Written by J.C. (age 17 at the time of writing)
Jeremiah 50:5 “They shall ask the way to Tsiyon, their faces toward it, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to יהוה, in an everlasting covenant, never to be forgotten.’ ”
Prophetic Scriptures reveal that YHWH’s people will be returning to the land promised to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Many believers dispersed around the world today have a heart for returning to the land. They know that someday they have a destiny in Zion. Many people understand YHWH’s heart for this city and desire to go there. In this post, I am going to examine what the Bible teaches about ‘the way’ to Zion.
Jeremiah 50:4-6 “In those days and at that time,” declares יהוה, “the children of Yisra’ĕl shall come, they and the children of Yehuḏah together, weeping as they come, and seek יהוה their Elohim. They shall ask the way to Tsiyon, their faces toward it, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to יהוה, in an everlasting covenant, never to be forgotten.’ My people have been wandering sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.”
In context, Jeremiah chapter 50 refers to the destruction of the End Time nation of Babylon. The chapter explains that great nations will be at war with Babylon. The Fall of Babylon is very severe. People living there are forced to flee because of utter destruction and the text actually commands fleeing (Jer 50:8). Babylon becomes desolate forever. This is when YHWH’s people, who are of the House of Israel and the House of Judah, seek the way to Zion.
The confusion of YHWH’s people while they flee is NOT that they are unaware of the location of Zion. Most Bible readers understand the location of Zion which is the city of Jerusalem. There is nothing concealed about this in Scripture. In the Scripture above, the people desire Zion, but they don’t know how to get there. In other words, they don’t know ‘the way to Zion.’ They are like sheep wandering who need direction.
There is good news for the House of Israel as they rightfully seek YHWH’s plan of physical return unto Him. Scripture teaches about the way to Zion. YHWH intentionally foretold the very answers that Scripture itself teaches we shall seek! However, there is something false taught today about returning to Zion.
Today, many believers think they will eventually return to the modern country of Israel and unite with Jewish people living there (a fraction out of the all people in the world with Jewish descent). They think they are then fulfilling the prophecies regarding the gathering of YHWH’s people. They think that Zion will be rebuilt if YHWH’s people willingly return there. This is NOT what the Bible teaches is the way to Zion!
In my mom’s book Jerusalem Fallacy: Avoiding the Deception she writes: “The ‘way to Zion’ will be a path of repentance, leading us to a wilderness encounter with Yahushua, and the rest of His people, before we can meet Him in Zion.” This is true. We will be taking a wilderness pathway to Zion. The wilderness is the way! Several passages in Scripture refer to the wilderness time YHWH’s people will experience before we can meet our King in Zion.
Jeremiah 31:1-2 “At that time,” declares יהוה, “I shall be the Elohim of all the clans of Yisra’ĕl, and they shall be My people.” Thus said יהוה, “A people escaped from the sword found favour in the wilderness, Yisra’ĕl, when it went to find rest.”
Jeremiah 31 is about the House of Israel returning to the land. This is a massive number of people being gathered out of the nations. The people are returning with weeping and prayers. YHWH is very compassionate toward the group of people returning. They return to the land, YHWH, and His Torah. This passage is very encouraging for those dispersed in the nations, and many people find hope in this return.
This return is during a time of distress on the Earth when the House of Israel finds a place of protection in the wilderness. Jeremiah is NOT referencing history when YHWH’s people spent over forty years in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. Jeremiah is referring to an event involving YHWH’s people alive today—the return of the twelve tribes of Israel. The people escape danger and do not die because they find refuge in the wilderness. Understanding the gathering in the wilderness brings more clarity to the way to Zion. Embracing the wilderness will bring joy to YHWH’s people as they return.
Jeremiah 31:4-6 “I am going to build you again. And you shall be rebuilt, O maiden of Yisra’ĕl! Again you shall take up your tambourines, and go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. Again you shall plant vines on the mountains of Shomeron. The planters shall plant and treat them as common. For there shall be a day when the watchmen cry on Mount Ephrayim, ‘Arise, and let us go up to Tsiyon, to יהוה our Elohim.’ ”
Another place in Scripture that teaches about wilderness preparation is Ezekiel 20.
Ezekiel 20:34-37 “And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. And I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and shall enter into judgment with you face to face there. As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim, so I shall enter into judgment with you,” declares the Master יהוה.
The story of the first Exodus foreshadows the plan YHWH has for the House of Israel when He gathers His lost sheep from the nations. The countries that His people are dispersed in today represent Egypt, the nation that held the House of Israel captive. There is a difference between being in the wilderness and being in the nations. In the nations, His people are scattered. In the wilderness, His people are gathered. YHWH removed His people from the land due to their rebellion and sin against Him. The dispersion of YHWH’s people resulted in all of us being scattered throughout the nations today.
Ezekiel 20:37-38 “And I shall make you pass under the rod, and shall bring you into the bond of the covenant, and purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. From the land where they sojourn I bring them out, but they shall not come into the land of Yisra’ĕl. And you shall know that I am יהוה.”
Ezekiel continues talking about YHWH’s people coming out of the nations. At this time, the House of Israel will NOT enter the land of Israel until they have been tested in the wilderness. YHWH will bring His people to the wilderness for judgment. People will congregate in the wilderness, but not all of them will enter the land. YHWH will deal with our character. Like our forefathers were tried in the wilderness for the sake of revealing their hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2-3), so will the House of Israel be tried again. As recorded in the Torah, many who were not for YHWH’s covenant did not make it to the Promised Land.
Who does not enter the land? They will be the rebels whom YHWH purges form among us. However, the people who are left will not enter the land at this point either. The true followers of YHWH will inherit the Promised Land under Yahushua’s kingship.
Scripture reveals the wilderness as the place covenant is made. During the first Exodus, the House of Israel was in the wilderness when they made a covenant with YHWH. Hosea 2 is another passage that prophesies the gathering in the wilderness for the sake of coming into covenant with YHWH as a nation.
The covenant we establish with YHWH will be a marriage covenant. Hosea depicts the House of Israel as a woman who was married to YHWH. It says, as do many Scriptures, that the House of Israel was unfaithful to her Elohim. She trusted in the nations instead of YHWH to give her provision. She also worshiped other gods, and not the One true Elohim. YHWH therefore “walled” her in the nations and did not allow her to “find her path” back to Him.
Hosea 2:5-6 “For their mother has whored, she who conceived them has acted shamelessly. For she said, ‘I go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.’ Therefore, see, I am hedging up your way with thorns, and I shall wall her in, so that she does not find her paths.”
Hosea continues to reveal that YHWH will show her the way back to Him.
Hosea 2:14 “Therefore, see, I am alluring her, and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart.”
Despite all of Israel’s unfaithfulness, it says that YHWH is going to guide His people into the wilderness. It is in the wilderness that the House of Israel recognizes YHWH as her Husband.
Hosea 2:16-17 “And it shall be, in that day,” declares יהוה, “that you call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Baʽal.’ And I shall remove the names of the Baʽals from her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.”
When the House of Israel comes to the wilderness, then YHWH takes her as a Bride.
Hosea 2:19-20 “And I shall take you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me in righteousness, and in right-ruling, and kindness and compassion. And I shall take you as a bride unto Me in trustworthiness, and you shall know יהוה.”
Once in the wilderness, the House of Israel will pass through judgment and affirm the covenant with YHWH. The House of Israel, known as ‘the woman’ in the next passage, will then be ready for the wilderness described in Revelation 12.
Revelation 12:1-4 And a great sign was seen in the heaven: a woman clad with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And being pregnant, she cried out in labour and in pain to give birth. And another sign was seen in the heaven: and see, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. And his tail draws a third of the stars of the heaven and throws them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Revelation 12:5 And she bore a male child who was to shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught away to Elohim and to His throne.
The first sign seen here is the Bride of Yahushua. She has a crown of twelve stars. The twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The crown on her head shows her glory and esteem. The Bride of Yahushua is complete with all twelve tribes coming together. The woman is birthing Messiah. In other words, His people (the forming nation of Israel) bring forth their Messiah.
The second sign seen is Satan himself. He is going to bring major distress to the world. YHWH will help His Bride escape the evil of Satan. The woman will escape destruction coming to the Earth because she will flee to the wilderness.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by Elohim, to be nourished there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Revelation 12:13-16 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. And the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, to fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And out of his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river after the woman, to cause her to be swept away by the river. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
The way to Zion will be through the wilderness. There will be a time of distress for the world, but there is a plan of escape for the House of Israel (Jeremiah 31). People will come out of the nations and gather in the wilderness. There YHWH will judge the people (Ezekiel 20). The ones faithful to Him will enter into a covenant with Him (Hosea 2). YHWH’s people will enter into a place of protection away from Satan’s wrath and the destruction of the Earth (Revelation 12). The Bride will wait in the wilderness protection before she can meet her King in Zion. Yahushua will provide for her needs during the waiting period.
We often imagine that these events are far off from current reality. However, these things are knocking at the door. We are starting to see major distress in the world. Not just the distresses that have always been, but the real things the Scriptures say will happen in the End Days. The Scriptures give us hope, but we shouldn’t just read them passively. There are literal ways we can be ready for our King in Zion.
Our family is here to help people understand how we can walk out the wilderness pathway to Zion. If you have questions about our teachings, please contact us.
To read an awesome book about Zion’s role in prophecy and the Tribulation, get an immediate copy today of Jerusalem Fallacy: Avoiding the Deception.
Digital book: readable on any computer, tablet, or phone and with any ebook reader.
If this teaching has blessed you, please consider leaving a blessing below to support the work of this ministry. (1 Corinthians 9:13-14)
