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, …
--Parallel verses:
Psalms 48:1-5
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
[Much of this commentary on Mount Zion can be sourced at www.biblestudytools.com]
This one verse lists a few attributes of our destination in following Jesus Christ. Let’s look at Mount Zion first. It was known as Mount Moriah before it was Mount Zion. This is the hilly range outside the. city of Jerusalem that Abraham, in faith, was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, when God stopped him and provided a ram to take his place (Genesis 22:1-24). Jacob had his dream on this mountain that allowed him to climb to heaven. David claimed this land for the Lord after capturing it, naming it Zion (II Samuel 5:7). Solomon built a magnificent Temple of the Lord on this mountain (II Chronicles 3:1).
The Bible uses other names for Mount Zion: The City of David (II Sam. 5:7; I Kings 8:1, I Chronicles 11:5), The City of Jerusalem (Isaiah 33:20; Isaiah 40:9, Psalm 51:18), The entire Jewish nation (Isaiah 33:14; Zechariah 9:13), The Millennial Jerusalem (Joel 2:32; Isaiah 2:2-3), The eternal or Heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22; Micah 4:7, Isaiah 35:10), and here, The City of God.
Mount Zion is an important historical and spiritual landmark for the Jews. It was where they worshipped, offered animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin, and where the high priest entered into God’s presence, in the Holy of Holies, once a year. It is also the essence, foreshadowing, and symbolism of the Kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus came to earth, he replaced the temple of God physically with salvation that allowed us to dwell with God in our hearts if we follow him. In reality, he ushered in a living temple made up of all of his followers, with himself as the chief cornerstone!
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)
When we come to Mount Zion, God’s dwelling place or heaven (which we experience in part here on earth as we dwell with him in our hearts) we come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. These are the powerful beings who have single-handedly decimated nations. And they sing in worship to God. Mount Zion is the safe fortress of the living God. And we get to join the angels in praising God for all of his great works — in that fortress!
So we have a home in heaven, which we travel to, in part, here on earth. And we are the people of God protected by God and his angels, who get to worship him for all he has done. We are Zionites! How wonderful to come into such a great inheritance!
Lord, thank you that I am a citizen of the eternal Zion! And I belong to you. Nothing in this world can take that away. The confidence I have in you is BEYOND WORDS! I live in fluidity with your Spirit and act as an extension of your love. Help me to see your hand more and more, all the time!
