Jerusalem means the foundation of peace and it is as old as anyone can remember! The first recorded mention of the city is in the heiratic texts of ancient Egypt in 19th century BC mentioned as Rusalimum as an enemy of the Egyptian state. The next mention was in the 14th century BC Amarna texts as Urusalim in the Akkadian cuneiform script of ancient Mesopotamia on clay tablets. According to Jewish tradition Jerusalem was founded by Noah's son Shem and Shem's grandson Eber, who were Abraham's ancestors. The Holy Bible first mentions Jerusalem as the city of Salem ruled by King Melchizedek in Genesis 14:8 who blessed Abraham, the father of faith for the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Salem's root word S-L-M is Shalom (Peace in Hebrew) and Salaam (Peace in Arabic).
The Egyptians' power declined by the 12th century BC. Soon after the Egyptians decline, the Jebusites ruled in Jerusalem and by 1000 BC when David became king of Israel, he conquered Jerusalem and established it as his nation's capital city. When his son Solomon built the first Jewish Temple, Jerusalem became the most important city for the Jews. Inspite of Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed, this was the city where Jesus the Christ, descendant of David, was crucified, the reason why the Son of God became a human being and suffered death. From then on Jerusalem has been the most important city for Jews and Christians. Jerusalem as a city went through the hands of the Romans, the Byzantines, the early Muslim, the Crusader, the Mameluk, the Ottoman Turkish and the British, in turbulent times. By 1948 through the UN mandate, Jerusalem became the capital city of Israel once again. At this point, the Muslims decided that Israel and the Jews cannot coexist and were motivated to obliterate it. Israel as a small country surrounded by a vast array of Muslim countries has managed to hold its own and has indeed prospered well. Unfortunately, the Muslims have not taken well to that and claim Jerusalem as their holy city even though they pray facing Mecca and Medina is their second holiest city. Whereas the Jews have always maintained that Jerusalem is their holiest city and all Jews worldwide pray facing Jerusalem.
One of the memories of my trip to Israel in 2006 was (while staying in Bethlehem which is part of Palestine, the Muslim part), of young boys playing with guns when they should have been in school studying, whilst being looked upon by doting parents taking pride in their gun-toting boys. Another memory is of being shown areas where Muslims who have chosen to live in Israel and are part of Israel's army and work force and they live peaceably. The difference between the Muslim areas of barrenness and the Israeli areas of greenery and productivity was amazing. Both people started in a land which was desolate, but the Jews have made the desert bloom whereas the Palestine area is still a wilderness.
As a believer in Christ, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem and believe that there will be peace in the New Jerusalem - the Foundation of Peace.
The Egyptians' power declined by the 12th century BC. Soon after the Egyptians decline, the Jebusites ruled in Jerusalem and by 1000 BC when David became king of Israel, he conquered Jerusalem and established it as his nation's capital city. When his son Solomon built the first Jewish Temple, Jerusalem became the most important city for the Jews. Inspite of Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed, this was the city where Jesus the Christ, descendant of David, was crucified, the reason why the Son of God became a human being and suffered death. From then on Jerusalem has been the most important city for Jews and Christians. Jerusalem as a city went through the hands of the Romans, the Byzantines, the early Muslim, the Crusader, the Mameluk, the Ottoman Turkish and the British, in turbulent times. By 1948 through the UN mandate, Jerusalem became the capital city of Israel once again. At this point, the Muslims decided that Israel and the Jews cannot coexist and were motivated to obliterate it. Israel as a small country surrounded by a vast array of Muslim countries has managed to hold its own and has indeed prospered well. Unfortunately, the Muslims have not taken well to that and claim Jerusalem as their holy city even though they pray facing Mecca and Medina is their second holiest city. Whereas the Jews have always maintained that Jerusalem is their holiest city and all Jews worldwide pray facing Jerusalem.
One of the memories of my trip to Israel in 2006 was (while staying in Bethlehem which is part of Palestine, the Muslim part), of young boys playing with guns when they should have been in school studying, whilst being looked upon by doting parents taking pride in their gun-toting boys. Another memory is of being shown areas where Muslims who have chosen to live in Israel and are part of Israel's army and work force and they live peaceably. The difference between the Muslim areas of barrenness and the Israeli areas of greenery and productivity was amazing. Both people started in a land which was desolate, but the Jews have made the desert bloom whereas the Palestine area is still a wilderness.
As a believer in Christ, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem and believe that there will be peace in the New Jerusalem - the Foundation of Peace.
