This Article: (7 Pages)
- 1.
- 2. A Nation as Witness to God's... Existence
- 3. Restoration of Israel: Evidence of... God's Mercy
- 4. New Testament supports the Old... Testament Prophets
- 5. How ought Christians view the... issue of Israel and the Palestinians?
- 6. Jesus On Jerusalem
- 7. How would Christ view dividing... Jerusalem?
6) Jesus On Jerusalem
Christianity is based on the words of Christ. He only made one recorded prophecy that spoke of events into the modern era. There are 3 witness accounts. In that prophecy he makes a prediction regarding Jerusalem. One witness recorded,
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ..For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ...And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:20-24,27)
The trampling of Jerusalem by Gentiles began after 66-70CE. However, no less than the leader of all Christians said that there would a be a time when, as in his day, Jews would rule Jerusalem again. It is to be noted that in the day of Jesus (approx.30CE), the Jews ruled Jerusalem but were in turn overseen by Rome, the empire of the day. The situation is analogous to the Jewish rule of Jerusalem since 1967 where Jews determine much of what goes on in the city, but are subject to UN sanctions and American influence. From a passage which is not a recent addition, which cannot be denied, it follows that the Christian must view the post-1967 situation where Jews control Jerusalem as they did in Jesus' day, as a fulfilment that confirms their Lord is a prophet. This is agreed by no less than the Muslims who called Isa (Jesus, Y'shua) a prophet for 1200 years before the inconvenient fulfilment of his prophecy in 1967.
Jesus makes another prophecy regarding Jerusalem which fits with his prediction above that Jerusalem would be ignored and trampled underfoot by non-Jews. He was talking to a Samaritan.
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship”.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither worship the Father in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth”. (John 4:19-24)
Jesus does not deny Jerusalem was the place of true worship, instead he makes 2 points. The first was that it was to be only a short time (her children's lifetime) until the time when people would no longer worship in either place. In fact, after 70CE a mere 40 years from this prophecy nobody worshipped at either place whether Jew or non-Jew (Mt Gerizim was rebuilt briefly 135-484). The second point is that Jesus by using “we” fully identified himself with the Jews (who said Jerusalem was the place of worship) saying that the God they worshipped (at Jerusalem) was the only true God and salvation is of the Jews. Jesus indeed did say outright that Jerusalem was the place of God.
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. (Matthew 5:34-35)
The great King was a name for God (Malachi 1:14, Psalm 47:2, 95:3). Jesus is quoting Psalm 48:2.
Jesus saw Jerusalem as God's city
The attitude of Jesus is confirmed in his actions at the Temple at Jerusalem. As a 12 year old he had to be convinced to leave the temple, thinking it was the place of 'his Fathers business' (Luke 2:45-49). Twice he cleaned it out.
He said to those who sold doves, 'Take these things away from here. Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise'. (John 2:16)
He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations?" But you have made it a den of thieves.' (Mark 11:17, also Matthew 21:13 Luke 19:46)
There is no doubt at all Jesus was one of those Jews who said that Jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship. There are 3 records agreeing he said that people from all nations will worship there. By applying Isaiah Chapter 56 to the temple, Jesus shows he literally accepts a passage which also speaks of strangers (who keep the Sabbaths and know the Covenant) worshipping the Jewish God at Jerusalem. In addition, the context speaks of the outcasts of Israel being gathered. There is no other way to explain this than that the leader of all Christians valued the temple at Jerusalem and supported its central place in future worship at a time when Israel would be re-gathered.
There is no evidence to the contrary. In every instance Jesus is shown as valuing Jerusalem. He even tells some lepers to go to the priests to fulfil the Mosaic Law for cleansing (Luke 17:14). He keeps every feast and at the end of his life weeps over the city,
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34)
Even after the resurrection Jesus says
that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47)
And in his last recorded words to his apostles, he told them to go to Jerusalem first,
You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
For Christ, despite the fact he came from Galilee, Israel was defined by Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. This implies also that, for Christians, Judea and Samaria ought to be seen as the historic heart of Israel.
The Apostles on Jerusalem
The Apostles also value Jerusalem. Paul speaks of his “service for Jerusalem” (Romans 15:31) and writes to the Hebrews,
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, Jerusalem High, and to an innumerable company of messengers, (Hebrews 12:22)
The Apostle John also mentions Jerusalem 3 times as the hope of the faithful Christian and is described as 'the Holy City New Jerusalem' coming down to earth (Revelation 3:12, 21:2,10). As the new city is to come to earth, there is no reason to re-locate it.
Show All
We were asked what early documents establish that Rosh of Ezekiel 38 is Russia. The answer is in 2 parts, as we explain the trajectory from fulfilled prophecy in history to prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
The Revelation 12 Sign
There is much written about the sun, moon and planets aligning on in September 2017. We have many reasons for suspecting that 2017 will be a prophetically significant year, and the time of the Jewish feast of Sukkot could be more significant than any other time, but we need to understand the scripture before we consider the stars.
Cyrus the Great encouraged the Jews to rebuild their Temple and return to their homeland.
What the world leaders intend and what God directs may be different things. In this case of the US Administration's action in the UN Security Council the Bible, with an amazing track record, both predicted the situation and indicates the future, which won't be as they hoped. They are on the wrong side of the Maker of history.
