THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL – JEREMIAH – PART 10 – Chapter 33:15 – THE INCREDIBLE NAMES FOR JERUSALEM IN THE BIBLE
After the lovely study of The Branch in scripture we continue with our consideration of the passages in Jeremiah relating to the future restoration of redeemed Israel that begins happening in the Tribulation when God takes up His earthly people again, the Jews, and returns for them at the Second Coming. Then He regathers them from all over the world and they return to Israel. Isaiah also does this event in more detail.
In our study today we are going to look at the many scriptural names of Israel.
{{Jeremiah 33:16 IN THOSE DAYS Judah shall be saved, and JERUSALEM shall dwell in safety, and this is the name by which she shall be called: ‘THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’.}}
Note the special name for Jerusalem. This is yet another affirmation of the fact that salvation is coming to Jerusalem and to the Jews. Jerusalem has never had that name so far in history. We need not be concerned that Jeremiah lists only Judah, for in so many passages he has included Israel. We have again the special phrase that puts us into the end of the Tribulation and the start of the Millennium – “in those days”, “at that time”, “in that time”, “on that day”.
At face value, we do not realise there are just so many names for Jerusalem in the bible, and some of these were in the past and many will be in the future. I wish to list these, some from research and some from internet selections. Some of this material comes from “Jerusalem Insiders Guide”. https://www.jerusalem-insiders-guide.com/names-of-jerusalem.html
THE MANY NAMES OF JERUSALEM
The Midrash is an early Jewish interpretation of, or commentary on a Biblical text, clarifying or expounding a point of law or developing or illustrating a moral principle. It is a collection of such interpretations or commentaries, especially those written in the first ten centuries A.D. The Midrash says there are 70 names for Jerusalem – and that's in Jewish sources alone. The vagaries of Jerusalem history have added a few more along the way. Yet for a city whose roots go back over 4-5,000 years, some names have remained remarkably consistent.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE NAMES OF JERUSALEM:
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• Salem/Shalem (Genesis 14:18) – in Genesis, Shalem was the city ruled by Melchizedek in the days of Abraham.
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• Moriah (Genesis 22:2) – the name of the Temple Mount. It is also the place where Abraham bound his son Isaac.?
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• Jebus (Judges 19:10) – the name of a fortress atop the Temple Mount that surrounded a large threshing floor in the days of King David. King David conquered the area from the Jebusites and bought the threshing floor from its owner as the site of the future Temple.
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• Yerushalayim – is the most common name of the city in the Bible and the one still used by Jews and Israelis today. The Midrash says the word derives from “yireh” (see), from the name Abraham used for it – God sees – and “salem”, which means whole, or peace, and was the name of Mechizedek’s city.
Variations of the name Yerushalayim appear in the archaeological record as well:
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• Rushalimum - Egyptian documents mention the city by this name around 2000 -1800 BC.?
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• Urusalim – is the name given to Jerusalem in the Egyptian Amarna letters, which date back to between 1388 -1332 BC.?
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• Ursalimmu – is how Sennacherib referred to the city in his letters concerning King Hezekiah in 701 BC.
SNIPPETS OF ARCHEOLOGY:
The first archaeological find of the name Yerushalayim written in Hebrew, was discovered near the town of Lachish in a burial cave dating from the 6th century BC.
The Greeks called it Hierosolyma. This was more than a simple transliteration of the Hebrew name – “hiero” means holy.
During Roman times, the city was renamed “Aelia Capitolina”. Fortunately, Jerusalem was eventually rid of the Roman occupation and reverted to its real name of Yerushalayim.
BIBLICAL MENTIONS OF JERUSALEM:
{{2 Samuel 6:12 - Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into THE CITY OF DAVID with gladness.}}
{{Matthew 5:35 - . . . or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.}}
{{Isaiah 48:2 - For they call themselves after THE HOLY CITY, and lean on the God of Israel. The LORD of hosts is His name. Isaiah 52:1 - Awake, awake! Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion. Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, THE HOLY CITY, for the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer come into you. Matthew 4:5 - Then the devil took Him into THE HOLY CITY and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,}}
{{Genesis 14:18 - And Melchizedek, king of SALEM, brought out bread and wine. Now he was a priest of God Most High.}}
{{Psalm 46:4 - There is a river whose streams make glad THE CITY OF GOD, THE HOLY DWELLING PLACES OF THE MOST HIGH.}}
{{Psalm 48:1 - Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, in THE CITY OF OUR GOD, HIS HOLY MOUNTAIN.}}
{{Psalm 87:3 - Glorious things are spoken of you, O CITY OF GOD. Selah.}}
{{Psalm 48:8 - As we have heard, so have we seen in THE CITY OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, in THE CITY OF OUR GOD. God will establish her forever. Selah.}}
{{Isaiah 1:26 - Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. After that you will be called THE CITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, A FAITHFUL CITY."}}
{{Zechariah 8:3 - Thus says the LORD, “I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called THE CITY OF TRUTH, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called THE HOLY MOUNTAIN.”}}
{{Isaiah 60:14 - The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet, and they will call you THE CITY OF THE LORD, THE ZION OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.}}
{{Lamentations 2:15 - All who pass along the way clap their hands in derision at you. They hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, (saying) "Is this the city of which they said, 'THE PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, A JOY TO ALL THE EARTH'?"}}
{{Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem ‘THE THRONE OF THE LORD,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD.}}
{{Jeremiah 23:6 - In His days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely, and this is His name by which He will be called, “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”. Jeremiah 33:16 - In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety, and this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'}}
{{Ezekiel 48:35 - The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about, and the name of the city from that day shall be, “THE LORD IS THERE”.}}
{{Isaiah 29:1 - Woe, O ARIEL, ARIEL THE CITY WHERE DAVID ONCE CAMPED! Add year to year, observe your feasts on schedule.}}
MORE BIBLICAL NAMES FOR JERUSALEM
In addition to the historical names, there exist many poetic names for Jerusalem in the Bible:
• Ir Ha'Emet (Zechariah 8:3) – City of Truth
• Kiryah Ne'emanah (Isaiah 1:25) – Faithful City
• Kiriyah Aliza (Isaiah 22:2) – Joyful City
• Gai Hizayon (Isaiah 22:1) – Valley of Vision
• Ariel (Isaiah 29:1) – Lion of God (Also the name of a modern Israeli city)
• Kiryat Hannah David (Isaiah 29:1) – City of David's Camp
• Drushah (Isaiah 62:12) – Desired one
• Gilah (Isaiah 65:18) – Joy
• Tzur Hamishor (Jeremiah 21:13) – The Rock of the Plain
• Neveh Zedek (Jeremiah 31:22) – Dwelling of Righteousness
• Oholivah (Ezekiel 23:4) – My Tent is in Her
• Ir Ha'Elohim (Psalm 87:2) – City of God
* And, of course, this one: Klilat Yoffi (Lamentations 2:15) – Encompassing Beauty
