The Zion Of The Lord

by Wayne Blank

"Zion" is from the original Hebrew word of the Scriptures pronounced tsee-yone. The root of the Hebrew word meant a waymark, or roadsign, a pathfinder object that people look toward to find their way, but it came to be used as a term for a capital - a place that people look toward to find their way. To the people of Israel, whose capital was Jerusalem, Jerusalem was Zion. The first Biblical mention of Zion was when David captured Jerusalem and made it their capital: "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem ... David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David." (2 Samuel 5:6,7 KJV)

"The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel"

The meaning of Zion (also spelled Sion) 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 (see The King Of The King Of Kings) will establish His home for the benefit of all people.

Zion After David captured the site 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.

When David's successor, his son Solomon, moved The Ark Of The Covenant, containing the The Ten Commandments to the new Temple (see Temples) 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, in reference to The Messiah for all people, of all nations, Zion will be (see The City To Come) "the city of the living God":

"And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto The Mount Of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." (Matthew 21:1-5 RSV)
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 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: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins" (Romans 11:25-27 KJV)
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 12:22-24 RSV)

Fact Finder: Who is the "daughter of Zion"?
See Daughter of Zion

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