Chapter 2: Awake Mount Zion

A call to the remnant bride of Christ.

Awake Mount Zion, A Call to the Remnant Bride – Book Written by Mark Bevan copyright 2024

Today a call is going forth. The call of the Bridegroom to his Bride. “Come away with Me, my beloved. Enter into the marriage feast which I have prepared for you. Come in and dine with me, both you and your wise friends, who have saved up oil in their lamps. Come in you friends of the Bridegroom. Come in before the doors close!”

The title of this book reflects not just the message that Jesus is coming, but the importance of hearing the voice of our King in this time. It is time to rise up and awake from our slumber, because the window of opportunity is drawing to a close. Yet it is more than this… It is a call to Zion to rise up and take it’s place in the Kingdom of God. But in order to understand that call, we must first understand what and who, Mt. Zion represents. 

 Let’s look at the history of Mount Zion. In 2 Samuel we can read about the story of David defeating the Jebusites who were hiding out in the fortress of Mount Zion. At the time, it was believed that this fortress was impenetrable due to its protected location, as past attempts to conquer it had failed. Keep in mind, that traditionally Mount Zion is a geographical part of Jerusalem not the whole.

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, now the city of David. 1 Chronicles 11:5
Now David said on that day, “whoever climbs up by the way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and Captain.”

2 Samuel 5:8

 David and his mighty men climbed up the water shaft (Psalm 42:7 translates this word water shaft as “waterfalls”. Envision David and his mighty men climbing up through a waterfall which was coming out of the heights of Mount Zion for a surprise attack on the Jebusites fortress there. The plan worked and 2 Samuel 5:7 tells us “David took the stronghold of Zion (that is the city of David).

David then builds a house for himself on Mount Zion and eventually brings the ark of the covenant there. Solomon later builds the temple in this location as well. If we look at this metaphorically, David gained the victory by climbing up through the waters (representing the Word) of God’s mountain. Reaching the summit and driving out the Jebusites, (lame and blind) he establishes a city, a kingdom if you will, in a strikingly similar way as Jesus did…

Jesus Takes Captivity Captive

In Jesus’s day, all the people were in bondage to sin and death under the reign of Satan’s kingdom on earth, of which all earthly kingdoms are apart. Earthly kingdoms/governments, even those originated by God, like Israel and the United States, operate within and under the influence of the beast spirits of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medio Persia, Greece and Rome among others. We’ll discuss this more in the next chapter.

When Jesus was crucified and died, his spirit descended into the pits of hell, carried down by the weight of sin, which he willingly took upon himself. However, as the anointing within him rose up, he gained the victory by the power of The Word over death. Effectively taking the bondage of sin and death captive while crushing their yoke to pieces. The result of this was the establishment of a new King, and thus a kingdom. Comprised of any and all, who choose to make themselves servants of Christ by believing on Jesus’s finished work, and accepting His as their King (Lord). This new kingdom, is the true nation established by God, Spiritual Israel.

Jesus, as an eternal spirit, set up a spiritual kingdom (Spiritual Israel), complete with a capital city called the New Jerusalem. Every nation must have a capital city, the place where its representatives gather and conduct business. In this case the New Jerusalem. It represents His Bride, within the greater body of his church. You could think of this as His close family. But, even within God’s Family structure, there are many callings or positions of authority, many roles.

Spiritual Israel exists not as much in a physical or geographical sense. But its boundaries, fortifications and government exist primarily within the hearts of those who give it their allegiance. New Jerusalem is its capital city, brought down to earth corporately by its people, those who reside in her by choice.

Jerusalem is a literal place in heaven, manifested on earth, through God’s people. Mount Zion is the citadel, the place of the king’s house. In America, we might think of this as Capitol Hill. It is the fortress within the city where the people come to as place of last refuge when the nation/city comes under attack. It represents the rulership/governors/government of the city/nation. Zion can be thought of in terms of the king’s court where matters of daily civil business are conducted. Isaiah 2:3 “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Zion is also the place of gathering during the appointed feasts. Isaiah 33:20 “look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, a tabernacle that will not be taken down; not one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor any of its cords be broken.” It is in the king’s house where the banquets are served. New Jerusalem has no need of a temple, as it is the people themselves who are indeed corporately the temple of God, as he abides in a temple made without hands.

New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ

Revelation 21:9 – 11 (paraphrased) “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife… And the angel carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone… And she had great high walls with 12 gates… Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem… Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2 abbreviated.

Hebrews 12:21 – 25 (paraphrased) you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. To an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven. To God the judge of all, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, whose blood has made the spirits of just men perfect.

Here we notice that God is making a distinction once again between Mount Zion and the broader new Jerusalem. Notice Jesus is here, as are his ambassadors.

The City of God

Let us look and see how God describes the city.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.  

Psalm 48:1

John Continues…

and he (the angel) carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Also, she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:10-14
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 21:22 – 27

We see here God is describing his bride in terms of the city. Why? Because his bride is not one individual but rather a community or corporate body of people within the nation or kingdom of God. In this passage John describes the prominent features of this corporate body. He speaks of her foundations being the 12 tribes of Israel, and her gates the 12 apostles. This represents her roots and structure being tied to and built upon both the old and new Testament foundations.

Zion

If the bride of Christ is likened to a city, the New Jerusalem, then it stands to reason that Zion also represents a corporate body of individuals. Let’s see how God describes Zion.

Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is in her palaces; he is known as her refuge. Psalm 48:2
Let Mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. Psalm 48:11 – 13
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. Psalm 50:2
 “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

Psalm 50:5

Mount Zion is the fortress which protects the new Jerusalem, in which its leadership resides. The Lord’s church, his ambassadors have within them a head, or executive branch as we know it, who makes decisions and directs or leads the nation. The executive branch must also have a place, a palace, or in the case of the United States, the White House. Within the White House is the oval office where the president conducts his business for the state. Within Washington DC also resides the Pentagon, the place with the nation’s military planners, its army resides, it’s fortress. Zion was the fortress and palace of Jerusalem in David’s day and it is our fortress within God’s spiritual kingdom today. It is the place of the Lord’s house and his courts, where he directs the commanders of his army and dictates the law.

In Jesus’s kingdom, it is the Holy Spirit who fulfills the duties of the judicial branch of government by writing God’s law on our hearts, but Jesus through his executive branch on earth acts as judge and jury.

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, “come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob “he will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Micah 4:1-6

If that last verse sounds familiar, you’re right. It was so important to God that both Micah and Isaiah mention it. By the way, who is this Jacob?

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face. Psalm 24:6

First Fruits Leadership

Throughout the generations, God has always used unique men and women to carry out His plans. Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David… Jesus and many more. These men were all placed in positions of leadership among His people. They were all individually anointed for the particular task at hand. They were all first fruits of God.

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Cor 15:20

Here we see Jesus Christ as a firstfruit unto God, being the first to overcome the grave.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1 Cor 15:22-23

Look carefully here. Paul is talking about two different groups of people. Christ the Firstfruits and those who belong to Christ at His coming. Those that belong to Christ are His bride as Jesus tells us in the book of John.

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

John 3:29

So “Christ the Firstfruits” is not talking about the bride, but another group of people. These are His appointed kingdom leadership, who are manifesting the fullness of Christ in the earth, just as in the days of old.

Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Revelation 14:1-5

These are a part of the bride (New Jerusalem), yet they also hold the governance authority within God’s Kingdom, as did Moses and prophets like Elijah. This is primarily an apostolic and/or prophetic role, within the five-fold ministry. Their purpose in this life is not only to teach doctrine, but to attend to matters of civil government within their nation. They collectively share the mind of Christ, and thus Christ rules on earth through them in Spiritual Zion. They are the first of many to take on the fullness of the image of Christ.

The Ark of Refuge

Remember Noah… building an ark? How about the Ark of the Covenant? As we enter into this time the Bible describes as the tribulation and also Jacob’s troubles, God is once again building an ark. What is it? A different season, with different storms requires a different type of vessel. 

Ark: A vessel or sanctuary that serves as protection against extinction.  Something that affords protection and safety.

The Ark of the Covenant: The vessel which carried and protected the physical symbols and contracts of the old covenant prior to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The End Times Ark of Refuge

We see in Revelation 12:1 that in these days, a portion of “the church” has been made ready.  She, the bride a remnant of sorts, has come into the likeness of Christ by faith.  Having fully surrendered her heart to the Lord.  She has been clothed by God in the robes of righteousness.  She is not physical woman, nor is she physically in the stars.  She is a metaphorical representation of the corporate bride of Christ, at the point in time to which the scripture speaks of. A corporate body of spiritual souls.

Metaphor: A figure of speech

She: In metaphor, used to refer to a ship, vehicle, country, or other inanimate thing regarded as female. Examples: Ships – Andrea Gail: a fishing vessel lost at sea, along with all “Her Souls”, during the perfect storm of 1991.

Metaphysical: Beyond what is physical, or can be observed by natural senses. 

The moon under her feet refers to moon glory.  Moon glory symbolizes Christians who reflect the light of Christ, but have not attained to fully shining His light in themselves.  She has conquered this, and in victory has been clothed with Christ Himself.  She is a symbol of New Jersusalem.   Her garland or crown symbolizes the 12 Apostles which are the 12 foundations of this metaphorical city. (Revelation 21:2, 12, 14) The crown also represents her prize of distinction. (dominion & authority) which she has gained but does not yet know how to properly exercise.

Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

Revelation 12:2

This woman, or “elect lady” as John 2 describes her, has been found worthy and as such is about to bring forth fruit worthy of her title. This corporate body represented by the woman is about to deliver a corporate Male child.  In other words, first fruits of Christ.  This is the metaphorical man-child, or the first fruits of Jesus Christ, brought forth in a spiritual/metaphysical birth.  Her fruit, this corporate son of God is the spirit of Jesus Christ manifested in a body of literal people.  These literal people are referred to as Him because they carry the kingship of Christ.  They were born of the Earth as flesh, but like Enoch have overcome the limitations of this physical world, and are caught up to dwell (spiritually) with God in His throne room.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

Revelation 12:3-4

Here the symbol of Satan, the dragon is used to describe his attempts to destroy this child as soon as He is born. Something Satan has been trying to do for the last 2000 years, preventing the church from coming into the fullness of its true glory.

She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

Revelation 12:5

This man-child is then separated for a time. A catching away to heaven to receive instructions from God. This is essentially a weaning period as these new first fruits learn to spread their wings and fly.  Like Jesus had to endure a wilderness period, that He might be tested, so too will this man-child.  Today there are many children of the church, whom the Lord has hidden away in the wilderness for a season.  To teach and prepare them to take their place in this time.

Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Revelation 12:6

Now back to the woman.  We see here that it is now her time, shortly after the birth of the man-child, to go into her wilderness.  Her time of preparation for the marriage feast.  Where is she going? To the place where God has prepared, the Ark of Refuge… Zion.  Who feeds her there? The man-child!