Citizenship in Zion

Text: Psalm 87:1–3, 5–7 (NKJV)

“His foundation is in the holy mountains.
The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!

And of Zion it will be said,
‘This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.’
The Lord will record,
When He registers the peoples:
‘This one was born there.’
Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
‘All my springs are in you.’”

Introduction

The phrase “dwellings of Jacob” literally means the homes or settlements of the descendants of Jacob (Israel).
Zion (Jerusalem), however, is God’s chosen city—the place of His temple and His Presence, at least in the Old Testament context.

In the New Testament, Zion is called the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem:

Hebrews 12:22 (NKJV)
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.”

Why Does God Love the Gates of Zion More Than the Dwellings of Jacob?

God loves all of Israel (the dwellings of Jacob), but He has a special affection for Zion, because it is His chosen place for His dwelling and worship.

Psalm 132:13–15 (NKJV)
“For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
‘This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.’”

Zion therefore represents the place where God dwells, or where His Presence rests.
In the New Testament, that place is the born-again, Spirit-filled believer.

You Are the Temple of the Living God

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV)
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Jesus assured His disciples—and everyone who follows Him—that He would not leave us as orphans:

John 14:15–18 (NKJV)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;
but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

Citizens of Zion

The first path to Zion’s citizenship is by birth, just as in any earthly nation.

Psalm 87:5 (NKJV)
“And of Zion it will be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.’
The Lord will record, when He registers the peoples:
‘This one was born there.’”

Therefore, I implore you: be born again!

Being born again grants you the rights and privileges of citizenship in God’s Kingdom.

John 3:3, 5 (NKJV)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
… Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Without Christ, You Are an Alien

Ephesians 2:12–13 (NKJV)
“At that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Philippians 3:20 (NKJV)
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ensure That You Are Registered

Revelation 20:15 (NKJV)
“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Make sure your name is written in the Book of Life.
Be born again, live as a citizen of Zion, preserve the Word of God in your heart and life, and live by the Spirit.

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