We have started this service to explore our Jewish roots.

on May 14 which is the anniversary of the birth of Israel, the United States is moving its embassy to Jerusalem.  I want to look a little bit tonight at why that is so incredible for us a christians.

Shared Significance with Orthodox Jews:

  • The significance of Jerusalem to Christians cannot be separated from the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people
  • Their history is our history
  • We are intertwined through our Old Testament scriptures and spiritual legacy. Their biblical examples are our biblical examples and we share this heritage in Jerusalem as our spiritual capital while Israel also legally proclaims it as her national capital. Their national history has become our spiritual history
  1. Salem.

First time the name Jerusalem is used in the Bible is in Joshua 10: 1but it is actually mentioned earlier

Genesis 14: 18 Melchizedek is the king of Salem 

Melchizedek is a type of Jesus and this is a prophetic meeting between him and Abraham.

Genesis 14: 18 Melchizedek the King of Salem and a priest of God most high brought Abram some bread and wine.

In the end Jesus is going to give the descendants of Abraham a wedding banquet.

City is the focus

City is called Salem which means peace

Abraham goes back to this spot and offers his son Isaac to the Lord as a sacrifice not he Hill of Moriah.

Moriah = Yah reveals the chaos of man’s mind (self will) which is destroyed here and a new name comes from Abraham. he calls the place Yahwah Yireh or Jehovah Jireh 

Here is the name of the place Yireh Salem

God will provide peace.

Never been a place of peace attacked 52 times, besieged 23 times, and captured and recaptured at least 44 times

2. Stronghold of enemy

Deuteronomy 12: 5 Rather you must seek the Lord your god at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all he tribes.  The place where his name will be honored.

Joshua 15: 63 Joshua could not drive out the Jebusites

Satan set up a  strong hold in the place God had chosen for his place

David was a man after God’s own heart.

1 Samuel 17: 54 brought Goliath’s head to Jerusalem.

Knew Jerusalem was special to God and he wanted to take it for the Lord.  He finally did in 2 Samuel 5: 7                                                                                                          

Why was Jerusalem important to God?  Because he wanted it to be.

3. Destroyed By Babylon

There is a time when the Gentiles are over Jerusalem according to Luke 21: 24

Many believe this started in 605 when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah.  It was completely destroyed in 587

Rebuilt by Nehemiah in 445

But important thing to remember is Jerusalem is under the gentiles to this day.  Therefore time periods when the Jewish people were in control, but overall it is controlled by Gentiles. 

4. Jesus and Jerusalem

Wept over it.  Luke 19: 41 – 44

Grieves over Jerusalem and promise he will return again to Jerusalem.Matthew 23: 37 – 39

Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem 40 years later.

Call to Believers to flee when the armies gather around it. Matthew 24: 15

Quick history

  1. Florus was the pilate of the day
  2. Marched to Jerusalem in 66 to restore order
  3. People of Jerusalem attacked them and started a revolt
  4. Vision in the air of chariots and horsemen surrounding Jerusalem
    1. people thought it was as the time of Elisha where there were more with us than against us.
    2. Believers took it as a sign Jesus told them so they fled to Petra in Jordan
    3. This is the first real split between Jewish people and believers.
  5. Four years later Titus marches into Jerusalem and destroys it.

5. Rebuilding of Jerusalem

Rebuilt in 1535 – 1542 by a Turkish sultan named Suleiman. 

Divided into four quarters

  1. Jewish quarter
  2. Arab Quarter
  3. Christian quarter
  4. Armenian quarter.

6. Israel rising again

Miracle of reforming of Israel as a nation. The budding of the fig tree. (Isaiah 66: 8 Israel born in a day)                                      

1967 and the retaking of Jerusalem (Picture of the Zion gate)

7. Promises of Jerusalem

  1. No other city is as important as Jerusalem
    1. Can you imagine the United States moving an embassy in any other country would make news like this?
    2. Ezekiel 5: 5 calls it the center of the nations

Center picture

    1. So why did President Trump take this action?  First of all, it was a campaign promise.  That is arguably reason enough, though one might question the initial promise.  Also, it fulfills U.S. law.  In 1995, President Clinton signed a bill into law requiring that the U.S. move the embassy to Jerusalem, unless the president signs a waiver every six months postponing the move due to national security.  American presidents have been signing that waiver ever since.  President Trump is declining to do so. why did clinton do this?  it was the 3000 year old anniversary of David taking over Jerusalem
      1. Guatemala Honduras and Romania have decided to move their embassy’s and 10 more are talking about this.
  2. God intends to dwell there eternally Psalm 68: 16
  3. Messiah will return to Jerusalem Isaiah 51: 11

8. Lining up with what God has in store

Zechariah 12: 1 – 6

  1. Jews back in the land Israel
    1. 60 years of existence 6 million
    2. last seven years 2 1/2 million more came back to Israel
    3. Infida of 2010 almost dried up Israel and people quit coming
    4. Evangelical Christians started coming back to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. Zechariah 14: 16
  2. Jews will be back in the city of Jerusalem
  3. Israels army a firepot among pieces of wood
    1. destruction of Iranian weapons and nuclear capabilities
  4. Jerusalem will become the focal point of world politics
  5. All the nations will come together to attack Israel
    1. 2/3 of jews will die before God steps in to rescue Jerusalem
  6. Set himself up as the king of peace.
  7. Jerusalem will finally become the place of peace

 

9. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem or the return of the Messiah.