1. The Early Names of Jerusalem
Jerusalem appears under several names in Scripture. In the time of Abraham, it was called Salem, meaning peace, and its king was Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. It was also called Jebus, because the Jebusites inhabited the land before Israel's conquest. David captured the stronghold of Zion from the Jebusites and renamed it the City of David. The name Jerusalem combines two Hebrew words: Yarah (to teach or throw) and Shalom (peace), meaning foundation of peace or possession of peace.
2. The Location and Geography of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is situated in the mountains of Judah, at an elevation of approximately 2,500 feet above sea level. It is built upon several hills, including Mount Zion, Mount Moriah, the Mount of Olives, and Ophel. The city is not near any major river or sea. The psalmist declares that Jerusalem is a city which is compact together. It is surrounded by valleys: the Hinnom Valley to the south and west, the Kidron Valley to the east. The Lord said that Jerusalem is the place where He would put His name and make His dwelling.
3. Jerusalem Became the City of David
David and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites. David took the stronghold of Zion, and it became the City of David. He built the city all around from the Millo inward. David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and established it as the political and spiritual center of Israel. The Lord promised David that his throne would be established forever, a promise ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David.
4. The Temple Was Built in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah
Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Mount Moriah was the same mountain where Abraham had offered Isaac. The temple became the center of worship for all Israel. The Lord put His name there, and His eyes and heart were perpetually upon it. Three times a year, all males were required to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem.
5. Jerusalem Was Destroyed by Babylon
Because of Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience, the Lord brought Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against Jerusalem. The Chaldeans burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and destroyed all the precious possessions. The temple was burned, the city was laid waste, and the people were carried into captivity for seventy years. The book of Lamentations mourns the desolation of the once-glorious city.
6. Jerusalem Was Rebuilt After the Exile
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the Lord stirred the spirit of Cyrus to make a proclamation: "Who is among you of all His people? Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord." Zerubbabel led the first return, Ezra led the second, and Nehemiah rebuilt the walls. The temple was completed, the walls were restored, and the city was reinhabited. Yet the glory of the second temple was less than the first, until the Lord Himself would come to His temple.
7. Jesus Christ Ministered and Was Crucified in Jerusalem
Jesus came to Jerusalem many times. He was presented in the temple as an infant. At age twelve, He was found in the temple courts among the teachers. He cleansed the temple of money changers. He wept over Jerusalem, saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!" He was arrested, tried, and condemned to death in Jerusalem. He was crucified outside the city wall at Golgotha, the place of the skull. He rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem.
8. The Church Began in Jerusalem
After the ascension of Christ, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and waited in the upper room. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Peter preached, and three thousand souls were saved and baptized. The church was born in Jerusalem. From Jerusalem, the gospel went forth to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The apostles preached, miracles were performed, and the first Christian martyrs were stoned in Jerusalem, including Stephen.
9. Jerusalem Is the Prophetic Center of the End Times
The prophets spoke extensively about Jerusalem's future. Zechariah declares that the Lord will go forth and fight against the nations that gather against Jerusalem. In that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the mountain will split in two. The Lord will be King over all the earth. Jerusalem will be safely inhabited, and the Lord will make her a praise in the earth. Jesus also prophesied that Jerusalem would be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
10. The New Jerusalem Descends from Heaven
John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The New Jerusalem has the glory of God, its light like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. It has twelve gates of pearl and streets of pure gold. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. There is no sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates it. The nations will walk in its light. The old Jerusalem, which has been troubled and afflicted, gives way to the New Jerusalem, where God dwells with His people forever.
Conclusion
Jerusalem is unlike any other city. It is the city of Melchizedek, the city of David, the city of the temple, the city of the cross, the city of the empty tomb, the city of Pentecost, and the city of the coming King. From Jerusalem, the law went forth, and from Jerusalem, the gospel spread. Every believer looks forward to the New Jerusalem, where tears are wiped away, and God dwells with His people. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.