Mount Zion
The Dwelling Place of God

Text: Psalms 87:2

        First I would like to read I Chronicles, Chapter ll:l-9:
      "Then All Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel, Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither, Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab, the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. So David waxed greater and greater; for the Lord of hosts was with him."

        As I have indicated, central to a comprehensive understanding of the eschatalogical teaching of both the old and new testament is the significance and place of prominence subscribed by scripture to Zion. It is referred to time and time again, especially in the book of Psalms and in the writings of the prophets. I want us to think about this subject for a little while, and I think we will find it is a great and all encompassing subject which extends over into the new testament and has a very real application spiritually to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are going to find, spiritually speaking, that the Church is the Zion of God today, but it does not end there. As with any subject study, I think the most logical place to begin is by a idiamalogical examination of the word or the subject that you are studying. Idiamalogy is the study of words and the historical developments of words. The word Zion is actually a Hebrew word. It is a transliteration of the Hebrew word Theop, which transliterates over into our alphabet Zion; in Hebrew it's more like Tseeyone, but it is Zion. As we have said before a transliteration is the bringing over into one language from another, the alphabetical equivalence of the alphabetical characters of the original word, and that is exactly what we have. Zion thus is a Hebrew word. The word originally meant a sunny place, a sunny mountain. I kinda like that. As a matter of fact in the fifty division of the Psalms and the second verse, we find concerning Zion; "The Mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined."
        I thought that was an interesting statement, in light of the fact that the word Zion means a sunny place, or a sunny mountain, but this word later became the proper name for Zion which was geographically speaking the tower and southern hill on which the city of Jerusalem was built. It included the more ancient part of the city with the citadel and the temple although if you will study the geography of Jerusalem very carefully and study the scripture very carefully, as you probably already know, the temple was built on Mt. Moriah.

        II Chronicle 3:l
      "Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite."

        Mount Moriah has a great deal of historical significance itself, if you will remember this was the mountain upon which God commanded Abraham to take Isaac and to offer him. Genesis chapter 22. Mount Moriah was located adjacent to Mount Zion and there was a small valley that separated the two and eventually the term Zion came to refer to not just Zion, but Mount Moriah, and the entire temple area. Eventually Zion became synonymous with the city of Jerusalem, but especially did it designate number one, the place from which David ruled, and the temple where God was said to dwell, so Zion becomes associated with the kingship of Israel and the throne of David and the dwelling place of God Himself. We'll talk about that more as we go on.
        In First Chronicles chapter eleven, we know that after the death of Saul, that David became king over Judah. He was of the tribe of Judah. He ruled over Judah for seven and one half years, from Hebron, after which time, we are told that all the tribes more or less came to David and said, we know you were anointed of Samuel to be the successor king of Israel, we know that even when Saul was our king, that you were the one who was actually our chieftan, our warrior; you led us in battle, you led us to many victories; we would have you to be king over us.

        Verse 3:
      "Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel."

        It was at that point, when David became the king over Israel that he and his men went up and captured the Jebusite's city, fortress, known as Zion. Beloved, Zion becomes associated with David's seat of government. Evidently, Zion, geographically speaking was one of those place that was a natural fortress. In ancient times, cities of prominence located themselves in the mountains and the hills; you know the city of Rome was referred to as the city of seven hills; the reason for this was, back in those days, a city that was on a hill was easier to defend.
        They built a city on top of a hill, built a nice wall around it, there were no airplanes, anyhow, it was easier to defend, and the city of Jerusalem, particularly Mount Zion was a natural fortress. In fact in the book of Joshua the fifteenth chapter and the 63rd verse, we find that whenever the children of Israel went into the land of Cannan, we are told that the Jubusites dwelled in the city of Jerusalem, and prior to Jerusalem, it was called Jebus; they were called Jebusites because that was were they lived, Jebus just like people in America are called Americans.

        Joshua l5:63:
      "As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day."

        Now that was what Joshua wrote, but then David came along after he becomes the king of Israel and he runs the Jebusites out of there; he takes over the fortress of Zion and establishes that as the seat of his government. Now, the reason I've gone through all that is, beloved, we are going to talk a lot about Zion, and it's important to know some of the history and background associated with it. David conquered this city, this fortress and he made it his fortress, therefore it became known as the City of David.

        I Chronicles ll:5
      "And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the City of David."

        Verse 7
      "And David dwelt in the castle, therefore they called it the City of David."

        Now I want to turn and read Samuel's account of this same incident, because to me it's very important; and it's worded a little different:

        II Samuel 5:l-l0
        "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron and spake, saying Behold, we are thy bone and they flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the City of David. And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the City of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. And David went on and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with Him."

        Now the point I want to make, there was already a fort there; it belonged to the Jebusites. When the children of Israel came into the land they didn't have enough strength or determination evidently, to force the Jebusites out, but when David was established as the king over all Israel, he went in, he drove them out, and he occupied the fortress of Zion, he set up his throne, he extended the borders of Zion, he renovated Zion. We are told in the scripture he built round about him from Millo and David went on and grew great. So here we have these historical references to Zion.
        "David, later you know moved the ark and brought from Kirjath-Jearin to Zion and then after Solomon built the temple on Mount Moriah, which was adjacent to Mount Zion, and I know that is a little bit confusing because we said that Mount Zion later came to include and incorporate Mount Moriah in the temple area, but prior to that it did not; Solomon we are told had the ark moved from where David had it on Mount Zion, to the temple at Mount Moriah.
        Now one other verse of scripture:

        II Chronicles 5:2
      "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion."

        Just wanted to read that scripture, because once again it establishes Zion as the City of David. Symbolically then, Zion is associated with the kingship of David, and eventually it becomes associated with the kingship of Christ who is the son of David. In the 48th division of Psalms I'd just like to read a bit, because this Psalms describes Zion as a fortress which has palaces, bulwarks, and towers, so once again we have Zion as a picture of a royal city, a city which was strongly fortified.

        Psalm 48
      "Great Lord and greatly praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king."

        Notice here the city is identified as the city of the great king. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. Notice here there are palaces.

      "For Lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it and so they marveled; they were troubled and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, God will establish it for ever. Selah"

        We will get into this more a little later, but Zion becomes known as the city of God and this has to do with the fact that the temple was there and God was said to have dwelled there and so forth. We have thought of thy loving kindness, Oh God, in the midst of thy temple.

      "According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness."

        Well what about the left hand; is it not full of righteousness also? No, the right hand is used as a symbol of authority; we find that time and time again. We vote with the right hand, we shake hands with the right hand.
        That which was on the right was considered to be righteousness.

      "Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death."

        Notice here, beloved, that Zion is depicted as the royal city, the city with palaces, towers, and bulwarks. A fortress city. So it is associated with rulership, lordship, kingship. Many scriptures, too many for a short period of time. We are going to find in the sixty - first chapter of Isaiah that the people of the Lord are called Zion, because they are the people who are going to live there and this takes on eschatalogical significance with a messianic reference to the kingdom and so forth. We come to the book of Revelations; the New Jerusalem spoke of Zion, but it all had its start here with David and him coming in and taking the city of Zion, the fortress.
        In the hundred and second division of Psalms, obviously since David wrote the greater balance of the Psalms, there is a great amount, or a good number of references to Zion in the Psalms of David.

        Psalm l02:l6-l8
      "When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory, He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord."

        Psalm l49:2
      "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King."

        You know we sing that old song, Marching to Zion, Marching to Zion, makes you wonder if the fella who wrote that knew a little bit of truth, knew what he was talking about, if you carefully read the words to that song; how does it start? Come ye that love the Lord - maybe he recognized that its only those who love the Lord who's going to abide in Zion. Let those who refuse to sing who never knew our God, on an on.

        Micah 4:l-8
        "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths, for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted. And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast afar off a strong nation. And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."

        So beloved, Zion becomes associated with the rulership, the administration of God's kingdom. The Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion. We're going to find out that Zion takes on special significance, not to be limited in a geographical way just to that location over there. It becomes associated with, yea synonymous with God's kingdom. We're going to find it has to do with the new earth.

        Psalm 87:2-6
      "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there, Selah."

        To be born in Zion, is God's way of saying, we have qualified as Zionists; the true Zionists, if you will. Have you ever heard of the Zionist movement? Well that's a physical movement, not to be confused with the true movement, beloved, which shall be established when God raises up his faithful covenant people anew, gives them new life in the resurrection and establishes them to reign upon this earth.