“ZION” & God’s Loving Kindness / His Loyal Love / His “Hesed”
The term “Zion” appears 152 times in the Bible, primarily in the Old Testament, across various translations (e.g., KJV, NIV). It is most frequent in Psalms (38 times) and Isaiah (47 times). Exact counts may vary slightly by translation due to textual differences.
Yahweh’s feelings toward Zion in the Bible are expressed as deep love, favor, and commitment “hesed”. Zion, symbolizing Jerusalem and God’s people, is described as chosen and cherished by God. Key verses include:
- Psalm 87:2: “The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.”
- Isaiah 14:32: “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen… For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out over Zion.'”
- Zechariah 2:8: “For whoever touches you [Zion] touches the apple of his eye.”
Yahweh is depicted as protective, promising restoration and blessing for Zion (e.g., Isaiah 51:3, Joel 3:17), though He also expresses judgment when Zion strays (e.g., Jeremiah 9:19). Overall, Zion holds a special place as God’s dwelling and symbol of His covenant.
In addition to Zechariah 2:8, key passages in Zechariah referencing Zion and reflecting Yahweh’s feelings include:
- Zechariah 1:14: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.”
- Zechariah 2:10: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord.”
- Zechariah 8:2-3: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.”
- Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you.”
These passages emphasize Yahweh’s intense love, jealousy, protection, and promise to dwell with and restore Zion. This a promise for a geographical location as well as spiritual.
In the Bible, Zion refers to both a physical (geographical) and symbolic (spiritual) location:
- Physically: Zion is identified with Jerusalem, specifically the City of David, a hill in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5). It often denotes the broader city or its temple mount.
- Symbolically: Zion represents God’s chosen people, the spiritual heart of Israel, or the future heavenly Jerusalem (e.g., Isaiah 35:10, Hebrews 12:22).
Geographically, it’s located in modern-day Jerusalem, Israel, centered around the Old City’s southeastern hill.
HERESY OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
Since the advent of our Lord Jesus and the 2000 years that followed the establishment of His Church, most Christian denominations have come to reject the physical, geographical and ethnic promises made to the nations of Israel the Jews. They teach that the Church has replaced Israel or superseded it as God’s chosen. To maintain this view, they must discount, confuse or allegorize the clear promises made by God in Zechariah and the rest of the Old and New Testaments. This rejection by many Christians was foreseen by the Bible and prophesied as part of God’s Word.
God’s Promises are timeless, not void nor subject to the prejudices and traditions of men.
- God’s promises were made to his people the Jews. (Geographical and Spiritual).
- God’s promises were made to his Divine council. His heavenly host. (Spiritual).
- God’s promises were made to the Nations (Gentiles) (Geographical and Spiritual)
- God’s promises were made to the earth and the cosmos. (Geographical and Spiritual).
“God means what He says and says what He means!
A final note is to recognize that the word “ZION” “Zionist” has become a curse word in the mouths of millions in the Church today along with much of the secular world. We should be careful as to how we use the word ZION when speaking about God’s love and apple of His eye.
The Bible and especially Zechariah teach that the whole world, the “nations” will hate and come against ZION and decimate her city… Then He will judge those who mistreated her and bless those who love her. Zech 10-14.. Eventually the Nations will turn their hearts toward Israel and join Zion in worship, never again will it be destroyed.
Zechariah 8:23: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”