Thursday, January 25, 2007

Zion the Lion

What is the meaning of your name Zion? Answer: Psalms 87:2-3, "The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God." Occurring over 150 times in the Bible, the word "Zion" essentially means "fortification." In the Bible, the Zion is both the city of David and the city of God. As the Bible progresses, the word Zion transitioned from referring primarily to a physical city, to a more spiritual context.The first mention of the word "Zion" in the Bible is 2 Samuel 5:7, "Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David." Zion, therefore, was originally the name of the ancient Jebusite fortress in the city of Jerusalem. Zion came to stand not only for the fortress but also for city in which the fortress stood. After David captured "the stronghold of Zion," Zion was then called "the City of David" (1 Kings 8:1; 1 Chronicles 11:5; 2 Chronicles 5:2).

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