Where is Zion, God’s Dwelling Place?
God is omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:24). That is, there is no place where God is not present. Despite that, the Bible says there is a place which has been recognized as ‘God’s dwelling place.’ Then, where is this special and precious place?
index
1. What is Zion?
2. Where is Zion?
– ‘Church of God’ Receives Attention from Global Media as a Church that Keeps the Passover
3. Find the Spiritual Zion
What is Zion?
For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
(Psalms 132:13-14)
The President of the United States resides in the White House and performs all duties, including government affairs, interviews, as well as spends his daily life there. This is because the White House is the Executive Office and the official residence of the President of the United States. The official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea is the Blue House. Former presidents have lived in the Blue House.
As mentioned before, God’s dwelling place also exists. Among many places in this world, the author of Psalms revealed that ‘Zion’ is the ‘House of God’. In addition, he urged God’s people to receive salvation by fearing God, who is their strength and refuge in Zion (Psalm 9:11-14, 48:2-3, 84:7). This is why all Christians who yearn for salvation need to know about Zion.
Geographically, Zion is a small hill in Jerusalem, Israel. In the times of the unified kingdom of ancient Israel, after King David conquered Jerusalem and prepared the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) as the site to build the temple, the territory of Zion expanded to the border of Mount Moriah (2 Samuel 5:6-7, 1 Chronicles 21:18-28; 2 Samuel 24:18-25). David’s son Solomon built the temple of God on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1).
Zion in Palestine has long been the exclusive property of the Jews, however currently the Islam religion occupies it. God wants all people to come to salvation (1Timothy 2:4). To say that, such a God would carry out the work of salvation from this extremely limited area of space is not only unlikely but stirs up doubt that this would be the dwelling place of God and the refuge for humankind.
Actually, there is a difference with the information about Zion appearing in the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets and the Zion of Palestine. The prophet Micah prophesied that many Gentile nations will stream to Zion in the last days, and that God will teach His people His ways, and His law will go out from Zion (Micah 4:1-2). The prophet Isaiah said, only those who dwell in Zion will be called as God’s holy people (Isaiah 4:1-4, 51:16). It means, a person cannot be saved unless they dwell in Zion. In this way, the question of whether or not a person finds Zion is very important since it determines their salvation.
Where is Zion?
The Bible says that those who live in Zion will enjoy happiness and delight and are guaranteed to receive God’s help (Zephaniah 3:14-20, Jeremiah 50:4-5). There is no other place as safe and secure as Zion. Then, where is this Zion that the Bible speaks of?
Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals ··· There the LORD will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them. For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us ··· No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.
(Isaiah 33:20-24)
Zion is the place where God’s feasts and laws are kept. However, the law, that is the Old Covenant was established through Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:20-25, 20:1-17). Although the prophets Micah and Isaiah said that God will establish His laws on Mount Zion, the important thing is, what are those laws and covenants?
You have not come to something that can be touched ··· But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ··· and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood ···
(Hebrews 12:18-24 (NRSV))
The Apostle Paul contrasted Mount Sinai with Mount Zion and explained the place where saints of the early Church went to with faith was Mount Zion, which had the Truth of the New Covenant. The New Covenant refers to the Covenant established with the blood of Jesus, and not the Old Covenant established with the blood of animals (Acts 20:28). The book of Acts also testifies, that the place where the Truth of Jesus’ blood is found is the church that God established (Acts 20:28).
Then, what specifically is the New Covenant established through Jesus’ blood? If you know this secret, you will be able to find the ‘real’ Zion that the Bible indicates among the many churches in the world.
Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” ··· And he took bread, gave thanks ··· “This is my body given for you ··· “This cup (wine) is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
(Luke 22:8-20)
Jesus said, that the Passover wine was the New Covenant established with His blood. That is, the law established in Zion indicates the Truth of the New Covenant Passover which Jesus made a covenant with His disciples, such as Peter and John, on the evening of the 14th day of the first month in the sacred calendar. If there is a church that keeps the New Covenant Passover in this day and age, that place is Zion, the blessed place where God dwells.
According to the Pew Research Center, the religion with the largest number of believers in the world is Christianity, approximately 2.4 billion people out of a total population of about 7.8 billion. One-third of the world’s population long for God’s salvation. However, the numerous churches flooded around the world do not keep the New Covenant Passover. Then, among the churches, which church keeps the law of Zion, that is, the New Covenant?
‘Church of God’ Receives Attention from Global Media as a Church that Keeps the Passover
World Mission Society Church of God Held ‘The Assembly of the Passover’ World-wide 18 Days Ago. ··· The Passover of the new covenant kept by Jesus Christ and the saints of the early Church such as Peter, John, and so on, is held only in the Church of God world-wide ···
(World Mission Society Church of God Held ‘The Assembly of the Passover’ World-wide 18 Days Ago, April 21, 2019, Kyeong Gi Ilbo.)
The Church of God ··· preciously keeps the new covenant in its original form, just like Jesus Christ, Peter, John, Paul and the apostles of the early Church practiced 2,000 years ago. Though the people attending Church of God in 7,000 regional churches in 175 countries have different cultures and languages, they all are preaching God’s love through various volunteer works and good deeds.
(Korea and the Whole World, May Have a New Year Overflowing With Joy and Happiness,” January 7, 2019, JoongAng Newspaper.)
The Church of God keeps the Passover of the new covenant according to the teachings of the early Church ··· “And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” is in the Bible’s passage of Luke chapter 22 verse 15.
(January, 2019, Monthly Chosun.)
THE World Mission Society Church of God ··· The church commemorates the new covenant Passover, which returns every year, and carries out a love affair with various services such as blood donation campaign and environmental clean-up.
(Church of God holds blood drive, May 31, 2018, SunStar.)
The Deseret News, in Salt Lake City, Utah, published an article praising the Church of God members as amazing people and that they have been donating blood because Christ allowed them to realize the value of spiritual blood through the Passover. In addition, the INQUIRER in the Philippines, JoongAng Ilbo, Korea’s leading daily newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, etc. are paying attention to the World Mission Society Church of God and also reported that they are keeping the New Covenant Passover according to the teachings of Christ.
Find the Spiritual Zion
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
(Isaiah 52:7)
Two thousand years ago, the apostles Peter and John, and the members of the early church, led many people to the place of salvation, spiritual Zion, by keeping the law of Zion as Jesus had taught. Spiritual Zion was established not only in the Jerusalem area, but also in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Thessalonica. In particular, the apostle Paul emphasized to the people of Corinth, located about 2,990 km from Jerusalem, to keep the law of Zion, that is, the New Covenant Passover (1 Corinthians 11:1, 23-26). This was because the New Covenant Passover is the most important law among the laws that Jesus set as an example (Luke 22:15, 19-20).
If you hope for salvation, you must find the spiritual Zion, the church that keeps and proclaims the New Covenant Passover, established by Jesus. There God dwells and leads you on a smooth path and the path of righteousness. Today, too, God is eagerly waiting for you to return to Zion.
“Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you –one from a town and two from a clan– and bring you to Zion.
(Jeremiah 3:14)
<References>
- Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050, Pew Research Center.
- Church of God holds blood drive, May 31, 2018, SunStar.
- World Mission Society Church of God responds to Utah blood shortage, August 5, 2018, Deseret News.
- World Mission Society Church of God conducts blood donation campaign, January 30, 2012, INQUIRER.
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