Following on the heels of yesterday’s discussion, even in Yeshua’s time, the Holy Land was divided into the Roman Provinces of Idumea, Perea, Samaria, Galilee, and Judah.
In other words, Jerusalem was always considered a separate entity.
That’s why the New Testament often mentions both Judah (or Judea) and Jerusalem as separate places.
It’s interesting how many Jews and Christians today are open to the unscriptural idea that Jerusalem is some kind of international city or something.
While it’s located smack dab in the middle of Israel, it’s also viewed as a separate area run by outside secular institutions like the UN.
The false idea being promoted is that it can serve as both the capital of Israel and a Palestinian state at the same time.
In fact, over 60 years ago, when the UN split the land into Jewish and Arab states, that was the original intended plan for Jerusalem.
It wasn’t meant to belong to either the Jews or the Arabs.
It was to be some kind of neutral space for everyone to enjoy.
Of course, most Jews and Arabs vehemently reject the idea of Jerusalem as some kind of International City.
But the topic may come up again soon, especially as pressure grows for Israel to return to its pre-1967 borders.
Now, if you’re wondering if the Bible supports this idea because of King David’s actions in 2 Samuel Chapter 5, perish that thought!
Jerusalem was only the capital of Israel—it was NEVER an International City.
David himself didn’t own all of Jerusalem.
He owned just the City of David, which was his private and secure home, not the capital.
The true capital was Yerushalayim.
That’s also why the Temple wasn’t built in the City of David but in Yerushalayim, on Mount Moriah.
Okay, let’s move to the takeaway.
It’s a pretty fundamental point.
The problem with secular institutions trying to treat Jerusalem as some kind of international tourist attraction is that they don’t understand the holy nature of the city.
Jerusalem is NOT common, it is holy.
It possesses special status as defined by the Creator of the Universe.
The same applies to the Jewish people as well.
They are not common like gentiles are.
Gentiles are common and Jews are holy.
Of course, when a gentile is grafted into the commonwealth of Israel by accepting the Jewish Messiah, he or she is accorded holy status.
But until that happens, gentiles are common.
So as we’ve seen time and time again in the Scriptures, what happens when something that God has deemed holy is violated?
That thing is destroyed.
And that’s exactly what’s going to happen to any nation, or institution that attempts to trample on the holiness of Jerusalem by treating it like any other gentile city.
Ya feeling me.
I leave you with this verse from the Psalms.
“For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
‘This is My resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.'”
-Psalm 132:13-14
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