Jerusalem, the Holy City

[1daughter5sons]

Psalm 122  " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.  Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:  whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.  For there are set thrones of judgement, the thrones of the house of David.  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."

From Genesis to Revelation, the city of Jerusalem has served as the unique place of God's work and presence.  Originally referred to as Salem, it was given the name Jerusalem when David conquered it, made it the capitol of Israel, and brought back the Ark of the Covenant.

Later, David's son, Solomon, built and dedicated the long awaited temple in Jerusalem and it became the capitol of the southern Kingdom until it was conquered and destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  Many of the inhabitants were taken into exile, but later returned to rebuild the city and its temple.

Jerusalem and the temple site became the stage for a number of events in Jesus' life culminating in His trial, crucifixion, and resurrection.  It was also there that  the resurrected Jesus visited the disciples in the upper room and later sent the Holy Spirit to the church.  On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 were saved by God's power and the New Testament Church began and spread out from Jerusalem around the world.

Today it is the capitol of the state of Israel and is considered holy by Jews, Muslims, and Christians.  As a result, it has been a city of constant strife as the various groups defend their interests.  It is to this city that many believe Christ will return, entering through Jerusalem's Eastern Gate.  

In Deuteronomy 12:13,14, God called for His people to worship from a single and central location.  Jerusalem seemed to fit that description and one of David's songs of ascent, Psalm 122, invokes prayers for the city's peace and security "for the sake of the house of the Lord."

As believers in this very crucial time in history, it is now our opportunity to join with the saints who through the ages have prayed "for the peace of Jerusalem" and for Christ's return that will truly bring about that peace. 

Kadosh kadosh kadosh Adonai Elohim tz'va'ot  Asher hayah V'hoveh v'yavo 

Baruch ha ba B'shem Adonai  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!