Eternal Zion. The Jerusalem above is the Church below.

"Your people will be willing in the day of Your power." Psalm 110:3

It is hard for us, from our historical vantage-point, to appreciate how different God's Kingdom turned out to be from the Jews' perspective. Their very own culture taught them - in fact, God Himself had solemnly assured them - that they were a divinely chosen nation, a peculiar people who were to stand out as a testimony to the world. Associated with "Zion", in the mind of the pious Jews, was not only the outward trappings of divine ordinances, but also inward assurances of perpetual divine favor.

Make no mistake on this point. Physically, there is no Zion for them to come to. In AD 70 the Jewel and Crown of earthly Zionism is laid in the dust by the Roman Empire. And within 70 years years the next - and last - Jewish revolt, that of Bar Kochba - is decisively and inexorably put down, the glory of city of Jerusalem demolished. Jerusalem is finished.

But the Jerusalem from above, "the mother of us all", Gal. 4:26 - the one Isaiah and Revelation - is assuring us of, is not finished. It just keeps growing. In fact, of this "kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:33. God is gathering His saints from all over the world.

But how did this gathering begin? The answer is in the previous verse, "The brightness of your rising." The Resurrection and Ascension of Christ was, both literally and spiritually, the dawning of a new age. Future citizens of Zion were being attracted to the Son-rise in the East, "the Sun of Righteousness", Mal. 4:2.

Christ Himself, our Good Shepherd, is doing the gathering together just as He intimated in the Gospel. He had then voiced His heartfelt desire toward a hard-hearted Jerusalem, Luke 13:34,

"How often I wanted to gather your children together".

Now, through the ministry of His disciples, He is gathering together, not only His own sheep (believing Jews) but elect sheep of other fields, bringing all together into one flock, John 10:16. Earthly Jerusalem did not want to "have this Man to reign over" them, Luke 19:14, so He destroyed their city (AD 70). They had "cast Him out of their city and killed Him", Matt. 21:39. But His death and resurrection brought life to the eternal Zion, City of God. As many as Christ gathers into His kingdom become citizens of this city, Heb. 12:22.