Mount Zion
The Dwelling Place of God

Hebrew l2:22-23
        "But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. 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."

        The writer of the Hebrews declares they have come, literally have come, which we shall talk about later, but that we have come unto Mount Zion. As we have said previously, Mount Zion is symbolic of the habitation of God. Subsequently it shall come as no surprise to us that the church is identified with Zion, because she is the habitation of God in this dispensation, therefore we may say that Zion, spiritually speaking, is the church, and so he says Ye are come, literally ye have come unto Mount Zion, i.e. the dwelling place of God and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels. Now we want to think about this subject, of the church as the Zion of God. The first thought that comes to mind is that the cornerstone of the church laid in Zion. Maybe you have never thought about this very much, but notice in I Peter 2:5-7:

        "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner."

        The Apostle Peter declares in this second chapter of his first epistle, that the cornerstone and foundation of the church was laid in Zion. This according to Peter was by no accident. He said it is also contained in the scripture.

        Isaiah 28:l6
      "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

        Isaiah, more that 500 years prior to the first advent of Christ declared that God would lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a cornerstone, and we know that this corner-stone was Christ. Let's remember once again, that Zion was a special place to God, the seat of David's dominion and the place of God's dwelling with his people. Subsequently the statement of Isaiah, as pointed by Peter is to be taken seriously in this context. Now the church was established by God as a place of God's dwelling on earth in this dispensation. Behold I lay in Zion; (the place of God's habitation) a cornerstone, elect, precious. The church is therefore the temple of God, a temple made of living stones. The cornerstone was laid in Zion by God. Notice carefully the wording of Isaiah 28:l6 - "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION." Notice that God himself laid this cornerstone, and in Zion. Although the builders, i.e. Israel, rejected this divinely chosen cornerstone, God established it in Zion as the cornerstone and foundation of his spiritual temple, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

        Psalm ll8:22-23
      "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes."

        Isaiah 28:l6
      "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

        So in Psalm ll8, we are told this is the Lord's doings, it is marvellous in our eyes, in other words Israel the builders rejected the cornerstone, but God said I have laid in Zion my cornerstone. God is the architect of this building and God insisted on the cornerstone that he had carefully chosen being used in that building.

        Matthew 2l:42-43
      "Jesus saith unto them, "Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."

        This is a rhetorical question of rebuke. What's the matter with you people, did you never read in the scripture? They should have read this in Psalms, in fact they should have sung it many times, because the Psalms represented the song book of Israel.

        Acts 4:8-l2
      "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doeth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

        Beloved, there is no doubt in my mind that when he speaks here of whereby we must be saved, he's not talking about what people traditionally refer to as salvation. He says whereby, we must be saved.

        Romans 9:31-33
      "But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, For they stumbled at that stumblingstone: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offense and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

        God laid the cornerstone in Zion, himself. This and the words of the Psalmist was the Lords doings and it is marvelous in our eyes.

        John l:ll-l2
      "He came unto his own and his own received him not. But to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name."

        So in summation, Jesus came to his own people, in the Greek, literally it says, he came unto his own things and his own ones received him not. He came to his own religious institution, but his own people refused, rejected him. The stone that was chosen by the architect was refused by the builders. But God said, I lay in Zion, my cornerstone. He is elect, he is precious. We are told again this is the Lords doings. So the Church is Zion, city of the Lord.

        Matthew 5:l4
      "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid."

        There is no doubt in my mind that this city Jesus referred to, as he was speaking to these Jews, was, and they immediately thought of Zion. They immediately thought of Jerusalem, and as we have traced the development in Zion in scripture, we have found that Zion was that hill where David's throne was, but as the temple was later built and so forth, the term Zion came to incorporate the whole city of Jerusalem. As Jesus was talking to these people, what city was set on a hill? What immediately would come into their mind? A city on a hill! Oh, there in Jerusalem. Remember what we said the Hebrew word Zion means? The Hebrew word "Theop", which is translated over into our language, "Zion." It means a sunny place or a sunny mountain. The church is spiritual Zion, giving light to all the world. I ran across this verse of scripture:

        Proverbs 4:l8
      "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

        Such is the church in the world; its the light of the world, bearing testimony of the truth to the gospel of the kingdom. No, the world may not want to hear it, may not receive it, may not embrace it, but nevertheless the church bears testimony to that light.

        Philippians 2:l4-l6
      "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ; that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

        So, the church is the light of the world, the city set on a hill. The church is Zion. As the sun began to set, evening and darkness began to settle on the hillside of Jerusalem, lights of Jerusalem could be seen from miles and miles away. This is what Jesus had reference to; a city on a hill cannot be hid. Symbolic was this of the church, which gives her light to the world. Now, bearing that in mind:

        Hebrew l2:22
      "But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

        The verb 'come', is "pros-irkimi", "pros" meaning 'toward', "irkimi" meaning to 'come', to come toward, to approach. It is a second perfect form of "pros-irkimi," which translates 'have come'. But ye have come unto Mount Zion. The church is Zion today in contrast to physical Mount Sinai, which might be touched, according to:

        Hebrew l2:l8
      "For ye have not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest. But ye have come unto Mount Zion."

        What happened at Mount Sinai? God gave the people His law. He gave the people a governing instrument whereby they might approach him.
        In contrast to that, we have come unto Mount Zion, where the spirit of God directs his people, govern and steer them, in their approach to God. The church, and much can be said about this, Holy Zion, shall be glorified with Christ at His second coming. This is a matter which we must defer discussing until later in this message, but let us just briefly mention a verse or two.
        Revelation l4:l refers to a group off l44,000 who are seen on Mount Zion with the lamb, i.e. Christ; I believe without hesitation this represents not only the church today, but the faithful saints of all the ages, and where are they seen being glorified.

        Rev l4:l
      "And I looked and lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps; And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins."

        Now correlate that with the 25th chapter of Matthew, about the first l3 verses, the parable about the ten virgins.

      "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."

        The best I can do with firstfruits, is to say they are the cream of the crop. These are those who were not spiritually defiled with the religious whoredom and prostitution of the world and I know of no other way to put it. That is the way the scripture characterizes it. He says they are virgins, and they follow the lamb whithersoever He goeth. This is the Bride of Christ.
        In Rev. 2l, we won't read the entire chapter, but you need to; John saw this holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

        Verse 9
      "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."

        Folks, just believe what the scripture says. He said COME HERE, I will show you the bride. He did not say I'll show you where the bride is going to live. You can't get around it. That's what he says. I'll show you the bride.

        Verse l0
      "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."

        Folks, this city is the bride. There is no way you can get around it. The city is the Bride. I don't doubt the fact that there will be a city, with streets of gold, but the emphasis is upon the fact that the city is the glorified people of God. I believe I can prove this from the scripture. Rev. 2l, 9-l0 says it; the angel told John, come here, I'll show you the bride and he showed him the city. We have established the fact that Zion is the church; we have established the fact that Zion was originally Salem.
        Salem, and this will be something we will talk about later, Salem was the place where Melchisedec reigned and executed his priestly office, and we know that the word Salem has in it the idea - to be safe. Beloved, the place of safety is Zion; this is the place of deliverance, this is the place of refuge.

        Isaiah 60:l4
      "The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

        Folks, the people are the city, so Zion becomes associated with the people of God so much to the point and to the degree that the people are deemed to be Zion. We are going to find out a little later, Zion is spoken of as a mother bearing many children. We're also going to find that the scriptures talk about the saints being born in Zion. That's talking about the resurrection. A nation is going to be born in a day, according to Isaiah, and we are told as soon as Zion prevailed, she brought forth. Isaiah talks about Zion as a mother dangling her children upon her knees, in a playful manner.

        Psalm l02:l2-21
      "But thou O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. 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. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.