Zion, in the Bible

Zion (zī`ən) or Sion (sī`ən), section of Jerusalem Jerusalem (jər

`sələm, –zələm), Heb.
..... Click the link for more information. , defined in the Bible as the City of David. Originally the name referred to the Jebusite fortress conquered by David, on the southeastern hill of Jerusalem. Zion was later applied to the hill where the Temple stood, and in turn came to denote the Temple area itself. Zion is symbolic of Jerusalem, of the Promised Land, of Israel's hope of returning to Palestine (hence the term Zionism Zionism, modern political movement for reconstituting a Jewish national state in Palestine.

Early Years

The rise of the Zionist movement in the late 19th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. ), and of heaven or God's dwelling-place with his people.

Zion, city, United States

Zion (zī`ən), city (1990 pop. 19,775), Lake co., extreme NE Ill., on Lake Michigan; inc. 1902. Largely residential, the city has some light industry. Zion was founded in 1901 by John Alexander Dowie Dowie, John Alexander (dou`ē), 1847–1907, founder of the Christian Catholic Church , b. Scotland.
..... Click the link for more information. , the Scottish founder of the Christian Catholic Church. Until 1935 the city was a communal society with a theocratic government; the church remains an important force there. Of note are the huge Zion Hotel (1902), and Shiloh House (1902), the mansion built for the Dowie family. Illinois Beach State Park is nearby.

Zion

Easternmost of the two hills of ancient Jerusalem, where David established his royal capital. In the Old Testament, the name Zion frequently refers to Jerusalem as a whole; it is overwhelmingly a poetic and prophetic designation. Mount Zion is the place where Yahweh (God) dwells and is the scene of his messianic salvation. The name came to mean the Jewish homeland, symbolic of Judaism or Jewish national aspirations, and thus was the source of the term Zionism. Though the name is rare in the New Testament, it has been frequently used in Christian literature and hymns as a designation for the heavenly city or for the earthly city of Christian faith and fraternity.

Zion, Sion

1. the hill on which the city of Jerusalem stands

2. Judaism

a. the ancient Israelites of the Bible

b. the modern Jewish nation

c. Israel as the national home of the Jewish people

3. Christianity heaven regarded as the city of God and the final abode of his elect

a. a religious community or its site, regarded as chosen by God and under his special protection

b. an ideal theocratic community, esp any of the Christian Churches regarded as such a community