Jerusalem – The Heavy, Immovable Rock!

By Rev SEIK PITOI
NO other city in the whole world is as controversial as the ancient city in Israel, Jerusalem. Israel is unique. It is the only country in the world that bears the same name, speaks the same language, upholds the same faith, and inhabits the same land that it did 3,000 years ago. Jerusalem was made the capital of Israel by King David 3,000 years ago – 1,600 years before the birth of Islam! The city has been attacked 52 times, besieged 23 times, ransacked 39 times, destroyed and rebuilt three times, and captured and recaptured 44 times! Yet, Jerusalem lives on!
Home to the three main monotheistic religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, there is zero mention of Jerusalem (Al Kuds) in the Moslem’s Quran, while the Judeo-Christian Bible has over 600 references to it. Moreover, Moslems pray towards Mecca in Saudi Arabia, while Jews face towards Jerusalem. It must be a special city to them! Jerusalem is once again the topic of contention on the world news. It is like a hot potato being shuffled around on the world stage. In fact, the Bible says in Zachariah 12: 3,
“On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.”
Most United Nations Security Council resolutions have to do with Jerusalem, which gets condemned more times than even rogue states like North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria combined! On Dec 12, 2017, President Donald Trump of the US dropped a bombshell by declaring that Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel and that the US would move their embassy there. The world was in an uproar. Then, another vote was taken at the UN to negate the declaration by the US. Only seven countries stood with the US and Israel, while 128 opposed – including PNG!
Interestingly, look at the nations that tried to move this ‘heavy stone’ over the centuries: Ancient Egypt, Philistines, Assyrian Empire, Persian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Greek Empire, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Moslem invaders, Crusaders, Ottomans, Spanish Empire, Nazi Germany, Soviet Union. Where are they now? ALL GONE! Yet, Israel remains!
As a country that espouses the Judeo-Christian faith which originated from that very city, we in Papua New Guinea do have an interest in Jerusalem. Many tour groups from PNG visit biblical places in Israel and our hymn books and tokples songs (like perovetas) all have songs about ‘Ierusalema’. We indeed have a strong connection with that city.
Jerusalem is important to Christians because of the places where Jesus lived, ministered, died and rose again from. It is the city where Abraham brought Isaac up Mt. Moriah for sacrifice, passing God’s test of faith. It is the city where King Solomon built the magnificent Temple and made it a house of prayer for all nations. It is the city that Isaiah envisioned as the centre where the nations will be taught the Law of the Lord (Is 2:2, 3), and the city Jesus wept over and prophesied that it would be “trampled on” by Gentiles for a time (Luke 21).
We understand the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people because we read about it every day in our Bible. We share in that history because the New Testament says we have been ‘grafted into’ the people of faith (Romans 11). Israel’s national history has become our spiritual history.
It is important to note that whenever the Bible speaks of Jerusalem, it is referring to East Jerusalem.
No verse of Scripture refers to western Jerusalem, which is the modern city that arose in the past 100 years. East Jerusalem includes the Old City, Calvary, Golgotha, Mount of Olives and many other places we find in our Bibles. It was ethnically cleansed of Jews during 19 years of Jordanian control, until it returned to full Jewish control after the 6 Day war of 1967. Now, the nations want to split the city so Israel can only have the western part, while the Palestinians have the east! A “Two-State Solution” may sound politically correct – but does that line up with God’s word?
Since the main religions have their claim to Jerusalem, let’s see what God says:
In 2 Chronicles 6: 6 – “I (God) have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there”.
In Ezekiel 5: 5: – “The Sovereign LORD said, “Look at Jerusalem. I (God) put her at the centre of the world, with other countries all around her”.
So was it the UN who chose and placed Jerusalem where she is today, or God?
God chose Israel to be the place where His plan of salvation for the whole world would be carried out. Out of Israel, He chose Jerusalem as His ‘signature’ city. And out of Jerusalem, it was the Temple Mount and the Temple that stood there that would herald His name for all the nations to know.
But Jerusalem has a history of pain and sorrow. Even the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41 -44), when He saw calamity coming her way. This proved true when the Temple was destroyed by Rome in 70 AD, the city burnt down, and the people scattered. But the God of Israel who prophesied their destruction and dispersion also prophesied their return (e.g., Ez 36:19-26). After suffering tremendous persecution for 2,000 years, Israel was born again on May 14, 1948 – sending a message to the world that the God of Israel was still on His throne!
Thankfully, God has a special place for this city and her people, the Jews. He says Jerusalem is like the “apple of His eye” (Zach 2:8), and that He is a “wall of fire” around her (2:5). He cares for His city and His people. (Likewise, we must know that if we are believers in Christ, He is our God too, and He cares for us in the same way.)
The American President said he would watch how the nations voted against Jerusalem. There will be ramifications for the vote. But as a mere man, Mr Trump has his limitations. I am more concerned, however, about God. The Bible tells us that God too watches, and He will surely bring judgement:
Joel 3: 1-2, God says: “I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land…”
Zach 12: 9 says: “And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”
If we are truly a Christian nation, and if we believe the Bible is true, then we should be mindful that in everything that happens over that tiny nation of Israel and upon that special city of Jerusalem, God watches. His ancient promise still stands:
“I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you.” (Gen 12: 3).
Will God find our nation extending a hand towards Jerusalem in friendship, or raised up against her in enmity?

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a minister at Ela Beach United Church, Port Moresby.