The City of God

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

3 Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:
4 “I will record Rahab and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush—
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

7 As they make music they will sing,
    “All my fountains are in you.”

The psalmist talks about the city of Zion, which is a term that has been used in many ways throughout the years. It is most commonly associated with the city of Jerusalem.  Literally the place is located South of Mount Moriah, as a small fortress that David conquered when Israel took over the promised land.  Mount Moriah is also called the Temple Mount, which is one of the most contested pieces of land on this earth, as it is a profoundly sacred place to the three major world religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity.  

Most importantly God has "founded" this city as the center of his redemptive work.  It was called David's city after the greatest king of Israel, from whose line the Messiah came. In it God's holy temple was built for Him to dwell in the Holy of holies.  It was where special feasts prescribed in the Old Testament were all held, as pilgrims came from all over the world to honor God. Jesus lamented, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me."  Jerusalem was the ultimately destination where Jesus would die for the sins of the world.   

Today the word "Zionist" often stands for the "Zionist movement" started in the late 19th century in an effort to establish a Jewish state for the Jewish people in Palestine. In 1948, the Zionist movement declared the re-establishment of the State of Israel, following the UN plan for the partition of Palestine. In the Mormon faith, Zion is a utopian-like place where the righteous dwell together in complete unity.  

But we know from scripture that although God came into a specific space and time to reveal Himself, Jerusalem is representative of a future place where all believers will dwell with God in heaven.  In the book of Revelation, John tells of the "New Jersualem", which will come down out of heaven.  It is literally "heaven on earth".  This is also called "the heavenly Jerusalem", and the "city of God". 

Just as Jesus came in a body, so one day we will dwell bodily with God in a physical place.  We will not be floating spiritual beings, but residents in the City of God.  I hope there are no taxes there. LOL

As Paul says in Philippians 3:20, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ!