Sunday, January 12, 2014

What is the difference between "Zion" and "Sion"?

What is the difference between "Zion" and "Sion"?

Brian Kelson of Acts 28.net responds:

Zion or Sion, same place, is a mountain upon which the Lord, after He descends at the last Trumpet, will rebuild the Millennial Temple and from where He will reign and the kings of the earth bring tribute to Him. When Hebrews was written those saints had "come" to wonderful things on 2 grounds.
1. The Hebrews were those who had drawn near to Christ by faith. This means they had drawn near to all the privileges those of faith enjoyed when they endured, kept going unto perfection. But they hadn't reached the end yet and Hebrews appeals to them to keep going.
They were thus members of the elect remnant which would share with Abraham in the inner portion of the Promised Land. Thus they had drawn near to (come to) all the privileges that company were given in Christ. They, not the entire nation, would be with Christ where Christ would dwell, on His holy Hill. They had drawn near to the very center of the earthly Kingdom. However, being justified by faith through grace was one thing and continuing in obedience to the end was the other, that is being perfected. Justification THEN the added perfection. Their participation in the glory written about in Hebrews 12 was theirs IF they continued. Only then would they share in that great festive assembly with the spirits of (other) just men made perfect. Hebrews 11 lists ones who were made righteous by faith AND who had kept going.  If they drew back however, gave up, then the Lord would have no pleasure in them and they would miss out on some things. Hebrews is about perfection or perdition or waste the two alternatives. So do you see how much the writer of Hebrews urged them to keep going? They had drawn near, or come to wonderful blessings, but turning back, giving up would be a costly mistake. No one in any dispensation serves the Lord for nought.
2. When Hebrews was written, the trumpet coming of the Lord had "come" that is, had drawn near.
When the Lord returns to the earth with all His angels accompanying Him, those believers (who kept going) would have been taken up to the air to a meeting in the clouds which is commonly called the rapture. They had the honor of going out to meet him like the wise virgins who watched and were ready in Matt.25.
Then they would descend with him to the earth, where a joyous festival gathering would take place on Mount Zion in which they and all those saints who had been perfected would participate.
So they would be on Mount Zion soon after the Lord descended for that marriage supper of the Lamb. They would judge the world and angels, they would be there when the Lord built the millennial Temple and (later) they would be privileged to enter the New Jerusalem which would descend to the same location.
All those things had drawn near when Hebrews was written but were postponed at Acts 28.

RELATED ARTICLE:
 
What are the spirits of just men made perfect in Hebrews 12 – and how are they (already) come to Mount Zion?

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