Jerusalem is looked upon by most people as a holy city. It is certainly a religious centre, and has been for centuries. Three great religious groups; Christians, Jews and Moslems; honour it; yet they all miss the true reasons for its importance. Their interest derives from a sentimental regard for the past, whilst the Bible reveals that the cities real importance still lies in the future.

"...I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there...." 2 Chronicles 6:6

Israel were the people chosen by God and through them God declared that He would work out His purpose as revealed in the Bible. Jerusalem means ‘City of Peace’, yet throughout it’s history it has experienced more war than peace. The city that is destined to be the capitol of the Kingdom of God was to suffer great calamity because of the disobedience of Israel. Jesus spoke of Jerusalem saying:

‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee ...... Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.’‘ Luke 13:34-35

Because the Israelites turned away from God they were to be scattered among the nations. Their kingdom was destroyed when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and carried the Jews into captivity in the days of king Zedekiah. God revealed through the prophet Ezekiel that this was a punishment to the nation for its disobedience to Him, but the kingdom was to be overturned only until one came who had the right to rule over it.

O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown....... A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it.' Ezekiel 21:25-27

The one who has the right to the throne of the kingdom of Israel is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a direct descendant of David and therefore rightful heir to his throne. Furthermore, the angel promised Mary, his mother, prior to his birth:

Jesus has never yet sat upon the throne of David, thus the fulfillment of this promise must still lie in the future. This means that the ancient kingdom of Israel, with its capital and throne in Jerusalem, must be restored.

This is exactly what the apostles of Jesus believed and looked for. Shortly after his resurrection they asked Jesus:

However Jesus was taken up into heaven, but immediately two angels stood by them and gave them the assurance that Jesus would return again, saying:

‘Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’ Acts 1:11

So we are clearly shown that Jesus will return to the earth. However Jerusalem was to be in Gentile hands until the time came for Jesus to return. Jesus himself prophesied saying:

‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles [non Jews] until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’ Luke 21:24

Note the word ‘until’, this treading down of Jerusalem was not to last forever and the Jews will completely posses the city once again. Throughout the last century we have seen Jews going back to Israel in increasing numbers. In 1844 there were only 7,120 Jews in Jerusalem, in 1967 there were 195,700 and now Jerusalem is back in Jewish hands. Yet not entirely so for the centuries old Moslem mosque still stands on the temple site. Jerusalem must go through a time of trouble once again before true and lasting peace will come. Jerusalem will be the centre of an international crisis:

‘For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.’ Zechariah 14:2

It is at this time that salvation will come and Jerusalem will be saved:

‘Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east,’ Zechariah 14:3-4

In view of what has already been discussed, it is obvious that the great king is Jesus himself. The Psalmist speaks of the future glory of Jerusalem saying:

and

The prophets of Israel, when referring to the glorious future which God has in store for the earth, speak of the important position which Jerusalem will occupy, as the following passage shows:

‘For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy’. Isaiah 65:17-18

Jeremiah, speaking of this same time declares:

Other prophets speaking of Jerusalem write:

All these passages clearly indicate that Jerusalem is to be the capital, the seat of government and the centre of worship, when the kingdom of God is set up on the earth. Jerusalem is more than a city of sentimental associations whose future is of a mystical nature. It has a very real and glorious future:

Jerusalem is also to be the centre for worship, the place where all peoples will come to seek and worship God. For this reason, all those who hold the true Bible hope will echo the words of the Psalmist:

Summary

For many centuries Jerusalem has been trodden down by other nations. This situation came about because of the disobedience of God’s people, Israel. God punished His people yet foretold of the time when He would restore them once again. The fact that Israel is once again back in their own land and Jerusalem is also in Israeli hands is a sign that Jesus will soon return to set up the Kingdom of God. Jesus will return in power and great glory, the nations will resist Jesus, but in vain. They will be overcome and the law will go forth from Jerusalem, then at last Jerusalem will indeed be the ‘City of Peace’, a peace then will extend to fill the whole world. A true and lasting peace that the world has never known before.