The word ‘Zionist’ has become in modern pejorative vernacular of those who hate Zion synonymous with ‘occupier, racist, apartheid, colonists, thieves, oppressors, and even Nazis.’ And those who profess and perpetuate the ancient Catholic heresy of Replacement Theology have turned Zion into only an imaginary land ‘somewhere over the rainbow’, as if God were no longer the Sovereign of reality and history of His world. What, then, is Zion?
The Hebrew word Zion (Tzion-ציון ), which is used countless times in the Biblical scriptures, means ‘a marked place’ or ‘a sign post’. The infinitive verb l’zien is ‘to mark’, as in placing one’s signature, or grading a school paper, or mitzuyon, meaning ‘excellent’. It arises from the Bible passages that told the people of Israel to ‘go to the place that I will cause my name to dwell’ (Deuteronomy 12:11, 21; 16:2, 6, 11; 26:2). Where is that marked place?
The Land of Judah (Yehuda), the inheritance of the Tribe of Judah in the Land of Israel, contains the significant towns of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron. These are the cities of King David, Yeshua the Messiah, and Abraham. In Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, is where Abraham took his son Isaac as an offering, and would be the location of the Temple of YHVH, on Mount Zion. Judah (Yehuda), from which arises the name Jew (Yehudi), contains the entire name of God. If the letter dalet is removed from Yehuda, the name YHVH- the Tetragramaton- remains in its entirety:
יהודה-יהוה
YHVH dwells in Judah, the marked place. It is therefore significant that the Messiah the son of David (the dalet) would come forth from the tribe of Judah, from among “the people who are called by my name” (2 Chronicles 7:14)- the Jews. It is also written that both Jerusalem and the Messiah will have a new name: YHVH tsidkeinu יְהוָֹה צִדְקֵנוּ -the Lord our righteousness-(Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16). And Yeshua said, ”Salvation is of the Jews.”
Though we are told that the Heavenly Jerusalem will come down to meet the earthly realm and city, as did the Messiah take on real flesh and blood, it too will be a real place of permanence, not a mere illusion, where one may plant one’s feet with certainty- ‘Our feet shall stand within your gates, O Jerusalem.’ – (Psalm 122:2)
צִיּוֹן
“For out of Zion the Torah shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
יְהוּדה
“He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.”
“YHVH loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.”
“Mount Zion…the city of the Great King.”