From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 1997 11:06 PM
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"
Subject: RE: Mount Zion
> From: Stefan Blad
> To: "'Hebrew roots'" <heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com>
> Subject: Mount Sion
>
> Shalom Eddie
>
> Is the mount Zion in Psalm 133:3 Jerusalem or is there a mountain
> near Hermon called Zion according to Deut 4:48?
>
> Stefan Blad
>
> **********************************************************************
The Mountain Siyon mentioned in Deu 4:48 is the peak or summit of Mt.
Hermon in the Golan heights next to the Syrian border. Siyon in Hebrew
means "lofty" or peak of a mountain.
Mount Zion (Tsiyown)"parched place" is another name for Jerusalem the
Temple Mount area which sits north.
Dr. D. Levesque
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From: Philip Nowland
Subject: Mount Zion
To: "INTERNET:heb_roots_chr@geocities.com"
<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Shalom Stefan
I was very interested in your question, for it is one that I have
asked myself in the past, and I came to a conclusion that I have never
heard anyone else suggest.
Mount Hermon is a very large triple peaked mountain in the very north
of Israel, almost on the Syrian and Lebanon borders. While Mount Zion
is one of the numerous hills that constitute the city of Jerusalem.
At first sight, the combination of Psalm 133:3 and Deuteronomy 4:48
seems to imply that either Mount Zion is another name for Mount
Hermon, or part of Mount Hermon is also called Mount Zion.
But, is that actually what the Scriptures are saying?
It is important to note the actual Hebrew words that are used in the
two verses under consideration.
Psalm 133:3
It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion;
for there the LORD commanded the blessing-- life forevermore. (NKJ)
The word "Zion" here is Strongs 6726. This word is virtually always
rendered "Zion" in English translations of the Tanakh. It is usually a
reference to one of the primary hills of the environs of Jerusalem -
Mount Zion. This is where David had his palace, and where the Ark of
the Covenant temporarily resided prior to being taken across the
valley onto the hill known as Mount Moriah, where the Temple of
Solomon was built. Zion is always used in conjunction with the city of
Jerusalem. While Zion is frequently used as a kind of synonym for
Jerusalem, it is not necessarily a synonym for the Temple Mount.
The phrase "mountains of Zion" seems to be a reference to Jersualem.
Therefore, it is unlikely that the use of the word Zion, in Psalm
133:3, while referred to in the same sentence as Mount Hermon, is
meant to convey that the mountain in the northern most area of Israel
is to be understood to be actually located in Jerusalem. We should
look for an alternative interpretation.
However, what is meant by the words of Deutonomy 4:47?
Deuteronomy 4:47-48
And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of
Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the
Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, from Aroer, which is on the bank
of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), (NKJ)
The word "Sion" here is Strongs 7865, and is the only occasion that
this word is used in the Tanakh. While it appears to look similar, in
our English translations, to the word translated "Zion" in Psalm
133:3, it is has no connection. It derives from the Hebrew word for
elevation, or to arise, and may be a reference to the one (or all) of
the triple peaks of Mount Hermon.
However, I do think you are correct to link Psalm 133:3 to Jersualem.
But, maybe not in the way suggested by your question. Consider again
the words of the verse:
Psalm 133:3
It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion;
for there the LORD commanded the blessing-- life forevermore. (NKJ)
The dew of Mount Hermon (in the north) descends upon the mountains of
Zion (in the south). How can this be?
I have often wondered if the correct meaning of what the Psalmist is
saying is something like this:
"True fellowship is so sweet, and so blessed, that it is like the
wonderfully refreshing dew that is found on the slopes of Mount Hermon
(in the north). However, this refreshing dew is taken up by means of
evaporation, and carried south as the cloud of God's blessing and
becomes the beautiful refreshing rain that descends upon Mount Zion
(in the south). The Lord has commanded the blessing to be in Zion (the
City of Jerusalem) and in like manner, wherever brethren dwell
together in unity, there the Lord commands the blessing to be."
What do you think?
Philip Nowland
Huntingdon, England
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From: Stefan Blad
To: "heb_roots_chr@geocities.com'"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: RE: Mount Zion
>From Stefan:
***************
Thank you brethren for your answers!
Philip, I definitely agree with your understanding of the sweetness
of fellowship, and I also believe that there is something more hidden
behind the text in Psalm 133.
As far as I understand and according to what the Gospel says, Yeshua was
only once in the area of Mount Hebron, (Mat 13:16, in the region of Caesarea
Philippi) and He went there with the purpose of praying, as you can see in
Luke 9:18, 28.
As far as I can see, there are two reasons why he went there to pray:
1) He had to face those evil spirits who dominated that region, acording to
Psalm 22:12 (a Messianic prophecy that speaks about what happend to
Yeshua as He was hanging on the stake):
"Many bulls have surrounded Me; STRONG {BULLS} OF BASHAN (the same area)
have encircled Me.."
I believe some of the most powerful deamons were acting in the Golan
Heights, and it is very possible that they still do!
Yeshua needed to go there in order to face those spirits in prayer. And when
He died later on in Zion, the power of those fallen angels was broken!
2) The second reason for Yeshua to go there was to tread upon that place and
proclaim it as a part of the land of Israel, see Jos 1:3.
Psalm 68:15 says:
"A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan."
(As I understand the mount of Hermon belongs to the mountains
of Bashan. Please correct me if I'm wrong)
There is still a great fight going on in that area.
Psalm 133 speaks about fellowship referring to it as the precious oil on
the High Priest and his garments, descending upon the mountains of Zion.
"For there the LORD commanded the blessing -
Life forevermore." Ps 133:3b
When Yeshua was in the area of Caesarea Philippi, His talmidim (disciples)
regognized Him as the Messiah, see Mat 16:13 ff; Mark 8:27 ff.
Six days later he went up on the mount of Hermon, having FELLOWSHIP with
Peter, James and John, Mat 17:1 ff; Mark 9:2 ff; Luk 9:28 ff. He was
transfigured on Mount Hermon, and his clothes shone, with a radiant
whiteness, like snow. The disciples saw His glory. And there, on mount
Hermon He had FELLOWSHIP with Moses and Elijah. They spoke of His death,
something that was about to take place in JERUSALEM (Zion).
Then a bright cloud surrounded them; and a voice came from the cloud saying
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
FELLOWSHIP between the Father and the Son was also manifested. (He went up
to the mountain to pray, Luk 9:28.)
I believe the glory and the bright cloud, the "shekina", are represented
by the oil on the High Priest, that is the "dew" to which Psalm 133 refers.
The dew came over Yeshua on the mountain of Hermon when He had fellowship
with His Father, Moses, Elijah, Peter, Jacob and John.
--From that moment Yeshúa decided to go to Jerusalem to die, Luc 9:51.
He is the HIGH PRIEST who should give His blood for the redemption of the
world. He went, "covered with the dew", to Yerushalayim. So when the seed (the
grain of wheat) died on the ground of Zion the dew (Spirit) came upon it and
made it bear fruit.
This is a beautiful picture of the death and resurreccion of Yeshúa the Messiah.
"For THERE the Lord commanded the blessing -Life for ever more." Ps 133:3b
In Zion we can find blessing and life for ever more, thanks to the death
and resurreccion of the Messiah.
Fifty days later the "dew" descended on those 120 who was been together in
Zion in UNITY, Acts 2:1 ff.
Let's continue in unity so that the rain also can fall upon us!
And let's pray against the evil spirits that want the Golan Heights to be a
part of Syria, so that their influence over Israel can be broken and the
dew can fall on Zion!
Stefan Blad
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