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Almighty
God & Jerusalem, Pt.1
City
of Peace. City of Conflict. City of Promise.
by Pastor John Hamel
“PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM: THEY SHALL
PROSPER THAT LOVE THEE. Peace be within thy walls,
and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I
will now say, Peace be within thee. BECAUSE OF THE
HOUSE OF THE LORD OUR GOD I WILL SEEK THY GOOD.” (Psalm 122:6-9)
Believers in Jesus Christ should be the very first to trumpet
and to herald the Almighty’s love for the Jewish people, their sovereign ownership of the Nation of Israel and its
Capital City of Jerusalem.
As a Born Again Gentile (non-Jew), I find
it very strange indeed that any Christian would remain idle when it comes
to Israel and
Jerusalem.
It is latent anti-Semitism and shameful, to say the least, that
any Believer in Jesus Christ and the New Testament would also fall victim
to the lies of “Replacement Theology.” The Body of Christ is not a
“replacement” for the Nation of Israel. Israel will never be
replaced in the heart of the Almighty.
In these two studies we will be looking at just some of the
many things recorded in the Scriptures that reveal the Almighty’s great
love for the city of Jerusalem. Before
doing so it would be good to give just a brief history of Jerusalem and its place in
both Jewish and world history. This will be as abbreviated as
possible.
Jerusalem
Is the City of Peace & the City of Conflict
“O God, the heathen are come into thine
inheritance … they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. …Their blood have they shed like water round about
Jerusalem…” (Psalm 79:1,3)
Jerusalem was a city of the Jebusites until King David captured it as a legal act of war, approximately 3,000 years ago,
referring to it as the “City of David.” At that
time David declared it to be the capital city of all Israel. (2Samuel
5:6-12)
David later purchased an eight-acre site in the city from
King Araunah, the Jebusite,
for 50 shekels down and 550 shekels paid at a later date. (2Samuel
24:18-25; 1Chronicles 21:25) It was on
this eight-acre site that his son, Solomon, later built the
Temple of the Almighty.
(2Chronicles 3:1-3)
David conquered the city as a legal act of war, purchasing the
Temple site with his own
money; therefore, it still belongs to his descendants today. This
legal transaction occurred some 1600 years before the birth of Mohammad.
As a matter of fact, there is no
historical evidence whatsoever that Mohammad ever set foot anywhere near
the vicinity of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem does not belong to
the Muslims. It never has. It never will.
Jerusalem belongs to David’s
descendants and to David’s descendants alone.
Jerusalem remained the
capital of all Israel until
approximately 1,000 B.C. when Israel was divided.
At that time, it became the capital of Judah until the
Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, leveled it in 606 B.C. In
approximately 546 B.C. once again Jerusalem became the capital
of all Israel. It remained
so until the Romans, under Titus, in 70 A.D. once again destroyed it, even
as Daniel, Micah and Jesus prophesied.
(Daniel 9:26; Micah 3:12; Matthew 24:2)
From the time of the city of Jerusalem first being
mentioned by name in the Old Testament Book of Joshua until the present
day, it has come under approximately thirty sieges. (Joshua 10:1)
This would include the 1956 Sinai War, the 1967 War between the Jews and
the Arabs, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as well as the present day hateful
spree of Hamas inspired and financed homicide
bombings. There are still two sieges yet to come against
Jerusalem, prophesied in the
Bible, in which Christ Himself will be the Victor.
(Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:7-15)
It is fascinating to realize that every world power that has
ever tampered with Israel or
Jerusalem has ceased to be a
world power after doing so.
Whether it be the Assyrians, Babylonians,
Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, Romans, Turks, Germans, French or
British, all have suffered fatal national blows as a direct result of
making wrong decisions concerning the Almighty’s favored little Nation and
its little Capital City.
No doubt the leaders of these fallen empires had no idea that
it was the force of Satan compelling them to cooperate
with harming Israel. (John 14:30;
2Corinthians 4:4)
Satan hates Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish
people with a passion equal to the passion with which the Almighty loves
them.
The Almighty has a “rule of the house” when it comes to dealing
with Israel and
Jerusalem. That rule
is this: “Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of My Law.”
(Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 122:1-9; Zechariah 12:1-3) America will not be the
exception to this rule should she ever decide to withdraw her alliance from
Israel and
Jerusalem. Heads up, America! Stop
pushing the envelope!
As Believers in Jesus Christ it is our responsibility to pray for the peace of Israel and Jerusalem
according to our opening text Scripture. It is also our
responsibility to pray that the Almighty would send Bible Teachers to our
political leadership on every level who can reveal to them the importance
of America remaining in
alliance with Israel and
Jerusalem at all costs.
(Matthew 9:36-38; 1Timothy 2:1-6) America will face swift
judgment at the Hand of the Almighty if she harms or allows others to harm Israel and
Jerusalem. God
promises to literally cut into tiny pieces anyone foolish enough to do so.
(Zechariah 12:3)
The Almighty has not chosen London,
Paris, Luxembourg, Moscow, Nairobi, Baghdad, Tokyo, Sydney or
Boston. The Almighty
has chosen Jerusalem. The things
He has promised to Jerusalem, He has promised
to no other world city. To date Jerusalem has been used by
the Almighty more than any other city in the world, as He brings to pass
His plan for Eternity. This will continue to be the case.
The Almighty has a most unusual relationship with Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish
people. Jerusalem is the most
mentioned city in all of Scripture and an amazing number of Bible events
have transpired within its walls. Although Jerusalem means “City of
Peace” and “Foundation
of Peace,” it is an historical irony that this little city has experienced
so little peace. Literal rivers of blood have been shed as the Jewish
people have refused to allow it to be stolen away from them.
Although it appears that it was King David who actually chose
Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city and
the place for the Temple of the Most High
God, this is not so. The Almighty chose Jerusalem, putting the idea
in King David’s heart to conquer the city, to purchase the Temple site and to
consecrate it to Him.
Christians
Must Share Jesus' Passion for Jerusalem
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children
together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would
not!” (Luke 13:34)
Jesus was passionate about the city and the people of
Jerusalem. For Gentile
Christians to attempt to remain “passive” or “neutral” concerning the
events that surround Israel and
Jerusalem is both shameful
and anti-Semitic. Jesus said it is not possible to remain neutral
concerning any of His teachings.
As Christians we are both actively
pro-Israel and pro-Jerusalem, or we are actively anti-Israel and anti-Jerusalem.
There is no neutral ground no matter how hard one tries to believe to the
contrary. (Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23)
It is not possible to be passionate about Jesus and not be
passionate about Jerusalem. Ask the
Almighty to forgive you for passivity and to give you His passion for
Jerusalem. He will do
so. (John 14:13; 16:23; James 1:5-8; 1John 1:9)
The
Almighty has tremendous passion for Jerusalem. He also has
tremendous passion for those who love Israel and
Jerusalem.
Want favor
with God? Love Israel. Love
Jerusalem. Love the
Jewish people.
Jesus
and Jerusalem
All of Israel’s Temples, including the one
Jesus worshipped in, have been located in Jerusalem and will be again.
(Revelation 3:12; 7:15; 11:19; 14:15,17; 15:1-8; 16:1,17)
Jesus was consecrated to the Almighty in Jerusalem. (Luke
2:21-38)
As a child, Jesus visited Jerusalem with His parents
annually. (Luke 2:22,41-43)
Jesus ministered quite frequently in Jerusalem. (Matthew 16:21;
20:17,18; 21:10; Mark 10:32,33; 11:11,15,27,41; 9:51,53; 17:11; 18:31;
24:18; John 2:13,23; 4:45; 5:1,2; 7:25; 10:22; 12:12)
Jesus withstood Satan within the walls of Jerusalem. (Luke 4:9)
Jesus was tried, crucified, died, was buried, resurrected
in and ascended from Jerusalem. (Matthew 26:36-28:20; Mark 14:32-16:20; Luke 22:39-24:53; John 18:1-21:25;
Acts 1:1-11)
Jesus will return to Jerusalem at His Second Coming. (Zechariah 14:1-5)
It is from Jerusalem where He will
reign forever from that time on. (Isaiah 2:1-4; Ezekiel 43:7; 48:35; Joel
3:20; Zechariah 14:1-21)
Are you getting the big picture yet?
In Jesus’ day Jerusalem was the center of
life for all Jews, spiritually, politically, socially and
economically. The preaching of the Gospel was birthed in
Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47; Acts
1:4-8; 2:14-3:26)
The Holy Spirit baptism was first
poured out in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:12-2:13)
The early Christian Church was formed in Jerusalem. Its
greatest victories and some of its worst persecution
occurred in the city of Jerusalem.
Christianity’s first martyr gave his life for the preaching of the Gospel
in the city of Jerusalem. (Acts
2:1-12:25)
Jerusalem’s future includes
being the capital of Israel and the capital of
the Antichrist. (Ezekiel 37:1-28; Daniel 9:27-10:21; 11:40-45; 2Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation
11:1-11)
Jerusalem’s eternal future
is as the Eternal Capital during the Eternal Reign of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah
2:1-22; Ezekiel 48:1-35; Joel 3:1-21; Amos 9:9-15; Obadiah 1:15-21; Micah
4:1-13; Zechariah 14:1-21)
It is unfathomable to think that a Believer in Jesus Christ who
claims to believe the Bible would refuse to take a stand for Israel and
Jerusalem.
The
Almighty, Whom we call Father, chose Jerusalem to become His very
dwelling place on Earth even before the original creation of this planet.
(Matthew 25:34; John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4; 2:20; Hebrews 4:3; 9:26; 1Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 21:1-3,
10-27)
That’s worth a hearty “Wow, Praise God!”
The
Almighty Always Looks Beyond the Natural
“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them;
and THE DESERT SHALL REJOICE, AND BLOSSOM AS THE ROSE. IT SHALL BLOSSOM
ABUNDANTLY, AND REJOICE EVEN WITH JOY AND SINGING: the glory of Lebanon shall be given
unto it, the Excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they
shall see the glory of the Lord, and the Excellency of our God.” (Isaiah
35:1-2)
When Mark Twain visited Israel and
Jerusalem in the 19th
Century he referred to it as a “vast wasteland.” Although Mr. Twain had
revelation about growing up along the banks of the Mississippi in the 19th
Century, he had little if any revelation regarding Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish
people of any century.
Many find it difficult to understand what the Almighty sees in
a supposed “vast wasteland.” One must understand that Israel was once a land
“flowing with milk and honey” and more glorious than all the lands
surrounding it. (Ezekiel 20:6,15)
Israel and
Jerusalem were not always
desolate. It is the original state of the
land of
Israel and
Jerusalem that the Almighty
remembers as He plans for His Eternal Capital on Earth. It will be the land that flows with milk
and honey once again.
That “vast wasteland” was initially a bountiful land and only
became desolate and troubled after the Hebrew people transgressed the
commandments of the Almighty, withstanding Him through blatant rebellion.
He warned them continually
that if they persisted in their rebellion, He would allow the Nation to be
destroyed and the people to be scattered throughout the Earth. (Leviticus
26:22-43; 2Chronicles 36:21; Isaiah 1:7; 6:11; Jeremiah 4:7,27; Ezekiel
6:14; Micah 7:13; Zechariah 7:14) Apparently, He meant what He
said. Mark Twain simply confirmed it.
Israel and
Jerusalem have been desolate
for centuries in fulfillment of what the Almighty prophesied, but are now
experiencing restoration, to a certain degree, according to its original
fruitfulness and efficiency.
Ultimately, during the Millennial Reign
of Christ and for all of Eternity, Israel and
Jerusalem will blossom as a
rose and waters will spring forth in the desert. Israel and
Jerusalem will ultimately
become the most beautiful, peaceful and productive place in all the Earth.
(Ezekiel 36:35-36; Isaiah 35:1-10)
Although Jerusalem has always been a
city of conflict, it will one day forever be the “City of Peace” according to its
name.
True Christians share Jesus’ passion for Jerusalem.
The
Almighty joyfully anticipates the restoration of Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish
people.
Anybody with the smallest amount of Bible knowledge and common
sense will pull themselves in line and hook right up with God when it comes
to Israel and
Jerusalem.
To not do
so is to openly oppose Him.
To openly oppose Almighty God for any
reason would be to run a fool’s errand.
Hook up with Jerusalem. Show God
how smart you really are.
 Be blessed as you bless
Jerusalem ... John and
Barbara
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