Jerusalem

In the Bible

• Jerusalem has traditionally been identified with "Salem" in the title of Melchizedek, "king of Salem" (Genesis 14:18). The parallel use of Salem and Zion in Psalm 76:2 is cited in support. The name Jerusalem first clearly appears in Joshua 10:1.
• Jerusalem was originally a city of the Jebusites (Judges 1:21). David captured it, called it "the city of David," made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:6-9), and brought the Ark of the Covenant there (2 Samuel 6).
• Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1; 1 Kings 6).
• The army of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city and the temple (2 Kings 25). The people who returned from exile rebuilt the temple and the city walls (Ezra, Nehemiah).
• In the New Testament, Jesus entered Jerusalem and taught there, and it was in this city that he was crucified and rose again. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) and the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) also took place in the city.

Background

Jerusalem lies in hill country a little over 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) above sea level. To the east, across the Kidron Valley, stands the Mount of Olives, and the Valley of Hinnom borders the city on the south and west. The Hebrew name Yerushalayim is commonly connected with shalom (peace) and interpreted as "city of peace" or something similar, although scholars differ on its precise etymology. The Bible also calls the city Zion. In AD 70 the Roman army destroyed the city and the temple. Jesus' weeping over the city and his prophecy concerning it (Luke 19:41-44) are often read in connection with this event.

Significance Across the Bible

In the Old Testament, Jerusalem is "the city which I have chosen me to put my name there" (1 Kings 11:36) and the center of worship and pilgrimage (Psalm 122). The prophets rebuked the city's sins, yet they also promised that the word of the LORD would go forth from Jerusalem and reach the nations (Isaiah 2:2-3).

The New Testament carries this theme forward. Jesus lamented Jerusalem's persistent rejection of the prophets (Matthew 23:37). The gospel spreads "both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Paul contrasted "Jerusalem which now is" with "Jerusalem which is above" (Galatians 4:25-26). Hebrews speaks of "the heavenly Jerusalem" (Hebrews 12:22), and Revelation concludes with the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2).

Interpretations and Debates

• Reading the restoration prophecies: The dispensationalist tradition tends to read the prophecies of Jerusalem's restoration as literal promises to the people of Israel. This tradition holds that Jerusalem will play an important role at the end of the age and sometimes connects these prophecies with the modern State of Israel. Covenant theology and the Reformed tradition more often hold that the same prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, the church, and the heavenly Jerusalem. Interpretations also diverge according to one's view of the millennium.
• The location of Golgotha: The Bible says only that the place where Jesus was crucified was "nigh to the city" (John 19:20) and "without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). The exact sites known today as pilgrimage destinations rest on tradition, and more than one location has been proposed.

In the Korean Church

• Acts 1:8 is frequently cited in mission sermons. In this usage, "Jerusalem" often refers to the starting point of gospel witness, that is, the place where each believer lives.
• "New Jerusalem" is used in preaching and worship songs as an expression for heaven.
• Jerusalem is one of the destinations most visited by Korean Christians on pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Some groups also gather to pray for Israel, citing Psalm 122:6 ("Pray for the peace of Jerusalem").