The City of Zion Part 2

The Woman in Travail

 

Introduction

 

This article is a transcribed sermon given to a local fellowship group in August 2005.  This is part two of a fourteen part series on the subject of the "city of Zion."  These sermons can also be obtained on CDs or audio cassettes.  As most believers know; the Bible makes reference to a "woman in travail", and this exact phrase; "woman in travail" is found seven times in Jeremiah alone.  The Bible uses many symbols to point to the spiritual realities and spiritual truths.  There are physical temporary things (used as symbols), and there are very real eternal things; which I call spiritual realities.  The point that must be understood is that the symbolic temporary things are NOT the reality, but are biblically used only to picture and point to the very real eternal things and eternal truths that are NOT temporary.  A people called Israel are symbolically called a "woman," and the very important biblical fact is that Israel became God’s wife at Mount Sinai.  This woman therefore can also be biblically identified with the "daughter of Zion".  But God had to write her a bill of divorce and put her away in punishment as a result of "spiritual adultery" (Jeremiah 3:8).  This woman, or daughter of Zion, is prophesied to be in blindness as to who she is because she is divorced from God, and then she will be exposed to God’s wrath to be punished and chastised, and be reconciled back to God and then be saved.  Spiritual common sense teaches us that this beautiful symbol of a "woman in travail" simply means a woman about to give birth, but the all important point is that she must go through "birth pangs".  In other words, she has to experience sever pain and anguish before she can experience real joy and gladness.  But God will remove that blindness after she is chastised and corrected, and when God turns away ungodliness from Jacob and when He takes away their sins; then all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26-27).  Please read this transcribed sermon very carefully…..    

 

Today will be part two on the city of Zion.  My last sermon I more or less presented only an introduction on the subject of Zion, or I could say I was just laying the ground work on a subject that is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible.  We mainly looked at the historical writings in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles that talk of the physical historical Zion and how King David established Zion as his headquarters of power and rule over Israel.  If you recall we seen that King David dwelled and made his home in that fort and castle in Zion and he called Zion the city of David; which was also called Bethlehem the location of the birth of the greater David; Jesus Christ. 

 

It is very important to understand that the Zion David dwelled in is not the Zion that is mentioned many places in the book of Psalms, the prophets, and rest of the Bible.  The Zion that David dwelled in and had his headquarters of power was only the copy and pattern of spiritual and heavenly Zion. 

 

Originally Zion was only a hill in Jerusalem that David captured from the Jebusites and then established and built Zion, and named it the city of David.  That hill or mountain, that fort and castle in Zion, that small city of David was not at all like the Zion that is mentioned in the rest of the Bible.  But the Zion David dwelled in is very much linked with the spiritual Zion God dwells in.  In the same manner earthly Jerusalem is also not at all like the heavenly Jerusalem; but both were spiritually linked together to picture something. 

 

In my last sermon we learned that the word Zion means "parched place", a guiding pillar, a signpost, a monument in a dry desert wilderness.  As we know, lost Israel is figuratively in a dry wilderness, as explained in many scriptures.  But we also know Israel is not lost to God.

 

Amos 9:9-12 KJV For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as [corn] is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. {sift: Heb. cause to move} 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. 11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 

 

The footnote for sift in Heb is "cause to move".  It also means to be shaken, scattered, or to be a fugitive and vagabond.  Notice it was God that commanded, sifted, or caused the house of Israel to be removed, shaken, and scattered to all nations to become as fugitives and vagabonds, and I might add; in a dry desert wilderness in a parched place.  The word sieve means netted.  God’s sieve is God’s net.  Sieve also means to accumulate in number; or quantity, to multiply.  The house of Israel multiplied in God’s sieve or net; but notice that not the least grain fell to the earth through God’s net.  In other words, lost Israel is not lost to God and when David’s tabernacle is raised again they will possess the remnant of Edom, and all the heathen on which God’s name is called. 

 

A people called Israel are the only people ever in history on whom the name of God is called.  God is called the "God of Israel."  The only reason Israel could be called lost is because they are blinded as to who they are, and because they are in a dry desert wilderness; removed, scattered, shaken, and sifted among all nations.  That is the story of so-called lost Israel, but my point is, they are not lost to God.  Not the least of any Israelite will fall through God’s net.  But God sifted, caused, and blinded Israel only during this age, and then they will inherit and possess Edom and all the heathen when David’s tabernacle in mount Zion will again be established. 

 

There are certain people in today’s world that want to be a part of Zion.  They are known as the Zionists and we have all heard of the Zionist movement.  Could it be that they are the true Edomites that want to possess Jacob, and not the other way around; as explained by the prophet Amos?  Could it be they want to carry the name of Israel so they can claim the power and rule of Zion?  The modern Churches have generally been deceived by the Zionist movement, as we all know. 

 

God chose David as the ruler and King of Israel to represent the greater David Jesus Christ as the righteous ruler, judge, and King of Israel, and God chose that mount and city of Zion where David dwelled to represent God’s heavenly dwelling and God’s seat of power.  I want to repeat, the Zion that David writes about in Psalms is not the Zion that David dwelled in and ruled Israel from.  But David knew that the Zion he ruled from; his castle, his fortress that he made his home represented something very precious. 

 

What was precious to David was also precious to God, and that precious knowledge is that David understood about spiritual Zion reflected on how and what he wrote about Zion in the book of Psalms, as we will see.  When David wrote the psalms and wrote about Zion he expressed emotional heartfelt praises for God and for mount Zion.  As we all know, David was called a man after God’s own heart because of his praises for God and his praises for Zion and mount Zion, and what he understood about spiritual Zion.  Zion is mentioned thirty eight times in the book of Psalms.  

 

Today we will look at some of the scriptures where Zion is mentioned in Psalms, and some of the words associated with Zion.  Webster’s Dictionary says "psalm" means music, melody, a song composed about a divine subject of God and in praise of God.  Fifty five psalms were addressed to the chief musician.  Who was this chief musician?  That same word is translated as singer in Habakkuk 3:19 which says: "chief singer on my stringed instruments". 

 

As we all know, David loved stringed instruments such as a harp and many times that is how he praised God; with songs, music, dancing, and with musical instruments.  The word "musician" properly means to glitter from afar, it is used to mean superintendent, especially of the temple services and its music; it means to be permanent.  It was translated in other scriptures as excel, singer, overseers, set forward.  It is also taken from another word which means properly a goal, a bright object at a distance traveled towards.  It means splendor, truthfulness, and confidence; it means continually; to the most distant point of view.  It was translated most of the times using the word forever, or as always, constantly, end, evermore, perpetual, strength, and victory. 

 

If you recall in a previous sermon I talked about the meaning of these two words in relation to the wrath of God.  The meaning of words tells a story, brothers and sisters.  The chief musician was an actual singer and musician of David.  He could be called a superintendent or an overseer that excelled, and was set forward in charge of the temple services including its music; as the meaning explained.  But the question is, what did that chief musician represent from God’s point of view?  If we put all these meanings together into one thought we could safely say something like this:  God inspired King David when he lived in that castle in Zion to write in the fashion of a melody and a song, and to address his writings to his chief singer and musician. 

 

God wanted David’s writings to always and constantly be perpetual, have strength and victory, to have a goal of splendor that glitters from afar; a bright object to the most distant point of view.  God inspired David to write in musical fashion in praise to God in truthfulness and confidence on the subjects of God, and one of those subjects was the subject of Zion.  So now we will pick it up where we left off last time in Psalms where Zion is mentioned. 

 

Psalm 14:1-7 KJV To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David. The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. 2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one. 4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as] they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. 5 There were they in great fear: for God [is] in the generation of the righteous. 6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD [is] his refuge. 7 Oh that the salvation of Israel [were come] out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad.  

 

As we know, the apostle Paul in the book of Romans also quoted from this psalm.  Let’s just turn to Romans 3:10-19 .

 

KJV As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: 14 Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 

 

Who was under the law and what does the law say?  We just read that the purpose of the law is so that every mouth may be stopped, or silenced as it should read, and all the world may become guilty before God, and in the Greek footnote guilty reads "subject to the judgment of God".  It is the world of all Israel that was ever given the law and so it was all Israel that was under the law, and therefore made subject to the judgment of God. 

 

Paul quoted and repeated what David said; no, not one of all the world of Israel is righteous, or understands, or seeks after God, none does good, they are all unprofitable.  Why was all the world of Israel made guilty?  Because as we just read; all of Israel had to be made guilty by God’s law so that all Israel would be made guilty or subject to the judgment of God. 

 

After Israel was made guilty so that they can be judged by God; David then explained in Psalm 14:7 with heartfelt emotion; Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion.  David’s prayer was that after a guilty Israel is judged they would be saved.  This will be a time when Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad.  This is when God brings Israel out of their captivity; out of that parched place and dry desert wilderness.  David prayed and proclaimed that this would be the salvation out of Zion.   

 

Psalm 20:1-5  KJV To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; 2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; 3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; 4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. 5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up [our] banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

 

Notice that "thee" is mentioned repeatedly.  The footnote for "defend thee" says; set thee on a high place.  "Strengthen thee out of Zion" says; support thee out of Zion.  "Accept thy burnt sacrifice" says, turn to ashes.  The law of burnt offerings pictured Israel as God’s burnt sacrifice that He will accept.  God will accept Israel after Israel is symbolically burned to ashes by the judgment and wrath of God.  This will be the time when the God of Jacob will grant Israel according to His heart and He will fulfill all His counsel.  It will be the time that God will fulfill all the petitions of Israel.  It will be the time Israel will rejoice in God’s salvation.  It is David’s prayer that God sets Israel on a high place, and helps Israel, strengthens and supports Israel out of Zion. 

 

Psalm 48:1-14  KJV Great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, [in] the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, [is] mount Zion, [on] the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge. 4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. 5 They saw [it, and] so they marvelled; they were troubled, [and] hasted away. 6 Fear took hold upon them there, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. 9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. 10 According to thy name, O God, so [is] thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. 11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell [it] to the generation following. 14 For this God [is] our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide [even] unto death. 

 

This is a very important psalm that describes Zion and Mount Zion.  I want to spend some time analyzing what is said in this Psalm.  There are palaces, God’s temple, towers, and bulwarks in Zion, and it is also called the city of the great King.  The words, palaces and towers were also translated as castle and fortress.  These palaces, towers, and bulwarks are not of our physical world and are highly symbolic of spiritual things; things that can only be discerned spiritually.  Bulwarks mean entrenchment, or fortress.  As we learned before David dwelled in that castle and fortress in physical historical Zion, which pictured these spiritual palaces, towers, and bulwarks in spiritual Zion. 

 

As we know, Jesus Christ in Matt 5:35 quoted from this psalm and also talked about the "city of the great King."  Christ also mentioned about the many mansions in His Father’s house.  Mount Zion is called beautiful for situation.  "Situation" means elevation; which means Mount Zion is beautiful for its spiritual elevation or height.  Mount Zion, the city of the great King, is the joy of the whole earth, but when certain kings assembled and saw Zion they marveled, or were dumbfounded as it should read, and they were troubled and hurried away from Zion, and they feared and were in pain as a "woman in travail." 

 

This is highly symbolic language, because it is not possible for earthly kings to see the spiritual elevation and beauty of mount Zion.  This present earth is troubled and certainly not in joy, and this present evil world certainly does not understand and is totally oblivious to the beauty and joy of mount Zion.  David said mount Zion is the joy of the whole earth, but this whole earth certainly is not joyful in this present evil age. 

 

A woman in travail means she is about to give birth; which by God’s design is always followed by joy.  As we know, the phrase; a woman in travail is used to illustrate the pain, sufferings, and sorrow of people in evil, difficult, and deceptive times.  But then there is always the birth.  In other words; the pain, sorrow, and sufferings will end and then there is joy.  The joy of the whole earth will come after it went through sever pain, sufferings, and travail.  That is why the term, travail of a woman is biblically used because that pain and travail will end after enduring the birth pangs.  This whole earth and the whole creation are in pain and travail. 

 

Romans 8:18-23 KJV For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body.

 

Notice what Paul said in verse twenty.  Why did God make the whole creation subject to vanity, confusion, decay, devoid of truth, and in the bondage of corruption?  That is what vanity means.  This whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain and has an earnest expectation.  What is that earnest expectation?  This whole creation is expecting and waiting to be delivered by the sons of God.  The point is, we know a woman in travail is also waiting to be delivered. 

 

The CEV translation says this in verse twenty: 

Meanwhile, the creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused. God made it this way in hope.  In hope of what?  God made the whole creation subject to vanity and corruption and that includes us; as Paul says; we ourselves also are groaning and waiting.  God could have made a creation that is not subject to vanity. 

 

So why did God make the whole creation and us also subject to vanity and corruption?  We just read it.  It is for the very purpose and the very hope that it can be delivered from this decay and corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  A creation that God made subject to vanity is pregnant, and is in pain and travail and about to give birth; and what is that birth?  It is the glorious liberty of the children of God.  God’s children are a part of this creation that God subjected to vanity, decay, devoid of truth, and in the bondage of corruption.  The children of God cannot know and appreciate true liberty unless they experience the bondage of corruption; the sufferings, pain, and travail that God deliberately put His children through; but not willingly, as Paul explained. 

 

The children of God are the daughter of Zion which is the woman in travail in a dry desert wilderness groaning and waiting to be delivered.  Now let’s go back to Psalms 48.  The term "sides of the north" means hidden, dark, gloomy, and unknown.  It is taken from another word that means to hide by covering, and it is used figuratively to deny or to protect. 

 

The kings of this present evil world are in a sense in turmoil, troubled, and in fear of mount Zion.  Zion is hid, gloomy and unknown from the kings of this earth and they are denied the joy of Zion at this time.  But the daughters of Judah and Zion can rejoice and be glad of the judgments of mount Zion.  Why would they be glad for the judgments?  Because the daughters will know the judgments of mount Zion are going to make things right; to restore and cause the joy of the whole earth.  Acts 3:21 calls it; "the restitution of all things".  This will be the time that the whole creation will be delivered and will give birth as we read in Romans 8; and then there will be that joy when mount Zion restores all things according the good pleasure and counsel of God’s will.

 

Psalm 50:1-6 KJV The mighty God, [even] the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. 5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God [is] judge himself. Selah. 

 

Again it mentioned the perfection of beauty out of Zion.  When God shines and comes out of Zion He will not be silent, and that devouring fire is to judge His people.  That fire is very tempestuous or stormy, as it should read.  God himself is the judge.  God will call all the witnesses in heaven and earth to judge His people, and I believe those witnesses are angels that see and hear everything, and all works and words are being recorded.  All these works good or bad will be tried and purified by that devouring fire, and as we all know the apostle Paul explains in detail the purpose of that devouring fire. 

 

As we also know, in the Old Testament God called heaven and earth to witness against Israel so that Israel as a nation would perish and be utterly destroyed off the Promised Land. 

 

Deuteronomy 4:26 KJV I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong [your] days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 

 

God knew that Israel would rebel.  Notice it says; THAT ye shall soon utterly perish.  The angels in heaven and earth were called on to witness AGAINST Israel.  It was not to bless Israel; but to curse Israel.  How did God cause Israel to perish as a nation?  God removed and did not prolong Israel’s days upon the land so they utterly perished off the land.  Israel chose the way of death and God knew they would.  Israel did not prolong her days in the land and that is how Israel perished and was destroyed.  Israel perished as a nation and that was directly caused by God removing Israel to no longer dwell in the land.    

 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 KJV I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. 

 

For Israel to survive as a nation they had to be blessed in the Promised Land.   If Israel as a nation chose what is called life; than God would bless them, and later we will read what some of those blessings were.  Life is the blessing and death is the curse.  God wanted Israel to choose life so He could bless Israel so that Israel and Israel’s seed may live.  Israel’s seed lived anyhow even if they chose death.  God wanted Israel and Israel’s seed to live so that they would love, obey, and cleave to God. 

 

God is life, and if Israel as a nation loved, obeyed, and cleaved to God then God himself would be the life of Israel.  That is what it says, and God would also be the length of Israel’s days as long as they dwelled in the Promised Land.  But Israel’s seed had to obey God in order for God to be the length of days that they dwelled in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  God wanted Israel’s offspring to live so that Israel may dwell and be blessed in the land.  That is what it says. 

 

The length of Israel’s days as a nation ruled by God would continue as long as Israel obeyed God, and Israel would not die or experience the curse of death as a nation.  If Israel disobeyed and chose death to worship false gods than God would curse Israel and destroy them off that land, and as we know that is what happened to Israel.  The curse of death is the destruction of Israel as a nation.  All of Israel’s seed died the physical death anyhow even if they chose life.  In the same way if Israel’s seed chose death they still lived until of course they died. 

 

That is why the blessings and curses had to do with Israel being a nation ruled by God.  The length of days for Israel as a nation was not prolonged and the days of Israel came to an end because they chose death.  They ceased from being a nation blessed by God and God cursed the nation as a whole and put them away in punishment and captivity. 

 

That daughter of Zion is the woman that God cursed and put away and divorced, and she is in a dry desert wilderness waiting as a woman in travail for God to call heaven and earth to judge her by that purifying, devouring fire.  We have all read what the blessings and curses are if Israel as a nation either obeyed God or disobeyed God.  The quotes in Deut. explain that the blessings always would be that it may be "well with thee."  Those are the exact quotes. 

 

In other words, it would be well for Israel as a nation, and her days would be prolonged in that land promised to Abraham if they obeyed God and God would bless them.  I will not take the time to read Deuteronomy 4:40, 5:16, 6:3, 6:18, 12:25, and 28 that have that quote; "that it may be well with thee".  These scriptures always connect that Promised Land with Israel being blessed and that it would be well for Israel as long as they dwelled in that Promised Land. 

 

It was God himself that determined Israel’s length of days in that land, because as we read; God himself was the life of Israel and Israel’s length of days.  Lev. 26 also explains the blessings and the curses.  Israel would be blessed with good health, good crops, rain in due season, the land would yield her increase, the trees would yield good fruit, they would have peace and prosperity.  The curses were just the opposite.  We have all read the curses of Lev 26.  Sever drought; heaven as iron earth as brass, the land not yielding her increase, disease and sickness, Israel’s enemies ruling over her; ect.

 

Leviticus 26:16  KJV I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 

 

Notice God appoints and causes the terror, the consumption, the burning ague; or disease with burning fever, as it should read.  Terror means panic, destruction, trouble, and ruin.  Consumption means wasting disease of the lungs.  Did we ever hear of lung cancer?  The "eyes" symbolically mean mental and spiritual faculties that God also appointed to be consumed for Israel.  We have all heard the term mental illness or sickness.  Can we honestly say this nation (United States) as a whole generally speaking, does not have the mental and spiritual faculties to even know right from wrong, what is good and evil, or what truth is from error? 

 

"Consume the eyes" could also symbolically mean spring or fountain, and it was translated in other scriptures as fountain or fountains, and we have all read about the fountain of life and the fountain of living waters.  The point is, God will cause Israel to be in terror, panic, trouble, sick and diseased.  God causes sorrow of heart, and causes Israel to lose their mental and spiritual faculties. 

 

I won’t take the time to read all the curses of Lev 26, but there are some very horrible, gruesome things described in Lev 26.  These are the curses appointed by God for the daughter of Zion, and when that daughter is reduced to have their mental and spiritual faculties consumed away by God they will even resort to cannibalism; the eating of the flesh of their own sons and daughters. 

 

Leviticus 26:28-29 KJV Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.  

 

This is one scripture among many other scriptures that clearly explain the purpose of the fury and wrath of God.  Notice it was emphasized; "I even I."  God made sure that we know that it is Him that chastises, and we all know what chastise means.  It means to instruct, correct, teach, reform, reprove, and this is all done through sore and binding punishment.  It was translated using these same words in other scriptures. 

 

The daughter of Zion is capable of resisting God even to the point of eating the flesh of their own sons and daughters.  Some say that this could never happen here in this country.  Some say Lev 26 should not be taken literally or that these curses were all fulfilled when Israel was put away in captivity.  Let’s just suppose that some major cities in this nation would get destroyed by nuclear bombs by a so-called terrorist attack.  We are getting so used of hearing that term, and we are being conditioned.

 

But suppose it actually did happen; that major cities were destroyed by nuclear bombs.  This nation as a whole would panic and everything would come to a halt.  Suppose there would be no electricity in many areas of the country for an indefinite period of time.  There would be desperation and the scenario would be a total social breakdown of whole areas of the country.  Money would fail and be worthless, among many other things that would also suddenly become worthless.  Things that today are totally taken for granted. 

 

We just never think about these things, and we never think of the possible scenario a nation without its mental and spirituals faculties could be very capable of; a total social breakdown where everyone would be on their own for a struggle to survive.  There are parents today that their love is totally dead for their own children and some women today of the daughter of Zion are capable of aborting their own babies, and if they don’t abort they will cast their new born babies in trash cans. 

 

There are people today incapable of true love, because they have a total breakdown and a consuming away of their mental and spiritual faculties.  Do not think these types of people will not kill and slaughter their own children for survival if it comes to that.  I am not saying these things will happen to this nation; I am only saying it could happen, and I am also saying that it would be a mistake to ignore the curses described in detail in Lev 26.  I know these are some hard things, and it is not something pleasant to talk about.  It is even hard for me to point these things out.  The Bible is a hard book, and there are many unpleasant things that it would be very wise for us to take heed and understand. 

 

But keep in mind it is very possible for God to protect even those caught in a possible nuclear destruction.  God is very able to protect and provide under any circumstances, but He only protects those that are worthy of His protection.  Understand something.  He only causes and appoints the curses on those of the daughter of Zion that need to be cursed.  This is all explained in Lev 26.   Just a few more scriptures and then I will close. 

 

Psalm 51:14-18 KJV Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: [and] my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it]: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 

 

Notice that God will do His good pleasure unto Zion; as if to say God will do His good pleasure unto His own dwelling in heavenly Zion.  No, God wants to do His good pleasure onto His people Israel.  This is one example showing that Zion could simply be God’s people; the city on a hill; as Christ explained Matthew 5:14. 

 

Psalm 69:30-36 KJV I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 [This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 32 The humble shall see [this, and] be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. 33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. 34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. 35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

 

Here again, is it necessary for God to save Zion His own dwelling in heaven?  Again no, it is necessary for God to save His people.  As explained, He will save Zion for His people; so that they may inherit heavenly Zion and the rebuilt cities of Judah so they can have it in their possession and actually dwell in Zion.  The next time we will start in where we left of in Psalms.

 


 

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