The World's plan for Jerusalem.
The world is not interested in future of the Jews nor of the state of Israel.
They remain a thorn in their side to upset the selfish hopes of the West for oil
and for Muslims their existance seems an insult to Allah.
Men ignore or reject God's declared covenant with Abraham.
They arrogantly say, "What has God got to do with it?"
World leaders have a euphoric ideal of multi-faith peace, personal power, and ever-flowing oil.
If God had not given Jerusalem to the Jews, why would anyone else want it? No strategic value.
Dan 926b says there will be war until the end. And Jerusalem will be at the centre of it.
But God wins every time!
I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling.
Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her,
I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.
All who try to move it will injure themselves. Zech 122,3
Many nations and empires have tried to destroy Israel.
All have themselves paid a high price for such efforts.
Egypt - enslaves Jews. Plagues and death delivered under Moses.
Assyria - Sennacherib blasphemes. Looses 185,000 men.
Babylon - A great kingdom that only lasted about 70 years.
Greece - Antiochus defeated by Maccabees.
Rome - Disintegrated.
British Empire, Nazi Germany, Communist Russia - All gone!
At the end of the great tribulation the Anti-Christ World leader
will bring all nations against Jerusalem. Offended by resolute Jews ? - and he will lose.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair,
"Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals,
and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together
to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.
But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet. ...
The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. Rev 1916-20 also Zech 141-7
Then the Lord's will reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years with perfect justice and no war
(Zech 910 Is 24). Then Satan is released, and surprisingly he is able to deceive all the nations
(Gog and Magog) into attacking the Lord in Jerusalem. Rev 207-10 He also loses!
Jerusalem will remain in the political centre stage.
Pray for the peace, the real peace, of Jerusalem. Ps 1226 Lu 1942
Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. Zech 126b
Israel
When you were a child I loved you,
Tho' you turned your face from me,
Held my arms out while you stumbled,
Longed to teach you to walk free;
Watched in anguish while the nations
One by one declared you'd die
Without trace, not understanding
You're the apple of my eye.
Still I sent you as I'd promised
My Messiah, Holy Lamb,
O my heartache then, and sorrow
When you didn't see my plan.
Now I wait my bride to cherish,
These are days for other men
To find grace and my salvation,
Days to be fulfilled, and then,
Then with shouts of 'Grace' and 'Glory',
My Corner-stone now recognised,
I shall pluck you from the burning
And declare you justified.
Then the fountain which I opened
Still shall plead your cause to me;
And my child, beloved Israel
Bring me joy - Eternally.
Paula Worth
History of Jerusalem
| 1885 | Abraham offers sacrifice on Mt Moriah (probably Temple Mount) Gen 22 |
| 1004 | David captures city from Jebusites in 7th year of his reign 2 Sam 5 |
| 960 | Solomon directs building of Temple over 7 years 1 Kgs 6 |
| 926 | Temple and Rehoboam's palace plundered by Shishak of Egypt 1 Kgs 1425 |
| 847 | Evil Jehoram's palace plundered by Philistines and Arabs 2 Ch 2117 |
| 792 | Jehoash (Israel) defeats Amaziah (Judah), breaks down city wall 2 Kgs
14 and loots Temple. (Wall repaired 40 years later by Uzziah) |
| 701 | Hezekiah pays tribute to Sennacherib who then demands surrender of Jerusalem.
Hezekiah spreads letter before the Lord and prays. Isaiah prophesies City does not fall and no arrow falls in it. 2 Kgs 19 Angel slays 185,000 of Sennacherib's army in a single night |
| 676 | Judah pays tribute to Assyria |
| 670 | Assyria rules Egypt for 3 years. Manasseh exiled to Babylon by Assyrians |
| 612 | Babylonians joined by Medes. Nineveh falls |
| 609 | Pharaoh Neco kills Josiah and exiles Jehoahaz 2 Kgs 23 Jehoiakim gives Pharaoh much tribute (from taxes) |
| 608 | Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt and Judah 2 Kgs 24 Moabites and Ammonites harass Judah |
| 605 | Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt at Carchemish (near Hamath) 2 Kgs 24 Jehoiakim submits. Temple looted. Daniel and others taken to Babylon |
| 600 | Jehoiakim rebels and transfers allegiance to Pharaoh Neco |
| 597 | Nebuchadnezzar captures Jerusalem. Takes gold, Temple vessels, Ezekiel
and others Zedekiah made king. 8 years later he too rebels. |
| 586 | Nebuchadnezzar destroys city and Temple totally after 2 year siege 2 Kgs 25 |
| 537 | Joshua and Zerubbabel return from Babylon with 50,000. Ezra 3,4 Start / stop rebuilding Temple. Resume sacrifices. |
| 516 | Temple rebuilding completed, and "70 years" Jeremiah prophesied (586 to 516) Ezra 5,6 |
| 445 | City walls rebuilt under Nehemiah Neh 2-6 |
| 350 | City captured by Persians |
| 332 | Alexander the Great conquerors M.E. (336-323) Jerusalem submits and allowed to live in peace |
| 320 | Greek Empire divided. Jerusalem under Ptolemy I who partly destroys walls |
| 198 | Syrian Selucid, Antiochus III defeats Judah |
| 167 | Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) destroys walls, plunders and desecrates Temple for 3½ yrs |
| 166 | Start of uprising under Judas Maccabee that ends Syrian domination Dan
1129-32 Independent till ... |
| 63 | Pompey (Rome) takes Jerusalem (and most of the M.E.) Jewish settlement restricted to Galilee and Judea |
| 40 | Parthian (Persia) plunders city |
| 37 | Romans with Herod the Great re-take city. Major rebuilding |
| 6 | Christ, the Son of God is born! (Herod died 4 BC) |
| BC | |
| AD | |
| 30 | Christ, the Messiah is crucified |
| Rome | |
| 67 | Jewish revolt against Rome |
| 70 | Titus destroys Jerusalem and the Temple |
| 135 | Bar Kochba rebellion. City destroyed 1000's die or enslaved Hadrian re-builds it as pagan city with temple to Jupiter Renames Judea "Syria Palaestins" (i.e. Philistine for maximum insult to Jews) Jews banned from city for 10 years |
| 316 | Constantine `Christianises' city. Synagogues in Galilee burned by Christians |
| 379 | Theodosius the Great expels Jews. Many fled to Mesopotamia (Babylon) |
| 460 | Eudocia (Roman Empress) spend large sums rebuilding city |
| 614 | Persians (Chosroes II) capture city; devastation and massacre |
| 629 | Byzantine (Heraclius) re-capture city |
| Muslim | |
| 638 | Calif Omar seizes city and allows Jews to return |
| 661 | Umayyad Muslim Arabs from Damascus control city |
| 691 | Abd-el-Malik builds Dome of the Rock. El-Aksa mosque rebuilt (Arabic. Aksa = 'furthest place') |
| 716 | Ramla established as Muslim capital of the province of Palestine |
| 750 | Abbasid non-Arab Muslims from Mesopotamia control city. (Muslim capital transferred to Baghdad in 762) |
| 858 | Ahmed Ibn Tulun takes independent control Jerusalem (and Egypt) |
| 969 | Fatimid Caliphs from Cairo defeat Abbasids |
| 1033 | Major earthquake. City walls rebuilt excluding old city of David |
| 1070 | Seljuk Turks conquer Judea and Jerusalem |
| 1098 | Fatimid's recapture city |
| Crusaders / Muslims | |
| 1099 | Crusaders capture Jerusalem - Jewish community massacred (also Muslims)
Becomes capital of independent kingdom, but very few people. (most soldiers returned to Europe) Knights Templers (founded 1118 Origin of Freemasons) use El Aksa and Dome on the Rock |
| 1146 | 2nd Crusade - disastrous for Jews |
| 1187 | Saladin defeats Crusaders. Then Jerusalem paid ransom and allowed to
leave. Jews allowed to return |
| 1219 | Ayyubid (Saladin's successor) removed walls to make it a city of peace! |
| 1229 | Ayyubid Sultan agrees to give Crusaders most of the city. Jews again expelled |
| 1244 | Mongols (Khwarizmians from around Aral Sea) kill Christians and sack city |
| Mamluk | |
| 1260 | Mamluks (a Slave Army Corp risen to power) defeat Mongols. Most of the city and country remained destroyed Jews made to wear distinctive clothing |
| Turks | |
| 1517 | Ottoman Turks take control under Selim I. City and it's walls re-built under Sultan Suleiman (as existing today) Allowed Jewish and Christian communities. (unlike many of his successors) After 200 years Jerusalem became 'run down', as did all the country |
| 1831 | Egypt (Muhammad Ali) takes city. |
| 1840 | Turks re-take city. Many Jewish and Christian buildings restored and
built Jews start returning to Judea. Largest single group in Jerusalem by 1878 |
| Britain | |
| 1917 | British occupation after General Allenby defeats Turks Jews agree to 'International' Jerusalem, but Arabs refuse |
| 1947 | U.N. Partition. Israel re-born. |
| 1948 | Jordan takes Old City of Jerusalem (and West Bank) in Arab War of Attrition after British withdraw |
| Israel | |
| 1967 | Israel regains all Jerusalem (also Judea and Samaria) from Jordan in 6 Day War |
| 1973 | Yom Kippury War. Almighty God saves Israel from Russian inspired Arab attack. Israel gains Golan Heights and Sinai (returned to Egypt 5 years later) |
| 1993 | Oslo Agreement started; but has yet to lead to peace (2017) |
Jerusalem = the City of Peace.
It is ironic that it has probably suffered more war than any other city in the world.
Jerusalem under Jewish rule
1004 - 609 BC 400 years (but also plundered 3 times during these years)
167 - 63 BC 100 years under Hasmoneans (descendants of Maccabees)
1967 - the end 33 + ? years
Nations and peoples who have conquered / ruled Jerusalem
| BC | ||
| 1 | 1004 | Judah |
| 2 | 926 | Egypt |
| 3 | 847 | Philistines |
| 4 | 792 | N.Kingdom of Israel - then restored |
| 5 | 609 | Egypt |
| 6 | 605 | Babylon (Jehoikim capitulates without fight) |
| 597 | .. (Nebuchadnezzar successful siege) | |
| 586 | .. (2nd siege, walls broken, Temple destroyed) | |
| 7 | 350 | Persia |
| 8 | 332 | Greece (Alexander) |
| 9 | 320 | Egypt (Greek Ptolemy) |
| 10 | 198 | Syria (Greek Selucid) |
| 11 | 167 | Judah (Hasmoneans) |
| 12 | 63 | Rome |
| 13 | 40 | Parthian |
| 14 | 37 | Rome |
| BC/AD | ||
| 1 | 70 | Rome (continued) |
| 2 | 614 | Persians |
| 3 | 629 | Rome (Byzantine) |
| 4 | 638 | Muslim (Calif Omar) |
| 5 | 661 | Muslim (Damascus) |
| 6 | 750 | Muslim (Baghdad) |
| 7 | 969 | Muslim (Egypt) |
| 8 | 1077 | Turks |
| 9 | 1098 | Muslim (Egypt) |
| 10 | 1099 | Crusaders |
| 11 | 1187 | Muslim |
| 12 | 1229 | Crusaders |
| 13 | 1239 | Muslim |
| 14 | 1243 | Crusaders |
| 15 | 1244 | Mongols |
| 16 | 1260 | Mamluk |
| 17 | 1517 | Turks (Ottoman) |
| 18 | 1831 | Egypt |
| 19 | 1840 | Turks |
| 20 | 1917 | British |
| 21 | 1948 | Israel (small enclave) |
| 22 | 1948 | Jordan |
| 23 | 1967 | Israel |
During the last 3000 years Jerusalem has only ever been the capital of Israel.
It was never 'Palestinian'! And I trust it never will be.
(See article "Whose Land?"
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