What Happened to the Promise to Re-establish Zion?
In the first century believers in the Messiah were already becoming willfully ignorant of God’s purpose and promises. Peter however, as an eye-witness to Christ’s ministry had a great confidence in the message of Jesus Christ and the prophets. He was assured by Isaiah’s prophecy that Christ would indeed lay a sure foundation in Zion. In Zion an administration would be established with righteousness its plummet, and justice its measuring line. Zion would be founded on the impartial, equitable application of God’s laws, by the Messiah, the King of Kings. Is Zion here yet?
A Zionist Home
In the modern era 650,000 Zionists looked to these prophetic passages when constructing their new state. The hope of the Jewish settlers was realized in 1948 when against all odds the Jewish state became a reality. Five Arab states united to crush their dream of Zion, but failed. As in the past God cared about the welfare of his exiles, and provided a homeland at a great cost. The Jews had returned and the physical homeland had been restored to part of Israel. They had resurrected a dead language, so once again, Hebrew was spoken in the land of Judah. All these events fulfilled in miraculous ways the prophecies given long ago through God’s prophets Isaiah, David, and Jeremiah. But the restoration was not complete. And many prophecies are still to be fulfilled!
The Future of Zion
Has the Messiah’s rule been restored? Is righteousness the plummet and justice the yardstick? No! That is for a time yet future. In that time Jerusalem will be rebuilt as “holy to the Lord.” It will no longer be the rock of contention and stone of stumbling that it is at present. When the Lord God returns to Zion it will be repaired, restored, and rebuilt by his children, the priests of the Lord. All who live in Zion will know the Lord, for he will forgive their sins and write his laws on their hearts.
What is God’s assurance that he will bring to pass what he has planned for Zion? Will he really establish Zion as his dominion? The Creator of the heavens and the earth backs up his claim. He affirms that it is as certain as the order of day and night, that he also sustains. The real issue is, “Do we believe it?”