Mount Sinai/Mount Zion

Sinai foreshadows Zion

At this point in our studies, we would like to concentrate on the significance of Mount Sinai as it foreshadowed spiritual Mount Zion. This is possibly the most misunderstood concept concerning the O.T. pattern of the coming of the church.

Law given on Mount Sinai

First lets look at some of the events surrounding the giving of the law of Moses on Mount Sinai. God called Moses to the top of the mountain in order to give him instructions concerning preparation for the receiving of the Ten Commandments. Moses was told to go back down to the people and have them prepare for God coming down unto the mountain in three days. They were to wash their clothes and set a boundary around the mountain so that no one would go up into the mountain nor even touch it. The children of Israel were to gather around the mountain, but were forbidden to touch it under the penalty of death. On the third day, God descended upon the mountain and called Moses to come up to receive the Ten Commandments. I'm sure we are all familiar with the story of what happened while Moses was in the mountain. The people abandoned God and made a golden calf to worship. Because of this, God was very angry with the people and about three thousand were slain on that day.

Gospel given on Mount Zion

The children of Israel gathered around Mount Sinai in order to receive the law from God which was the law of Moses. In Heb. 12:18, Christian are told that they are not gathered around Mount Sinai, instead, according to Heb. 12:22, they are come unto Mount Zion. Mount Zion is a figurative description of the church. In fact, in Heb. 12:22-23, Mount Zion is called: (1) the city of the living God; (2) the Heavenly Jerusalem; (3) the general assembly; and, (4) the church of the firstborn. All of these names apply to the church of our Lord. Micah 4:2b states, "for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Moses was a likeness of Christ and he gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Christ came to this earth, died for our sins and was resurrected, and gave his law on spiritual Mount Zion. Micah 4:7 goes on to say that "the LORD shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever." Christ gave his law on spiritual Mount Zion and is reigning over his people in that mountain, the church, today.

3000 Died - 3000 Saved

It is also interesting to note that on the day Moses came down from the mountain 3000 were slain, but on the day the church was established in Mount Zion, 3000 were saved. The law of Moses was a law of spiritual death because nobody could keep it perfectly, but the law of Christ is a law of life because it provides for the forgiveness of our sins.

Lamb Stands on Mount Zion

This parallel symbolism can be used to help interpret several passages in the book of Revelation. We will take a look at one passage at this time with more to come on it later. Rev. 14:1 says, "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." This picture is taken precisely from the comparison of Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. Christ(Lamb)is standing on Mount Zion and 144,000 are standing with him. All we have to do to understand this symbolism is ask the question; "Who stands with Christ on Mount Zion." The obvious answer to that is: Christians. We are the ones who have come unto Mount Zion (Heb. 12:22), and Christ is reigning over us today in that mountain, the church, (Micah 4:7). We symbolically have the name of the Father written in our foreheads which means we pledge our allegiance and thoughts to him. This in direct contrast to those who are not following Christ and have the mark of the Beast in their foreheads (Rev. 13:16).

Christians Stand with Christ on Mount Zion

We need to realize the importance of the church and what it means to stand with Christ in Mount Zion. The drawing below illustrates how Christians are reigning with Christ on Mount Zion today, and it also shows the path we must follow in order to be among those who stand with him.


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Mount Sinai/Mount Zion