Once again, the lease on the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the nation of Israel, is being disputed. Words like “stop the Hebraization of Jerusalem” and stop the “Judeaization of Jerusalem” are continually included in political dialogue. Every time I see these phrases, a laugh comes out from my heart – When was Jerusalem the capital of any other culture or nation besides Israel? Since when did the “City of David” become the “City of Mohammed” or even “the city of Jesus”? Yes, we refer to it as “the Holy City”, but if we trace the Christian history of Jerusalem, we see that all that happened there in the New testament was to fulfill prophetic words from the Tanakh.
Events like Jesus’ death in Jerusalem were prophesied throughout the early scriptures. David says in Psalm 22: 16-18 that Jesus’ hands and feet will be pierced and people will weep for him as for the first-born. Others will stare and gloat over him (verse 17) and they will divide his garments among them (verse 18). They will give him vinegar to drink like David prophesied in Psalm 69:21 and just as Zechariah prophesied, pieces of silver were thrown into God’s house, the Temple. (Zechariah chapter 11, verse 13) Jesus was forsaken by his disciples just like Zechariah says in chapter 13, verse 7. He was buried in a rich man’s tomb like Isaiah prophesied and was cut off and died like Daniel prophesied. The earth turned dark at noon like Amos prophesied (chapter 8, verse 9) All these events that fulfilled prophecy took place in Jerusalem. Jesus even rode into Jerusalem on a donkey like Zechariah said he would! (Zechariah chapter 9, verse 9). Nowhere in the Qu'ran, is Jerusalem even mentioned! Yes, other cultures have squatted on the city, but it has NEVER been the capital of any other nation besides Israel! Furthermore, when did all faiths have the freedom to worship in Jerusalem except when Israel and the Jewish people have had control? To call Jerusalem an “international city” or “the Palestinian Capital” would be like calling Washington, D.C. “the capital of the world” or “a British District”. Obviously, common sense has been thrown out, and there is something much deeper at work here.
Military victories are most effective when the invading nation takes the capital! So, yes, it makes sense that the “Palestinian” people would want to take Israel’s capital and make it their own, BUT it does not make sense that the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican communities would join their plan. Don’t they read the same Bible prophets that the Jews read? For instance, Isaiah prophesies: I have set watchmen upon your walls , O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day or night. You that make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest, until He establishes and until He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. (Isaiah chapter 62, verses 6-7) Who is “He”? “He” is the G-d of Israel!
Zechariah, the prophet saw a vision of the high priest Joshua standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right side accusing him. Chapter 3, verse 2 says: the Lord said to Satan, “the Lord rebuke you Satan! The Lord, WHO HAS CHOSEN JERUSALEM, rebuke you!” “The Lord” is the name “Yhvh” or as is familiar today, “Yehovah” or “Yahveh”. This Lord has chosen Jerusalem. He is the G-d of the Hebrews, the G-d of the Jews! So what are the world leaders and church leaders talking about?
The Book of Psalms, a key to every part of Jewish and Christian faith, emphasizes over and over again that the G-d of Israel is forever connected to His city, Jerusalem. Psalm 102:21 says: The Name of the Lord (Yahveh) will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem. Psalm 125:2 says: As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people , both now and forevermore. And, if there’s any question who lives in Jerusalem, Psalm 135:21 says: Praise be to the Lord from Zion, to Him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! There is nowhere in the New testament where it says the G-d of Israel, Yahveh, moved out of the city or changed His mind about His word! Christians believe that Jesus came to fulfill the messianic promises in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and he is the Messiah. So what are these churches referring to when they say they want to “stop the Hebraization of Jerusalem”or they want to stop the “Judeaization of Jerusalem”. My conclusion is they better start reading their Bibles, the foundation for their beliefs, before they completely miss the mark!!
Events like Jesus’ death in Jerusalem were prophesied throughout the early scriptures. David says in Psalm 22: 16-18 that Jesus’ hands and feet will be pierced and people will weep for him as for the first-born. Others will stare and gloat over him (verse 17) and they will divide his garments among them (verse 18). They will give him vinegar to drink like David prophesied in Psalm 69:21 and just as Zechariah prophesied, pieces of silver were thrown into God’s house, the Temple. (Zechariah chapter 11, verse 13) Jesus was forsaken by his disciples just like Zechariah says in chapter 13, verse 7. He was buried in a rich man’s tomb like Isaiah prophesied and was cut off and died like Daniel prophesied. The earth turned dark at noon like Amos prophesied (chapter 8, verse 9) All these events that fulfilled prophecy took place in Jerusalem. Jesus even rode into Jerusalem on a donkey like Zechariah said he would! (Zechariah chapter 9, verse 9). Nowhere in the Qu'ran, is Jerusalem even mentioned! Yes, other cultures have squatted on the city, but it has NEVER been the capital of any other nation besides Israel! Furthermore, when did all faiths have the freedom to worship in Jerusalem except when Israel and the Jewish people have had control? To call Jerusalem an “international city” or “the Palestinian Capital” would be like calling Washington, D.C. “the capital of the world” or “a British District”. Obviously, common sense has been thrown out, and there is something much deeper at work here.
Military victories are most effective when the invading nation takes the capital! So, yes, it makes sense that the “Palestinian” people would want to take Israel’s capital and make it their own, BUT it does not make sense that the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican communities would join their plan. Don’t they read the same Bible prophets that the Jews read? For instance, Isaiah prophesies: I have set watchmen upon your walls , O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day or night. You that make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest, until He establishes and until He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. (Isaiah chapter 62, verses 6-7) Who is “He”? “He” is the G-d of Israel!
Zechariah, the prophet saw a vision of the high priest Joshua standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right side accusing him. Chapter 3, verse 2 says: the Lord said to Satan, “the Lord rebuke you Satan! The Lord, WHO HAS CHOSEN JERUSALEM, rebuke you!” “The Lord” is the name “Yhvh” or as is familiar today, “Yehovah” or “Yahveh”. This Lord has chosen Jerusalem. He is the G-d of the Hebrews, the G-d of the Jews! So what are the world leaders and church leaders talking about?
The Book of Psalms, a key to every part of Jewish and Christian faith, emphasizes over and over again that the G-d of Israel is forever connected to His city, Jerusalem. Psalm 102:21 says: The Name of the Lord (Yahveh) will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem. Psalm 125:2 says: As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people , both now and forevermore. And, if there’s any question who lives in Jerusalem, Psalm 135:21 says: Praise be to the Lord from Zion, to Him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! There is nowhere in the New testament where it says the G-d of Israel, Yahveh, moved out of the city or changed His mind about His word! Christians believe that Jesus came to fulfill the messianic promises in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and he is the Messiah. So what are these churches referring to when they say they want to “stop the Hebraization of Jerusalem”or they want to stop the “Judeaization of Jerusalem”. My conclusion is they better start reading their Bibles, the foundation for their beliefs, before they completely miss the mark!!
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