A question carried by implication throughout the song is "What do you do when a God calls?" or "Israel, Israel, God is Calling. What are you going to do about it?"
There is no doubting what the speaker wants the reader to do. "Come to Zion. Come to Zion" is repeated 8 times in these verses. The poem wants a very specific action from its readers.
Smyth certainly knows about coming to Zion, since he was part of the physical migration of the Saints to their latter day promised land.
Zion Ho - Minerva Teichert
- God is overthrowing Babylon, verse 1, lines 3-4
- God's anger will shortly flow, verse 1, line 8
- God speaks, and we can hear, verse 2, lines 1-2
- You can rejoice within the walls of Zion, verse 2, lines 6 & 8
- Celestial angels are giving you power so you can come home, verse 3, lines 1-4
- The Lord's coming is soon, verse 3, lines 6 & 8
- Judgment awaits those who delay coming (coming here seems synonymous with repenting) verse 4, lines 1-4
- Sounds of praise for God and those who came will resound in Zion, verse 4, lines 8
I remember many years ago some close family who had been estranged from the church came back. Church policies had long before created a rift between them and the gospel. I was riveted to their testimonies in the meeting where they talked about what it meant for them to be returning. They'd met with missionaries, felt the Spirit of the Lord testifying to them of its truth, and now I listened to their testimonies with that same Spirit burning in my heart. It was awesome, and those were the very words repeated so often by them to describe their return, Awesome.
With their return, children came who hadn't known the gospel in a consistent way, came to hear the voice of God, and felt the power of angels extended to bring them home. It was truly an instance of Coming to Zion, and Coming Back to Zion. They had answered the call.
Christ and the Children - Harry Anderson
Hear Israel, Israel, God is Calling as sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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