The Zion Menorah

There are many Menorah Designs in the Bible. The Menorah is the seven-branched lampstand, the design of which was given to Moses by the Lord on Mount Sinai. The Menorah has seven lamps and the center lamp is traditionally known as the Servant Lamp. The Servant Lamp is lighted first, and the other lamps are lit from it.

A Biblical Menorah Design has seven components and the center component, in the Servant Lamp position, refers to the Lord, His throne, Light (for God is light) or fire (fire gives light.) The Creation account in Genesis chapter one forms a Menorah Design. It is composed of seven days, and the fourth day, in the center Servant Lamp position, is about the Sun, Moon and stars, which give light.

The Book of Joel, which only has three chapters, provides us with a Menorah Design based upon the name “Zion.” There are seven “Zions” in the Book of Joel.

  1. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” – Joel 2:1
  2. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” – Joel 2:15
  3. “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God …” – Joel 2:23
  4. “… for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance …” – Joel 2:32
  5. “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem …” – Joel 3:16
  6. “So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain …” – Joel 3:17
  7. “ … for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.” – Joel 3:21
I have found that the importance of Zion is underestimated by many Christians. Zion is frequently considered to be synonymous with Jerusalem. The City of David, aka Zion, was there before the larger City of Jerusalem, which came later. The City of David and Zion are within modern-day Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that Zion and the City of David are the same.

“Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.” – II Samuel 5:7
Because I believe the Temple of God was built in the City of David, I believe Zion is very important. Better than my belief, the Lord stated that He would choose a place for His name to dwell (Deuteronomy 12:11), and He chose Zion as the place where He would dwell (Psalm 48:2, 74:2), Mount Zion is the City of David.

This is why I consider the Menorah Design found in the Book of Joel to be very important, because in the Servant Lamp position is the name Mount Zion (Joel 2:32), the place where the Most High God, the King of the Universe chose to dwell. Amen! Praise His name.

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