There are many people who are interested in the subject of prophecy because they have a desire to know what the end will be like, and how close we are to the end of this present age. Israel will more than likely come up in conversation, and Jerusalem will usually be included in that conversation. I would like to focus on what Jesus Christ had to say about Jerusalem, because after all, He is the creator of all things (John 1:1-3) and He just happens to be the Son of God, equal to the Father Himself! (Philippians 2:5-11)
Jesus Christ: Jewish Religious Leaders Would Kill Him At Jerusalem!
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (Matthew 16:21)
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, (Matthew 20:18)
Jesus Christ was born to die, and his death would take place at Jerusalem. The Lord had been calling the religious people to repentance for centuries, long before he was ever manifest in the flesh, and He would ultimately be killed by His own people there. It is absolutely amazing that Elijah and Moses appeared on the mountain top to encourage Jesus in the death that He was about to accomplish in the city of Jerusalem. This was an absolutely incredible event, which took place that day.
And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias (Elijah): Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:28-31)
Moses and Elijah had already been long dead, but here they are talking with Jesus Christ about His upcoming crucifixion at Jerusalem! What does this tell us? It tells us that the Old Covenant (testament), men of God, and men of faith knew that Jesus Christ was the ultimate FULFILLMENT of prophecy!
Jesus Christ: It Is Imperative For Me to Die In Jerusalem!
Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. (Luke 13:33)
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:34)
The people of Israel killed their own prophets according to Jesus Christ the creator of all things. (John 1:1-3) The Lord even gave the religious Jewish leaders, a parable regarding the vineyard, which illustrated their history regarding their killing of their own prophets, and ultimately Himself! (Matthew 21:28-46)
The Risen Jesus Christ: Preach Repentance At Jerusalem!
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:44-47)
This is the very crux of the matter. The Lord Jesus Christ was KILLED, but then He got back up from the dead, and continued to call the people of Jerusalem to repentance, just as he had, before they KILLED Him! The whole arena of modern day prophecy focuses on a return to the land of Israel, but Jesus focused on the heart of the people living inside Jerusalem (and ultimately the rest of the world also). If a person dies without Jesus Christ they will die in their sins (according to Jesus! John 8:24) and they will end up in Hell for eternity! (Luke 16:19-31) Jesus was primarily concerned with SOULS!
Jesus Christ: The Geographical Location Of Jerusalem Does Not Matter At All!
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. (John 4:19-26)
Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the Messiah to an UNSAVED Samaritan woman. Why? Simply because she was sincerely searching for the truth! She had been married five times before, and she was currently living with a man who was not her husband, but Jesus showed her mercy. Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman desperately needed the living waters (of the Holy Spirit), and Jesus also knows that every person in the whole world needs the very same thing. The city of Jerusalem itself does not matter at all in the sight of Almighty God. People in the city of Jerusalem without Jesus Christ are as lost as people in the city of New York, London, Los Angeles or any other place in the entire world. Jesus is not impressed with the outward form of righteousness of anybody, and you will find that in His preaching.
The modern day Christian prophecy teachers have made an IDOL out of the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. They work hand in hand with the UNSAVED Jewish political leaders of Israel. But if you study the scriptures you will find the TRUE disciples of Jesus Christ suffering greatly, simply because they preached the Gospel to the Jewish people. The result was almost always hatred and persecution toward those who brought that message. You will never find Stephen, Paul, Barnabas or Peter emphasizing a return to the land of Israel. You will find them preaching their hearts out to the Jewish people, and encouraging them to turn to Jesus Christ for salvation! Isn’t that interesting!
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. (Acts 13:44-47)
The Gospel message has never changed, and millions of people throughout the centuries have accepted the call to repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. The only Jerusalem that is of any interest to the TRUE believer in Jesus Christ is the Jerusalem which is above!
But ye are come unto mount Sion (Zion), and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:22-23)
Those people who have been born again of the Spirit of God are members of the church of the firstborn! (John 3:1-8) They are new creations in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and they are looking for a city which is above, not here on earth! The TRUE Christian will join hands one day (for real) with every other believer throughout history who faithfully followed the TRUE and living God!
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13-16)
The TRUE Christians (Jewish and Gentile) from the East, West, North and South (the whole world!), will be numbered with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, while the religious people who REFUSED Jesus Christ will be cast out into an eternal Hell.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:25-29)
