Zion

After David captured Zion from the Jebusites, his citadel and palace became "the city of David." Located on the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem, it was mostly surrounded by defensive valleys, the Tyropoeon Valley, the Kidron Valley and the Valley Of Hinnom.

The meaning of Zion has grown tremendously from David's time 3,000 years ago, from the physical place where a conquering Israelite king established his home for the benefit of his people, to a spiritual place where another conquering King will establish His home for the benefit of all people.

• When David's successor, his son Solomon moved The Ark Of The Covenant, containing the The Ten Commandments to the new Temple on nearby Mount Moriah (popularly known today as The Temple Mount), the name Zion was extended to include the Temple (1 Kings 8:1, Isaiah 8:18)

• In later times of the kings (see Kings of Israel and Judah), the term Zion came to be used for all of Jerusalem (e.g. 2 Kings 19:21), and then further for the Israelite people themselves (e.g. Isaiah 33:14)

• And then, The Messiah for all people, of all nations -
  • "As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on The Mount Of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a Donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that The Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (Matthew 21:1-5)

  • "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob." (Romans 11:25-26)

  • "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, The Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." (Hebrews 12:22-24)

Fact Finder: Where will the 144,000 meet The Lamb?
Revelation 14:1