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1992-11-04
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TO THE GLORY OF GOD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Study No 8
SIGNIFICANCE OF ZION CONT.
From David's time on, the city of Zion takes on much meaning. The
Old Testament poets and prophets exalted the word "Zion" by frequent
use and gave it a sacred meaning, so that in time it became typical
of a sacred capital. It is used of a place, and also becomes a name
for God's chosen people in both Old and New Testaments.
There are two dominant themes associated with Zion in both
Testaments - that which is political and that which is religious.
Zion - The city of King David, the capital city, the governing
city of the nation, sets forth the governmental or
political aspect of Zion.
Zion - The city of the Tabernacle of David the sacred city,
the religious capital of the nation, sets forth the
spiritual or ecclesiastical aspect of Zion.
In bringing these thoughts together, Zion is seen as the
political and the ecclesiastical city of the nation of Israel. Here
King David ruled and reigned over the people of the Lord. Here the
government of God was revealed in the Kingdom of David and the
Kingdom of God is the chosen nation.
It was here also that David led the nation in the order of
worship, as established in his Tabernacle. Here the worship of God
was seen and heard, as the musicians and singers functioned in their
proper courses.
Thus, Zion combines in itself the political and religious unity
of the nation and King David exemplifies the ministry of a KING
(political or Governmental), and PRIEST (Religious or
Ecclesiastical) unto God.
The typical truth becomes evident in the light of the New
Testament revelation. Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David, is King
in Zion, the city of God. He rules and reigns. His government is
revealed. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Isaiah 9:6-9;
Revelation 19:16; 1 Timothy 6:15).
He is also Priest. He leads the host of the redeemed, the
true Israel of God, in worship to the Father (Hebrews 2:12; Psalms
22:22). He is King-Priest after the Order of Melchisedek, combining
in Himself the governmental and spiritual administrations over the
people of God.
Let us consider two groupings of Scriptures which set forth Zion
in its political and ecclesiastical function. This combination in
King David and in Zion shadows forth the same in Christ and His
Church.
A. Zion - The Governmental City of God.
1. Zion - The City Where the King Dwells.
"Yet have I set (margin, Anointed) my King upon my holy hill of
Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me,
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee" (Psalms 2:6-7).
Read also, Psalms 48:1-2.
This Psalm is classified as being one of the great Messianic
Psalms. King David was the anointed king in Zion in the Old
Testament, but the New Testament writers apply this Psalm
specifically to Christ Jesus. He is the King in Zion. Read Acts
4:23-26 with Acts 13:33, and Hebrews 1:5.
2. ZIon - The City of the King-Priest.
"The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule
Thou in the midst of Thine enemies" (Psalms 110:2).
This whole Psalm deals with the Priesthood of Christ after
the order of Melchisedek. Read Psalms 110:1-7. It is taken up
in detail in the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Lord Jesus christ
is the King-Priest, after the Order of Melchisedek. He is King-
Priest in Zion, in His Church. Read Hebrews, Chapter 7.
3. Zion - The City Where the Lord Reigns.
"The Lord shall reign for ever, even Thy God, O Zion, unto all
generations" (Psalms 146:10). Read also Isaiah 60:14.
These several Scriptures clearly show forth the governmental
aspect of the city of Zion. It is the city where the King rules
and reigns over the people of God. David the anointed King in
Zion shadowed forth the Lord Jesus Christ, the anointed King over
the Church. The Divine government is placed upon His shoulders.
He is the Head over all things, and His rule and reign - His
Kingdom - is to be manifested in the Church.
B. Zion - The Spiritual City of God.
In this grouping of Scriptures, we consider the things that are to
be done in Zion in its spiritual function.
1. Zion is the Place Where the Lord Dwells.
"Sing praises unto the Lord which dwelleth in Zion..." (Psalms
9:11). Read also Psalms 74:2, 76:1-2; Joel 3:16, 21; Isaiah 8:18.
2. Zion is the Place of the Salvation of Israel.
"Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion..."
(Psalms 14:7). Read also Psalms 53:6, 69:35.
"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion..." (Isaiah 59:20). Read
also Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 46:13, 62:11.
3. Zion is the Place of Strength for God's people.
"Send thee help from the Sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of
Zion..." (Psalms 20:2,3 along with Psalms 84:4-7).
4. Zion is the Place of Joy for the Whole Earth.
"Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount
Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King..."
(Psalms 48:2,11). Read also Psalms 97:8, 149:2, Isaiah 61:3.
5. Zion is the Place Where God's Beauty Shines Forth.
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined"
(Psalms 50:2). Read also Lamentations 2:15.
6. Zion is the Place Where the Lord is Praised.
"Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Sion: unto Thee shall the
vow be performed" (Psalms 65:1). Read also Psalms 147:12.
7. Zion is the Place Chosen by God.
"But chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount Zion which He loved"
(Psalms 78:68). Read also Isaiah 14:32.
8. Zion is the Place that God Loves More Than any Other.
"His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loveth the
gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob..." (Psalms
87:1-3).
9. Zion is the Place Where People are Born and Established.
"And of Zion it shall be said, this and that man was born in
her: and the highest Himself shall establish her..." (Psalms
87:5,6).
"As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children"
(Isaiah 66:8).
10. Zion is the Place Where the Lord Reigns.
"The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between
the Cherubims, let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion;
and He is high above all the people" (Psalms 99:1-2).
Here is a reference to the Lord sitting upon the Ark of the
Covenant between the Cherubims in the Tabernacle of David in Zion.
Read also Isaiah 24:23, 52:7.
11. Zion is the Place Where the Lord Appears in Glory.
"Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to
favour her, yea, the set time is come...When the Lord shall build
up Zion, He shall appear in His Glory" (Psalms 102:13, 16). Read
and connect this with Colossians 3:4.
12. Zion is the Place Where the Lord's Name is Declared and
Praised.
"To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in
Jerusalem" (Psalms 102:21).
13. Zion is a Place of Blessing.
"The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion..." (Psalms 128:5).
a. God's people bless Him in Zion (Psalms 135:21).
b. The Lord blesses His people in Zion (Psalms 134:3).
14. Zion is God's Rest and Habitation For Ever.
"For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for
habitation. This is My rest forever, here will I dwell; for I
have desired it" (Psalms 132:13, 14). The whole Psalm has to do
with the Ark of God coming into rest in Zion, in the Tabernacle of
David. Note especially verses 5-9, 13-17.
15. Zion is to Have Her Captivity Turned to Laughter.
Note the brief references in these Scriptures. One cannot
"sing the songs of Zion" in a strange land, or in Babylonian
captivity (Psalms 137:1-4).
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion..." then
there is laughter and joy and singing (Psalms 126:1-4).
16. Zion is the Place Where the Word of the Lord is Taught.
"...for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the
Lord from Jerusalem..." (Read Isaiah 2:1-5 with Micah 4:1-2).
17. Zion is a Place of Shouting, Singing and Comfort.
"Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the
Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee" (Isaiah 12:6).
"Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with
singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall
flee away" (Isaiah 51:11 [3], 35:10; Zechariah 2:10; Joel 2:1,
15:23; Zephaniah 3:14-16).
"...And the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose
Jerusalem" (Zechariah 1:17 [14].
18. Zion is a Name for the People of God.
"...and say unto Zion, thou art My people" (Isaiah 51:16).
19. Zion is a Place that Publishes Good Tidings.
"O Zion, that bringest good tidings..." (Isaiah 40:9). Read
also Isaiah 52:1,2,7,8, 41:27; Micah 4:13.
Christ is the One who brought good tidings to Jerusalem, and it
is the Church who now publishes those good tidings.
20. Zion is a Place Where Sinners and Hypocrites are Dealt With
"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the
hypocrites..." (Isaiah 33:14 [15] with Isaiah 33:5, 31:9, 1:27;
and Amos 6:1).
"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion..." (Isaiah 4:3-4).
21. Zion is a City of Solemnites.
"Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnites; thine eyes shall
see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be
taken down..." (Isaiah 33:20 [21-24]).
Here we have another reference to the Tabernacle of David.
22. Zion is Where the Foundation Stone is Laid.
"Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried
stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he that
believeth shall not make haste" (Isaiah 28:16).
There is no mistaking the interpretation of this Scripture, for
the New Testament writers take it and apply it to Jesus Christ. He
is "the foundation stone in Zion." Christ is the foundation of
His Church (1 Peter 2:6-8; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11).
23. Zion is the Place Where God has a Faithful Remnant.
"For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that
escape out of Mount Zion; the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do
this" (Isaiah 37:[31] 32; Jeremiah 3:14; Micah 4:7; 2 Kings
19:31).
24. Zion has the Glory Cloud Upon Her Assemblies.
"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount
Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the
shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall
be for a defence (a covering). And there shall be a Tabernacle
for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of
refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain" (Isaiah 4:5-6).
The Tabernacle of David is referred to again here.
25. Zion is a Place Where Saviours Minister.
"And Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of
Esau; and the Kingdom shall be the Lord's" (Obadiah 21 with
Nehemiah 9:27; Judges 2:14).
The Lord Jesus Christ is THE Saviour. "And it shall come to
pass that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be
delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be
deliverance..." (Joel 2:32 with Acts 2:21).
New Testament References to "Zion".
* "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt of the foal of an ass"
(Matt. 21:4,5; John 12:15,16). This is the fulfillment of Zechariah
9:9. The great tragedy was seen in the fact that Jesus Christ came
to earthly Zion, and His ministry there fulfilled actually many of
the Old Testament prophecies concerning earthly Zion, but earthly
Zion rejected Him. They crucified their King of Zion.
* "Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence; and
whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (Romans 9:33).
Here the Apostle Paul tells how the Jewish nation, as a whole,
stumbled over Christ Jesus, the foundation stone in Zion. He is the
stumbling stone and rock of offence to Jewry. This is quoted as
being the fulfillment of Isaiah 8:14 with Psalms 118:22. Refer also
to Isaiah 28:16 and Matthew 21:42.
* "And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, there shall
come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob" (Romans 11:26).
This is quoted from Isaiah 59:20. It confirms once again the fact
that Jesus Christ is the Deliverer out of Sion. He is the only One
through whom Israel can be saved.
* "But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem..." (Hebrews 12:22).
The writer to the Hebrews here encourages the believers concerning
the true and heavenly Jerusalem and Zion. Leaving the earthly
Temple, the animal sacrifices, the Aaronic Priesthood, earthly Zion,
and Jerusalem, they come to a spiritual Temple, to spiritual
sacrifices, to the Priesthood of Melchisedek and to heavenly Zion
and Jerusalem.
The whole Epistle of Hebrews sets forth the contrast between that
which is natural and spiritual, that which is earthly and heavenly,
that which is temporal and eternal. Hence, Zion and Jerusalem are
certainly greater than the earthly Zion and Jerusalem, for the
latter was only the shadow of the former.
* "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in
Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on
him shall not be confounded" (1 Peter 2:6). The verse in the
surrounding context should be read also (1 Peter 2:4-9). This verse
is quoted from Isaiah 28:16 and finds its fulfillment in the Lord
Jesus Christ as being the foundation stone in His Church.
* "And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him
an hundred and forty four thousand, having his Father's name written
in their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1).
This is the final distinct reference to Sion in the New Testament.
A consideration of the verse certainly shows that the Lamb of God
does not stand on literal or earthly Mt. Zion in Palestine. That
was where the Lamb was slain. The Mount Zion He stands in is the
spiritual and heavenly Sion.
END of STUDY EIGHT