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theophilus

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Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.
Psalm 48:1-3 ESV

This Psalm speaks of Mount Zion, which is another name for Jerusalem, as being in the far north. Jerusalem was near the center of Israel. After the kingdom split in two it was near the northern border of Judea but there is no way it could be considered to be in the far north.

It seems obvious that this doesn’t speak of the present city of Jerusalem but of a new Jerusalem which will exist in the future. Someday God will destroy the present earth and create a new heaven and a new earth. This new earth is described in chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation. He will create a new Jerusalem which will be the capital of the new earth. (Perhaps he has already created it and it is waiting in heaven for the time it will be brought down to earth.)

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:2 ESV

The Bible doesn’t say where on earth the city will be located but the Bible associates the direction north with being the seat of God’s power. Here is what Satan said when he rebelled against God.

You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
Isaiah 14:13,14 ESV

It appears that the new Jerusalem will be in the extreme north, in the area around the North Pole. I guess Santa Claus will have to find a new location for his toy factory.
 

amadeus

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Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.

Psalm 48:1-3 ESV

This Psalm speaks of Mount Zion, which is another name for Jerusalem, as being in the far north. Jerusalem was near the center of Israel. After the kingdom split in two it was near the northern border of Judea but there is no way it could be considered to be in the far north.

*********************

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:2 ESV

The Bible doesn’t say where on earth the city will be located but the Bible associates the direction north with being the seat of God’s power. Here is what Satan said when he rebelled against God.

You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”

Isaiah 14:13,14 ESV

It appears that the new Jerusalem will be in the extreme north, in the area around the North Pole. I guess Santa Claus will have to find a new location for his toy factory.

Zion
From psalm 48:2

!wyc Tsiyown (tsee-yone'); Proper Name Location, Strong #: 6726

Zion = "parched place"

  1. another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books
KJV Word Usage and Count
Zion 153
Sion 1


In the far reaches
in the far reaches of the north;
From Psalm 48:2 & Isaiah 14:13

hkry Y@rekah (yer-ay-kaw'); Noun Feminine, Strong #: 3411

  1. flank, side, extreme parts, recesses
    1. side
    2. sides, recesses (dual)
KJV Word Usage and Count
side 21
coasts 3
parts 2
border 1
quarters 1
 

Stranger

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I agree that Scripture definitely places Zion in the north. It is the abode of God. But, I don't see it identified with the extreme north on the earth, such as the North Pole.

In other words, our compass bearings are geared toward the earth. But what is north or south to God? Before He created the universe, what was north or south? If I go outside and place my feet on the earth, above me is my north. And my feet point toward my south. My left and right arms extended horizontally are my east and west. So, as far as my north and south goes, the people on the others side of the earth are hanging upside down. Above their head is south too me.

My point is, whatever is north to God is the real north. And it doesn't have to fit with north in relation to the earth.

For this reason, and because God has gone to great trouble, if He can be troubled, God has identified His place on earth as Jerusalem. And I believe that aligns with His north.

Just like I believe there is a particular place on earth which is the abode of satan. It is an earthly place yet in the spiritual world it is also the center of wickedness. Where is that? The land of Shinar.

(Zech. 5:5-11) "....And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof....Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base."

This is where Babel is located. (Gen. 10:10) "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel...in the land of Shinar." Also see (Gen. 11:2) as it was where man rebelled against God.

I believe these places fixated on earth are done so as they have spiritual significance.

Stranger
 

icxn

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In the Greek, verse 3 translates:

3 The city of the great King is well planted on the mountains of Sion, with the joy of the whole earth, on the sides of the north.​

Jerusalem, the city of the great King is indeed situated on the north side of mount Sion.

Allegorically, north parts, where Satan is said to be seated (or rather was), are the idolatrous nations, the Gentiles that are now Christians. The Christians are now the city of God (the great King), because of their common beliefs and way of life (policy, conversation, citizenship, Philippians 3:20). The Greek word for city is πόλις and that of conversation (or policy) is πολιτεία. As you can see they have the same root (where you derive the word politics). Mountains of Sion can be understoood as the local congregations that share the same beliefs and make up the Church.
 
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Episkopos

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Actually this is a Hebrew enigma...as so many things are in the bible.

The word for north..is TSAFON. The word for "hidden" is TSAFOON. So it is just one more play on words. In the Hebrew bible both words are written identically. It is only the pronunciation that is different. And that is by context alone.

Both words have exactly the same letters in the same order... Tsadik, fey, vav and nun (sofit)

So then Zion is hidden in the spiritual realm. Seek first the kingdom.

The kingdom of God is like a treasure "HIDDEN" (TSAFOON) in a field...
 
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