20160115 Friday, January 15 2016
Amos 06: The King's Arrival In Zion Prophecy

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"He will teach us of His Ways, and we will walk in His Paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem"

"Zion" is an English-language rendering of the Hebrew word, pronounced tsee-yone, that meant an elevated place, as in a height. It further came to be used to mean bright because of the natural result that elevated places are more exposed to sunlight and therefore are often seen "shining" from lower elevations. The Bible itself also uses that applied Messianic meaning e.g. "50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined" (Psalm 50:2 KJV).

The designation of "Zion" was applied to one of the highest hills of Jerusalem. Mount Zion (from which the returned Messiah will rule) is slightly higher than Mount Moriah (the "Temple Mount"), while the nearby Mount of Olives (where the Messiah will first stand on the day of His return; see Zechariah: He Shall Stand Upon The Mount Of Olives) is slightly higher still. It was, literally, a natural place for a ruler to be sited - just was, and is, the nearby four-winds "threshing floor" (see Moriah: Separating The Wheat From The Chaff) that became the Temple Mount.

Jerusalem, or Salem (see Salem In History And Prophecy), had been a foreign city to the people of Israel until King David captured it after the Civil War (see When Did Jerusalem Become An Israelite City?) when the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) commanded David to move his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem. At was at that time that "David took the castle of Zion."

"11:1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 11:2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

11:3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

11:4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 11:5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

11:6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

11:7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. 11:8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 11:9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him." (1 Chronicles 11:1-9 KJV)

While "Zionism" is popularly-regarded to mean the return of the people of Judah (see Jews - Three Tribes and Three Meanings) to Jerusalem, it was never described in the Bible in such a limited way. It was always about the prophecies of the time when the Messiah will return to enlighten and rule the world - including the people of Judah who "slept" through his first coming (see When Zion Awakes). It will be a time when all of humanity will rejoice in the genuine freedom that the Truth of the LORD God will provide for those who repent and obey Him (see Where Is The Valley Of Decision?).

"2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:2-4 KJV)

When the Israelites in Jerusalem became corrupt, they became a mockery of the LORD's purpose of "Israel" (see Israel's Neighborhood Roots) and of Zion. For that reason the LORD removed them from the place they they no longer lived up to.

"6:1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! 6:2 Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? 6:3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 6:4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 6:5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; 6:6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 6:7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

6:8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts,

I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

6:9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. 6:10 And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

6:11 For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

6:12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: 6:13 Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

6:14 But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness." (Amos 6:1-14 KJV)

Fact Finder: When will the ancient Israelites be reunited at Zion?
See When Will The United Kingdom Be Restored?