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Jesus' Ascension and Return in Relation to Mount Zion

Mount Zion, a prominent hill in Jerusalem, holds significant theological importance as a place associated with God's dwelling, deliverance, and the future return of Christ [7, 2]. Originally the southeastern hill of Jerusalem, it became known as the "city of David" after King David captured it from the Jebusites and built a citadel and palace there [7]. Over time, "Zion" expanded in meaning to encompass Jerusalem and, in a spiritual sense, the church of God [13].

The Old Testament frequently refers to Mount Zion as a place of refuge and salvation. Isaiah prophesies that the redeemed of the Lord will return to Zion with joy [1], and 2 Kings speaks of a remnant and survivors going forth from Mount Zion [6]. The prophet Obadiah declares that "on Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and it will be holy" [2], and that "deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be the LORD'S" [3]. This imagery establishes Zion as a site of divine presence and future judgment.

In the New Testament, the concept of Mount Zion takes on a heavenly dimension. The author of Hebrews states, "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels" [4]. This passage contrasts the old covenant with the new, indicating that believers now experience God's presence with joy, peace, and fellowship, associated with a heavenly Jerusalem [9].

While Jesus' ascension did not occur directly from Mount Zion, but rather from the Mount of Olives [5, 8], the two locations are closely linked in prophetic understanding concerning his return. The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem, separated by the Kidron Valley [5]. It is mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with David's flight and in Zechariah 14:4 [5, 8]. Ezekiel 11:23 describes the Shekinah glory moving from the east gate to the Mount of Olives, abandoning the temple [12].

The Mount of Olives is particularly significant for understanding Jesus' return. Zechariah 14:4 states, "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south" [14]. This prophecy is interpreted by some as directly relating to Jesus' second coming. The angels' message to Jesus' disciples after his ascension implied that he would return "in a similar fashion" to his departure from the Mount of Olives [14]. This suggests that the place of his departure will also be the place of his return [10].

The splitting of the Mount of Olives described in Zechariah is envisioned as creating an escape route for Hebrews fleeing Jerusalem during an assault by nations, an event likely connected to the return of Jesus at the end of the age [14]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, connects Zechariah 8:2, "Thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Zion," to the time of Christ's incarnation and the future conversion of the Jews [11]. one commentary tradition by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown notes that Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives when he was about to send judgments on the Jews and predicted the overthrow of Jerusalem from that location [12]. They further emphasize that the Mount of Olives is to be the scene of his return to deliver his people, coming "by the same way as He went, 'the way of the east'" [12].

Thus, while Mount Zion represents God's dwelling and the heavenly Jerusalem that believers have already "come to" in a spiritual sense [4, 9], the Mount of Olives is specifically identified as the location from which Jesus ascended and to which he is prophesied to return [14, 10]. The prophecies concerning the Mount of Olives underscore the tangible, geographical aspect of Christ's future advent, connecting it directly to the historical events of his earthly ministry and ascension.

Sources

  1. Isaiah “Isaiah 35:10 (Geneva1599) — Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with prayse: and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads: they shall obteine ioye and gladnesse, and sorow and mourning shall flee away.”
  2. Obadiah “Obadiah 1:17 (BSB) — But on Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will reclaim their possession.”
  3. Obadiah “Obadiah 1:21 (NASB) — The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau, And the kingdom will be the LORD'S.”
  4. Hebrews “But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, -- Hebrews 12:22”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Olves, Mount of — So called from the olive trees with which its sides are clothed, is a mountain ridge on the east of Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7; Ezek. 11:23; Zech. 14:4), from which it is separated by the valley of Kidron. It is first mentioned in connection with David's flight from Jerusalem through the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 15:30), and is only once again mentioned in the Old Testament, in Zech. 14:4. It is, however, frequently alluded to (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13; Neh. 8:15; Ezek. 11:23). It is frequently mentioned in the New Testament (Matt. 21:1; 26:30, e”
  6. 2 Kings “2 Kings 19:31 (NASB) — 'For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the LORD will perform this.”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Zion — Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem. When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became "the city of David" (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2; Isa. 33:14; J”
  8. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Olives, Mount Of — "The Mount of Olives" occurs in the Old Testament in (Zechariah 14:4) only. In (2 Samuel 15:30) it is called "Olivet;" in other places simply "the mount," (Nehemiah 8:15) "the mount facing Jerusalem" (1 Kings 11:7) or "the mountain which is on the east aide of the city." (Ezekiel 11:23) In the New Testament the usual form is "the Mount of Olives." It is called also "Olivet." (Acts 1:12) This mountain is the well-known eminence on the east of Jerusalem, intimately connected with some of the gravest events of the history of the Old Testament and the N”
  9. Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 12:22: 12:22 No: There is a strong contrast between the old and the new covenant. Believers have now come to wonderful Mount Zion, which is closely associated with Jerusalem and represents God’s dwelling place. • heavenly Jerusalem: See study note on 8:5. • The new covenant constitutes a relationship with God by which we experience his presence with joy, peace, and fellowship.”
  10. Zechariah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Zechariah 14:4: The object of the cleaving of the mount in two by a fissure or valley (a prolongation of the valley of Jehoshaphat, and extending from Jerusalem on the west towards Jordan, eastward) is to open a way of escape to the besieged (compare Joe 3:12, Joe 3:14). Half the divided mount is thereby forced northward, half southward; the valley running between. The place of His departure at His ascension shall be the place of His return: and the "manner" of His return also shall be similar (Act 1:11). He shall probably "come from the east" (Mat 24:27). He so ma”
  11. Zechariah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zechariah 8:2: Thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Zion,.... The temple being now building, and almost finished, and the worship of God restored in it. The Targum renders it, "I will return to Zion"; and it may refer to the time of Christ's incarnation, when the Redeemer came to Zion, Isa 59:20 or to the time of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, of both which it is true; see Rom 11:26, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: or "cause my Shechinah to dwell there", as the Targum paraphrases it; which was fulfilled when the Word was made flesh, , "and dwelt" or "ta”
  12. Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 11:23: The Shekinah glory now moves from the east gate (Eze 10:4, Eze 10:19) to the Mount of Olives, altogether abandoning the temple. The mount was chosen as being the height whence the missiles of the foe were about to descend on the city. So it was from it that Jesus ascended to heaven when about to send His judgments on the Jews; and from it He predicted its overthrow before His crucifixion (Mat 24:3). It is also to be the scene of His return in person to deliver His people (Zac 14:4), when He shall come by the same way as He went, "the way of the east"”
  13. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 126:1: When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion,.... Or returned the Jews from their captivity in Babylon; who are called Zion, from the city of David, built on Mount Zion, which was in Judea, and adjoined to Jerusalem, the metropolis of the kingdom; and because they were the godly who were concerned for Zion in a spiritual sense, or the church of God, and the interest of religion, whose spirits the Lord stirred up to come out of Babylon, upon the proclamation by Cyrus, when those that were more worldly and carnal stayed behind; as also because the chief mercy in re”
  14. Zechariah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Zechariah 14:4: 14:4 Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives, and the angels’ message to Jesus’ disciples (Acts 1:11-12) implied that he would return in a similar fashion. • Zechariah envisions an earthquake that will split apart the Mount of Olives and create a valley running east and west through the fissure. This valley will become an escape route for Hebrews fleeing Jerusalem during the assault by the nations (Zech 14:5). This event is probably connected to the return of Jesus at the end of the age (see Matt 24; Rev 6:12; 11:13; 16:18).”
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