingdom of God may at times be less visible, less acknowledged, and less respected, it is nevertheless present, sustained, and victorious.

God promised that a descendant of David will preside over His kingdom. Through the prophet Nathan, God told David, “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13; cf. Isaiah 9:6–7).

Jesus is the promised King from David’s line. He inaugurated God’s kingdom during His earthly ministry, as Mark records: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:14–15).

Jesus also taught that, while the kingdom had come near, its full realization lies in the future. When Christ returns to the earth, He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). It will be a time of peace (Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 32:17–18), joy (Isaiah 61:7, 10), and comfort (Isaiah 40:1–2). “With righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4).

A powerful contrast between the kingdom that cannot be shaken and the teetering kingdoms of this world appears in the vision God gave to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2—a multi-tiered statue representing a succession of world empires. Each earthly kingdom, whether represented by gold, silver, bronze, or iron, was destined for destruction. The king of Babylon saw how “a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands” (Daniel 2:34, NLT). The rock struck the image, and “the whole statue was crushed into small pieces. . . . Then the wind blew them away without a trace” (Daniel 2:35, NLT). And then the rock grew into the unshakeable kingdom: “The rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35, NLT).

Kingdoms in this world will rise and fall, yet the kingdom of God is everlasting. In Daniel’s words, “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever” (Daniel 2:44).

Despite all appearances and the might and grandeur of history’s great empires, God’s kingdom is the only kingdom that cannot be shaken.