Mic 4:1; And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it.
Mic 4:2; Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Mic 4:3; And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war.
Mic 4:4; Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
Mic 4:5; Though all the peoples walk Each in the name of his god, As for us, we will walk In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
What is the biggest mountain on the Earth today. Mt Everest... but it says here there will be another mountain .. the "chief of the mountains".
Verse 2 says this will be at Zion, (presumably Mt. Zion) at Jerusalem. It says God will still be judging "between many peoples" at this time.
But there won't be anymore wars. Apparently we will all have fig trees in our yard in heaven. :smile:
....
Mic 4:6; "In that day," declares the LORD, "I will assemble the lame And gather the outcasts, Even those whom I have afflicted.
Mic 4:7; "I will make the lame a remnant And the outcasts a strong nation, And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on and forever.
It sounds like there will still be crippled, lame people that might need healing at this time. God says "even those I have afflicted".
The Bible does say God has afflicted some people.
But I noticed here it says... God will "reign over them.... in Mt. Zion... from [then] on, and forever".
Is Mt. Zion, where the New Jerusalem will be?
Greetings brother, thanks for touching on Zion.
There is some misunderstanding with the term Zion, basically Zion is the 'Church'.
Some think ministers in the Church are Zion and the believers are the New Jerusalem. Others say all are Zion.
My personal belief is, that we are all as saved believers part of Zion, we are all as Saved believers part of the Church.
Zion and Jerusalem both are the same. Jerusalem denotes church, the body of Christ.
The church is in heaven and it is called New Jerusalem and Heavenly Jerusalem.
I share this as it saves me a lot of typing and sums things up far better than I can
By Chief Pastor N. Lazar, New Jerusalem Church, Texas, USA
THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH
There are various opinions prevailing among Christians about what is Zion and who is Zion. Some say that ministers are Zion and believers are New Jerusalem. Some others say that all are Zion. There are also numerous other opinions. Let us discuss Zion in the light of Scriptures.
There are four hills in the city of Jerusalem of which Zion is one. Till the days of David, the Jews could not capture Jerusalem. It appears that the city of Jerusalem was built even before 2000 BC. Melchizedek was the ruler of the city, which was then known as Salem (Gen. 14:18). Israelites entered into Canaan in the year 1450 BC. During that time Jerusalem was inhabited by Jebusites and was known as the city of foreigners (Jud.19: 10-12, Jos. 18:28). Till 1000 BC, that is until the time of David, Israelites had not captured Jebus (Jerusalem). King David captured Jerusalem. "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David saying, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you", thinking, "David can not come in here"". Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion and it became the city of David. On that day David said, "Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul), he shall be chief and captain". Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house".
So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. Then David built all around from the Milo and inward (II Sam.5: 6-9)(NKJV). The hill land Moriah where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice was also here (Gen.22: 2). It was on mount Moriah that the Jerusalem temple was built. The threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite was located in this mount Moriah. In this Jerusalem, the temple of the Lord was built (II Chr. 3:1).
Zion is a hill lower than the mount Moriah where the Jerusalem temple was built. Here David built his palace. This place was known as Zion and the city of David. On many occasions, Jerusalem was mentioned as Zion (Ps. 87:2,3; Ps.74: 2; Ps. 126:1; Is. 8:18; Jer.8: 19; Mica. 4:2).
Zion is a place in Jerusalem. Jerusalem or daughter of Zion signifies the children of God (Is. 1:1; 40:1,2; Zep. 3:14). With this view, the early Christians called the kingdom
(church) established by the only Son of God and Messiah Jesus Christ,
as New Jerusalem or the Jerusalem above (Gal.4: 26; Rev.21: 2).
Zion and Jerusalem both are the same. However Jerusalem denotes church, the body of God.
The church is in heaven and it is called New Jerusalem and Heavenly Jerusalem. This Zion is in heaven, in the Heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus Christ is the corner stone forming its foundation (Is. 28:16). On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles and others who gathered there along with them.
The church (Zion) was established on earth. The apostles were its foundation stones.
The believers who were living stones joined with them and the church of God was established in Jerusalem (Eph.2: 19-22; I Pet.2: 4-6). Unlike the early Christians, that church had backslided in later days and worldly way of worship entered the church. The church lost its glory with the entry of the world. The church was the true city. The early church lost the leading of the Holy Spirit and was filled with unsaved wicked people.
We read in Isaiah 1:21, "See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; Righteousness used to dwell in her - but now murderers!"
Zion was in Jerusalem.
Zion was a part of Jerusalem. "For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem" (Is. 30:19). Zion is in the true church. The restoration of Zion had been foretold in the Scriptures. "
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city" (Is.1: 26,27).
I
n these last days, the Lord is rebuilding Zion. The Lord will appear in His glory only after the building of the church is completed.
"
For the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in His glory" (Ps.102: 15). "It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house (church) shall be established on top of the mountains (above all churches). And it shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall go and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways and we shall walk in His paths".
F
or out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Is. 2: 2,3).
We read in the Scriptures: "
who confirm the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to Jerusalem, `You shall be inhabited', and to the cities of Judah, `you shall be built', and I will raise up her waste places" (Is.44: 26). "T
he Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel" (
Ps. 147:2). "Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is the mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King" (Ps. 48:2). Not many cities but
a single city (Eph. 2:19-22). This is being firmly joined together and built.
The ministers of New Jerusalem Church, similarly, are firmly joined together.
Those who do not fit will be thrown out.
The ministers of New Jerusalem Church are greatly concerned for the stones of the building (the ministers are mindful of the believers) (Ps. 102:14).
On the other hand, the ministers of other churches, which do not deserve to be called the church of God, are worrying for themselves alone. "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping that
they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame- who set their mind on earthly things" (Phil. 3:18, 19).
"Return, O backsliding children", says the Lord; "
for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days", says the Lord, "
that they will say no more, `the ark of the covenant of the Lord'. It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem; they shall walk no more after the stubbornness of their evil heart" (Jer. 3: 14-17).
Thus the Scriptures give a clear account of the matter. These are the last days. There are a large number of false ministries and ministers who are led by their own spirit rather than the Spirit of God (II Tim. 3: 1-9). We are warned about the emergence of teaching of demons and of liars who would forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods (medicines) created by God (I Tim. 4:1-3).
However the true church would be elevated. "
Also the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you the city of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel" (Is. 60:14).
The Lord gives to Zion ministers and evangelists who are faithful to God (Is.52: 7; 40: 9). The redeemed of the Lord shall return (Is. 51:11). "
Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the Holy City! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from dust, arise and sit down, O Jerusalem; Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!" (Is. 52: 1,2). "
Then I looked, and behold, a lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and fifty four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads" (Rev.14: 1).
The mount Zion mentioned in the above verse, is a place in heaven, the Heavenly Zion. We shall write about this later in detail.
Therefore the Zion is the true church which is being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets in the last days. That alone is known as Zion and Jerusalem. "
At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem; they shall walk no more after the stubbornness of their evil heart" (Jer. 3:17).
This is perfect. "
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth" (Ps. 50:2). "
In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion" (Ps. 76:2).
The Lord loves its gates. "
The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob" (Ps. 87:2). "
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion" (Ps. 147:12).
_______________________________________________
Zion is the Church, The New Jerusalem is in the 'Current Heaven' being built up for the all important day when our Lord returns in Glory and makes all things new, when it will come down onto the New Earth as John tells us he saw in Revelation.
Revelation 21:1-27 (NKJV)
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God
is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them
and be their God.
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light
was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred
and forty-four cubits,
according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
18 The construction of its wall was
of jasper; and the city
was pure gold, like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city
were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation
was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates
were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city
was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb
is its light.
24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Thanks be to God in Jesus Name. Amen
