Zion - The Kingdom of God

"For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place" Psalm 132:13

Zion, a word synonymous with two things - Heaven and Jerusalem. These two realms, one spiritual the other terrestrial are joined together through God Himself! Let that sink in for a moment...God chose to make His dwelling here on earth, as well as in Heaven. Even though this earth was marred by sin after the Fall, and wickedness increased upon the earth in the days of Noah, God decided not to abandon the earth. No, the earth has a very special place within God's heart, why? Earth was His design from before the beginning of time, to be our home. As we are made in God's image, created and designed for the purpose of being in relationship with God, God therefore chose to make His dwelling among us. God first created the universe, then the earth, then humanity and then through His chosen people the Jews, built Jerusalem, His Holy City - also called Zion. 

Zion bridges the divide between Heaven and Earth. Therefore Zion is none other than the Kingdom of God. Zion is an interdimensional realm, at one and the same time temporal and eternal. This is why Jesus came proclaiming:

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

and 

"Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Mark 14:25

Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God in both the present and future tense. This is because ever since God laid the foundation for His Kingdom on Mount Zion (Jerusalem), the Kingdom of God was birthed here on earth, though not fully manifested, as is its Heavenly counterpart. Mount Zion may still be awaiting its complete redemption, when Jesus will return to reign over the earth from His throne in Jerusalem, but the Kingdom of God is still very much a present reality through Christ's Church. In this age of Grace, the Church has become the vehicle through which God has been expanding His Kingdom. God has never changed His desire for His Kingdom to reign here on earth - it was the focal point of Jesus' ministry:

"but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43

 Jesus' sacrifice upon the cross was the means by which people are saved from their sin, but the cross was not entirely an end in itself. Jesus proclaimed he was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no-one came to the Father accept through him. Jesus' sacrifice paid the price for our sin, as the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), so that we may have life! But what life? Our ordinary, mundane, busy, materially obsessed old life? Our life of sin, debauchery, immorality, addiction, greed and vice? No, Jesus died a criminals death - our death - so that we may have eternal life. Where is this eternal life to be lived? In the Kingdom of God. For the follower/disciple/believer in Jesus Christ that life begins at the moment of repentance. That life, not of sin but of righteousness, begins here on earth. The Church is the very manifestation of the Kingdom of God. 

If you are a Christian reading this then I invite you... I encourage you... I urge you to allow God to birth a new vision in your heart for His Kingdom, and a renewed passion for His Holy dwelling Zion. Realize that the Kingdom is not a future reality, but a present one. Realize that it is in our very midst (Luke 17:21). If you want to know the heart of God - it is for Zion:

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath." Zechariah 8:2

If you want to follow Jesus then listen to His commandment:

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Pray. Pray hard for that the Kingdom of God would increase upon the earth, bringing spiritual, emotional and political freedom to the oppressed; bringing justice to the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, the refugee and the immigrant; bringing peace and joy to the tormented and to all those who seek it like the prodigal son in the temptations of the world. 

If you are not a Christian reading this, then respond to Jesus' call to repent and believe in the Gospel. If you are not living in and for the Kingdom of God then you are living under the kingdom of Satan. This world is corrupt - dictators horde power and deny people their rights, liberties and freedoms. Politicians fight amongst each other in an ideological battle for bragging rights. The god of mammon keeps people, governments and economies in bondage and leads to ruin through economic depression and recessions. What will you place your security in, your job? savings? investments? the economy? your government? your own wisdom and reason? These are all fallable things, which are predictable in their disappointments. 

Choose to live for the one thing on this earth that crosses the divide between Heaven and Earth; the one thing that is of eternal value, and the one thing that will bring you into the Glory and the majestic presence of the Almighty God - the Kingdom of God.