The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Work of Restoration, #63

. . . and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. (Nehemiah 3:15)

The City of David

The city of David was Zion. Zion was an area within the larger city of Jerusalem. Zion had been the fortress of the Jebusites from which they defended the entire city of Jerusalem. David chose Zion as his city, and Zion became closely associated with him.

So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inner. (II Samuel 5:9)

Zion is mentioned many times in the Psalms, the Spirit of Christ in David indicating that Mount Zion is a major scriptural type of the Body of Christ. The Book of Hebrews tells us that we have come to Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22).

One of the first acts of David when he came into power in Israel was to bring back the Ark of the Covenant. However, David did not restore the Ark to its familiar place in the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Instead, David erected a tent for the Ark and established praise and worship in Zion, his city. Zion, the city of David, became the location of the Ark and its covering tent.

Meanwhile the remainder of the Tabernacle of the Congregation was left standing at the high place (of former demon worship) in Gibeon. David assigned priests and Levites in Gibeon as well as in Zion. The worship of the Lord continued both at Zion, the place of the Ark of the Covenant, and at Gibeon where the remainder of the Tabernacle of the Congregation was located.

It is our understanding that the separation of the Ark from the rest of the Tabernacle, and the later incorporation of both the Ark and the remainder of the Tabernacle in the Temple of Solomon, are important symbolic representations of the manner in which the Lord Jesus is bringing about obedience and worship to the Father in the earth.

We see Zion and the Ark of the Covenant as signifying the coming of Christ with an army of conquering saints to rule the earth with the rod of iron of the power of the Spirit of God.

The Lord's army is described in Isaiah, Chapter 13; Joel, Chapter Two; Habakkuk, Chapter Three; Revelation, Chapter 19; and in several other passages of Scripture. The overcomers are the Lord's "mighty men," foreshadowed by the mighty men of King David.

The overcomers are the members of the Body of Christ who are being prepared for war and rulership. The Kingdom of God will be established in the earth through means of violence and then maintained with the rule of the iron discipline of the Spirit of God.

Those who ride with Christ in that Day are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14).

To be continued.