The Story Of Jerusalem

The story of Jerusalem – City of David, City of God

Texts: Genesis 12 and Revelation 21:3 and 22:5

Introduction: December 2018 - Advent message

Great cities of the world include… NYC… Paris…London… Beijing…Rio De Janerio… San Francisco…Washington DC… Toronto…New Deli (Mumbai) (India)… Cairo… Rome… Vienna.

Perhaps the greatest city of them all is Jerusalem.

One of the world’s oldest cities. … founded 3000 years ago.

Perhaps no other city has been fought over, conquered, plundered and rebuilt more than Jerusalem.

Israel is often in the news…in 2018 the USA (after decades of promises) formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (which it is by history and government legislation) and officially opened it embassy in Jerusalem in May of this year.

This decision was distained by Arab nations and rioting ensued.

As citizens of the world and as followers of Jesus of Nazareth we may well ask, What is the role of Jerusalem in world politics and biblical theology? This is a matter about which we should be informed so that we can properly engage on the subject of Israel in the square of public opinion?

And to answer this question we must address the matter of Jesus’ first advent and his pending second advent

Jerusalem has been sacred to Judaism for roughly 3000 years,

to Christianity for around 2000 years,

and to Islam for approximately 1400 years.

• 1204 synagogues,

• 158 churches,

• 73 mosques.

T.s. … the story of Jerusalem will give us insight into the significance of Christmas … insight into world politics and therefore the ultimate destiny of the nations … and planet earth itself.

Our text today comes from the prophet Isaiah… words written 700 years before fulfillment.

Text: Isaiah 11:1-10

Subject; What Does The Story Of Jerusalem Teach Us About the 2 Advents?

Compl; Jerusalem Awaits It's King – And Then It Will Become The New Jerusalem!

BIG IDEA ? JERUSALEM – AND THE WORLD – WILL BE MADE NEW AT THE 2ND ADVENT!

** WHAT BEGAN WITH THE FIRST ADVENT – arrival of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - WILL BE COMPLETED AT THE 2ND ADVENT.

{“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…” (Isaiah 11:1-10) }

11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of might,

the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,

or decide by what he hears with his ears;

4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,

with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;

with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness will be his belt

and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

(Second advent)

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,

the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;

and a little child will lead them.

7 The cow will feed with the bear,

their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,

and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,

for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

***Show picture***

What is described in this passage is the 2 advents – the 2 comings of our Lord.

The first half of the text describes the arrival of Jesus as a teacher of righteousness… he is the shoot growing out of the stump. The stump is Israel. Jesse is the father of King David.

“from his roots a branch will bear fruit”

This is a picture of the birth of Jesus – the incarnation of the son of God – who is also son of David.

The second half of the text pictures the second advent/second coming --- when… “the lion will eat straw…babies will play in safety around snakes and even deadly cobras! It foresees a time when there is no violence and bloodshed.

Let’s begin with the early pages of the OT…

1. 2000 BC God calls Abraham. (Genesis 12). Makes a covenant. Gives him the land of Israel

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.