Judea · OT & NT
Jerusalem
Israel's holy city — site of the temple, the cross, and the empty tomb.
Today: Jerusalem, Israel
Jerusalem sits in the central hill country of Judea, on a high ridge between the Kidron and Hinnom valleys. Originally the Jebusite stronghold of Jebus, it was captured by King David around 1000 BC and made the capital of his united kingdom. David brought up the ark; his son Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah, the same mountain where Abraham had offered Isaac.
Jerusalem is the geographic heart of the biblical story. Destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, rebuilt under Ezra and Nehemiah, expanded magnificently by Herod, Jesus was crucified outside its walls and rose on the third day. The church was born here at Pentecost, and the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 is the consummation of redemption.
Key verses
"And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David."
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"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee."
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"And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem."
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"And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
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"But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
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"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
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