COMING TO ZION. Sermon. 15.6.24
****——COMING TO ZION——****
Sermon. 15th June 2024
WHAT IS ZION
Zion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן Ṣīyyōn, LXX Σιών, also variously transliterated Sion,[1]Tzion, Tsion, Tsiyyon)[2] is a placename in the Hebrew Bible, often used as a synonym for Jerusalem[3][4]as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole.
The name is found in 2 Samuel (2 Sam 5:7), one of the books of the Hebrew Bible dated to approximately the mid-6th century BCE. It originally referred to a specific hill in Jerusalem, Mount Zion, located to the south of Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount). According to the narrative of 2 Samuel 5, Mount Zion held the Jebusite fortress of the same name that was conquered by David and was renamed the City of David. That specific hill ("mount") is one of the many squat hills that form Jerusalem.
The term Tzion came to designate the area of Davidic Jerusalem where the Jebusite fortress stood, and was used as well as synecdoche for the entire city of Jerusalem; and later, when Solomon's Temple was built on the adjacent Mount Moriah (which, as a result, came to be known as the Temple Mount), the meanings of the term Tzion were further extended by synecdoche to the additional meanings of the Temple itself, the hill upon which the Temple stood, the entire city of Jerusalem, the entire biblical Land of Israel, and "the World to Come", the Jewish understanding of the afterlife.
Over many centuries, until as recently as the 16th century (Ottoman period), the city walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt many times in new locations, so that the particular hill known in biblical times as Mount Zion is no longer within the city walls, but its location is now just outside the Old City and southeast of it. Most of the original City of David itself is thus also outside the current "Old City" wall. Adding to the confusion, another ridge, the Western Hill rather than the original Southeastern Hill (City of David) or the Southern Hill (Temple Mount), has been called 'Mount Zion' for the last two millennia.
WHAT IS ZION FROM GOOGLE
Psalm 87:2–3 says, “The Lord loves the gates of Zion / more than all the other dwellings of Jacob. / Glorious things are said of you, / city of God.” According to this verse, Zion is synonymous with city of God, and it is a place that God loves. Zion is Jerusalem. Mount Zion is the high hill on which David built a citadel. It is on the southeast side of the city.
The word Zion occurs over 150 times in the Bible. It essentially means “fortification” and has the idea of being “raised up” as a “monument.” Zion is described both as the city of David and the city of God. As the Bible progresses, the word Zion expands in scope and takes on an additional, spiritual meaning.
The first mention of Zion in the Bible is 2Samuel 5:7: “David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.” Zion was originally an ancient Jebusite fortress in the city of Jerusalem. After David’s conquest of the fortress, Jerusalem became a possession of Israel. The royal palace was built there, and Zion/Jerusalem became the seat of power in Israel’s kingdom..
When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, the meaning of Zion expanded further to include the temple area (Psalm 2:6; 48:2, 11–12; 132:13). This is the meaning found in the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:6, “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.” In the Old Testament Zion is used as a name for the city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:9), the land of Judah (Jeremiah 31:12), and the nation of Israel as a whole (Zechariah 9:13).
The word Zion is also used in a theological or spiritual sense in Scripture. In the Old Testament Zion refers figuratively to Israel as the people of God (Isaiah 60:14). In the New Testament, Zion refers to God’s spiritual kingdom. We have not come to Mount Sinai, says the apostle, but “to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22). Peter, quoting Isaiah 28:16, refers to Christ as the Cornerstone of Zion: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6).
Mount Zion as a geographical area is currently the center of much dispute. The Bible is clear that, one day, Zion will be the sole possession of the Lord Jesus, and Zion—the nation and the city—will be restored. “Awake, awake, / Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; / Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, / O Jerusalem, the holy city; / For the uncircumcised and the unclean / Will no longer come into you” (Isaiah 52:1). And “the children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; / all who despise you will bow down at your feet / and will call you the City of the LORD, / Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 60:14).
—Mount Zion is the place where Yahweh, the God of Israel, dwells (Isaiah 8:18; Psalm 74:2), the place where he is king (Isaiah 24:23) and where he has installed his king, David (Psalm 2:6). It is thus the seat of the action of Yahweh in history.
MOUNT ZION IS GODS HOLY MOUNTAIN AND DWELLING PLACE
Mount Zion is the place where Yahweh, the God of Israel, dwells (Isaiah 8:18; Psalm 74:2), the place where he is king (Isaiah 24:23) and where he has installed his king, David (Psalm 2:6). It is thus the seat of the action of Yahweh in history.
FINDING OUR WAY BACK TO ZION
ISAIAH 51:11 Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
—For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”
Psalm 132:13–16
JESUS & MOUNT ZION
Because of the cross of Jesus, where God’s wrath for all our sins was poured out, He has moved to Mount Zion, the mountain of grace, the place of reconciliation, relationship, and closeness with His people. On this mountain you find yourself running to God to experience intimacy with Him that gives you strength and changes you from the inside out.
In the Psalms alone, you will find many scriptures about how God loves and has chosen Zion, and will bless those on Zion. Reread today’s scripture, for example, and then consider Psalm 125:1 KJV:
They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
It is Mount Zion, and not Mount Sinai, that cannot be removed. It remains forever! What does this mean?
If you establish your life on Mount Zion, you will enjoy true liberty and stability. Build your life on the mountain of grace and you will be like the man who built his house on the rock—unshakable and rock-solid in the face of adversities and life’s storms. If your blessings and breakthroughs come from Mount Zion, they will last!
My friend, because of Jesus’ finished work on Calvary, God has moved to Mount Zion. And today, Mount Zion—the place of His grace—is where He wants both your feet firmly planted.
He loves you more deeply than you realize. He values, treasures, and loves you. It is time to let go of your own works and allow the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to completely revolutionize your life from the inside out.
MYSTERIES OF ZION
“For the Lord has chosen ZION; He has desired it for HIS DWELLING PLACE” – Psalm 132:13
Yesterday, we saw Mount Zion as one of several pictures of the Church. Today, we’ll meditate some MYSTERIES of ZION. Literally, Mount Zion stands for Jerusalem, “the city of our God” and of “the Great King” (Psa.48: 1-2). In the New Testament, the term Mount Zion assumed a broader application: “But you have come to MOUNT ZION and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels” (Heb.12:22). Though living physically in this world, every believer in Christ is a citizen of Mount Zion!
Zion is the Dwelling Place or Habitation of God: “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy” (Psa.132:13-16). That Zion is God’s Resting Place implies that God is comfortable in Zion! Abundance of blessings, physical provision, emotional satisfaction, salvation, and joy are among Zion’s key characteristics. Zion is a unique gathering of God’s people from eternity past into eternity future; it is the eternal Habitation of God.
In Zion every citizen is a king and priest: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” and “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father…” (1Pet.2:9a). “And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev.1:6).
Every citizen of Zion is great and honourable: “And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her; and the Most High Himself shall establish her.”6 The Lord will record, when He registers the peoples: “This one was born there.” (Psa.87:5-6). It is the Joy of the Lord that you and I be counted in Zion! We are too great to groan in Zion; too blessed to be cursed; and too favoured to mourn (Job 22:29). Zion is a great City with a Great King and great kings looking up to Him. In Zion, our dependence is solely on God.
Zion is the assembly of the saints: “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him” (Psa.89:7). Zion is a city of praise, where everyone is a “Very Important Person”. In Zion, our lives are connected to God. Despising yourself is despising your God. If a man belittles himself, he will be a little man (Psa.49:20; Eccle.9:14).
In Zion, the Flavour of Favour is guaranteed: “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come” (Psa.102:13). The Lord beams His light of favour on Zion: “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream” (Psa. 126:1). Multitudes are struggling and sweating daily for average or no achievements. In Zion, we tap into supernatural favour for triumphant living!
Zion is full of Beauty and Joy: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth” (Psa.5:2). As our confession and conduct of God’s beauty increase, His Glory of God will shine with greater intensity in our lives! Zion is the epitome of Joy: “Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psa.48:2). Jesus is the desire of the nations. So also is the believer. We have no partnership with sorrow. We have no alliance with agony. Captivity is contrary to Zion. The Joy of the whole earth flows from Zion. Zion is a place of liberty!
There are eternal dimensions to Mount Zion: “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev.14:1). May we be privileged to remain citizens of Zion for all of eternity!
Adetokunbo O. Ilesanmi (Meditations)
Prayer:
Dear Lord, usher me into the fullness of dignity, greatness, favour, beauty, joy, and liberty of ZION, in Jesus name.
MORE BIBLE QUOTES ON ZION
Jer.30
1. [17] For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Jer.31
1. [6] For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.
2. [12] Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
Jer.50
1. [5] They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
2. [28] The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
Jer.51
1. [10] The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zionthe work of the LORD our God.
2. [24] And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
3. [35] The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
Lam.1
1. [4] The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
2. [6] And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
3. [17] Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
Lam.2
1. [1] How hath the Lord covered the daughter ofZion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!
2. [4] He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
3. [6] And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
4. [8] The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.
5. [10] The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
6. [13] What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?
7. [18] Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Lam.4
1. [2] The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
2. [11] The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
3. [22] The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
Lam.5
1. [11] They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
2. [18] Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
Joel.2
1. [1] Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
2. [15] Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
3. [23] Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
4. [32] 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, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Joel.3
1. [16] The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
2. [17] So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
3. [21] For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
Amos.1
1. [2] And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Amos.6
1. [1] Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
Obad.1
1. [17] But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
2. [21] And saviours shall come up on mount Zionto judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
Mic.1
1. [13] O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
Mic.3
1. [10] They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
2. [12] Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Mic.4
1. [2] 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.
2. [7] And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zionfrom henceforth, even for ever.
3. [8] 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.
4. [10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
5. [11] Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
6. [13] Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
Zeph.3
1. [14] Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
2. [16] In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
Zech.1
1. [14] So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zionwith a great jealousy.
2. [17] Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfortZion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
Zech.2
1. [7] Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
2. [10] Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
Zech.8
1. [2] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
2. [3] Thus saith the LORD; I am returned untoZion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
Zech.9
1. [9] Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
2. [13] When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, OZion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
MYSTERIES OF ZION
The way I understand it is that the Lord is the alpha and the omega and he’s also the word and he’s also the alphabet and he is the beginning of the end. So Zion is to be at the end of the alphabet and stand on the top of the mountain where it all begins again as well. This is when you have read the word and fully understood it and it is a spiritual place as was a physical place that the Lord dwell because he is the word and he is the bread and by reading the word you become be Red which is to read and you will spell The gospel which is gospel and gospel which is the truth of his holy name which is the word of God. So we have the word with us in many different forms in the form of written and also manifest in the flesh and in the spirit and also in the heaven because the Lord is in multiple places with many faces, on many different planes. He’s very complicated and mysterious but he’s also incredibly righteous and he will not show his face unless it is to his holy people when they are ready and that’s why he keeps telling us to be ready. We’ve got to be ready because he’s called us all and he’s rounding us all up at the moment. So think of every day as, the first day and the last day of this existence and every day is a new day with the Lord for conquering and challenges and victory in the name of Jesus Christ. We are to present ourselves as holy and clean to the Lord without spot or blemish. So we just have to keep praying to the Lord and praising his holy name, and seeking his wisdom and understanding of his Good book so that we are ready and he made well in all of us that the body may be ready and join together in the final days of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
ZION :- MEMBERS
-as a member of the 144,000 that is quoted in the Bible as members of the heavenly kingdom and the remnant referred to- I want to thank you for joining me today on this sermon. We are blessed by the Lord and we have got the Lord with us.
ZION :- WHAT I THINK
I think Zion is a place that we meet the Lord at the top of his holy Mountain where the Lord dwells and since the Lord dwells inside us this will be the unification of the body and Mount Zion will only be fully completed and ready when the head is joined to the body. When everyone comes to recognise who Jesus is and all who are called come to the Lord then we will be ready and the Lord will be able to rain on the third and we will be rescued and taken to our land. And this is what is happening at the moment I believe that the division And the splitting of the people is happening. This is where the Lord gathers his people through testing and putting us through the fire the furnace and this is his way of gathering us as his jewels for his mighty crown we are his pride possession and he loves the very very much not because we are good people, but because he is a father, he made us he loves us for his namesake he will save us. Praise his holy name.
THE CLOUD
I was talking with a friend of mine yesterday William and he was saying that he thought we were in the cloud right now with the Lord. And I also think so this is the cloud of the Lord it’s the holy place where he dwells usually over the mountain and also over the tent of meeting. So this is where his holy people in Mount Zion and on the mountain with the Lord, this is the way I understand Zion. Since it is a spiritual place then it’s Beyond this dimension. I want you to remember that Satan‘s cloud is also virtual and this is the cloud of the matrix.
JESUS QUOTES MOUNT ZION
⁃ as I have discovered the Lord did not actually quote anything about Mount Zion at all. But there are some references that refer to Zion as the kingdom of GOD so I’m going to look that up now and see what I can find.
MOUNT ZION AS THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Hebrews 12:22
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.
NOW - WHAT I THINK - we should lead Hebrews 12 to see what this is all about and this will give us a much bigger picture on the whole matter that we are discussing today as well.
HEBREWS 12
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Warning and Encouragement
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[c] 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[d]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn,whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[e] 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”[f]
Experiencing the New Jerusalem as a City Representing the Kingdom of God Today

Rev. 21:2a, And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem…
In the book of Revelation we see Christ as the center of God’s administration according to God’s economy carrying out God’s administration for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Particularly, Christ is carrying out God’s administration to care for the churches.
Revelation starts with the seven churches and has the following statement toward the end of the book, I, Jesus, have sent my Angel to testify to you these things for the churches (Rev. 22:16). The book of Revelation is not merely to tell us “what will happen in the future”; rather, this book is showing us what the churches should be in God’s administration.
Christ is the One with eyes like a flame of fire, searching the inward parts and the heart (see Rev. 2:18, 24), speaking a living and present word, and we in the churches need to see, know, and experience such a Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ.
The New Jerusalem in Rev. 21-22 is a city representing the kingdom of God – it is not merely the tabernacle of God with man but the city (Rev. 21:2), the center of God’s administration.
As miniatures of the New Jerusalem, every local church should be a city where God rules and reigns, where all saints are functioning properly, taking Christ as their head. Every believer as a “little New Jerusalem” should be a little city, where the redeeming God is on the throne and in whom and the kingdom of God is manifested.
May we open to the Lord’s searching, shining, and infusing, giving Him access to our heart and all our inward parts, letting Him search us and remove from us anything that is not according to Him. As He searches us, He burns away the things not pleasing to Him and He infuses us with Himself so that we would become what He is, even the same as He is.
It is of utmost importance that every believer would allow the Lord to search his inward parts and infuse him with Himself, since the church life is an expression of what we are in our inward parts. What the church is depends on what we are in our inner being, what kind of person we are and what kind of constitution we have. In His time, the Lord will raise up the circumstances to expose what is in us, manifesting our inward constitution.
Right now, Christ is the sevenfold intensified Spirit ready to produce us as His overcomers to be the miniature of the New Jerusalem in the local churches. We simply need to enthrone Him, take Him as our Head, give Him the preeminence, and we will enjoy a river of water of life flowing from the throne and the tree of life with abundant fruit.
As we eat the Lord, drink Him, and take Him in, we are brought under His throne and become the city of God, the kingdom of God, a miniature of the New Jerusalem.
The New Jerusalem is a City – It Represents the Kingdom of God
The New Jerusalem is a city – it is the holy city, New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2) that John saw descending from God. On the one hand New Jerusalem is the tabernacle of God with man, but it is even more: it is the city of God.
A city is a strong and established structure, the place where authority is exercised and the center of a kingdom. The center of the kingdom of God is the New Jerusalem, where the throne of God is, and it is here that God’s authority is exercised.
In the beginning of the book of Revelation God is on the throne – but the city is not mentioned (Rev. 4:2-3); at the end of Revelation we see God on the throne in the center of the city (Rev. 21:5; 22:3).
As a miniature of the New Jerusalem today, we as believers in Christ need to enjoy and experience Christ as our Head, our King, and our Lord; He needs to be enthroned in the center of our being. As we enjoy Christ, He leads us to the church, the house of God and the city of God.
As a “little New Jerusalem”, each local church should be a center of authority where the Lord (and not any man) exercises His authority and rules. Our experience of the church needs to be enlarged to be not only the house of God but also the city of God, the kingdom of God.
When someone comes among us he needs to see not only the sweet atmosphere full of enjoyment (the church as the house of God) but also the ruling of God among us, the divine authority being exercisedamong the saints who live in the kingdom of the son of God’s love.
We need to be under the rule of the divine life, allowing the Lord to rule in us by flowing in us. From the throne flows the river of water of life; as we drink the Lord and enjoy the flow of life, we are brought under God’s authority and the flow brings in God’s ruling.
As the house of God, the church is God’s home, the place where He dwells and feels at home; as the city, the church is God’s kingdom, the place where He rules and reigns, exercising His authority (see Eph. 2:19, 21-22).
In our experience, the church is the house of God as we take Christ as life, and the church becomes the city of God in our experience when we take Christ as the Head and are under His ruling (see Col. 3:4; 1:18; 2:19).
For many believers, the church is merely the house of God, a lovely place, filled with the love and enjoyment of God. But we need to realize that there is a Head in the church, and we as the many members of the Body need to fellowship first with the Head and then with other members before we make decisions and do things.
If we see Christ as the Head and realize that He is the Lord on the throne, we will not decide things on our own, we will not take decisions without Him, and we will not do things without first having fellowship. We will honor the Lord and live as kingdom people in the kingdom of God, allowing the Spirit of reality to guide us into all the reality of the kingdom of God.
The Gospel of the Kingdom Brings Forth the Church, and the Church is the Kingdom of God.
-The Bible first presents the kingdom and thereafter presents the church. Where the kingdom of heaven is in authority, there a church will be built up. A church comes into being where a company of people accept the government of heaven. So it would appear to be the presence of the kingdom that produces the church.
THIS IS A BIRTH OF HIS KINGDOM
When the Lord Jesus came and preached the gospel, He didn’t preach “the gospel of the church” but “the gospel of the kingdom”. When people believe in the gospel of the kingdom, they are regenerated, born of God, and enter into the kingdom of God as the realm of the divine life.
The kingdom of God is the realm of the divine life, just as the animal kingdom is the realm of the animals. The life of God is the kingdom of God, and this life produces the church (see John 3:3, 5; Matt. 7:14, 21; 19:17, 29; 25:46). When we receive the life of God as a result of believing into the gospel of the kingdom, we enter into the kingdom of God and are part of the church.
The presence of the kingdom of God produces the church (see Matt. 4:23; 16:18-19). God has a kingdom, God’s kingdom is His divine life, when we receive God’s life we become the church, and the church is the kingdom of God. As we live and walk by the divine life that rules in us, we will do nothing without prayer, fellowship, and blending.
The kingdom of God is the divine life coming into us through regeneration as the seed of life, growing and developing in us as the kingdom of God through our growth in life, and being fully manifested at the coming of the Lord Jesus in His kingdom.
If we don’t have the kingdom of God, we have no genuine church, no reality of the church life, and no building up of the Body of Christ. The kingdom of God produces the church, and as part of the church we need to experience the kingdom of God with His authority being exercised in the church today.
May the Lord bring many saints into the realization of the church as the kingdom of God. May He gain many who enthrone Him in their being, those who allow the divine life to rule and reign in them, and who can do nothing without fellowship and prayer.
May we experience the New Jerusalem today in the church as a city representing the kingdom of God!
Kingdom of God
What it is & what it means
While Jesus was on the earth, the focus of His teaching and ministry was on the Kingdom of God. The phrases Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdomoccur more than ninety times in the Gospels, and the book of Acts is filled with accounts of works of the Kingdom of God. Jesus taught the Kingdom of God as a new way of living and thinking, not as a physical kingdom with walls and castle.
Because Jesus spent so much of His time teaching about the Kingdom of God, it is obviously an essential part of our understanding as Christians. Not only can we understand God’s Kingdom, but we can live in it and carry its message.
God’s kingdom is a heavenly kingdom of blessing, and those who live according to Kingdom principles will see blessing in their life. Blessing means to be happy, content and thriving. Many people think that God’s Kingdom is all about keeping rules, demands and unattainable expectations. But Jesus debunked that idea when He began to teach what are known as the Beatitudes or be-attitudes! You’ll find this teaching in Matthew 5:3-12. Jesus the King wants His citizens to be happy and blessed.
Let’s look at some of the things Jesus said about the Kingdom of God.
[Jesus] said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”(Luke 4:43)
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15 NIV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
(Luke 17:20-21)
Jesus announced the arrival of the Kingdom on the earth. But it is through the transformed hearts of men and women that His Kingdom – His way of doing and being – that this Kingdom comes and is on the earth. Something to remember is that God and His Kingdom are “not of this world” (see John 18:36) and so they must be embraced by faith because they don’t resemble anything we know on earth.
What does this mean for you?
The Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom. It is a transformation of heart and mind, a way of believing and living in preparation for eternity. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then your citizenship is no longer “of this world” – you are a citizen of heaven.
The kingdom of God refers to God’s reign on earth and consequently, in our hearts. It is about His kingship and our obedience to His rule. In His kingdom, the first shall be last, the broken are blessed, we look out for our neighbour and we rejoice when the lost are found. His kingdom comes as each of us bows the knee and confesses that He is king and live our lives as loyal citizens.
But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.(Philippians 3:20-21 MSG)
There can be no Kingdom of God in the world without the Kingdom of God in our hearts.
ZION IN THE CONCORDANCE
◄ 4622. Sión ►
Strong's Concordance
Sión: Zion, a mountain of Jer. or the city of Jer.
Original Word: Σιών, ἡ
Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Sión
Phonetic Spelling: (see-own')
Definition: Zion, a mountain of Jerusalem or the city of Jer
Usage: Zion, the hill; used for Jerusalem or heaven.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of Hebrew origin Tsiyyon
Definition
Zion, a mountain of Jer. or the city of Jer.
NASB Translation
Zion (7).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4622: Σιών
Σιών, indeclinable (its grammatical gender in the N. T. does not appear from the passages in which it is mentioned; cf. Buttmann, 21f (19); in the Sept. when it denotes the city of Jerusalem ἡ Σιώνoccurs, as Psalm 101:14, 17 (); Psalm 131:13 (); Psalm 136:1 (), Hebrew צִיון (i. e. according to some, 'protected' or 'protecting'; according to others, 'sunny'; others besides); Sion (so A. V., but properly (with R. V.)) Zion;
1. the hill on which the higher and more ancient part of Jerusalem was built (דָּוִדעִיר, city of David, because David captured it); it was the southwesternmost and highest of the hills on which the city stood; (many now would identify it with the eastern hill, some with the northern; cf. Furrer in Schenkel iii. 216ff; Mühlau in Riehm, under the word; per contra Wolcott in B. D. American edition, under the word; Schultz in Herzog edition 2 vi., p. 543f).
2. used very often for the entire city of Jerusalem itself: Romans 9:33 and 1 Peter 2:6 (after Isaiah 28:16); Romans 11:26(from Isaiah 59:20); ἡ θυγάτηρ Σιών (see θυγάτηρ, b.β'.), Matthew 21:5; John 12:15.
3. Since Jerusalem, because the temple stood there, was called the dwelling-place of God (cf. Matthew 5:35; κύριος τήν Σιώνᾑρετίσατο εἰς κατοικίαν ἑαυτῷ, Psalm 131:13 ()), the expression τό Σιών ὄρος is transferred to heaven, as the true dwelling-place of God and heavenly beings, the antitype of the earthly Zion: Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1
MOUNT ZION IN THE CONCORDANCE
Brown-Driver-Briggs
צִיּוֺן154 proper name, of a locationΣ(ε)ιων; ‚îyyôn, Zion (Syriac

, older form, according to LagBn 84, compare 198); — ׳צ 2 Samuel 5:7 +; צִיּוֺ֫נָה Jeremiah 4:6; — stronghold (of Jebusiteas), ׳מְצֻדַת צ captured by David, and made his residence 2 Samuel 5:7 = 1 Chronicles 11:5 (both + הִיא עִיר דָּוִד), on southern part of east hill of Jerusalem, distinct from site of temple 1 Kings 8:1 2Chronicles 5:2 (both ׳הִיא צ ׳מֵעִיר ד), not elsewhere in narrative, but often in poets and prophets: as name of Jerusalem, from political point of view (sometimes = inhabitants), Amos 6:7 ("" הַרשֹֿׁמְרוֺן), "" יְרוּשָׁלַםִ Micah 3:10,12 = Jeremiah 26:18; Isaiah 4:3; Isaiah 30:19; Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 41:27; Isaiah 52:1; Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 64:9; Zephaniah 3:16; Zechariah 1:14,17; Psalm 51:20 and (׳בַּתצֿ) Isaiah 52:2; Micah 4:8 ("" ׳בַּתיְֿרוּשׁ), Lamentations 2:13 ("" id.), also (׳יוֺשֶׁבֶת צ) Jeremiah 51:35; = Jerusalem also Isaiah 14:32; Isaiah 33:5+, so especially in phrase ׳בְּנוֺת צ Isaiah 3:16,17; Isaiah 4:4; Songs 3:11, ׳בְּנֵי צ Lamentations 4:2; Joel 2:23; Psalm 149:2 ("" יִשְׂרָזֵל ), cf . Zechariah 9:13, אֶתבָּֿנֶיהָ ׳יָלְדָה צ Isaiah 66:8, and even ׳הַרצֿ 2 Kings 19:31 = Isaiah 37:32 (both "" ׳יְרוּשׁ ), Isaiah 29:8 ("" אַרִיאֵל Isaiah 29:7), Obadiah 17,21; Psalm 48:12 ("" יְהוֺדָה בְּנוֺת Psalm 125:1; so also ׳הַרבַּֿת צ Isaiah 16:1; and Isaiah 10:32 Qr (Kt ׃ בית "" ׳נִּבְעַתיְֿרוּשׁ); compare ׳מְרוֺםצֿJeremiah 31:12; in following ׳הַרצֿ might refer to temple-hill Isaiah 10:12 (+׳יְרוּשׁ), Isaiah 31:4 (+נִּבְעָתָהּ = ׳יְרוּשׁ Isaiah 31:5), Lamentations 5:18; Joel 3:5 (+ ׳יְרוּשׁ ); specifically of Jerusalem as abode of ׳יand place of his worship Amos 1:2; Isaiah 31:9; Zechariah 8:3; Micah 4:2 = Isaiah 2:3, Joel 4:16; Psalm 102:22; Psalm 135:21; Psalm 147:12 (all "" ׳יְרוּשׁ), Psalm 76:8 ("" שָׁלֵם); particular of sanctuary Psalm 20:3 ("" קֹדֶשׁ), Psalm 14:7 = Psalm 53:7+; of Jerusalem ׳הַרצֿ Psalm 48:3 ("" רָב֑ קִרְיַת מֶלֶח), Psalm 78:68 ("" שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה), Isaiah 24:23 ("" ׳יְרוּשׁ), etc.; ׳הַרֲרֵי צ in same sence Psalm 133:3; particularly of sanctuary Isaiah 4:5 and ("" הַרקָֿדְשִׁי) Joel 2:1; Joel 4:17; הַרֿ ׳קָדְשִׁי צ Psalm 2:6is seat of king. — See also ׳בַּתצֿ, ׳הַהרצֿ, ׳ישֶׁבֶת צ, below בַּת,הַר, יָשַׁב .
צָיוֺן see ציה. צִיּוּן see צוה above.
What does Zion represent biblically?
The name Zion is often used to describe a place appointed by the Lord where his followers can live and serve God. Scripture refers to Zion as the “City of Holiness” and a “city of refuge” where the Lord protects his people from the evils in the world.
Is Zion the promised land?
It proclaims Zion, as reference to Ethiopia, the original birthplace of humankind, and from the beginning of the movement calls to repatriation to Zion, the Promised Land and Heaven on Earth.
ON THE ROCK
Exodus:17.6 NIV I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Exodus:17.6 NLV I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.
MOUNT SINAI - HOREB - HERMON -are the same mountain
—— from what I can see to be on the rock and on the mountain of God is similar to when Moses strikes the rock and the living waters came out of it. So the living waters will also flow from the mountain, this is the way I understand it. but there has to be someone to strike the rock get the water out and we have to be worthy and part of the congregation to partake in drinking of this water. I just wanted to put my comment in there.
—-The foundation of the spiritual Temple has been laid and cannot be changed (I Corinthians 3:11); Jesus Christ is the Rock upon which He builds His church (Matthew 16:18).
—-I want you to note some thing he is that we had to strike the rock in Exodus to get the water and if you notice Jesus was struck as well as in dead and then Rose again so to strike the rock is to partake in the rock, which is the cornerstone which gives the living water just like the story of Moses in the desert. Because Jesus is the water in the desert and we are in the desert at the moment in the wilderness if you like. And in the desert you get thirsty and you need water so can provide this water but he can also give us bread. That’s why Jesus is a fisherman as well because he is a fisherman of men. And that’s why he cut the bread up and blesses it and also tears the fish apart and blesses it. Because we are all lost at sea Jesus is the fisherman because we are blind and we cannot see Jesus is the fisherman when we follow Christ we also become the fisherman. We are working for the kingdom of God the government of God on this earth as on earth as it is in heaven. Just as the holy prayer tells us.
ROCK SOLID
So I want you to think about this as well that we need to be rock solid and firmly on the rock because it is Christ that gives us our foundation and he is a cornerstone. It is true Jesus alone that we stand United through love building his body and his church as well as his holy temple as well as his holy city and holy Mountain, which is also called Zion and the kingdom of God. So the Bible is the kingdom book word of God and it has been given to us so that it can be on earth as it is in heaven in many realms. It’s very incredible. Welcome to the kingdom of God, everybody and to Zion, I hope you enjoyed the sermon.
TOUGH TIMES - WHAT TO DO?
What does the Bible say about having Strength in Difficult Moments?
Read a collection of Bible verses for the strength to have faith in God through difficult times, heartache, and despair! Our faith is tested through suffering and can be strengthened by relying on God and trusting in Him. In moments of tribulation and uncertainty, turn to God in prayer, "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7). Also, look to the Word of God for encouragement and comfort that God is always with you!
The Bible is a source of comfort and inspiration for many people, especially in times of hardship. Here are a few Bible verses that can provide strength during difficult times:
Top Bible Verses for Strength in Hard Times
Isaiah 40:31
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Psalm 23:4
"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
James 1:12
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
Philippians 4:6-8
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Romans 8:18
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS INSIDE YOU
1 corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
YOU WERE BOUGHT FOR A PRICE
ACTS 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
WALKING WITH JESUS
Ephesians 2:10 “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
SINNERS PRAYER - TO CLEAR EVIL OUT AND HAND YOUR LIFE TO JESUS.
Prayer of release from curses / spells Hexes etc Dear Lord Jesus
I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Saviour.
I thank you for your forgiveness. And I also forgive all the people that have hurt me. (Now I want you to list all the people that have hurt you that you forgive – and you need to fully forgive these people). I also ask for your forgiveness for anything my family have done Including if they were Freemasons or if they consulted mediums or witches or any occult practices (list them here). I promise to get rid of any occult objects from my home. I pray for complete healing and redemption - I renounce all all family curses or any thing that may be hindering me in my walk with you Jesus in the name of Jesus I ask that you Jesus release me from & renounce all generational curses & I cast out all curses and Demons and Hexes and I accept Jesus free gift of eternal life, healing, washed clean by the blood of the lamb Jesus Christ. I thank you Jesus - I give you praise and thanks - mighty Jesus - Amen.
Please tell your friends & family that you have handed your life to Jesus Christ.
It also helps to share the fact that you’ve handed your life to God and to celebrate it because you are now part of the kingdom of God and you are one of Gods children. This truly is an amazing day for you and God wants you to totally enjoy it and celebrate it in your mind and in your heart and in your home with all your family & friends. Share this with everybody so they may also find eternal life Jesus free gift.
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