So, guys one of the things we don't want to do, which is what I think most of the world does with this whole concept of Zion,
is they reminisce about Zion sitting by the rivers of Babylon.
Remember that Bonium song, all those guys here who are above 35,
by the rivers of Babylon.
I mean I thought that was a really cool godly song, but basically it's a very sad song, man.
They're sitting by the river Babylon and reminiscing of the good times and the songs of Zion.
We're not called to reminisce about Zion, we're supposed to live in Zion.
Psalm 137, one talks about the rivers of Babylon.
We don't want to sit by the rivers of Babylon to reminisce about Zion.
So, eyes to see, let's start there.
See, a growing child needs to grasp what his or her parents see about the child.
So, what I mean is, let's take James and Sapna as an example.
Right now Sarah can come up and do her little boogie-boo dance here and shout and stuff like that.
But there are dreams and there are ways that James and Sapna see her.
And when Sarah begins to grasp what James sees for her in the future,
when Sarah begins to grasp what Sapna sees for her in the future,
and we are praying that Sapna and James will grasp what God sees about her so that they can transfer it,
once a child begins to grasp what the parent sees, the child can then begin to shape and become that.
It's the same way, God is fine with us understanding that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God is happy that we understand that we are a community that is built by the Holy Spirit.
God is glad that we've understood that Christ lives in us.
But now God wants us to go to a place where we move from adolescence to maturity
to see ourselves as a Zion people because Zion was something that God has been talking about from the beginning, man.
Before anything called born again, before anything called Israel happened, Zion happened.
Zion actually existed even before the world was created.
The concept of Zion, we'll talk about it, you can switch it off now, man.
So, it's only if we as children begin to grasp what the father wants us to see
that we'll be able to be shaped into that mold.
For example, if you look at Israel, Israel saw themselves as the chosen ones, right?
But guess what? Israel never saw themselves as a son.
Israel never saw themselves as a kingdom of priests.
What a sad thing, eh?
They got stuck at seeing themselves as the chosen ones.
In fact, today the Jewish nation still sees itself as the chosen ones
and have forgotten that there's a destiny greater than just being chosen.
They're supposed to see themselves as son.
God said that about them, Israel my son, Israel my son.
But they never saw themselves as sons, man.
They only saw themselves as chosen.
They never saw themselves as a kingdom of priests.
In Exodus 19 or so, God says, you are a kingdom of priests.
You're my model nation to show the nations of the world what it is to belong to a nation of whom God is president.
But they missed out, man.
They went and told Samuel, we want a king like the other nations.
You see, that can happen to us.
Where we see ourselves as chosen, we see ourselves as heaven bound,
we see ourselves as the temple of the Holy Spirit,
but we forget that there is another phase that God wants us to see ourselves as,
which is, he wants us to see ourselves as Zion.
We'll talk about what Zion is, but you understand why we need to see with eyes that will begin to move us from adolescence to maturity.
Because still the church here on earth does not see herself as Zion.
She's missing out.
She is missing out.
So Zion is a theme that runs throughout the Bible like a thread that just goes continuously, man.
You'll see it from Deuteronomy 4.48.
That's when Zion is mentioned first.
Deuteronomy 4.48 is when Zion is mentioned first.
And then you see Zion mentioned in Revelation 14.1.
And in Revelation 14.1 says that along with the lamb, 144,000 people stood on Mount Zion.
That's how Revelation 14.1 talks about Zion.
And in Deuteronomy 4.48 it says that near this place called Aror was a mountain called Zion.
So Zion has been a theme that has been running consistently through the Bible.
And it's called many different names, guys.
Sometimes it's called the Holy Mountain.
Sometimes it's called the City of God.
Sometimes it's called the Mount of the Congregation.
Sometimes it's called Jerusalem.
Sometimes it's called the City of David.
There are many different names for it.
But these are just some of them.
They're used interchangeably in the Bible.
Some of the references you can find it in is Psalm 76, Psalm 48, Hebrews 12.
You'll find these different terms used for it.
Sometimes it's called God's Holy Mountain.
Sometimes it's called City of God.
Sometimes City of David.
Sometimes the Mount of the Congregation or the Mount of Assembly.
Sometimes Jerusalem and sometimes City of David.
In Hebrews 12.22 it says,
You have already come to Mount Zion, the City of the Living God, the New Jerusalem.
And we talked about this ages ago.
The concept of Zion was in the mind of God.
Okay, we talked about this last week.
What was Zion initially?
Anyone remembers what Zion was initially?
It was a fortress on a small hill.
And it was a Jebusite stronghold.
David comes, defeats the Jebusites, and suddenly this fortress on a small hill becomes his city.
He calls it the City of David.
And then he brings the Ark to this small hill.
And now it becomes the mountain where the Ark of God or the presence of God dwells.
And then David built his own palace and began to rule from there.
And he began to call it the City of David.
All these are names of the small hill.
It's not a big majestic hill, which is why it's compared to a whole lot of bigger, more majestic hills.
But it's a small hill.
But guess what? Before God even created the topography of the small hill on this planet Earth,
Satan knew about it.
In fact, when Satan was being cast out of heaven, you know what he said?
I want to sit on the mount of the congregation.
You see it. Go to Isaiah, let me see where it is.
Go to Isaiah 14, 13.
Isaiah 14, 13.
Isaiah 14, verse 13.
Verse 13.
These words are attributed to Lucifer speaking.
It says that in Isaiah 14, 13,
You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven.
I will raise my throne above the stars of God.
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
So Satan knew of this concept called Zion even before the Earth was as such created,
because Satan's fall happened before Adam and Eve entered Eden.
So he was aware of this concept even before.
Please remember that.
That is how potent a thing Zion is.
I don't want to call it a thing. We'll call it what it is a little later.
That's how potent Zion is.
That it was something that Satan wanted to take over right from the beginning,
because he knew that it is out of there that ruling and dwelling will happen.
Which is why as long as it stays hidden,
he is in a sense getting indirectly what he always desired.
God's concept of Zion never changed,
but Israel and the church came to represent the very opposite of God's ideal.
In fact, Zion became a place of desolation.
And I would suggest to you that today either Zion is hidden,
or the church which should become this thing called Zion is in desolation.
If you go to Lamentations 2.6, Lamentations 2.6,
Lamentations is after, what's it after? Lamentations is after Jeremiah.
Just showing off, huh? Jeremiah. Lamentations 2.6.
And it says there in Lamentations 2.6,
But then there's this marvelous verse in Psalm 102.16.
If you turn to Psalm 102.16, then we'll break for questions.
Psalm 102.16 says,
And here's what it says in Psalm 102.16.
It says,
See, God knows how it was made desolate,
but God says, I will come and rebuild Zion,
and when I rebuild Zion, my glory will be evident.
My glory will be evident.
So please understand that Zion today, I mean, we all know this.
What is Zion today?
Zion is a people, guys. We'll talk about it next.
God is basically saying, I'm going to come and rebuild Zion, a people,
so that I may manifest my glory through them.
And guys, it's vital that we get with God's rebuilding program,
because God so wants to rebuild Zion.
I said Zion was a fortress, then it became David City,
then it became a place where the Ark of God dwells.
Today, where does God dwell?
In a people.
Previously, where the Ark was, was where Zion was.
The Ark was placed in Zion.
Zion was called the City of God,
because God dwelt on this small mountain
in what was symbolically represented as a box
called the Ark which the priest would carry.
Today, we're not any more symbolic.
We have become that people.
We are Zion, guys.
We are the Ark.
We are Zion.
We are people have become Zion.
It's us.
And he's saying now that I want to rebuild Zion,
meaning I want to put it back together
the way it should be so that my glory can be manifested,
so that it can appear.
Wayne, I'm going to take a break for questions
if you want to do whatever you want to do.
So, questions.
So, let me write it down.
Zion is a people, not individuals.
I am not Zion,
but I am one who belongs to a people
in whose midst God dwells.
God dwells.
So, let me say that again.
Zion is a people, it's not individuals.
Zion is a people and not individuals.
I am not Zion,
but I am one who belongs to a people in whose midst God dwells.
It's an important distinction to make.
You cannot be a maverick in Zion.
Yeah, you cannot have a solitary living stone
because that stone, regardless of how strong it is,
is not living, it is dead.
Zion is a people, not individuals.
I am not Zion, but I am one who belongs to a people
in whose midst God dwells.
So, please understand that.
That if you want to be a Zion person,
you have to belong to a Zion people.
It's just like I cannot go and stand and say,
I am Canada.
No, no, no, no.
I can only say I am Canadian
because I belong to a nation called Canada.
But if I go and say, I am Canada, they'll laugh.
So, it's the same principle.
And these people are marked by a unique culture,
unique perspectives, unique benefits.
Man, you have no idea of the benefits.
Unique characteristics.
These people are marked by a unique culture,
unique perspectives,
unique characteristics,
and unique goals.
Unique characteristics and unique benefits, man.
When you check the benefits out, you'll say,
this is the best place to live in.
Just like they say Canada is the best country to live in,
this Mount Zion is the best people to live on.
And the strange thing is,
when you go anywhere because you belong to this people,
that culture, that perspective, those benefits
follow you wherever you go.
Just like if I were to go to Timbuktu or to Haiti,
I would still have the benefits of my Canadian citizenship.
It's the same way.
But am I Canada? No.
But do I belong to a people called Canada? Yes.
And therefore the benefits that are given to the people of Canada
are now mine wherever I go.
It's the same principle.
Can we break for questions?
Am I good?
Okay, we're going to look at benefits in Zion, man.
This will blow your mind.
Benefits in Zion.
The first thing we look at is protection.
What kind of protection do these people of Zion have
because God has made them
his favorite, favorite, favorite dwelling place
and is jealous over them
and thinks that they are the best place to dwell in
and he thinks that they are the place that he wants to rest.
He feels most comfortable resting in their presence.
You know, when I go and travel to India, for example,
you can put me up in a really nice hotel
or you can put me up in my friend Christy's place.
Guess what?
I'd really enjoy the hotel,
but you know where I find real rest?
At Christy's place.
It's like that.
God is saying you can be all you want to be,
but you know what?
Zion is my favorite resting place, Jacob.
So be Zion so that I can really rest.
It's that kind of a thing.
So because God rests here,
over Zion, I love this,
over Zion, we're talking about protection now,
God spreads a covering.
Over Zion, God spreads a covering for defense,
for defense,
and it becomes a perpetual stronghold.
It becomes a perpetual stronghold.
Let's go to Isaiah 4.5.
Isaiah 4.5.
I had no idea we'd be talking about this
when we chose Isaiah 4.5 as our theme for the year in January.
Isaiah 4.5.
This is delicious.
Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion.
Let me replace the word Mount Zion with people,
the Zion people.
Then the Lord will create over all of Zion people
and over those who assemble there,
a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night.
Over all the glory will be a canopy.
It'll be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day
and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain.
This is what is being given to us as a people.
You suddenly realize that so many people
you suddenly realize that so when you
wherever you go this is over you because you are a Zion people.
Suddenly you don't have to necessarily pray
that the plane will stay in the air
or that your car won't be broken into
or that your house be safe
or that you be pleaded over with the blood of Christ
so that no demons attack you
because the Zion people who understand, align, grasp
and live out of that knowledge
that God dwells amongst them
always walk under this cloud
of fire and smoke
which is a shade over them
come heat, rain, storm, whatever.
It's a continuous place of existence guys.
This is why I say if God actually turned up and said
I want to live in your house
trust me man you'll go to sleep with the door left open.
You'll have your laptop sitting at your door
you'll work on your laptop at the door.
You'll put your 42 inch TV out in the corridor.
Why? Because God lives in your house.
Who the heck is going to touch that now?
It's the same kind of principle.
It's like the Knight Rider thing.
Please step away from the car.
Okay.
I love this next one.
It's from Isaiah 33.
Dianak and I guess recited blind
but Isaiah 33 and verse 20.
Isaiah 33
verse 20
Guys the picture is of
Zion being a people
So Zion being a people and
God's putting a huge river
like a broad river like a moat around it.
And so what happens is
no pirate ship, no mighty battleship
no destroyer can come anywhere near Zion
because God will not allow them to ply
in that defensive moat
called this broad river that he's put around Zion.
No one shall come that way.
No pirate shall take it.
That's what it's meant.
This is the kind of people we are.
We've got to align ourselves with this understanding
because somehow
both the spirit world
humans and God knows when we believe in something
and when we don't.
I love the next thing I want to say.
You know if you go to Exodus 19 13
someone can turn to Exodus 19 13.
Exodus 19 13.
Let's start at verse 10.
Exodus 19 10.
19 10 yeah.
This was with reference to Mount Sinai
which as I was saying to James
is not Mount Zion but
is sometimes used as
a model because God came and
dwelt on Mount Sinai when he spoke to Moses.
And so the Bible says
that the people of Mount Sinai
dwelt on Mount Sinai when he spoke to Moses.
And the Lord said to Moses
go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.
Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day
because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai
in the sight of all the people.
Put limits for the people around the mountain
and tell them be careful that you do not go up to the mountain
or touch the foot of it.
Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
Verse 13 is what I want us to look at.
He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows.
Not a hand is to be laid on him.
Where the man or animal he shall not be permitted to live.
Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast
may they go up to the mountain.
Guys the point I want to make is this.
Because God resides in this people
they become the mountain of God
and no beast can touch it
except at the penalty of death.
Let me say that again.
Because we are the mountain of God.
Because God now resides or dwells in this people.
Now nobody can touch it.
Because we are the mountain of God.
Because God now resides or dwells in this people.
Now no beast can come and touch it.
And by beast I mean to represent the enemy.
No beast can touch it except at the penalty of death.
Because any beast that touches it will immediately be shot or stoned.
And so we suddenly need to understand our privilege
that even if a beast should dare to touch it
as David says
when the lion or the bear used to come
and take away a sheep
I used to go and get the sheep back.
If the lion turned around again
I would catch it by its neck
and smash it in the face.
And if the lion turned around again
I would catch it by its neck and smite it.
It's the same kind of thing.
When we become a
Zion people and begin to live
by the standards of Zion
when a beast comes and touches it, when the enemy comes and touches it
we have the ability now to stone and shoot it
in a sense of speaking.
It's the same principle.
That is the protection we have
in a people called Zion.
Do you realize why we need to become this guys?
Understand, keep exploring
and understanding its fullness
and not just understand it but become it.
Become it.
Yep.
If you turn to the next page
you're doing so good for time today.
Provision in Zion.
Psalm 132, verse 15.
Starting at verse 13.
Psalm 132, verse 13 onwards.
And then we get to verse 15.
For the Lord has chosen
Zion
He has desired it for his dwelling
This is my resting place
forever and ever. Here I will sit and throne
for I have desired it. Verse 15.
I will bless her
with abundant provisions.
Her poor will I satisfy
with food.
Once we become a
Zion people you will find that in
all your households
not once you become a Zion people, once we begin
to grow into all that
Zion is, it has already started guys
you will find that in all
your households there
will be provision.
I am not a
prosperity preacher and stuff like that
but I'm telling you the truth
a Zion people in each of
their households there
will be provision. You know why? Because
remember in 2 Samuel 6, 11
there was a time when David
was bringing an ark into Zion
and he had to put it temporarily
in the house of Obed
Eidon the Gittite. Why? Because
he carried it the wrong way. And
2 Samuel 6, 11 says so they
brought the ark and put it in
Obed Eidon's house for 3
months and the Bible says
all the time that the ark was
there that guy prospered
man. It's called
the Obed Eidon principle of prosperity
if you want to call it that. When God
begins to dwell in the midst
of a people, households
begin to have their supply
of provision period.
Doesn't matter what
the economy is like, doesn't matter
whether you have a job
or not have a job
I am telling you the God-honest truth
why do I need even to say that
I'm just telling you the truth that
when God dwells
when the ark dwells amongst
the people, the households of
that people are provided for.
I am saying please connect
into this. Connect into this
Zion people. If you don't want to connect into this
Zion people go connect somewhere else
into a Zion people
someone who aligns themselves with this
concept because if you don't you
will still do extremely well but
why settle on the other side of the Jordan?
Simple, two tribes did
they got into a lot of problems
Joel 2.20
I mean we quote this, I've quoted
it all my life but Joel 2.20
comes with new meaning now
Heidi do you want to tell us where Joel is now?
In the Old Testament
before Amos
after Hosea
Joel chapter 2
Joel 2.20
started verse 15
you know did you know that
that scripture is actually talking about a
Zion people? I didn't know that
started verse 15
blow the trumpet in
Zion declare a holy fast
call a sacred assembly
gather the people, consecrate the assembly
bring together the elders, gather the children
those nursing at the breast, let the bridegroom
leave his room and the bride at the church
and the bride at the church will be
the bridegroom of the church
let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride at chamber
let the priest who minister before the Lord
weep between the temple porch and the altar
let them say spare your people O Lord
do not make your inheritance an object of scorn
a byword among the nations, why should they say
among the peoples where is their God
then the Lord will be jealous for his land
and take pity on his people, the Lord will reply
to them, I'm sending you grain
new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you
fully, never again will I make you
an object of scorn to the nations, I will drive
away the northern army or the devourer
far from you, pushing it into
a parched land and barren land
with its front columns going into the eastern sea
and those in the rear into the western sea
and its stench will go up, its smell will rise
surely he has done great things
be not afraid O land, be glad and rejoice
surely the Lord has done great things
be not afraid O wild animals
for the open pastures are becoming green
the trees are bearing their fruit, the fig tree and the wine
yield their riches, be glad O people
of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God
for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness
he sends you abundant showers
both autumn and spring as before
the threshing floors will be filled with grain
your vats will overflow with new wine and oil
I will repay you for the years, the locusts have eaten
the great locust and the young locust
the other locust and the locust swarm, my great army
that I sent among you, you will have plenty
to eat until you are full and you will praise
the name of the Lord your God who has worked wonders for you
never again will my people be ashamed
then you will know that I am in Israel
I am the Lord your God and that there is no other
never again will my people be shamed
even that whole thing about
the locust and all is talking to
people in Zion saying, guys
this is what I will do for you
I am restoring the desolate heights of
Zion, I am rebuilding a people
and because I am rebuilding a people
because I will dwell in them, look what I will do for you
that's what it's saying
honk honk
God will pour upon this people
rain required to sow things early
bring them into maturity because the
autumn rains or the former and the
latter rains, the former rains were supposed to
help you in sowing, the latter rains was to
help you in bringing your crops to maturity
and God is saying people of Zion
I live in you, it is natural
for you to have the Obed-Eidon principle
happen in your midst because
I, your glory dwell in you
you shall be provided for
you will have rain sent upon
you on your crops in due season
you will have that because I dwell amongst
you as a people, didn't I tell you
you are my favorite home, didn't I tell
you that you are my rest, didn't I
tell you that this is what I have desired
from the beginning, didn't I tell you that
how will I not do for you what I have
said so many times to you
this is what it
means to connect to a people called
Zion and to become a people called Zion, we
are already that
but we shall grow in it
we shall grow in it
just because a child reaches the age of 18
maturity or puberty
doesn't mean the child stops growing
the child keeps growing
we shall become that
all this applies to us
spiritually and physically guys
you have to be a part of this people to benefit
personally
this is why Peter
quotes it in
Acts chapter 2 where he stands up
after the people think they are
all drunk, he stands up and says
no no no we are not drunk, this is what Joel
prophesied, that your men shall
see visions, where do you think
that happens, it happens in a people
called Zion, keep reading Joel
chapter 2, it says
in verse 28
and afterward
afterward, after I have done this
for you Zion, and afterward I will pour
out my spirit on all people, your sons
and daughters will prophesy, your old
men will dream dreams, your young men
will see visions, even on my servants both men
and women, I will pour out my spirit
in those days, I will show wonders
in the heavens and on the earth
blood and fire and billows of smoke, the sun
will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord
and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved, far on mount
Zion and in Jerusalem, there will be
deliverance as the Lord has said among the
survivors that the Lord calls, it was all
in the context of Zion, like Elmer
is saying, the church is supposed to be
Zion, to settle for
anything less is to be
stunted in our growth and reach the age of 16
like Benjamin Button
keep growing younger instead of growing older
oh, that's just a movie that I
heard about
the curious case of Benjamin Button
I haven't seen the whole
movie so I wouldn't recommend it
I don't know, enough to recommend it
gotta be so careful when you say it
talk about movies
because they think I'm recommending it
haven't seen it, don't know about it
heard about it
now, go to the other scripture, where was that?
Isaiah 33
and 24
33?
24, look at another provision that
people in Zion have, this blows my mind
I didn't see it, I stopped short of it
Isaiah 33
Isaiah 33 verse 34
Isaiah 33 verse 24
No one living in Zion will say
I am ill, and the sins of those
who dwell there will be
forgiven
No one living in Zion will say
I am ill
and their sins will be
forgiven
what it's saying there is, not only that
Zion or a people of God amongst whom
he dwells will live in health
but even if their sin
and sin be the reason for
their sickness, even that will
be forgiven so that they may continue
to walk in health
imagine a people like that on the face of the earth
imagine walking like that
this is what God wanted Israel to be
He said, I walked in your midst
did any one of you fall sick?
No, not one feeble person for 40 years
the bible says that
whoever fell dead or sick
happened because of sin
and the plague consuming them
but otherwise, neither did their feet
neither did their sandals wear out
nor did their clothes get old
and not one feeble
Israelite was found among them
all the days of the wilderness
roaming around in 40 degree
heat for
16,000 days
and none of them was feeble
why? Because through the pillar of cloud
he dwelt among them
you think it was real in the Old Testament
and it cannot be real in a better covenant?
the Old Testament had a covenant that was fading
in its glory, we have a covenant that is
richer guys
right on
gosh man, isn't this just ridiculous
Isaiah 34 verse 24
33 verse 24
yeah
it's just nuts
Elva was saying we are super beings because we have
a super god dwelling in our midst
and we are super beings
super god dwelling in our midst
suddenly normal beings get transformed into
a people who live in the very shadow
of the Almighty
this is why Moses could make outrageous
statements like he that dwelleth in the secret
place of the most high, no evil shall befall
the tent, no pestilence
we can't become a people like that
it's not pie in the sky guys
Zion, a sought after people
guys because
of how
a people called
Zion will be
will display very obviously
the presence of god amongst them
they become sought after by those
who are hungry
and those people come and start asking
the way to Zion
I'm telling you, I told you that we have a 6 month
period before
we begin to
speak as Zion
I said that 2 weeks ago
a people, a Zion people
will begin to display the
presence of god in them
it will be obvious in our characteristics, it will be obvious in our
holiness, it will be obvious in our
ability to
walk in health, it will be obvious in
our protection, it will be obvious in all these
characteristics and perspectives we've been talking about
and people who are hungry now
will begin to seek saying, show me the way to Zion
show me the way to Zion
I'm not doing this, you know in the last
4 days I've had 2 pastors
come to me and say
could you come and teach us
about Zion and father and sons
just out of the blue
I just met them
and they
we started talking and they told
me what they were doing and I said
this is what we're doing and they said
one pastor wants me to come for 3 Sundays
and teach on Zion and fathers
and sons, another pastor wants me to take 2 Sundays
and teach on fathers and sons and Zion
because suddenly those that are hungry will say
show us the way to Zion
so in, because I may be going away in July
I'll be doing this in August otherwise I would
start on July 5th
that's the way it works
even tribes that may be
you know there's a place in Isaiah
Jeremiah 31 6
just try Jeremiah 31 6
I think it's there
Jeremiah 31 6
yeah
Jeremiah 31 6
come
there will be a day when the watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim
come let us go up to Zion
to the Lord our God
and the background of that is
the word Ephraim means double fruit
Ephraim means double
fruit and yet
what had happened with Ephraim was
some of the kings
in Ephraim had set up golden
calves at Dan and Beersheba
and so people were there
worshipping the golden calves
instead of worshipping God and here
the scripture is saying a day is coming
when even those of the
tribe of Ephraim which means the tribe of
double fruit will leave their
golden calves and will come and say
let's go to Zion because
that's where God dwells and I'm saying to you
the time is coming when people
of Zion will be sought after people
and tribes that are
bearing double fruit have
tremendous success will still come
leaving their golden calves
golden calves are man made
man chiseled traditions and ways
they will leave it and say let's go find out
what a Zion people are
this church is six months I told you that
before we become a people
I'll have to stand and make these things known
but it's already happening because whatever
is going to happen to the house will happen
in my life a little before
that happens
this is the way it works
Zion births
a people from every tribe and nation guys
and you get forged into one new
man
that's how it works if you go to
Psalm 87 verses 5 to 7
you see that Psalm 87
Wayne can I trouble you
one last time to switch off
the thing now because some people
are frozen I haven't seen them move for the last
two minutes
I'm talking about the air conditioning
Psalm 87 verses 5 to 7
and it says
that
indeed of Zion it will be said
this one and that one were born in her
and the most high himself will
establish her the Lord will write in his
register of people this one was born in
Zion as they make music
they will sing all of my fountains
are in you
this is supposed to be
something that God is doing on the earth now
we read in Psalm 102 verse 16
that God is rebuilding Zion
so it is natural that once we get to
know this we need to God will use us
once we begin to not just know it but live it
God will begin to use us to now
let it be birthed
everywhere now once it's birthed
it will come forth
in other places too and we should all
become one new man if you turn to Isaiah
66 verse 7
Isaiah
66 verse 7
before she goes into labor she gives birth
before the
pains come upon her
she delivers a son who has ever
heard of such a thing?
before she goes into labor she gives birth
before the pains come upon her she delivers
a son the point there
is to say that
a time is coming when
people begin to
catch on to the fact that God is rebuilding
Zion and it will be so
easy for others to grasp it
that the whole idea of a people
called Zion will begin to spread like
crazy here on earth there won't even be
time for gestation and
pain of labor it will be
because at the end of the day
what God wants to bring here on earth is something
called a man child or the new man
if you turn to Revelation then we'll just touch on it briefly
and then not go into it further because
I don't know enough about it
but I'll just show you where it says so
Revelations
12 maybe let me just see
yes
Revelations 12 5
when we do it in the Bible study it will explain
it more but
just so we understand
what God is going to birth on earth
Revelations 12 5 she will give birth to a son
a male child who will rule all the
nations with an iron
she will give birth to a child
a male child or a man child
who will rule the nations with a
scepter and we will talk about how ruling
is part of Zion's destiny
I just want to leave that verse with you
we won't explore it now if it has peaked
your curiosity keep coming to the Bible study
every Tuesday
every alternate Tuesday and we'll talk about that
moving on
let's take a break any questions
other than the scripture on Revelations
if you have any questions when can we
break
go ahead Miriam
okay Zion is a city
of priest kings
how do we know that because
to begin with Christ
our capstone is a priest and
a king
so it's natural that if the
capstone or the cornerstone is where
the rest of the building takes its shape
from that the rest of the
building also operates in the mode
of priest kings
also
if you look at Zion in the
Old Testament, Zion at one
point was the city of David I'll show you
from scripture actually if you turn to
2 Samuel 5,9
2 Samuel after 1 Samuel
before
kings
2 Samuel 5,9
okay and here's what 2 Samuel
5,9 says
2 Samuel 5,9 says
David then took up residence in the fortress
and called it the city of
David, he built up the area around it
from the supporting terraces inward
and he became more and more powerful because
the Lord God Almighty was with him
2 Samuel 6,12
Now king David was told
the Lord has blessed the household of
Obaididum and everything he has
because of the Ark of God so David
went down and brought up
the Ark of God from the house of
Obaididum to the city of David
with rejoicing. Why am I giving you those
two scriptures? To show you
that Zion from
the Old Testament times
was both the seat of the throne
and the seat of the Ark
it was both
a place of
ruling and a place of
religion, it was both political and
religious, it was both priest and
king. David
ruled as a king from Zion
David also was a priest out of
Zion. So the whole
idea of priest-kings is very
intrinsic to Zion, it's
in Zion's DNA, anyone
who belongs to a people
called Zion are by birth
priest-kings
Christ was the ultimate
high priest and the ultimate king of kings
he is a capstone, it is
a natural birth
DNA
to be priest-kings. We've talked
about priest-kings at length but we need to understand
this. In fact if you
look at Genesis
chapter 14, Genesis 14
Genesis is just where the Bible
begins and before the second book
Genesis 14
on the tape they'll
think I'm preaching to people who don't know that
Genesis 14
verse
verse 17
Then Melchizedek
sorry, after Abraham returned
from the defeat of Kedr-Laumer
and the kings allied with him
verse 18
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine
he was the priest of God most high
and blessed Abraham
So we know that Melchizedek was
the king of Salem. Salem stands for
Salem stands for
Let's go to Hebrews chapter 7
Hebrews 7
When we go to Hebrews 7 we'll see it there
I think
Hebrews 7
verse 1
Hebrews 7 verse 1
Then Melchizedek
was the king of Salem
and the priest of God most high
He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings
and blessed him and Abraham gave him a tent
of everything. First his name means
king of righteousness, then also
king of Salem, meaning king of peace
Salem is another word for Jerusalem
without father or mother, without
genealogy, without beginning of days
or the end of life like the son of God
he remains a priest forever. Guys what I'm trying to say
is that the first
mention of Jerusalem or Zion even before
Zion is mentioned first
in Deuteronomy 4.48
but Jerusalem is first mentioned in Genesis chapter
14 verse 18 to 20
and we talked about how Jerusalem is another
name sometimes used for Zion
and we see that the first person introduced
from Jerusalem was a priest
king. He was the
king of Salem
he was the king of righteousness
and he was a priest
so it's natural for us as
people of Zion to be priest-kings
So let's quickly talk about priestcraft
in Zion and
kingcraft in Zion and then we'll stop
Psalm 132 verse 16
Psalm 132
verse 16
You'll have to go home and go over this
pour over this
understand it, live it, come back next week
and we'll talk more about it
Psalm 132 verse 16
Look at what it says about
the priest in Zion
I will clothe her priests
with salvation
I will clothe
her priests
with
I want you to
look at the Hebrew word
Yesha is salvation
and Yesha means
prosperity
deliverance
and
liberty
and so one of the things that
God says about the priests of
Zion is I will clothe them
with Yesha
which means I will clothe the priests
of Zion with liberty
deliverance, prosperity
and the oil of joy
I will clothe her
priests
I'll do the Wanda White thing
I'll clothe her priests with liberty
prosperity and deliverance
and the oil of joy
Really
Okay so that's one of the things he clothes
priests with
Psalm 132 verse 17
Here I will make a horn grow
for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one
meaning God will cause
the priests to increase
in their display of power and glory
He'll cause the priests to
increase in their display of power and glory
Guys this is what we need to be clothed
with
We've talked about priests in the past so I'm not
talking much about it but please
understand that as a priest in Zion
I need to begin to reflect
what I'm clothed
and I'm clothed in liberty
so there should be this amazing
freedom
that you smell, taste
see displayed
in me
not legalism but liberty
The other thing you need to see
in a priest of
Zion or priest who belongs
to a people called Zion is
that he walks
delivered
from both the things
of the world and the things of the flesh and the things of the
enemy because how can
I minister
deliverance if I am in bondage
It's difficult
It's not impossible but it is difficult
So priests walk in liberty
in deliverance and in prosperity
By prosperity it doesn't mean
how much money is in my
wallet, by prosperity I mean
shallow welfare
not as in welfare
welfare as in
overall
well-being is what
is meant by prosperity here
It includes abundance
and it includes
resources
but it's not talking about the amount of money you have
That's the kind of
priest who walk out of Zion because if
you are obedidum
and God's ark dwells in your house
it should be natural
If God actually dwells in your house
wouldn't you walk healed?
If God actually
dwells in your house, wouldn't your provisions
be supplied?
And so either God does not
walk with us or God is speaking lies
or I'm not walking with him, God
can't lie so
the equation gets pretty simple but that's the
people we are called to become
Priests of Zion walk
in righteousness
Priests of Zion walk in righteousness
vital
if as priests
of a people
called Zion allies don't
display holiness then
really your priesthood is
taken away from you because
in the Old Testament if you had a defect
you were not allowed into the sanctuary
Go ahead Matt, do ask
Liberty, freedom like deliverance and stuff
that's like freedom from sin
No, by liberty and freedom
I meant free of legalism
a freedom both this way
and in the ways of God
It's that kind of liberty I'm talking about
If you're not a righteousness
as a plumb line peculiar holy people
you gotta be holy to get into
only comes Zion to you
and you're not a
religious person
You need to get into only comes Zion
in the first place, you don't even receive
that freedom from legalism
I agree, you're right
So then you're right
I understand
Jesus perfect, how do you become Zion
I am Jesus perfect, that's the thing
The beautiful thing about
the people of Zion is they suddenly realize
that they are as perfect
as Christ, that they are as
righteous as Christ and now the
part that they have to work on
is beginning to live out the righteousness
and the perfection of Christ that is already within you
outward
and that is where I have to
choose to conform to God
and not to the world and it's not a struggle
nor is it a choice
it's a preference
Once we move
from looking at sin as
and righteousness as a struggle
once we move from looking at sin as
a choice between sin and righteousness
and we decide that righteousness
is going to be a preference because I like God
suddenly it becomes
very simplified
Well, when's the question period
asked? Yeah, yeah, sure thing
Thanks man
Once we do this
we can with power and accuracy
we can have the word
and salvation go forth from us
Please stay with me for another 10 minutes
and then we are done
Yeah, so don't
phase off
right now because this next part is important
As priests, when we begin
to walk in deliverance, when we begin
to walk in freedom, when we begin
to walk in liberty and
in well-being
as priests, when we begin to walk in righteousness
then it is easy
for salvation and the word of God
to go out of a Zion people
because they are living it, it goes
out of them easily because at the end of the day
Folks, it's not tracts, it's not
crusades, it's not tent
meetings, it's not witnessing
that is the greatest tool of evangelism
the greatest tool of evangelism
is the glory of God that resides
in you
Never forget that
It is impossible
to come against that
and not be
provoked, touched
taken aback
or go forward
Always remember that
the greatest tool of evangelism
is the glory of God
Everything else is a method
to facilitate evangelism
but the greatest tool of evangelism
is when a people realize
that the glory of God dwells
in them. This is why
when they continued in the Apostles doctrine
when they continued in the breaking of bread
when they continued in fellowship and in prayers
Thousands upon thousands began to get added to the church
Acts chapter 2 verses 42 to 44
Why? Because suddenly people realized
Oh shucks, the presence of God
dwells in these
no name fishermen
They suddenly realized it
The glory of God if we want to
recap is the splendor
the weight
the reputation, the character
the nature, the power
of the Lord
The character, the nature, the power of God
all wrapped into one
is the word glory or kabod
and who is the glory of God?
The Christ is the visible glory
of the invisible God
and where does he reside now?
The Christ resides in us as a people
and in us as individuals
So when this Christ
who is veiled in flesh
begins to display himself
because the flesh is no longer
what is working in us but it is the power of God
working in us, the world will see
It is impossible to escape it guys
It is impossible to escape it
It is the greatest tool of
evangelism
Hallelujah, right on
Right on
So that is why
when we become priests
who live by the standards of Zion
it is natural for salvation and the word of God
to go forth from Zion
It is very natural, this is why God wanted
a people to become a people of Zion
so that it wouldn't be an effort anymore
it would go out like waves rolling out
it would go
and finally we come to
Kings
King, Craft and Zion
The last bit, King, Craft and Zion
Hey today is the longest day
in the year
So we could go on for another two hours and it still wouldn't be dark
Just kidding
Not completely, but
King, Craft and Zion
Because the people of Zion take their lead
from the resident king in their midst
I'll repeat it again, Zion people
are from the root of Jesse and the tribe of
Judah, I love this
Because a Zion people
take their lead
from
the resident king in their midst
I mean we
take our lead, we are shaped by
we connect as
we become as our capstone
our cornerstone is
Because a people of Zion
take their lead from the resident
king in their midst
A people of Zion are from the
stock or the root of Jesse
And a people of Zion are from the tribe of Judah
So if someone asks you
your genealogy
After you tell them you are from
the Patamukil family in Matakatu,
Kerala and India
Always remember to also tell them
that you are
from the stock of Jesse
the root of Jesse and you are
from the tribe of Judah
Because that's who you are man
That's your genealogy
We got to understand
We got to understand this
Yeah, we got to grasp it
We got to grasp it
And if we, why do we need to grasp this guys?
Because
if you are from the
root of Jesse, that's your stock
And if you are from the tribe of Judah
Then the scepter is your
rightful possession
Then the scepter is
your rightful possession
Because if you go
to Psalm 2
Your rightful possession
Because just like King Arthur
if I may use myth
Just like one
had to go and pull
Excalibur out of the rock or get handed
Excalibur from the river
So the only
one who can rightfully possess the scepter
are the ones who belong
to the tribe of Judah and who come
from the stock of Jesse
Otherwise, unless you begin to understand
that that's your natural
Deen and the Zion people
know that, they begin to actually
believe it and then begin to live it out
That's when the scepter comes into your hands
and now you have the right to rule
And we'll talk about ruling
just a bit today and more as we
begin to explore it, but if you go to Psalm
What did I say?
Psalm 2
Verse?
Verse 9
Yeah, yeah, start at 7
I will proclaim
the decree of the Lord
He said to me, this is Jesus's coronation
in a sense of speaking
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord
Today I have become your son, today I have become your father
These were the words I heard over when he was baptized
Ask of me
and I will make the nations your inheritance
and the ends of the earth your possession
You will rule them with an
iron scepter
and will dash them to pieces like pottery
Go to Genesis 49, 10
Genesis 49
I think it's 10, Genesis 49
Yeah, I didn't check actually
Genesis 49, yeah it is
8 onwards
Genesis 49, 8
Judah, your brothers will praise you
Your hands will be on the neck of your enemies
Your father's son will bow down to you
You are like a lion's cub, oh Judah
You return from the prey, my son
Like a lion who crouches and lies down
Like a lion as who dares rouse him
The scepter will not
depart from Judah
nor the ruler's staff
from between his feet
until he comes to whom
it belongs and the obedience of the nations
is his
Go to Isaiah 11, 2
It's not in your scriptures but I think
there's another reference there, Isaiah 11, 2
Yep
Isaiah 11, 2
I'll just read 11, 1
and then go to 11, 4
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse
or the stalk of Jesse
From his roots a branch will bear fruit
Verse 4 or verse 3 and a half
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes
or decide by what he hears with his ears
but with righteousness he will judge the needy
with justice he will give decisions for the poor
of the earth
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his
waist
Guys, this is the stalk you belong to
This is the tribe that you belong to
And once you begin to
grasp, once you begin to grasp it
you begin to actually believe it
And then God says, son, you've come to a place
where you actually believe it, I can give it to you now
It's like your kids
It comes to an age where
the mother says, okay, this is the dress
that I got married in
I think you're ready to have it now
Part of the reason they're giving it is because they don't fit it into it anymore
but that's different
But they still give it to the daughter and they say, this is the dress I got married in
So, thank God men don't have to do that
Therefore
the law will go out of Zion
and the Zion people, okay
Go to Isaiah 2-3
We're almost done guys
Isaiah 2-3
I love the scripture
Let's start at verse 1
Isaiah 2
This is what Isaiah son of Amos
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem
In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
Who is the mountain of the Lord's temple?
Mouah
Us, what's us in French?
Mouah
Mouah is me
N-O-U-S
Who is the mountain of the temple of the Lord?
Everybody together?
Nouah
Okay
As chief among the mountains
It will be raised above the hills
It will be raised above the hills and all nations will stream to it
Many people will come and say
and listen to this
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord
to the house of the God of Jacob
so that we may walk in his paths
The law will go out from
Zion, the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem
He will judge between nations and settle
disputes for many peoples
They will beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into
pruning hooks. Nation will not take up
sword against nation, nor will they train for war
anymore. Come, O house of Jacob
let us walk in the light of the Lord
Some of it is already happening
Some of it is for a time not yet
But the point is this guys
The law or the decree or the declarations
go out of a people called
Zion
Unless we become
these people
we will never understand
the God who is resident among us
who has all the possessions of the earth
and who will whisper into our ears saying
Here son, this is what I want you to decree
because the law will go out of Zion
Zion is a people
God always uses people here on earth
to bring to pass, decrease and his will
Why did Jesus ask us to pray
Let your will be done here on earth as it is in
heaven? Because he wanted us to make
declarations and decrease
because the law was always supposed to
go out of a people
Israel was supposed to be
that nation
that would show the world how God works
which is why God said to Israel, Israel
don't worry, I'm taking you out
of Egypt and through you
I will show Pharaoh
who is God and through you
I will show all the nations around
that you are a
people that I carry
in my arms like a father
bears his children, like an eagle
bears its young and they shall know
that God dwells among them
It is always his intent
to use a people to display his power
Always his intent
So when we become that people
suddenly decrease, start going out
from us because God dwells in our midst
and we hear him and we speak it
and it happens, not because we suddenly have
more clout but behind us
is someone with absolute clout
The word C-L-O-U-T begins and ends
in him
So we need to explore that further
and we will
A Zion people will rule in the midst
of hostility and
enemies
and both are characteristics of kings
I am going to show you Psalm 110 verse 2
Guys we are just
scratching the surface of
Kingcraft in Zion
In the weeks ahead we may expand on it
I'm just giving you a taste of it
Psalm 110 verse 2
Hehehehehehe
Hehehehehe is like delightful laughter
It's a slight element of glee to it
The Lord will extend
your mighty scepter
from Zion
You will rule in the midst of your
enemies
Your troops will be willing on your day of battle
Arrayed in holy majesty
from the womb of the dawn
you will receive the due of your youth
and then he goes on to say what else will happen
to the enemy
The Lord has sworn and he will not change his mind
You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek
The Lord is at your right hand
He will crush kings on the day of his wrath
He will judge the nations heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth
He will drink from a brook beside the way
and therefore he will lift up his head
It's talking about Christ but who is the body of Christ
Who is Christ dwelling among
Us
New
These are characteristics of kings
To be honest
I don't know if you guys have heard
of the word king
These are characteristics of kings
To rule in the midst of their enemies
and rule in the midst of hostility
It's the characteristics of kings
But I want to say something to you
Kings are not born out of confession
Meaning
To go around for the next whole week saying
I'm a king, I'm a king, I'm the son of the king
I'm the son of the king, hallelujah, I'm a king, I'm a king
Kings, yeah
Affirming that doesn't help
Kings do not grow out of confession
Kings grow out of a culture
Kings don't grow out of a confession
Because one of the things that
Unfortunately the church got stuck with
Is claiming
I'm a king, I'm a king, I'm a king
First of all
For kingship to be established
It is based on your priesthood guys
We've talked about this
To be a king you first have to be a priest
Which means if you are not a priest
If you are not living a life that is holy
Your right to rule is taken away
But being a king doesn't come
Through confessing it a hundred times
Being a king comes through growing up in a culture
That will begin to spawn kings
Growing up in a culture
And it's natural that if we
Begin to actually understand and grasp
The principles of living
In the city of the great king, Psalm 48 2
Says that and you know that song
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God, in the mountain of his
Holiness, beautiful for situation
The joy of the whole earth
Is Mount Zion on the side of the north
The city of the great king
If you want to begin to develop
Into the king that you are called to be
Then you have to grow up in a culture
That spawns or births kings
And that culture is only found
In the city of the great king
And who is the city of the great king?
Noo
Us
Sorry?
We
Yes
That's where people are taught
By the king of kings to wield the scepter of authority
Over Babylon
That is where people are taught
By the king of kings to wield
The scepter of authority
Let me put it this way
Let's pick on someone
If you want to construct houses
I would suggest
That you don't come and spend time with me
Because I couldn't put together
Simple stuff that Ikea and brick sends
You leave alone, construct stuff
If you want to become a builder
Or someone who is involved in construction
Go
To Wayne, Matt
Or Elmer
Spend time with them
He's not here
He's not here today
Spend time with them
If you spend enough time with Wayne
Matt and Elmer
Over a period of time
You will begin to apprentice with them
And you will grow up in a culture where they don't talk about
Guitar strings
They talk about spanners and hammers
And nails and your language will change
Your hands will get rough
Your clothes will look awkward
You'll walk around
Not with a briefcase
But big hunking tool boxes
You will not wake up at an early hour
But go to work at 5 o'clock
And come back at 10
You will come back with splinters
In your hand
Why? Because that's the culture that
You're suddenly living in
But at the end of the day, two years from now
You will actually construct your own house
That's exactly how Zion works
Zion is a place where
Kings are birthed
But they first have to understand
What Zion is
And suddenly this culture
Begins to produce kings
The culture begins to produce kings
And then once the culture
Produces kings, these kings begin to know how to
Decree in the midst of
Hostility, in the midst of the enemies
And they'll see things happening
They'll see things happening
The culture of the tribe then begins to affect
Households and individuals
So you have to understand, this is not something
You can attempt on your own as an individual
Guys
It's the culture of a tribe that affects
The household and then the individual
So if we learn it here
You will start doing it at home
If you learn it at home, you will start
Doing it as individuals
It'll first begin with
Situations in church that we deal with
As kings
Like two weeks ago when we had a prayer time here
And we had to deal with
A giant that was coming against us
Remember?
We talked about, we prayed against
That particular thing that was coming against us
And how did we pray? We prayed with
God given decrees
You saw that, we learned it first as a church
Once you learn it as a church
Now in your home
You begin to practice it in your household
And once you begin to practice it in your household
You begin to practice it as individuals
And once God sees that they have
Gotten the hang of
Behaving like kings and
Ruling in the midst of hostility and enemies
With decrees that I give them
And they're seeing their enemies defeated
Now God will say, okay, I want to give you a little more
A little more, and I promise you
This, if you stay here long enough
And if you stay on course
I say to you very humbly
Then you will see how nations
And events in nations
Both here in Canada and outside
Will begin to turn
I am not kidding you
You know I'm not into histrionics and drama
When we get this right on this level
Now God will say, now I can
Trust you with nations, this will not be some kind
Of a gathering where we see eagles
Flying and cannons blazing
And oh I take this nation for God, no no no
Not just heighty
Flutie stuff out there
No, it will be
So simple, it will be a simple
Decree and you will see events
Turning in nations
I've seen it guys
But I saw it only as an individual
And really I'm not
Interested in seeing it as an individual
I want to see it as a
People
It's odd
But I'm not interested anymore
In just seeing it as an individual
I don't want to say something in a nation
And it happens, oh Jacob said it, no
A people said it, a people said it
A people said it
Because it is out of this people
That I get my benefits, my perspectives
My characteristics
It's the people that have to learn this
Nations will then
Once we learn that, no
When we see it work in church, then our homes
Then our lives, then
Zion people will have the capacity to bring
Nations and events in different
Nations into subjection
I've seen it through some churches, I've seen it
Individually, but I want to see it
Here in this house as a people
And if you stay long enough here
And if you stay the course, you will see it
The nations will acknowledge the glory of
God, and tributes and wealth
And peoples will be transferred
Out of the dominion into the kingdom of the sun
So let me end with Micah 4.13 and we are done
At least in terms of the teaching
Micah 4.13
I don't know where Micah is
After Amos
I don't know where those two are
Micah 4.13
Okay, I got it
Micah 4.13
Rise and thresh
O daughter of Zion
For I will give you horns of iron
I will give you hoofs of bronze
And you will break into pieces many
Nations, you will devote
Their ill-gotten gains to the Lord
Their wealth to the Lord
Of all the earth
That's what will eventually happen
Wayne, I'm done in terms of the teaching
Guys