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the Israelites desired a government
like the nations round about. They
wanted a human king whom they
could see. They had rejected God's
prophet Samuel- which in reality
was rejecting God as their king
(1
Sam. 8:7). God Jet them have
Saul. But Saul would not follow
God's orders. God rejected him, yet
again delayed choosing J erusalem as
the capital city.
Ki,-.g David
As the reign of Saul became more
corrupt, God began to prepare his
choice for king over Israel-David, a
man after God's own heart (Acts
13:22). Notice the story in 11 Samu–
el 5:4-5, " David was thirty years old
when he began to reign, and he
reigned for forty years. In Hebron he
reigned over Judah seven years and
six months: and in Jerusalem he
reigned thirty and three years over
all Israel and Judah."
At last, sorne 900 years after
Abraham brought Isaac to Mount
Moriah and nearly 400 years after
Israel took possession of the Prom–
ised Land, Jerusalem became the
nation's capital city. This was the
real beginning of what probably
became the most loved, most beau–
tiful, most controversial, most war–
torn city in the history of man.
It is ironic that the name
Jeru–
salem
means "City of Peace."
Jerusalem has not been able to
symbolize peace for most of its
troubled history . In the near
future Jerusalem will yet become
the world center of peace. More
about that later.
Small Beginnings
Jerusalem certainly did not have a
pretentious beginning. Jebusi (Je–
rusalem) began as a small wal1ed
city-only a fraction the size of
modern Jerusalem. After David
established his residence inside the
walled city and built a palace, the
territory became known as the City
of David. The entire area encom–
passed only about 12 acres of
ground. Probably fewer than 2,000
people lived there.
But why did David choose Jeru–
salem? Did he know Melchizedek
had been there? Did he think
Mount Moriah was the spot Abra–
ham carne to so long ago? Did he
plan originally that the threshing
26
floor of Ornan the Jebusite, north
of the City of David, would become
the site of the temple? Did he have
a concept that Jerusalem would
sorne day become the very center of
the government of God on earth?
In all probability, David did not
clearly realize the fu ll significance
of these threads of history.
God
was choosing Jerusalem for
the future.
David probably had a variety of
reasons for choosing this site. It
was centrally located. Jt was a neu–
tral city, that is none of the 12
tribes had really occupied it. Jeru–
salem had a beautiful climate (re–
member David grew up in nearby
Bethlehem, only a few miles south
of Jerusalem). Jerusalem had an
abundant supply of water from the
Gihon spring-water was the life of
any city-state.
The two most forceful reasons
for the selection of Jerusalem as
the capital city were that it was a
fortified city that had been able to
withstand most sieges for sorne 400
years and it had a bountiful water
supply . The Jebusites had con–
structed a vertical shaft from the
hilltop down to the spring. The
shaft was protected by the city
walls. Water could be drawn from
within the walls while soldiers atop
them held off enemy troops.
Later, king Hezekiah of Judah
engineered a tunnel built more
than
1,
700 feet through bedrock
underneath the city of Jerusalem
from the Gihon spring to the pool
of Siloam. In Hezekiah's day this
tunnel was largely responsible for
the Jews being able to hold off the
invading armies of the Assyrians
under king Sennacherib. Hezekiah,
who had turned to God for protec–
tion, witnessed angels of the Lord
smite the Assyrians. One hundred
eighty-five thousand troops were
slain without the nation having to
lift a sword
(11
Kings 19:35). The
Jews were safely inside the walls of
Jerusalem with the newly con–
structed water supply.
It
is still possible today to walk
through Hezekiah's tunnel if one has
the opportunity to visit Jerusalem.
The walk takes about 20 or 25 min–
utes in knee-deep water. The per–
spective of history one envisions in
the mind's eye while walking
through the tunnel gives a glimpse
into the engineering capacities and
importance of water to the peoples
who lived there so long ago.
For the three past summers,
Ambassador College has joined
Hebrew University and other inter–
ested groups in excavations at the
City of David. Under the direction
of archaeologist Yigal Shiloh, more
and more information is coming to
light about the character of Jerusa–
lem in the time of David and in suc–
ceeding centuries.
Once David was established in
Jerusalem, God began to give a
glimpse of what kind of ultimate
future the city would have. David
had in mind building a temple for
the ark of God. But, even though
David was a man after God's own
heart and is to become the perma–
nent king over all Israel in the resur–
rection, he was a human being with
the faults and flaws and human
weaknesses men possess. Because of
his warlike activity God did not per–
mit David to expand the city of Jeru–
salem or to build the temple.
David did build a fine palace in
the northern extremity of the city
and Jerusalem became alternately
known as the City of David, Mount
Zion and Jerusalem.
It is interesting that when the
government of God is established
on the earth, the Bible says the
Messiah will rule from the throne
of bis father David-so we know in
advance the center of government
is going to be in that area of Jeru–
salem (lsa. 9:6-7).
Solomon's Temple and Palace
After David's death, Solomon took
the throne of Israel and Jerusalem
IN CHRISTIAN OUARTER,
top leff,
Orthodox priest lights candles in a cha·
pe/ of the Church of the Holy Sepu/chre,
shared by the Orthodox, the Franciscans
and the Armenian Church. Top right, Arab
women in typical clothing ascend one of
eight stairways leading to the Dome of
the Rock mosque, built in A.D. 691. The
45,000 mosaic files were added in the
mid 16th century; the go/d-plated alumi·
num dome in 1958. Lower left, a priest of
the Armenian Church. Lower right, the
Western Wa/1 of the temple mount, recon–
structed by Herod, is holiest site for
Jews throughout the world. lt is the only
remaining part of the temple area. Here
an Orthodox Jew meditares and recites
prayers.
The
PLAIN TRUTH