What of Jerusalem, C. R. Oliver [little readers TXT] 📗

What of Jerusalem?

Introduction:

           The center of the universe for the Jews is Jerusalem. The current geo-political battle over that city is challenging Israel's claim and seeking to universalize it. Strong powers are laying claim to its parts and seeking to divide it in order to weaken its Jewish heritage and diminish its place in history. However, the focus on this ancient city, which has been in the plan of God from the beginning, is nothing short of an end time indicator of the returning Savior. 

Jerusalem is the most important city in the world. 

It is mentioned 971 times in Scripture. 

Many of those references are simply locators, reviewing where some event or occurrence took place. Always, whether prophet or priest, when addressing Jerusalem, it is like addressing the entire nation and all the tribes of Israel. Jerusalem is the touchstone for Judaism and is the birthplace of the early church. 

It was not insignificant the disciples were told to remain in Jerusalem until endued by the Holy Spirit. Jerusalem, then, became the site for the change in covenants as pointed out by Paul. (Islam has no legitimate claim upon it and neither do other powers of the world who had best take leave of their plans for Jerusalem lest they encounter conflagration and decimation beyond their wildest thoughts.) 

This study begins with a few quotes from Jesus who ministered within Jerusalem's gates before its destruction in 70 AD. Actually, Jesus was laying the groundwork for the transition of the covenant in the quotes below. He did so in many passages, but these specify Jerusalem.

Luke 13:33-35
For it wouldn't do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem! 34 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city that murders the prophets. The city that stones those sent to help her. How often I have wanted to gather your children together even as a hen protects her brood under her wings, but you wouldn't let me. 35 And now—now your house is left desolate. And you will never again see me until you say, "Welcome to him who comes in the name of the Lord."'

The same venue is reported six chapters later and adds meaning to what was just cited:

Luke 19:41-48
1 But as they came closer to Jerusalem and he saw the city ahead, he began to cry. 'Eternal peace was within your reach and you turned it down,' he wept, 'and now it is too late. 43 Your enemies will pile up earth against your walls and encircle you and close in on you, 44 and crush you to the ground, and your children within you; your enemies will not leave one stone upon another--for you have rejected the opportunity God offered you.'

Oh that this phrase is never spoken over the West! 

Consider this next passage though, for it too was spoken by Jesus:

Luke 21:24-28
'Jerusalem shall be conquered and trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of Gentile triumph ends in God's good time. 25 Then there will be strange events in the skies--warnings, evil omens and portents in the sun, moon and stars; and down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, for the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. 27 Then the peoples of the earth shall see me, the Messiah, coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up! For your salvation is near.'

Now Jesus knew the hearts of the rulers in Jerusalem and that the gospel would be rejected by them, and from that rejection, He knew the Gentiles would be converted as the gospel reached them. Hence, He focused on the Temple as the central place in the central city. He cleansed the Temple, spoke of His death and resurrection in terms of destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days. He knew His destiny would occur in Jerusalem, for those meeting Him on the mount of transfiguration discussed that issue with Him. Everything He spoke over the city had eternal configurations in view. He knew David was predestined to choose Jerusalem as his capitol. He knew He had to come there and be a witness against it. He knew He had to die there. He knew the church had to be born there. He knew the old covenant had to pass from view at that location and the new covenant in His blood had to issue from Jerusalem. 

All the prophecies about Jerusalem in the Old Testament bore witness to all these events in the same eternal tones as Jesus (Note: future newsletters will investigate these phenomena). It certainly was/is the city of the Great King; it is truly the city of David; it is the site of the New Jerusalem as the old one passes away. 

When Jesus cried out, "It is finished" and the veil was rent -that ended the efficacy of the sacrifices which could not touch the hem of the New Covenant's garment. Even though Paul succumbed to the Jewish league, who urged him to shave his head and make vows of allegiance to the former ways and persuaded him to offer at the altar found their efforts were in vain, for he was arrested by the Temple authorities. (The preservers of the Jewish traditions never came to terms with the sacrifice of Jesus and its plan with God. They didn't then and they don't now!) 

Paul struggled with his affection for this city and declared that from it the gospel would be scattered all over the world, but not without cost to that city. From Jerusalem he declared:

Acts 13:46-51
46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, 'It was necessary that this Good News from God should be given first to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and shown yourselves unworthy of eternal life--well, we will offer it to Gentiles. 47 For this is as the Lord commanded when He said, "I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to lead them from the farthest corners of the earth to my salvation."'

The early church blossomed in Jerusalem for a while, but too many converts were leaving and the Temple offering plates suffered. Their financial hold was threatened, so they felt they had to snuff out these traitors. Such uproar caused the Christians to be persecuted. Those who remained in Jerusalem found few job openings, discovered the market place held no love for them, and could or would not find solace among those in the Temple. Jerusalem closed ranks politically and religiously on them. They suffered the same kind of discrimination that they bear today. It happened in a flash. Where once they were the center of the Lord's work, they fell into disarray upon the death of the apostles. Where once Simon and his fellows ruled from that domain, so much so, that Paul explained, after his conversion, he did not consult with the church leadership in Jerusalem but went to the desert. He felt he needed to explain why he acted differently than others. BUT, his missionary recipients could not deny the Jerusalem Christian's influence. Wherever Paul went, even though he rebuked Peter for separating himself from the Gentiles when the Jewish band arrived, he secured offerings and gifts for those back home. 

Paul caused the Gentile world to know of the early church's struggle in that city and the persecution they experienced. He kept contact with the faithful and knew their problem, so naturally, the Gentiles honored them and sent offerings.

Rom 15:25-27
25 But before I come, I must go down to Jerusalem to take a gift to the Jewish Christians there. 26 For you see, the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia have taken up an offering for those in Jerusalem who are going through such hard times. 27 They were very glad to do this, for they feel that they owe a real debt to the Jerusalem Christians. Why? Because the news about Christ came to these Gentiles from the church in Jerusalem. And since they received this wonderful spiritual gift of the Gospel from there, they feel that the least they can do in return is to give some material aid.

Heavy migrations of Christians characterized the city early on. To those refugees who fled the city and were dispersed in many surrounding areas, Peter spoke these comforting words.

1 Peter 1:1-6
To: The Jewish Christians driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia Minor, and Bithynia. 

2 Dear friends, God the Father chose you long ago and knew you would become his children. And the Holy Spirit has been at work in your hearts, cleansing you with the blood of Jesus Christ and making you to please him. May God bless you richly and grant you increasing freedom from all anxiety and fear. 

3 All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God's own family. Now we live in the hope of eternal life because Christ rose again from the dead. 4 And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see. 6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.

Jerusalem was left desolate, just as Jesus predicted, for no longer would the sacrifices be accepted and the Temple ways became obsolete (and they still are). After the 70 AD invasion, nothing remained of value. Jerusalem would have to wait to the end of ages to be at the center of the world stage again and that only to signal the coming of the wonderful New Jerusalem moving toward them. 

Only in this manner does it house its destiny in the eternal plan. It is still emerging as the place yet to be cleansed. However, no one could put this place in its proper perspective better than Paul, who knew it as the center of persecution for Christians, for he held licenses from the Temple rulers. Paul knew they held to hypocrisy and idolatry, while embracing the Torah. He understood their blindness and oft referred to his Gamaliel training as his credential for assessment. From Galatians to Hebrews, he unfolds the eternal plan of God for the place where satan took Jesus and tempted Him from its pinnacle. Why? He was/is unafraid of religion and when that is all that is going on, nothing in it affronts him.

Gal 4:21-31
21 Listen to me, you friends who think you have to obey the Jewish laws to be saved: Why don't you find out what those laws really mean? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave-wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 There was nothing unusual about the birth of the slave-wife's baby. But the baby of the freeborn wife was born only after God had especially promised he would come. 

24 Now this true story is an illustration of God's two ways of helping people. One way was by giving them his laws to obey. He did this on Mount