Media of all types from all over the world frequently report even minor news about what is happening in Jerusalem, Israel. Why the intense interest in this relatively small city in a tiny country the size of the US state New Jersey? Something as innocuous as a Jew praying on the ancient Temple mount in the heart of the old city receives broad attention. Countries around the world agonize over whether to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capitol or to place their diplomatic missions there. Why the controversy? The answer is quite simple. This city is the place God Himself has chosen to place His name and to locate the capitol of the entire world in His soon coming kingdom. “But I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there” (2Chronicles 6:6). “God said to David and to His son Solomon ‘in this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen….I will put My Name forever’.” (2Chronicles 33:7). Many other scriptures attest to the fact that Jerusalem is God’s chosen city. The bible gives Jerusalem many names. Among them: Beloved, the Lord our Righteousness, City of David, City of the Great King, City of the Lord, City of Truth, Faithful City, Holy City, Holy Mountain, The Joy of the Whole Earth, Zion, The Throne of the Lord. Is it any wonder that Satan would provoke the world (of whom he is currently prince) to shun any attempt to restore this city to its rightful place? Satan, through his proxy the antichrist, will attempt to rule the world from Jerusalem usurping the Lordship of Jesus. (2Thessalonians 2:3-4). Thankfully his rule will be short-lived.
Jerusalem is important to our heavenly Father. Any one or any country that aligns against Jerusalem will find themselves facing judgement direct from God. For them it will become a stumbling stone. “Thus says the Lord….Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all the nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:1-3). The prophet Isaiah describes the Messiah (Jesus) as one with Jerusalem. “The Lord of hosts, Him shall you hallow; He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many of them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken.” (Isaiah 8:13-15). In the coming ‘day of the Lord’ the Prophet Joel says this: “The Lord will roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem….So that you shall know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain.” (Joel 3:16-17)
At this time, the entire world seems to be intent on dividing up God’s holy city or abandoning it outrightly to Muslim domination. Foolhardy at best. Tripping over God’s stumbling stone. We as Christians, however, know better and, in fact, are given contrary instruction; “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6). Jerusalem is central to future prophecy and bears our constant attention in these last days. Those of us rightly interested in eschatology are on the lookout for events central to Jerusalem, such as the building on the temple mount a sacrificial altar or a complete new Jewish temple, or the emergence of two prophets as predicted by the book of Revelation.
In a very short time, our Lord Jesus Himself will set His feet down on the Mount of Olives just outside of the old city of Jerusalem and enter through the east gate to take up His throne as King of all the earth. What a day that will be when the government of this entire world will be on His shoulders! (Isaiah 9:6-7). Ultimately, Jesus will completely replace Jerusalem with the most glorious and awesome city our universe will ever see. And we’ll get to visit or even live there! You can read all about it in Revelation chapter 21:9 – 22:5.
Maranatha, Jim
People notably have burned in their mind what they were doing at the moment some major event had just taken place and was splashed across the news: Kennedy assassination, September 11, 2001 (9/11), etc. The day Jerusalem was liberated, I was in a hotel room in Chicago. I wasn’t a Christian at the time, but knew instinctively ‘something was up’. I saw the news feed from which the famous picture of Mordechai Gur, Moshe Dayan, and Rabbi (I forget his name) were approaching the Temple Mount. You too may remember what you were doing. I had to dig out of my library a book published in 1979 – “Jerusalem, A Cup of Trembling” by Robert Hooley. Describes the city perfectly in just a few words!