What does Mount Zion represent in the Bible?

This was in reality a part of Jerusalem, being one of the mountains on which Jerusalem was built. Zion is often called 'the city of David,' it was where he dwelt. 2 Sam. 5:7; 1 Chr. 11:5; Micah 3:10, 12. Which part of Jerusalem was thus designated is now a disputed point: some few contend for the north-west; but most believe it to have been on the south-west, and to have extended farther south than the present wall of the city. It would in this case have been in proximity to the temple on the south-east, which could have been reached by a bridge over the Tyropoeon valley. 2 Chr. 5:2. In Ps. 48:2, occur the words "the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." This has been thought to mean that mount Zion was in the north of the city; but may it not signify that on the north side of Zion is the city of the great King, that is, Jerusalem? The psalm is clearly millennial. Zion, having failed as a part of Jerusalem, was to be ploughed as a field. Micah 3:12.

The term Zion has constantly in scripture a metaphorical sense. It represents the intervention of sovereign grace in the person of God's elect king, when Israel were utterly helpless, and the ark had been given into the hands of the enemy. The ark was brought by David to the city of David, and this may have led to Zion being regarded as the centre of blessing, and as a source from whence blessing proceeded, as it often is in the Psalms. Ps. 87:2; Ps. 149:2; etc. The favoured people of God are often spoken of as DAUGHTERS OF ZION, Israel are constantly thus addressed in the Prophets, whether to be blamed for their waywardness and punished; or to be cheered with the prospect of future prosperity. And in these prophecies of their coming exaltation, Zion is referred to as the seat of the Messiah's royal power on earth, as in Isa. 52:1-8; Isa. 60:14; Heb. 12:22. In scripture Zion never means the church: it always signifies blessing on earth, and is specially in connection with Israel, when the ultimate blessing of the nations will be through Israel; nevertheless Christians now enter into its spiritual import as being under the reign of grace while here on earth.

Moreover the introduction of Zion is seen to have a notable meaning. For, as thus figuratively used, it expresses the mountain of God's grace in contrast with Sinai, the mountain of the people's responsibility under law, where all was failure, not because the law was not good, but because man is bad and so ruined that he cannot do without a Saviour. Zion appears after the utter breakdown of the kingdom under Saul, man's choice; for it was only wrested from the Jebusites to be the city of David, God's choice. But a greater than David is here, the Christ, Whom Jehovah lays as a cornerstone, elect, precious, beyond all comparison. He that believes on Him shall in no wise be put to shame; as all must be who trust in an arm of flesh, most of all those of Israel who despised Him to whom law and prophets ever pointed. For the world-kingdom Jehovah has anointed His King upon Zion, the hill of His holiness; and Christ, not now but in that day, will ask and have the nations for His inheritance, and the ends of the earth for His possession, breaking all that oppose with iron sceptre, as the vessels of a potter are dashed in pieces. "For Jehovah hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His dwelling: this is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it." The key to all this, is that Zion will be the earthly seat of His anointed, His beloved Son.

Sinai was the mountain characterized by the holy demands of God, and abject human failure. Rome has the seven mountains of human pride and glory, where the king of man's choice will have his seat. Jehovah's King will be anointed upon "Zion, the hill of My holiness." Zion has become the symbol of the sovereign mercy of God which leads to holiness and glory.

No mountain in the O.T. stood in such formal contrast with Sinai as Zion. The one was, as just noticed, the never-to-be-forgotten scene of national responsibility to the law; the other the intervention of Jehovah in grace for His king when all was ruin, people and priests alike wicked, the ark taken by the Philistines, Ichabod confessed, Israel's king and his sons slain, and the Jebusite not only in the centre and stronghold of Jerusalem but defiant and insulting. Then it was that Jehovah, as He chose David, so also chose the mount Zion which He loved. And there will He set His king, upon His holy hill of Zion. "I will declare the decree: Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; I this day have begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." These Psalms and others speak of a future day, of a new age when Messiah shall reign over Israel and the nations. But our Epistle simply introduces mount Zion compared with Sinai and its legal associations, as the expression of divine grace interposing to establish the kingdom after a scene of grievous sin and long humiliation. "This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it." "There Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."

To mark this aim, we may notice how the Holy Spirit connects with Zion, not as a Jew might have expected, the well-known city of David, earthly Jerusalem, but "a living God's city, heavenly Jerusalem." If Zion was morally the highest to be descried here below, we now leave earth behind and by faith behold the city for which Abraham looked, as God prepared it for such as were pilgrims and strangers on earth, a city which hath the foundations, whose maker and builder is God. It is the seat of glory in the heavenly places for the holy sufferers with Christ who shall also be glorified together; and He who is a living God is bound in love and honour to give it thus effect.

ZION as the place where David pitched a tent for the ark and had his throne and ruled over God's chosen people — type of delivering grace established in power and blessing in Christ: Zion will yet be the seat of Messiah's power on earth in millennial blessing. Ps. 2:6; Ps. 78:68-72; Rom. 5:21; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1.

Now Zion does not mean simply Jerusalem, for that city too would ultimately fall under God's judgment. Zion was founded by the Lord in His mercy when He intervened and raised up David, so that it has become a symbol of the mercy and grace of God. This we see in such a scripture as Hebrews 12:22. In that grace, which Zion represents, the godly poor amongst the people will trust. They did so in days that are past. They will do so in days that are to come.

Psalm 132 presents a further great truth in connection with Mount Zion. This Psalm celebrates the occasion when David brings the ark to Zion. The ark is not only recovered from the hands of the enemy, but is set in its rightful place on Mount Zion. The Psalmist says, “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” Immediately upon the ark being set upon Zion, we have the blessing flowing out to the people. “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.” Here again we have the thought of sovereign choice connected with Zion, but with the additional thought that it is connected with the ark. The ark, with its mercy seat, speaks of Christ, and thus we learn that the full symbolic meaning of Mount Zion is the power of God's sovereign grace exercised for the blessing of man through Christ. When everything has been lost for man through man's failure, then all blessing is secured through the sovereign grace of God righteously flowing to us on the ground of all that Christ is and has done. Such is the solid ground of blessing for the world to come, and to this we have come in the faith of our souls.

The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem

Mount Zion is to us the symbol of divine grace because it was chosen of God as the place for His sanctuary, after having forsaken “the tabernacle of Shiloh” because of the sins of the sons of Eli (Ps. 78:60–69). Again, in Psalm 132 we see that Zion is chosen in God’s sovereign grace, where the Psalmist says, “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation,” then Jehovah replies to this saying, “this is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:13-14). In the world to come “The Lord shall send the rod of His strength out of Zion,” saying, “Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies” (Ps. 110:2). Both houses of Israel will then be reunited, and the blessing of the Lord shall be there, for in Zion the Lord will command the blessing, “even life for evermore” (Ps. 133). The glory of the Lord shall shine forth from Zion, “the joy of the whole earth…the city of the great King” as also “the city of our God” (Ps. 40:1-2).

When God began to work in grace again, when He chose out — not king Saul, who was the people's choice, the man who was excellent according to the flesh — but chose David, the youngest of eight sons (significantly the eighth) from following the sheep to set him as leader of His people, it was in perfect grace. He chose Mount Zion and put His name there, and said, "This is My rest forever, Here will I dwell for I have desired it." "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion," on the sides even of the north, dark and forbidding naturally as it is. Mount Zion, well protected on every side, the enemies that come up against her flee away. "They are confounded, fear and trembling take hold of them." Mount Zion then, speaks of the perfect grace of God, a grace which shall be exhibited in connection with Israel during the millennium, and I would add, on through eternity. For us it is the great principle of grace as contrasted with the law. But how significant it is that we have come even to these earthly blessings; not that we are to be citizens of the earthly Zion, but we have come to all the blessing which will be given to Israel from Zion. We have it in a spiritual sense even now, as we enjoy the blessings of the new covenant. During the millennium and throughout eternity in our better inheritance, we will still have the joy of being associated with Christ in dominion over the whole world in connection with Mount Zion His earthly centre.

But we mount higher. We have also come in point of blessing (already in anticipation, and soon actually there) unto the city of the living God, the new Jerusalem. Mount Zion is the city of the great King, but the city of the living God is the heavenly Jerusalem. The earthly Jerusalem is a type of the heavenly, and we know that during the millennium the communication between earth and heaven will be intimate and constant. The kings of the earth will bring their glory and their honor unto that heavenly city. There is our home, dear brethren; even now we are linked with it.

Zion is only named once in the Apocalypse. “Out of about 110 times that Zion is mentioned, ninety are in‎ terms of the Lord’s great love and affection for her, so that the place has great, very great significance, and Heaven knows it too.” The first mention of Zion when captured‎ from the Jebusites by David (2 Sam. 5:7) is pregnant with interest, for, adds the sacred historian, “the same is the city of David.” Saul, the predecessor of David on the‎ throne, was the man of the people’s choice, and typified ‎“the king” who reigns in Jerusalem before the Lord comes.‎ David, the true king of Israel, was Jehovah’s chosen, and Zion the seat of his government. He is thus the prototype of our Lord, Who will reign in Zion, “and before His ancients gloriously” (Isa. 24:23). Zion is rich in sacred‎ memories to the Jew. It is his goal of hope. It is, too,‎ God’s chosen city. “For the Lord hath chosen Zion: He hath desired it for His habitation. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:13-14). “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Ps. 48:2). It is the seat of universal‎ government for earth, and the centre of interest to the millennial world (Isa. 2). It is where Jehovah has in purpose set His King (Ps. 2:6). There are three distinct thoughts connected with mount Zion: (1) It is the seat of royal power; (2) of God’s intervention in grace; (3) of‎ Jehovah’s sovereignty, but all in respect to Israel.‎

The vision is a bright and gladdening one, a calm after a storm. Christ does not yet reign on Zion, but the time is near, and in the meantime He stands as the Lamb with His chosen ones. The vision is an anticipative one. Both the crowd of saved Gentiles (Rev. 7:9) and the millennial kingdom (Rev. 11:15; Rev. 12:10) are anticipative visions which have their actual fulfilment at the Advent in power.‎ Here the Lamb stands on mount, Zion, but the Vials have yet to be poured out. The 144,000 here witnessed are of Judah; a similarly numbered company of all Israel (Rev.‎ ‎7:4) forms a separate vision. This company has the‎ Name of the Lamb and His (not their) Father’s Name written upon their foreheads. The mark of the Beast is on each one of his worshippers. The Name of the Lamb and His Father’s Name as well on the forehead of each confessor of Christ. These witnesses are viewed as having come out of the fiery trial under the Beast. They are Jews who steadfastly maintained the rights of God and of the Lamb; now they are publicly owned of Him. Many of their brethren suffered even unto death, sealing their testimony with their blood. Those here were spared through the horrors of the Tribulation. We gather that the innumerable company of Gentiles (Rev. 7:9) are identical with the sheep who go into everlasting life (Matt. 25:34, 46); further, the “third part,” refined as silver and‎ tried as gold (Zech. 13:8-9), the same as are here spoken of as 144,000 Jewish saints who occupy the leading place in‎ the earthly millennial kingdom. They stand with the Lamb on the seat of royalty. What an exchange! From the tyranny of the Beast to fellowship with the Lamb!‎ From the place of suffering to the seat of glorious power!‎