God does not desire for His people to remain in Babylon.
Babylon is the city that is the direct opposite of Zion. Babylon is a place of weeping and captivity, while Zion is a place of joy and freedom. Babylon is a place of witchcraft, sorcery and divination (magicians); Zion is a place of prophets and prophetic people.
God redeemed His people from Babylon. Babylon loves to take the best people. The king brought the best of the Israelites to Babylon. Daniel and the others were taught the language and knowledge of Babylon. (See Dan. 1.) Babylon is filled with worldly wisdom, but Zion has the wisdom of God. Babylon is worldly, carnal and fleshly; Zion is spiritual and heavenly.
Babylon was a physical city, but it also represents something in the spirit. Babylonian systems are religious systems that do not allow people to enjoy the liberty of the Spirit. Babylon is guilty of fornication and idolatry (Rev. 14:8). Babylon is a harlot (Rev. 17:5). Zion is a place of holiness and true worship; Babylon is a place of uncleanliness and demons. Zion is the place of glory!
God used Babylon to capture His people; then God judged Babylon for its pride and cruelty. Babylon is self-promoting; Zion is promoted by God. Babylon is legalistic; it is all about religious control, which it does through the traditions of men. Babylonian leaders are controlling and domineering. They do not release and launch people into their destinies. Babylon loves to control the wealth; it is greedy and eats up the riches of the people. Zion, on the other hand, gives willingly and sacrificially.
Babylon is a place of sorrow. The psalmist said, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Ps. 137:1, NKJV). Babylon is a place of rivers. Ezekiel had his visions by the river Chebar in Babylon (Ezek. 1:1). Darius, the Mede, captured Babylon by drying up the river and entering through the dry channel (Dan. 5:30−31).
Both Zion and Babylon have rivers. But Zion has the life-giving river of God, whereas the rivers of Babylon do not give life. After the Israelites had been in captivity for roughly 70 years, God restored them back to the land. He returned them to Zion, a place of freedom and protection from their enemies and a place of rebuilding and restoration after their deliverance. This is a type of what Jesus came to do. He came to bring restoration.
In Zion, the gospel is preached, and it liberates and sets free. It brings hope and deliverance. This is what the psalmist longed to see when he proclaimed, “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad” (Ps. 14:7).
Zion is liberty; Babylon is bondage. The Zion believer cannot be satisfied in Babylon. Zion is laughter and joy; Babylon is weeping and sadness. Zion worships the true God; Babylon worships idols. Zion is divine order; Babylon is confusion. Zion is the home of the believer; Babylon represents exile.
According to Revelation 19:1–10, Babylon has been judged and is fallen. It no longer has dominion over Zion. Because the spiritual nature of Zion dwells in you, you are Zion. That means you are free. As Galatians 4:3–9 indicates, you are no longer in bondage to the elemental spirits or the weak and beggarly elements (man-made religious tradition or the philosophical teachings of the world).
So stand fast in your liberty. Do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1). The Son has set you free, which means you are free indeed (John 8:36). Be glad and rejoice!
“When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Ps. 126:1–3, KJV).
Zion believers belong in Zion churches. They do not belong in Babylonian systems. They cannot sit under control and domination. They need to be where their gifts are recognized and released. Thanks be to God that we don’t have to live in Babylon. Zion believers laugh and sing. The Lord’s salvation has come. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.
God commands Zion believers to come out of Babylon. Those with hearts after Zion will flee Babylon. They will loose themselves from Babylon’s bonds and come into the freedom of Zion. If you want to experience the fullness of the glory of Zion in your life, you have to deliver yourself.
Zechariah 2:7 says, “Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.” The Zion heart cannot stay in the dust. The call of Zion will cause the person to desire freedom. Zion shakes herself free. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion” (Isa. 52:2). God says loose thyself! Zion awakes. Zion puts on strength. Zion puts on beautiful garments. The unclean cannot enter Zion, as Zion is for the holy and clean. The Zion identity is for those with clean hands and pure hearts.
“But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26).
The church is heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:22−23), and the heavenly Zion is free. We are not slaves. {eoa}
This is an adapted excerpt from I Am Zion: Unleash the Power of God’s Glory in Your Life by John Eckhardt. Copyright ©2020, published by Charisma House. Used by permission.
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