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     Jerusalem!  If it had not been for Solomon’s temple, then Zerubbabel’s temple 400 years later, God’s earthly dwelling as biblically commanded (1 Kings 8:16-20; 1 Kg 11:36; 2 Kg 21:4; 23:27) spanning 1000 years, and now the source of contention among Christendom, Jews and Muslims, Jerusalem would likely be unknown.  Through history, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times and destroyed twice (fulfillment of prophecy).

     The first time it was destroyed was in 586 BC by the Babylonians the instrument of God’s wrath because of the Jews idolatry (Jeremiah 1:14, 15; 4:6; 6:1; 25:9; Micah 3:12).  That Jerusalem was left as mere rubble is evident by Nehemiah’s return to the site some 130 years later (Nehemiah 2:11-17).  Jerusalem and the temple were also destroyed by the Romans in AD70, fulfilling Jesus prophecy — “Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:1, 2; cf Daniel 9:26).

     The Romans rebuilt Jerusalem with a Roman name, Aelia Capitolina, and banned the Jews from entering Jerusalem for 200 years, except one day annually, when the Jews could gather on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple site to mourn its destruction.  However, the temple has not been rebuilt.

     The destruction of the temple signified the end of the God’s authorization of the temple under the Mosaic Old Covenant.  The apostle Paul clearly stated that covenant is no longer in effect between God and ancient Israel (Colossians 2:13, 14; Ephesians 2:11-18).  The nearly 40 years from the time Jesus set aside that covenant, when He died on the cross, until the temple’s and Jerusalem’s destruction reflect four decades of God’s patience for the Jews to accept the New Covenant extended to all people individually, Jew and Gentile alike.  Will God sponsor a new temple?
The temple was God’s dwelling on earth (1 Kg 8:14-21).  Its AD 70 destruction indicated to the Jews the covenant was no more.  So when will God build another temple?  He already has!  But not only with the Jews, but invites all people to enter the New Covenant.


     The Old Covenant was very material and visible.  The New Covenant does not have the same qualities.  Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world (it’s spiritual and invisible — no typical landed territory, kings, etc) (John 18:36).  God’s temple is the individual Christian dwelling via the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19; Ephesians 2:19-21).  So what is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Bible?

     [author’s note: I recommend the online Modern Literal Version of the New Testament available at http://www.christianlibrary.org/bibles/MLV/mlvindex.htm… some folks want to know what will happen when they die. — JM]

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