Dorothy: Good morning! Let’s talk about “THE JERUSALEM”.
Studying the Fresh Manna for few days about “The Jerusalem” may have been difficult to understand the purpose of it. I want to focus on Psalm 84:5&7 again. God spoke to Moses about the place and God would choose a place in which ‘to put His name’. During 40 years of wandering, the Tabernacle with the Ark of God was waiting for that place in which God had chosen The Promise Land for Israel to live in. Jerusalem was to be the worship center of His future Temple built by King Solomon. God became famous and His name went into the whole world from Israel. Many people traveled many miles to come to “Zion” to see the beautiful Temple built. They wanted God to bless them and they felt God’s strength went into their bodies. They were happy and full of joy. There were “festival” times that God had chosen three times a year for people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate. It was an important time to “worship” God and many nations would come to “meet Him” at Jerusalem.
The title of ‘Mount Zion’ was the first to use before Jerusalem. Mount Zion was one of the hills which Jerusalem was built; later it became another name for the whole city, Jerusalem; it is also a name for HEAVEN. It is found in Revelation 14:1 “…there before me was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion.” There is an old song called, ‘We’re Marching to Zion”. It is a victorious song.
Psalm 84:5&7 “Mount Zion” and “The Jerusalem”.
NCV: Happy are those whose strength comes from you [God], who want to travel to Jerusalem. v7 The people get stronger as they go and every one meets with God in Jerusalem. AMP: Blessed—happy, fortunate [to be envied]—is the man who strength is in You; in whose heart are the highways to Zion. v7 They go from strength to strength—increasing in victorious power; each of them appears before God in Zion.
Dorothy: I shared this with a friend about “The Jerusalem”. To my surprise, this friend told a story of the trip to Israel with a deaf group and the pastor in 1970. The pastor told the group to read the book of John to have better understanding about “The Jerusalem” and different towns. A friend said, “I didn’t understand at first, but later seeing the place of Calvary where Jesus walked and He took the cross; seeing the empty tomb; God touched my heart and I wept so many hours until I got saved. I understand what “The Jerusalem” was about. It is a meeting place to get to know God. I came home to U.S.A. a different person. My life was changed.”
Many people of the world have traveled by plane, by boats, other transportation just to visit Israel and visit the places where Jesus had been. God said, “I will have a name to put upon” and that is Jerusalem. Jerusalem became the center of the whole world. Many who traveled to Israel will receive special strength from God and they are happy.
Prayer: Dear Lord, open our hearts to understand YOU. Open our vision about "The Jerusalem, the heavenly Jerusalem, our future home. Some day, Jerusalem will come down on new earth and You, God will finally be with us on the new earth. We look forward to this in Jesus' name. Amen!
