Prophecy is Always Moral: The Man of Lawlessness

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Prophecy is never a neutral entity, devoid of any relationship to life.

A World Wide Revolt against ALL authority must happen
BEFORE the Second Coming

We should not be shook up as if the Second Coming has already happened, 2Thes 2:2. A great revolt against God must happen first, 2Thes 2:3. The Greek word is apostasia, and its main meaning is a defection, a revolt. Louw & Nida in their Greek-English Lexicon … 1989, UBS, NY, says it means “to rise up in open defiance of authority, with the presumed intention to overthrow it or to act in complete opposition to its demands …” (emphasis added). It is a much stronger word than the English word “apostasy,” or the KJV “falling away.” Translations that right on target in this instance include the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New English Translation Bible (NET), both of which translates it as a “rebellion.”

A special “man of lawlessness” will be worshipped

as the one and only “god,” 2Thes 2:4

He will be accompanied by “the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” 2Thes 2:9 WEB. The whole world, all of the unsaved, will worship this man, and God Himself will help this man deceive the lost, 2Thes 2:10-11 WEB.

This man will be destroyed BY THE
SECOND COMING of Christ, 2Thes 2:8

So this is talking about things just before the end of our present universe.

Nothing this big has EVER happened.

No king, no revolutionary, no president, no religious leader, has ever been this big … so far! But Jesus says Scripture cannot be broken, Jn 10:35. This man is called “the beast” in Revelation. It says of when John is writing the book of Revelation, that this man,

“… was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. …”
Rev 17:8 WEB.

Then here is the Clincher:

There is a Mystery Religion that “already works”
in the first century of our age.

and which will work

until it seats this “god,” 2Thes 2:7

There have been, and there are, continual attempts throughout the Christian age to seat such a man as the “true” and one-and-only “god” of this world. You and I have read of such men in history, often without realizing the ultimate objectives.

Prophecy Principles describes some of the false christs of the Christian Age in the section called “Lab Work.”

Some of the men who have claimed the be current “savior” are reviewed in my book Prophecy Principles, in the section called “Lab Work, What does all of this mean to me?” The Christian age has been filled with false christs.

“For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.”
Mtt 24:5 WEB

If it will mean eternal destruction to worship this final false “god” in history, how much worse would it be to be sucked in by one of the many failures down through history, not realizing of what we have become a part.

There is even a competition among various occult groups world-wide, to see who will be able to produce the “real” “beast” of Revelation.

These prophecies are pertinent to the ENTIRE Christian age

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy is Always Moral: The Second Coming

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Prophecy is never a neutral entity, devoid of any relationship to life. It was shown in the previous posts that this is true even of everyday things in life. Also it is also true of the outstanding powers and events of our age. Know and believe these prophesies, and it will change your conduct! In fact knowing these things is necessary for changing our conduct for the good.

Jesus is coming again, to judge the world

“For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
2Cor 5:10 WEB

He will come in flaming fire, 2Thes 1:7; and,

“… there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.”
Mtt 10:26 WEB

“10 But the day of the Lord will come

“as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore since all these things are thus to be destroyed, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy living and godliness,”
2Pe 3:10-11 WEB

The prophecies themselves beg their own importance to our future … and if believed will radically alter our conduct. Really that is true of all prophecy. Isaiah 13 describes it this way.

“10 For the stars of the sky and the constellations of it shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 11 I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
Isa 13:10-11 WEB

And what is the penalty?

“9 who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired among all those who have believed …”
2Thes 1:9-10 WEB

Remember! You and I will be there … somewhere!

We may be on the ground looking up as the saints arise to meet Jesus. Or we may be among the saints rising to meet Jesus in the air, and

“… who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.”
2Thes 4:17 WEB

But on the ground or in the air, we will be there, for it says,

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.”
Rev 1:5 WEB

Prophecy is never just a theoretical exercise.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy is Always Moral: Our Jobs

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Prophecy is never a neutral entity, devoid of any relationship to life.

You might say, It is just a prophecy.

“ 23 And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
Col 3:23-24 WEB

Paul tells us to do certain things. These are commands. In fact, these commands even apply to Slaves. In the verse just before these, it says,

“Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.”
Col 3:22 WEB

But the word translated a “Servants” here (and also in the KJV) is really the Greek word dulos, or slave. So these commands even apply if you are a slave. Also it includes a good reason for the command.

Prophecy is NEVER pointless sayings
about the future.

Paul says that the reason you should do good work, even if you are a slave, and act in good conscience not just as men-pleasers, is because you “will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Even if you are a slave, the present reality is that “you serve Christ.” These verses promise a heavenly reward for good service in your “secular” job.

And it goes beyond what we might do that is right.

“But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.”
Col 3:25 WEB

It is talking about what we “will” receive. It is like the prophecy in Romans 2.

“9 oppression and anguish, on every soul of man who works evil, on the Jew first, and also on the Greek. Rom. 2:10   But glory and honor and peace to every man who works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.”
Rom 2:9-11 WEB

Naturally this has to be talking about the future, and it is. For this is surely not a present reality in this present evil age, is it? No, clearly in context this is speaking of the final “day of wrath,” Rom 2:5.

And it applies to Masters also

“Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”
Col 4:1 WEB

Notice that in context it implies that even a slave can be mistreated, something many down through history would not acknowledge. Still it is all in the context of coming judgement and rewards or punishments, and clearly indicates that any master who mistreats his slave, servant or employee will be in for judgment for his actions in the end! Many other passages speak of the same. Compare for instance James 5:1-6.

All of this is of future reality which SHOULD
alter conduct in the present

Prophecy has never been a neutral entity,

Test it. See if what I have told you is so.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy is Always Moral: Evangelism

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Prophecy is never a neutral entity, devoid of any relationship to life.

We must acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord,
and declare His word to men.

“9 that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Rom 10:9-10 WEB

Sometimes we reduce this command to a formal acknowledgment of Jesus at our baptism, but that is not how it is stated here. It is true that we must be prepared to acknowledge Jesus as Lord from the time of our entering the body of Christ, the assembly, the church, Eph 1:22-23.

That word “confess” in Rom 10:9 is the Greek word homologe?. It has the sense of acknowledging, admitting, agreeing, or yes, even the King James Version sense of confessing that Jesus is our Lord.

This is also really a very personal prophecy of what “will be” for “you” and for me, given certain conditions. If we “will” acknowledge Jesus before men, and believe in our hearts that He is that special One of God who was raised from the dead, THEN “you will be saved.” That is a statement of future condition, depending and what we will do or not do.

This is all about FUTURE RESULTS OF WHAT WE DO NOW. We believe this, or not. We think it is so and try to do it, and do it or do not.

Acknowledging Jesus is also in other passages.

“32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
Mtt 10:32-33 WEB

Yes it is that same Greek word homologe?. IF you will, then He will, it predicts, it promises, it prophesies.

“I am with you to the end of the age.”

“19 Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Mtt 28:19-20 WEB.

A statement of Christ’s being with us, even in the future, even to the end of the age. If we believe it, then we may have the courage to do as He has commanded.

If we are ashamed of Jesus?

“For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.””
Mk 8:38 WEB

Is this not ALSO prophecy of what will be.

How can anyone say all prophecy has been fulfilled. How can anyone say that a prophecy of what will be, does not matter!

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy is Always Moral: Salvation

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Prophecy is never a neutral entity, devoid of any relationship to life. This is true of the initial declaration to Mary of the child she would be bear.

“”She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.””
Mtt 1:21 WEB

That means among other things that if you are a Jew, and you wish to be delivered from your sins … you have to come to Jesus. The prophecy has a moral point, an ethical point.

Or take a prophecy about staying with Jesus

In a long sermon in Matthew 10 Jesus says,

“You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Mtt 10:22 WEB

There is a double promise here, two statements of fact. The first promise is that at some point “you,” the Christian, will be hated by ALL men. However it is not by “all,” yet! Despite that, it is a prophecy of what “will be.” The second part has a wider application. You have to endure “to the end,” to be among those that “will be saved.” It is a prophecy, a message of what “will be,” that demands action.

You and I may “keep” this prophecy in order to “be saved,” or we do not believe it, despise the prediction … then we are depending on it to not be true, to not be real.

Prophecy and ethics are inseparable

Jesus says in Mark 8,

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
Mk 8:35 WEB

All of this is a statement of what will be, a statement of the future, a prophecy in every sense. It says, plainly that if we are concentrating on saving our live we “will lose it.”

The Pharisees failed in part because they
did not believe prophecy.

The Pharisees believed that it was blasphemy for any man to say he was the son of God, Jn 10:36 and a host of other Scriptures.

But they heard from John the Baptist that he was the voice crying in the wilderness, to prepare “the way of Yahweh” of Isa 40:3, but did not believe it when it said of Judah, “say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” Isa 40:9 WEB, that God Himself would be in Judah!

They had read but not believed, when it said of the Christ, the son of David, in Isaiah 9,

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; … and his name shall be called … Mighty God, Everlasting Father, …”
Isa 9:6 WEB.

They believed the prophecies of the Messiah only to a point … and so they failed in salvation. Prophecy and ethics or morality … cannot be separated. We as men often believe, only to a point!

They merely doubted much prophecy, and so failed in salvation.

Test it. See if what I have told you is so.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

God’s Mountain Will Rule ALL

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Five kingdoms are described.

King Nebuchadnezzar has had a dream in Daniel 2. Daniel, by revelation from God, both tells the king what the dream is, and what it means. Five kingdoms are prophesied to rule.

“31 You, O king, saw, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the aspect of it was awesome. 32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.”
Dan 2:31-33 WEB

This is summary here, but the first was ancient Babylon ruled by Nebuchadnezzar himself. “ … you are the head of gold.” Dan 2:38 WEB.

This was followed by the Medo-Persian Empire. This is symbolized by breast and arms of silver, Dan 2:32. It was inferior to Babylon, but lasted longer.

Then came the Greeks under Alexander the Great. Alexander is pictured as a large horn in Daniel 8.

“The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.”
Dan 8:21 WEB

Greece of course was to be followed by Rome. Rome is described Daniel 2 as “legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.” In Daniel 7 Rome is described as an frightening beast with large iron teeth. Rome did not seduce or make other rich. Rather she, “devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet,” Dan 7:7 WEB.

“But in the days of those kings …” Dan 2:44

It is clear it is talking about in the days of the Roman Empire, that,

“the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty of it be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
Dan 2:44 WEB

Now there was no clear secular successor to Rome.

The successor is the one,

“… that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold …”
Dan 2:45 WEB

“Cut out without hands” (Dan 2:34) would indicate that it was by no human agency that this kingdom comes into being. Then we look back to see the nature of this kingdom.

“the stone that struck the image became a great MOUNTAIN,”
Dan 2:35 WEB.

This is a religious kingdom which comes. This is the kingdom of heaven which John the Baptist and Jesus announced, and into which God’s people have been transferred, Col 1:13.

It indeed struck “the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, … and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them:” Dan 2:35 WEB

“the stone … became a great mountain, and
filled the WHOLE earth.” Dan 2:35

This is still in process. The kingdom has not YET filled the whole earth. But it will. Scripture cannot be broken, Jn 10:35.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Mountains a Blessing, Mountains a Snare

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Both ancients and moderns sometimes prefer mountain settings to the formal worship which God has commanded, both Old Testament and New Testament. When King Balak was trying to get Balaam to help him, it says,

“It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.”
Num 22:41 WEB

So “the high places” became a snare to Israel

It says even of Solomon, even at the time when God was truly blessing to him,

“Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. ”
1Kgs 3:3 WEB

It was overlooked by God at that time, but later it became a snare to Solomon, and to Israel.

“For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;”
1Kgs 14:23 WEB

Then the high places became places to practice all that was wicked and evil in religion.

“The children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city; ”
2Kgs 17:9 WEB

And some mountains oppose others

“15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains.
The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains,
At the mountain where God chooses to reign?
Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.”
Psa 68:15-16 WEB

The text goes on of the chariots of God leading from Mount Sinai to God’s Holy Mountain.

“17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands.
The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
18 You have ascended on high.
You have led away captives.
You have received gifts among men,
Yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.”
Psa 68:17-18 WEB

Of course Psa 68:18 is quoted in Eph 4:8-10 of Jesus return to heaven to await the last day.

Mystery Babylon is seated on seven mountains

“Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.”
Rev 17:9 WEB

The Greek is indeed mountains, oros in Greek, not hills as it is in some translations. Now ancient Roman was situated on seven hills. Hills, not mountains. Mystery Babylon the Great is seated on seven mountains.

And mountains are allegories of religions

“24 These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
Gal 4:24-26 WEB

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Mountains for Places of Worship

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When Abraham was being tested by God, the testing was associated with a certain mountain.

“He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.””
Gen 22:2 WEB

Then when it is talking about the blessing of God which will come to His own, it says,

“Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-jireh.a As it is said to this day, “In Yahweh’s mountain it will be provided.””
Gen 22:14 WEB

And it was on that mountain where Abraham symbolically was sacrificing his very own son,

“accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.”
Heb 11:19 WEB

And that also had later associations and became God’s special mountain.

“Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ”
2Chron 3:1 WEB

It is common, very natural, to associate Mountains
with high and exalted worship

Many talk about feeling so close to God when they worship on some high mountain viewing much of the earth in the distance. Mountain are often referred to as if a religious blessing.

“ The blessings of your father
Have prevailed above the blessings of the ancient mountains,
Above the bounty of the age-old hills.
They will be on the head of Joseph,
On the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.”
Gen 49:26 WEB

Then when God came to call Moses

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.”
Ex 3:1 WEB

God’s instructions then were to come back to this very same mountain.

He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.””
Ex. 3:12 WEB

And that is what they did.

“Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.”
Ex 18:5 WEB

And God came to Mount Sinai

“Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.”
Ex 19:14

And God came to Sinai.

“Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.”
Ex 19:20

If you take the entire context of Scripture, it is easy to see the associations between mountains and religion.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Why Types Can Confuse: So much is Missing.

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Exaggerated language, hyperbole, overstatements, are all over in prophecy. Quite often these things indicate that the immediate subject is a type of more distant fulfillments.

Take some of the kings of all the earth.

First let us take Nebuchadnezzar. God told him.

“37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all: you are the head of gold.”
Dan 2:37-38 WEB

This heading does qualify the rule give to Nebuchadnezzar as being to all of the inhabited world. Even so that is open to question (not meaning to question God you understand, but to try to understand what He meant). For there were many lands that were inhabited which Nebuchadnezzar did not rule. That included India and China, and what we now call Russia. Nor did he rule Rome or Greece, which soon come up.

Then it says of the Medo-Persian Empire that it “shall bear rule over ALL the earth.” Dan 2:39 WEB. Once again, not so, at least literally and completely, even though to those of the Mid-East it did seem as if he ruled over everything. You can almost hear the discussions in Bible classes. How can the Bible say that. Really that is not true!

And going on to other rulers.

There is a vision of four empires as four beasts in Daniel 7. The first, ancient Babylon, was like lion with the wings of an eagle, Dan 7:4. The second was like a bear, evidently indicating Medo-Persia, Dan 7:5. The third was like a leopard with four wings on its back, and in context clearly indicates Greece. Fourth was a beast with iron teeth, indicating Rome. I cannot pretend to say that I know all of the inferences that are involved but some observations can be made.

Clearly ancient Babylon is symbolic of Mystery Babylon
the Great of Revelation.

Clearly Mystery Babylon will have a world-wide commercial empire and she is one who “reigns over the kings of the earth.” Rev 17:18.

It says of the “beast” and his empire,

“The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. …”
Rev 13:2 WEB

Is this saying Satan’s final empire is like Greece, and Medo-Persia and Babylon … all rolled into one?

Jesus assures us,

“… not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. ”
Mtt 5:18 WEB

The “contradictions,” the exaggerated language, the things which just don’t fit,

… those things would be the key to whether the immediate subject is symbolic of some distant fulfillment. The we start thinking and searching. Where does the symbolic fit into what is clear?

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Why Types Can Confuse: Clear Contradictions

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There is a short but beautiful psalm about Zion in Psalm 48. Mount Zion is what I like to call capital hill in Jerusalem. On it was the temple of the Lord, and the palaces of the kings. Today it is where the Mohammedan “Dome of the Rock” sits. It is the city of the Great King in verse 2.

A psalm of a great victory.

The authors do talk about the lovingkindness of the Lord in verse 9. They say the praise of the God is to the ends of the earth in verse 10, and they say the daughters of Judah should rejoice because of God’s judgments.

And it speaks of strange reactions by some kings.

Some kings have assembled and passed by Jerusalem “together,” verse 4. It seems they have gathered together to destroy Zion, Then,

“5 They saw it, then they were amazed.
They were dismayed,
They hurried away.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
Pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.”
Psa 48:5-7 WEB

This is evidently a psalm of thanks for a great victory from God. Their enemies have come in “ships of Tarshish,” which God has broken apart by a great east wind in verse 7. Mount Zion can be magnificent in many ways, and many in ancient times were impressed with strength of her fortifications. But merely seeing the city and being “amazed,” “dismayed,” and fleeing away? Since when has just seeing Zion caused coalitions of kings to run in panic?

Then look at this description of “Zion,” Psa 48:2

The KJV says it “is mount Zion, on the sides of the north.” What?? Sides of what?

The New American Standard 95 edition and others say it is Mount Zion in “the far north.” These are good translations, but physical Zion is NOT in the “far” north. The WEB says Zion is on “the north sides,” but it isn’t. It is on the east side of Jerusalem, facing the mount of Olives. It doesn’t make sense of physical Zion on earth. It contradicts reality. Further, no victory like this for “Zion” has ever happened, so far!

But we have come to heavenly Zion and Jerusalem, Heb 12:22. We have “not come to a mountain that might be touched,” Heb 12:17 WEB, at least physically

But the earthly are mere copies of the heavenly things,
Heb 9:24.

The kings of the earth will be gathered against God’s people at a final time in Rev 20:7-10 and many Old Testament passages. The heavenly Jerusalem will come down out of heaven for all to see, Revelation 21, and the kings of the earth and all opposition will flee away.

“ … from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.”
Rev 20:11 WEB

Psalm 48 then is a parallel to those passages in Revelation 20, and Zechariah and Ezekiel, and others. Physical Zion is symbolic, a type, of the heavenly throne where Jesus now sits Heb 8:1, etc.

But if you try to make Psalm 48 fit mere physical geography and history past, it makes no sense. The seeming “contradictions” are clues to a type.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901