The Daughter of Zion, the New Jerusalem and Marian Apparitions

The Daughter of Zion

The final three phases: the new Jerusalem

Can we assert, after all these examinations, that the Scriptures predict Marian apparitions, which multiply in our days?[77] Up to now we know the following: there will be the great descent of the Holy Spirit on the last Saints predicted by Joel, as seen in The last Saints. This has to be preceded by apparitions preparing the last Saints for the event, as seen in the previous section. These apparitions must take place during the first phase of a new cycle, as seen in The Annunciation and the virginal conception. Presently, we are in the fourth cycle, which started centuries ago. So if we suppose that we are approaching the end times, the first phase should go towards its end and apparitions should have become rare.

However, the proper sin and judgment phases are very short compared with the first phase. According to Daniel and Revelation, they last only twice three and a half years, despite the fact that they are prefigured in the past through many events intermingled with long periods of peace, as seen in The four phases of modern history. So the numerous manifestations of the Holy Virgin through the centuries should not become rarer in approaching the last phases of our cycle. They will just end shortly before the end-time tribulation begins. As we shall see, the last apparition of Mary is referred to as the Woman clothed with the sun, giving birth to the last Saints, who will then be persecuted by the Antichrist, which is exactly the beginning of the proper phase of sin.

The descent of the Holy Spirit on the last Saints will cause their second birth, of which the apparitions will hold the maternal role and the Spirit the paternal role. In this sense, we have seen several times that the Holy Virgin is indeed the spiritual Mother of all children of God. If we interrelate all these facts, we therefore truly must believe that the apparitions of St. Mary are implicitly predicted by the Scriptures.

There are even prophecies that seem to be direct descriptions of Marian apparitions, for Zion (originally the fortress of king David) or the new Jerusalem are often magnified to such a point that they receive a supernatural glory. These cities are not only synonyms for the people of God or Israel, but especially of St. Mary, as we are going to see. In addition, the precise historical context of the glorious Jerusalem allows us sometimes to recognize a phase of apparition.

For example: after the Last Judgment, salvation history comes to an end with the phase of revival, which consists of the creation of a new sky and a new earth (Rev 20:11-21:1). The continuation, that is to say, the transition to eternity, must be understood as an eternal peace phase similar to the one that normally inaugurates a new cycle. This eternal phase is also inaugurated by a phase of apparition, that is, by the descent of the luminous and brilliant new Jerusalem designated as the Bride of God (Rev 21:2; 21:9-27). During the next phase, God the Spouse comes to settle in the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:3), which corresponds to the phase of arrival – not only of the Spirit but of all Trinitarian Persons. This is why there is no longer a temple, as in ancient Jerusalem, for “its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Rev 21:22), who will reside in the new heavenly Jerusalem forever (Rev 22:3-5).

The residence of God

This final residence of the Lord in the middle of Jerusalem is often announced by the prophets (Isa 12:6; 35:1-4; Ez 37:26-28; 43:7; Hos 11:9; Jl 2:27; Mic 3:11; Zec 2:14; 8:3). They even revolve around this topic since it is associated with the final salvation. They refer to analogous events in the past, particularly to the three temples that were built in Jerusalem, because the house of God was found in the middle of Jerusalem and reflected God’s final residence. Moreover, each construction of a temple was part of a phase of peace and its destruction a phase of judgment, through which the historical context can be distinguished.

As seen in From the Kingdom of Israel to the rest of Judah, Solomon built the first temple (1 Ki 6) in the beginning of the second cycle of the Israelite era. It was destroyed by the army of Nebuchadnezzar during the third cycle (2 Ki 25:8-9) and then reconstructed by the returned exiles (Ezr 5-6), which brings us to the beginning phase of the fourth cycle, as seen in The four phases of the seventy weeks. This second temple was profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Mac 1:54). The following and third temple, an extension of the second one, was built by Herod. It was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 during the siege of Jerusalem.

Before this happened, however, another temple was “built”, the one of the body of Christ, according to John 2:18-22. This temple was not destroyed during a phase of judgment but of sin because Jesus is the accomplishment and end of the Law (Mat 5:17-18; Rom 10:4), while the ancient Jews infringed it. In fact, the temples of stone were only prefigurations of God’s residence among his people (see also here). This is why the first and only time that the arrival of God in the middle of Jerusalem was realized in a real and perfect manner was during Jesus’ presence in the womb of Mary, for the Son of God, who came to reside in her, is really God. In this sense, the Holy Virgin Mary is inevitably the perfect Jerusalem with neither sin nor fault (Eph 5:25-27) and is consequently found in the heart of the prophecies concerning the residence of God mentioned above.

The residence of God is of course also realized with the Blessed Sacrament in the heart of the churches. Although this presence is real, it is not as perfect as God’s presence in Mary during her pregnancy because it is surrounded by the Church as people of God and thereby composed of failing members, who cannot rival St. Mary’s pure being. This is why even the final residence of God among his people will not be as perfect as when God was in the womb of Mary, even though it will be washed of all sins at this moment. But this was not always the case in the past.

So these prophecies of the residence of God have several references and indicate different realizations through history. Yet, what mainly concerns us here are those residences that are arrivals of the Spirit, hence that of Pentecost and that of the last days, because these arrivals are associated with the cycles by forming a particular phase.

The glory and joy of the daughter of Zion

Sometimes, when this residence of God in the middle of the daughter of Zion is mentioned, certain expressions refer to the phase of apparition and the arrival of God. The apparition is often expressed through Zion’s glory. The arrival of God is accompanied by Zion’s shouts of joy about this visit, as for example: “Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 12:6; 30:19; 35:2; 44:23; 48:20; 49:13; 52:5-9; 54:1). For evident reasons, the most manifest realization of this shout of joy was the Magnificat, which Mary voiced at the moment of the arrival of the Holy Spirit causing Jesus’ conception, as seen in The Annunciation and the virginal conception.

Another shout of joy was expressed when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a young donkey (Lk 19:28-40), which is announced by Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you. Triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey.” This time, Zion is identified to “the multitude of the disciples” whose shout of joy was: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Lk 19:37-38). There were some Pharisees in the crowd who did not approve and wanted to hush the disciples. Yet Jesus answered them: “I tell you, if these are silent, the very stones will cry out” (Lk 19:39-40), which shows that prophecies do not exist in order to be prevented but to be realized.[78]

These two elements of Zion’s glory and joy about God’s residence in her cross more or less all prophecies, but especially those of Isaiah. Although they are not always closely linked together, it is nevertheless necessary to consider them in a coherent and inseparable manner. They are like two keys that must be put together in the lock to open the understanding. In addition, they are multi-significant, so they do not only refer to a single period of salvation history, but to several times and cycles. Hence, the passages describing Zion’s glory also refer to St. Mary’s apparitions of the last days, which will give spiritual birth to the last Saints.

Here is an example perceptibly illustrating this event:

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples.
But the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Lift up your eyes all around, and see!
They all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons shall come from far,
and your daughters shall be carried in the arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant,
your heart shall thrill and rejoice...
(Isa 60:1-5).

And here another passage:

Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: Your brethren who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said: ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.’ But it is they who shall be put to shame.

Hark, an uproar from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies! Before she was in labor she gave birth, before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her sons. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth? says the Lord, shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb? says your God.

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her, rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her, that you may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breasts, that you may drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory.

For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip, and dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass.

And it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies. For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the stormwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh, and those slain by the Lord shall be many (Isa 66:5-16).

The enemies of God therefore cynically request that his glory be demonstrated in order to be able to believe in him and to be in joy, without really expecting any manifestation. However, something which will compromise them will happen. What is it? Zion gives birth to a people in one day, which is an allusion to the supernatural birth of the last Saints following the principle of apparition and arrival of the Spirit. This is sustained by the mention of first Zion’s glory and then the joy of her children. Finally, the anger of the consecutive judgment is described, which is connected with: “...before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son.” In fact, Mary’s real pain was not her labor pains but Jesus’ Passion, the phase of sin before the judgment. Due to the analogy between Jesus and the last Saints, this includes the persecutions against the last Saints and the consecutive judgment. We will treat this theme in more detail in the next section.

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The Daughter of Zion and Marian Apparitions

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