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Articles found on this page refer to Bible Places:
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Garden of Gethsemane
 Gethsemane, from the Greek word pronounced geth-say-man-ay, meaning oil press, was the name given to an olive orchard, at the foot of The Mount Of Olives. It seems to have been one of the favourite places that Jesus Christ visited, and was the scene of one of the most dramatic events of Bible History on The Fateful Night before the Crucifixion.
Garden of Gethsemane Passover
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
"And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this Fruit Of The Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom."
 "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." ( pictured opposite)
Jesus' Prediction That They Would Forsake Him
"Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."
"Peter declared to Him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."
"Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times."
"Peter said to Him, "Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You." And so said all the disciples.
At Gethsemane
"Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray." And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, John and James, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me."
"And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt."
"And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and He said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
"Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done."
"And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words."
"Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, My betrayer is at hand."
Jesus Arrested
"While He was still speaking, Judas came, one of The Twelve Apostles, and with Him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man; seize Him." [see What Did Jesus Look Like?] And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Hail, Master!" And he kissed him."
"Jesus said to him, "Friend, why are you here?" Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear."
"Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"
"At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture Me? Day after day I sat in the Temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But all this has taken place, that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled." (Matthew 26:26-56)
Fact Finder: Did Jesus Christ ascend into heaven from the Mount of Olives? Will His return be in the same way?
Acts 1:9-12
On the road to Jericho
Angels are spirit beings, but as often recorded in the Bible, they can also appear, or be, physical. It was two angels that the perverts of Sodom mistook as men (Genesis 19:1,5), and throughout Bible History angels sometimes appeared as humans - whether the people who they appeared to realized that they were angels, or not. It's possible that some of us, perhaps all of us, at one time or another, have seen angels without realizing that they were angels - that's what the Bible says (see the Fact Finder question below).
Joshua's Encounter On The Road To Jericho
Not long after the Israelites' crossing of the Jordan River into their physical promised land, Joshua, who had succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel, encountered a man with a drawn sword. Rather than sending a subordinate, Joshua, a true leader, approached the man himself, ready to talk with him, or to kill him - Joshua left it up to the man. The man then identified himself as also being a commander, an angel commander, a "captain of the host of The Lord" (see also God's Marines):
"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?"
"And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of The Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?"
"And the captain of The Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so." (Joshua 5:13-15 KJV)
The reason for the angel stating that Joshua was at that moment standing on holy ground was then made evident - The Lord spoke to Joshua and gave him the instructions for the taking of Jericho:
"Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in."
"And The Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns [see The Ram's Horn]: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests [see Levites] shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him."
"And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up The Ark Of The Covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of The Lord." (Joshua 6:1-6 KJV)
Fact Finder: Does the Bible say "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (KJV)?
Hebrews 13:2
Bethlehem
When most of us hear of Bethlehem, we naturally think of the birth of Jesus Christ. But how was it that Jesus was born in Bethlehem? Why not Jerusalem, or Nazareth where Joseph and Mary were already living at the time, or some other town?
Bethlehem is located about 5 miles / 8 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem in the hill country of Judea on the way to Hebron. It is believed to have existed at least 1,000 years before Christ was born.
Bethlehem figures in Bible History both before the Israelites entered Egypt and slavery, and after the Exodus and their return. Rachel, the favorite wife (he also had married her sister Leah) of Jacob/Israel is buried near Bethlehem.
The events of the Book Of Ruth take place in the region of Bethlehem. Ruth and Boaz were the great-grandparents of King David, who himself was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem in effect became the official home-town of the line of David.
When the Roman emperor issued an order that a census be taken of the Roman Empire (see Ancient Empires - Rome), which then included the Roman-occupied land of Israel, each Israelite was required to go and register in his home town. Joseph, although then living in Nazareth up in Galilee, traveled down to Bethlehem to register because he was of the line of David. With him was his wife Mary, also of the house of David. It was of course shortly after their arrival in Bethlehem that Jesus was born.
"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city."
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."
"And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of The Lord appeared to them, and the glory of The Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:1-11 RSV)
Fact Finder: What was King David's father's name?
(a) Jesse (b) Samuel (c) John (d) Gideon
Ruth 4:22
The Gates of old Jerusalem
Ancient cities were often more like fortresses than cities, as we understand the term "city" today. The perimeter consisted of a massive stone wall (or walls) with gates to permit or prevent the entry of people and animals. In times of war, enemy forces often concentrated their attacks on these openings, typically the weakest part of the city wall, so the gates were usually constructed in such a way that they were flanked by, or actually part of, one or more defensive guard towers.
The old city of Jerusalem has had numerous gates over the many thousands of years of Bible History. You can still walk through some of them today, while others have been sealed at one time or another. Individual gates have been known by various names, sometimes by two or three or more, through their centuries of existence. All gates are in Red.Those that are described in Blue, have photographs included. Those described in black, do not!
 The Sheep Gate, also known as Stephen's Gate, or the Lions Gate (Nehemiah 3:1,32, 12:39), is located on the east wall, north of the Temple Mount. It is shown in the photograph at left.
The Fish Gate was an ancient gate on the east wall, just west of the Gihon spring, where men gathered to sell fish, sometimes in violation of the Sabbath (2 Chronicles 33:14, Nehemiah 3:3, 13:16). It may be the same as the Middle Gate (Jeremiah 39:3). It is shown in the photograph at right.
The Old Gate, or Jeshanah Gate, was located at the northwest corner of the city during the time of Nehemiah, near the location of the present-day Holy Sepulcher (Nehemiah 3:6)
The Valley Gate, overlooked the Kidron Valley (Nehemiah 3:13) It is shown in the photograph to the left.
The Beautiful Gate, near the Temple Mount, where Peter healed a crippled man "in The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (Acts 3:1-10) It is shown in the photograph to th right
The Golden Gate was located on the east wall adjacent to the Temple Mount. Originally constructed by the Byzantines, it was later sealed by Muslims to "block the future path of the Messiah into Jerusalem."
The Dung Gate was one of the 12 or so gates that existed at the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:14). It was located at the southwest corner of the wall, and used for the disposal of garbage and dung. It led out to the Valley Of Hinnom. This gate faces the city of David or Siloan. It is shown in the photograph to the right
The Zion Gate was on the south wall, overlooking Mount Zion and is shown in the photograph to the left
The Fountain Gate was located at the southeast corner of the wall (Nehemiah 3:15).
The Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26).
The Horse Gate was located between the Water
Gate and the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3:28).
The Jaffa Gate on the west wall is shown in the photograph to the right
The Damascus Gate on the north wall. Saul (later the apostle Paul) very possibly left the city through this gate on his fateful journey On The Road To Damascus is shown in the photograph below
Herod's Gate on the north wall, just east of the Damascus Gate.
The East Gate (Nehemiah 3:29)
The Inspection Gate (Nehemiah 3:31)
The New Gate on the west wall just north of the Jaffa Gate is shown in the photograph below
Fact Finder: Was there also a "Benjamin Gate"
during the time of Jeremiah?
Jeremiah 37:13
The Jordan Valley
The Jordan River valley area is one of the most world-famous Bible Places. The Jordan River is mentioned frequently in The Bible, about 175 times in the Old Testament and about 15 times in the New Testament
Jordan is derived from the Hebrew word pronounced yar-dane, meaning descender. The New Testament Greek word for the Jordan is pronounced ee-or-dan-ace. "Descender" is an appropriate name for the river as it runs its course from the heights of its sources near Mount Hermon to the depths of the Dead Sea.
The Jordan River exists in 3 sections, beginning in the north:
* From its multiple river sources (the Bareighit, the Hasbany from Mount Hermon, the Leddan, the Banias) to Lake Huleh.
* Lake Huleh to the Sea Of Galilee in Galilee, about 10 miles / 16 kilometers.
* From the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, in a straight line about 65 miles / 105 kilometers.
From its beginning in the north to its terminus at the Dead Sea, the elevation of the river drops tremendously - from the heights of Mount Hermon to the depths of the Dead Sea - a drop of about 2,380 feet. Due to its winding course, the river itself actually measures nearly 200 miles / 325 kilometers, over twice its direct distance.
The Jordan River played a significant role in numerous events of Bible History -
* The first mention of the Jordan is when Abraham and Lot parted company: "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of The Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before The Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah [see The Destruction Of Sodom]. So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley, and Lot journeyed east; thus they separated from each other." (Genesis 13:10-11 RSV)
* Jacob was renamed Israel at the ford of the Jabbok River, a tributary of the Jordan: "The same night he arose and took his two wives [see Leah and Rachel], his two maids, and his eleven children [The Tribes Of Israel], and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then he said, "Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:22-28 RSV)
* At the end of their Wilderness Journey, after Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of the people, the Israelites entered the Promised Land by crossing the Jordan River that, like the Red Sea, was miraculously divided for them (Joshua 3:15-17).
* The prophets Elijah and Elisha were active on both sides of the Jordan
* The Jordan River was the area where John The Baptist conducted much of his ministry. Jesus Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan River.
* In earlier times, the Israelites possessed the territory of both sides of the Jordan. Today the Jordan River forms much of the international boundary between Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan.
The Jordan's role in "Bible times" is far from over - much more is going to happen along its very geologically-active course.
Fact Finder: What is the name of the first place that the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land?
Joshua 4:19
Capernaum
"Now when He heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:12-17 RSV)
Capernaum was located near the northwestern shore of the Sea Of Galilee. It has today been identified with the ruins called Tel Hum, about 3 miles / 5 kilometers from where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee in the north. It was on the major road between Damascus up in Syria, and points southward throughout central Israel and beyond.
Capernaum became the central point of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and many of His miracles occurred in or near the city, including numerous healings of believing people: Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15), the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-7), a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:2,7), and the casting out of demons (Mark 1:23-27). The miraculous feeding of the 4,000 from only 7 loaves of bread and a few fish occurred nearby (Mark 8:6-9), as did many other miracles.
Jesus sometimes taught at the Synagogue there on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21). That same Synagogue of Capernaum has today been discovered and partially restored by archaeologists (in photograph left).
Amazingly, as happened with Nazareth, the people of Capernaum eventually began to resent and oppose Him. They saw the many great miracles with their own two eyes, they heard His very words of truth and wisdom with their own two ears, but they refused to repent and believe. In doing so, the people of Capernaum sealed their own fate, as spoken by Jesus Christ Himself in denouncing the cities who witnessed His miracles but who did not repent:
"And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you." (Matthew 11:23-24 RSV).
The town ended up eventually as a ruin, as it has remained to the present.
Fact Finder: Did Jesus begin calling Peter, James, John and the other original twelve apostles before, or after, He moved to Capernaum?
Matthew 4:13,18-22
City of David
The City of David is the oldest Israelite-settled part of Jerusalem, captured by David from the Jebusites: "The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David. (2 Samuel 5:6-7)
King David leading The Ark The earliest City of David was located on the southeast ridge of the Jerusalem plateau, with the Tyropoeon Valley to the west and the Kidron Valley to the east. Only a few acres in total, it actually covered a much smaller area than what later came to be known as the City of David section of Jerusalem.
As first established, the City of David consisted of David's palace, which overlooked the tent that David had set up to house The Ark Of The Covenant
(Solomon later built the original Temple of God there). South of the palace was the citadel and the city itself. (see diagram below)
References to the City of David from the pages of Bible History:
"David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because The Lord God Almighty was with him. Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. And David knew that The Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel." (2 Samuel 5:9-12)
"After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for The Ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry The Ark of God, because The Lord chose them to carry The Ark of The Lord and to minister before Him forever." David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up The Ark of The Lord to the place he had prepared for it. He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites." (1 Chronicles 15:1-4)
"Now King David was told, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of The Ark of God." So David went down and brought up The Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.... They brought The Ark of The Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before The Lord." (2 Samuel 6:12,17)
"Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. He had reigned forty years over Israel - seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established." (1 Kings 2:10-12)
"Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and The Temple of The Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem." (1 Kings 3:1)
"Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up The Ark of The Lord's covenant from Zion, the City of David." (1 Kings 8:1)
"Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. Then he rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father." (1 Kings 11:42-43)
"It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David." (2 Chronicles 32:30) (see Hezekiah's Tunnel)
"And when he prayed to Him, The Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh [see Kings of Israel and Judah] knew that The Lord is God. Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher." (2 Chronicles 33:13-14)
Fact Finder: Was King David's birthplace, Bethlehem, also known as the city of David?
"My Father's House"
When Solomon completed the building of the original Temple of God (see Temples) in Jerusalem, he made a simple statement that clearly summed up what that Temple was, and what that Temple was not, and exactly where God was in relation to it: "Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built ... hearken Thou to the supplications of Thy servant and of Thy people Israel, when they pray toward this place; yea, hear Thou from heaven Thy dwelling place." (2 Chronicles 6:18,21 RSV)
The Temple A Place of Worship, "Consecrated For My Name"
The original Temple was consecrated for God's Name, and called a Temple of God, or House of God, even though God remained in heaven e.g "The Lord is in His Holy Temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven." (Psalm 11:4). It could perhaps be compared to the principle of a country opening (or closing, temporarily or permanently, whenever a decision is made to do so) an embassy in a foreign land, that is to be treated with the utmost respect and never to be violated, where official diplomatic business is conducted. The Temple of God was meant in a possessive sense, even though the "Head of State" remained at home:
Regarding the original Temple in Jerusalem:
"I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put My Name there for ever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time." (1 Kings 9:3 RSV)
"But if you turn aside from following Me, you or your children, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for My Name I will cast out of My sight." (1 Kings 9:6-7 RSV) (see Why Babylon?)
The original Temple of God was destroyed, that is, God had it destroyed, not because He turned His back on the Israelites, but because they turned their back on Him. Later however, at the appointed time, the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity because God had a Persian king release them and allow them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of God as a sacred place of worship. It was God's command to rebuild that Temple (or sacred "embassy," if you wish), not something that the Jews took it upon themselves to do:
"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [see Ancient Empires - Persia], that The Word of The Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all His people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of The Lord, the God of Israel - He is the God Who is in Jerusalem." (Ezra 1:2 RSV)
"My Father's House"
From a Christian point of view the term Temple takes on a much greater meaning:
"for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to The Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy Temple in The Lord; in Whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in The Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18-22 RSV)
"Do you not know that you are God's Temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's Temple, God will destroy him. For God's Temple is holy, and that Temple you are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 RSV)
Nevertheless, Jesus Christ, Who we may be absolutely certain knew what He was talking about, had no problem calling that re-built physical Jewish Temple in Jerusalem "My Father's House," or God's House, a sacred place, not because God lived there, since Jesus plainly always prayed to The Father in heaven, but because God was worshiped there. He used the term Temple in a possessive sense.
"Did you not know that I must be in My Father's House?" (Luke 2:49 RSV)
"You shall not make My Father's House a house of trade." (John 2:16 RSV)
An End-Time Jewish Temple of God?
There are a number of Jewish groups working toward the construction of an end-time Jewish Temple - a physical, Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Their preparations are genuine, professional, and well financed. They would begin building today if the political situation permitted it.
But will it happen?
Many Christian-professing people reject the thought of any such possibility, or deny Jesus Christ's own words and say that such a Temple could not be called a Temple of God, because their own perspective of Temple is now purely spiritual. But unconverted Jews aren't Christians, who nevertheless worship and are subject to the true and only God. Jews have a religious perspective of their own, and since 1948, the Jewish state of Israel has been a reality.
Christians and Jews worship the same God, the true God, but differently, at different stages of understanding and fulfillment. Is the Jewish religion now to be considered irrelevant? Most certainly not, according to the Christian apostle Paul: "Then what advantage has the Jew? ... Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews are entrusted with the oracles [NIV words] of God." (Romans 3:1-2 RSV)
A great many other Christians, including this writer, believe that the Jewish people will indeed construct another Jewish Temple of God (the exact form that it will take is yet to be seen) that will be a focal point of many Christian prophecies. These Scriptures of Bible Prophecy, among others, can only mean an actual physical Jewish Temple, in Jerusalem, just prior to The Return Of Jesus Christ -
* A Physical Measurement Of A Physical Temple
"Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told: "Rise and measure the Temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the Temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant My two witnesses power to prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." (Revelation 11:1-3 RSV)
* Abomination Of A Physical Temple
"Forces from him shall appear and profane the Temple and fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate." (Daniel 11:31 RSV)
* No Physical Human Can Enter God's Spiritual Temple
"Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 RSV)
* Jesus' Specific Warning About A Physical Temple In Judea
"So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place, let the reader understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:15-16 RSV)
Fact Finder: What is going to be the fate of the "beast" and the "great false prophet"?
Revelation 19:20
Zion
"The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David. ... David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because The Lord God Almighty was with him." (2 Samuel 5:6-7,9-10)
After David captured Zion from the Jebusites, his citadel and palace became "the city of David." Located on the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem, it was mostly surrounded by defensive valleys, the Tyropoeon Valley, the Kidron Valley and the Valley Of Hinnom.
The meaning of Zion has grown tremendously from David's time 3,000 years ago, from the physical place where a conquering Israelite king established his home for the benefit of his people, to a spiritual place where another conquering King will establish His home for the benefit of all people.
* When David's successor, his son Solomon moved The Ark Of The Covenant, containing the The Ten Commandments to the new Temple on nearby Mount Moriah (popularly known today as The Temple Mount), the name Zion was extended to include the Temple (1 Kings 8:1, Isaiah 8:18)
* In later times of the kings (see Kings of Israel and Judah), the term Zion came to be used for all of Jerusalem (e.g. 2 Kings 19:21), and then further for the Israelite people themselves (e.g. Isaiah 33:14)
* And then, The Messiah for all people, of all nations -
o "As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on The Mount Of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a Donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that The Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (Matthew 21:1-5)
o "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob." (Romans 11:25-26)
o "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, The Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." (Hebrews 12:22-24)
Fact Finder: Where will the 144,000 meet The Lamb?
Revelation 14:1
Ancient Damascus
Damascus (in photograph below) was founded more than 4,000 years ago, making it one of the world's oldest cities (in contrast, very few cities in Europe have formally existed for more than 1,000 years, and in North America very few cities have existed for more than just 200 years). Damascus is today the capital of Syria. Its favorable climate, along with its ancient gardens and olive groves, make it one of the most beautiful cities in all of western Asia. Damascus is located about 135 miles / 220 kilometers northeast of Jerusalem.
A Damascus Fact File
Damascus The Syrian city has a long association with Bible Places and Bible History:
* Damascus is listed among the conquests of the Egyptian king Thothmes III, about 1500 B.C., and in the Amarna tablets, about 1400 B.C.
* Damascus is first directly mentioned in The Bible way back in Genesis 14:15 when Abraham defeated the combined forces of a number kings under Kedorlaomer. Before Abraham had children (i.e. Isaac and Ishmael), Eliezer of Damascus, Abraham's chief servant, was to have been his heir (Genesis 15:2).
* King David held Damascus for some time, with a large garrison there (2 Samuel 8:5-6).
* During the time of King Solomon, the rebel-leader Rezon and his forces in Damascus were very hostile to the united kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 11:23-25), and after the division of the kingdom, they fought with the northern kingdom of Israel against the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 15:37)
* Damascus was captured and destroyed by the Assyrians under Tiglath-Pileser. The inhabitants were carried captive into Assyria, just like the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 16:7-9). This fall was a fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 17:1, Amos 1:4-5, Jeremiah 49:24)
* Damascus then experienced a long era of foreign rulers - Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans . It remained under Roman control through the New Testament period.
* The city is perhaps best known in the New Testament for Saul's conversion On The Road To Damascus (Acts 9:1-25) after the martyrdom of Stephen. That event created one of the most prominent Christians in all history - Paul.
Fact Finder: What was the name of the disciple in Damascus who took Saul/Paul in after he was struck down by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus?
Acts 9:10-19
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