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Volume 33   Number 22 May 31, 2009

        Jeremiah 31:12-14: "Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of ZION, streaming (flowing together) to the goodness of the Lord —for wheat (bread) and new wine (joy in the Holy Spirit) and oil (anointing), for the young of the flock (children) and the herd (whole assembly). Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow (to be grieved) no more at all.
        "Then shall the virgin (pure in heart) rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow . I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord."
        Zion and the people of Zion are described in the following scriptures: Isaiah 60:1: Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. This is speaking of Zion. Isaiah 60:14b: ..."And they shall call you The City of the Lord, ZION of the Holy One of Israel" (people of glory). Isaiah 61:3: "To console (appoint) those who mourn in ZION, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..." (people of anointing).
        Isaiah 62:1-3: For ZION'S sake I will not hold my peace (keep silent), and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. Psalm 91 declares protection in Zion for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High—people under His shadow.
        Psalm 46:4-5: There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High (Zion). God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved (or shaken); God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. There is a river of God's presence in Zion, a flowing together. Also read Revelation 22:1.
        Psalm 2:6-8: "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of ZION. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance and the ends of the earth for Your possession.'" Psalm 48:1-3: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God (Bride City), in His holy mountain (ZION). Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is MOUNT ZION on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge.

        Following is a dream Sharlene Wiley had concerning MOUNT ZION. In the dream, she was standing at the base of a huge mountain that extended thousands of feet high. The lower half of the mountain was enormous, and the upper part became very narrow towards the top, much like a pyramid. At the very top she saw an awesome brilliant light streaming out and lighting the heavens. She knew this was Mount Zion which Psalm 48 speaks of: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. In the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Psalm 50:2: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. It is a place of praise and worship, and it is God's dwelling place. Psalm 9:11: Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion.
        At the bottom of the mountain was a great plain covered in grass as far as the eye could see. Multitudes and multitudes of people were in this huge area—some were sitting in small groups, some were walking about, but most of them were just standing. Sharlene noticed that they were so occupied with their circumstances and what was going on in their lives that most of them were not even aware of the mountain.
        As time went by, some of the people began to move toward the mountain and showed some interest in climbing it. The path was wide and had a gentle incline. However, Sharlene saw that everyone who wanted to climb the mountain brought heavy, weighty things with them. One man had a huge concrete block strapped to his back, and he began to slowly and painfully make his way up the mountain. Another man had big plastic bags full of garbage and broken junk that he was dragging along as he began to climb. Sharlene was amazed at this and said: "Why don't you get rid of that stuff? It's making the climb so much harder for you. Just get rid of it." But the man with the bags said: "No, I won't get rid of it. This is who I am." Hebrews 12:1 says: ...let us lay aside every weight, burden, and hindrance, and the sin which so easily ensnares, entraps, and entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
        In the meantime, Jesus was just a few steps ahead of those who were climbing, saying in His strong yet gentle voice: "Come up higher. Come up higher." Sharlene saw a lady start to climb up the mountain, but three of her family members grabbed hold of her and she began dragging them along. She had a look of determination on her face that she was going to go up the mountain, but eventually the pull of her family became too intense, and she began to slide back. The two men Sharlene had seen earlier also slid back down the mountain, because they wouldn't let go of the things which they thought were so important but unfortunately were weighing them down.
        Eventually, many more people began climbing the mountain. One by one they began to get rid of the heavy loads they were carrying the higher up they went. Many of them felt so free to be rid of their burdens that they even took their shoes off and continued on the upward pathway in their bare feet. Psalm 18:33 says: He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. And to each one, Jesus was saying: "Come up higher. Come up higher."
        About half way up the mountain, it became much steeper and the path narrower, and only one person at a time could traverse the path. As Sharlene observed those who were climbing, she noticed that the top third of the mountain was covered in a thick cloud. No one could see into it, and no one knew what it was until they went into it. Sharlene was amazed to see what happened next. Many people had made the arduous trek up the mountain, up the steep terrain, and narrow pathway. But when they came close to the cloud, many of them stopped in fear and even dread. They looked afraid, because they knew that going into the cloud meant that they would have to lose their identity and become completely enveloped in the cloud. They had come a long way up the mountain, but they were not willing to be completely immersed in the cloud. However, many people eagerly walked right into the cloud without hesitation.
        Then as Sharlene stepped into the cloud, she was aware of being completely immersed in it and couldn't see anything or anyone. But as she stayed on the path and continued upward, suddenly in the midst of the cloud was an intense brilliant light. She understood that it was the fire of God, for our God is a consuming fire. However, instead of being hot and burning, the fire imparted an intense feeling of being extremely alive, a thousand times beyond what we experience in our everyday lives. The fire in the cloud was glorious and life-giving, and everyone who was willing to rid themselves of weights and hindrances and set their heart to climb the mountain received the eternal benefits of God's presence.
        And then, as Sharlene came to the very top of the mountain, she saw the Throne of God and Jesus seated at His right hand. It was truly awesome and indescribable, and she remembered that earlier when she was at the base of the mountain, she had looked up to the top and saw a glorious, brilliant light—it was God's Throne at the top of Mount Zion, the place where He dwells.

        This dream helped to explain some important issues that we are seeing in the body of Christ today.
        (1) There are multitudes of good people who love God and are enjoying His blessings who are not even aware of Mount Zion (God's holy presence). They are content to stay on the ground where everything is safe, and they do very little to even acknowledge God's presence.
        (2) So many in the body of Christ today continue to drag with them a lot of baggage, such as things from the past, offenses, discouragement, unforgiveness, pride, self-promotion, and the list goes on. If these weights and hindrances aren't released, then the climb up Mount Zion is slow, painful, and discouraging, even to the point of sliding back (backsliding).
        (3) Jesus is always present to encourage each individual to: "Come up higher." He is there every step of the way.
        (4) When people become free of all their baggage and even their shoes, God gives them hind's feet, which is the ability to go higher in Him, deeper in His Word, and the ability to understand the power and intensity of God and the Holy Spirit.
        (5) Even though many in the body of Christ are making progress up the mountain, when they come face to face with the cloud of God's awesome glory, many of them turn around and go back. Many enjoy God's presence and His Word, but when God requires them to move on into the cloud, they turn back because they are not willing to completely lose themselves in His fire, which is His glorious presence. Jesus said in Matthew 10:30: "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."
        Psalm 24:3-5 sums it all it: Who shall ascend (or go up higher) into the hill (or mountain) of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place (at His throne)? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who had not lifted up his soul to an idol (vanity, uselessness, desolation, and destruction), nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
        Through this dream, the Lord is saying to us: (1) ZION is calling us to come up higher. (2) ZION is calling us to a higher place of praise. (3) ZION is calling us to a deeper place of faithfulness and commitment. (4) ZION is calling us to a greater desire to reach the top of the mountain where we will truly see and experience the awesome glory and majesty of God's Throne.

        Isaiah 66:6-8: "The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord who fully repays His enemies! Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. Who has heard such a ting? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as ZION travailed, she gave birth to her children." Zion is in travail to produce this manchild, first-fruits, and overcoming company, for out of Zion comes deliverance in the Year of Jubilee.
        Joel 2:1 says: "Blow the trumpet in ZION, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain!" The people of Zion are making a proclamation. The trumpet also speaks of the prophetic word going forth. Then the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is roaring in Joel 3:16-17: "The Lord also will roar from ZION and utter His voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and earth will shake; but the Lord will be a shelter for His people and the strength of the children of Israel. So you shall know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in ZION My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no aliens shall ever pass through her again."
        Revelation 21:9: Then one of the seven angels.....talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." The verses which follow describe the city of Jerusalem. It is the New Jerusalem which is also the Bride City and includes ZION. Revelation 22:17: And the Spirit and the bride say "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. The Spirit and the Bride are speaking, giving an invitation to come, to enter, and rise up. It is again Zion calling us to something higher.
        Jeremiah 50:5 speaks of the way to Zion and the perpetual covenant: "They shall ask the way to ZION, with their faces toward it, saying, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten.'"
        QUESTION: Do you want to be the one asking the way to Zion, or do you want to be a citizen of Zion telling the way?
        ZION IS CALLING. HOW WILL YOU ANSWER?