The Mystery of Mount Zion: Hebrews 12:22-24
“22) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24) and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24
What a beautiful picture. Mount Zion is presented as the gathering ground for all the saints who are awaiting the completion of eternal salvation. This is the fulfillment of Hebrews 11:39-40; “39) And all these, gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40) because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
I look at this as I Thessalonians 4:13-18. As believers die, they are gathering in the presence of the Lord for His Return. When Jesus comes back, He is going to bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Christ and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them.
Then it will happen. The mystery of 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 will happen at the same time. “52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” The gathering ground of Mount Zion and those who are alive at the return of Christ will put on our new and imperishable bodies all at the same time.
I look at Mount Zion as the heavenly waiting ground for all those who have died and gone before the ones who will be alive when Christ returns. He will bring them with Him, and then at the exact same moment, in a flash, at the last trumpet, in the twinkle of an eye we will all be changed together into our promised 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 bodies. At the same moment, we will all be made perfect.
This is a great mystery. Mount Zion is a real place in the presence of the Lord. It is the heavenly Jerusalem. I believe the role call is almost complete. The next big prophetic event is about to happen on Gods calendar. Jesus is about to return.
I better stop there lest Biblical Revelation turns into sanctified speculation. Sufficient to say that something glorious is about to unfold. All of the promises of God are about to converge at the last Trumpet. Revelation 19-21 is about to become reality.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
