The Call of Jerusalem
I rejoiced with those who said to me, let us go to the house of the
Lord,
Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem!
(Psalm 122:1-2)
In the Old Testament time, Jerusalem was also known as Zion. Our Lord Jesus called it “the City of the Great King”
(Matt 5:35). The psalmist said Jerusalem was
‘the City of our God, the joy of the whole earth’ (Ps 48:2).
Ehud Olmert, the Mayor of Jerusalem city, has this to say about this City
of the great King “…. there are cities larger, richer and more ancient, but
there is still nothing like Jerusalem”. As the psalmist wrote,
The LORD has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place,
This is My resting place forever,
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
(Ps 132:13-14)
Jerusalem does not only have a glorious history behind, she also has the
most glorious future ahead! The
Prophet Jeremiah prophesized that when the Lord returns, “at that time,”
he said, “they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all nations
will gather in Jerusalem to honor the Name of the Lord” (Jer 3.17).
The Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, is a great tourist destination.
It is the place where Christians must visit, as this is the place that
our Lord Jesus once walked, lived and ministered, this is the place where He was
crucified and buried, the place where He ascended.
The Holy land is the stage for many historical dramas of Biblical
accounts. The many holy sites and archeological sites serve as
historical witnesses for the Biblical events of the past.
The greatest future event in the human history and our glorious hope –
the second coming of our Lord – is going to take place here too, in this City
of the Great King!
My friends, Jerusalem is calling you: Come up to Jerusalem!
This is the place where Yahweh’s name is honored.
This is his dwelling place forever.
For Christians, coming up to Jerusalem will be the most wonderful
spiritual pilgrimage. And for
everyone who desires to go up to Jerusalem, the Lord’s promise is: “Blessed
is the man whose strength is in
you, whose heart is set on pilgrimage”. (Ps
84:5)
It is my prayer that this little book will help you to know more about
Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and that this little book will stir up your desire
to visit the Holy Land, and to take this spiritual pilgrimage and come to be a “blessed one”.