A powerful biblical symbol, Zion first appears in 2 Samuel 5:6-7 as "the fortress of Zion," later becoming part of ancient Jerusalem. When the temple was built, Mount Zion became known as the "city of the great King" (Ps. 48:2).

Despite its status as God's holy city, Zion's inhabitants gradually turned away from God. The prophet Isaiah called it "a prostitute" (Isa. 1:21, NIV) and predicted its destruction, while also foreseeing its restoration through Persian king Cyrus (44:28).

Isaiah prophesied about a future Davidic Messiah who would create a new Jerusalem (9:6-7; 11:1-5), involving a suffering servant who would atone for sins (50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). This new Zion would be a righteous, cosmopolitan city welcoming people from all nations.

The new Jerusalem is directly linked to the creation of a new heaven and earth:

"See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy." (Isaiah 65:17-18, NIV)

Life in the new Jerusalem will mirror aspects of current existence—building houses and planting vineyards—but without suffering, as "the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more" (65:19, NIV). Its inhabitants will experience eternal life and "everlasting joy" (Isa. 35:10).

The Bible consistently anticipates this future city of God. Abraham looked forward to "the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10, NIV). The Old Testament prophets frequently referenced a transformed Jerusalem, with over 75 passages dedicated to this theme.

In the New Testament, Paul contrasts the earthly Jerusalem with its heavenly counterpart (Gal. 4:25-26) and speaks of believers' citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20). The book of Revelation culminates with a vision of a holy Jerusalem descending from heaven to earth (Rev. 21:1), representing the ultimate union of heaven and earth in God's redemptive plan.

Zion represents not just a physical place but the ultimate goal of God's creative and redemptive work—an eternal city where God's diverse people will live in his presence, free from pain, suffering, and death.

T. D. Alexander (PhD, The Queen's University of Belfast) is senior lecturer in biblical studies and director of postgraduate studies at Union Theological College in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and an elder at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church.

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