Jerusalem Worship

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Jerusalem Worship

Search the Scriptures; for in Them ye Think ye have Eternal Life: and They are They which Testify of ME

(John 5:39)

For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,

whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him:

And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.   Colossians 1: 16 & 17

Jerusalem Worship

This paper is written to aid in understanding the relevance of Jerusalem today. Surely this city remains important to God, however, we still must hear the testimony from the Word of the Almighty on this important subject. There are many other issues connected to Israel and Jerusalem. We are only looking at what Scripture has to say about Jerusalem after Judah’s/Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, our Saviour.

• • • God reserves the right to repent (change) His intention for people (nations) based upon their actions.

Jeremiah 18

• • 1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
    2. Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
    3. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
    4. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
    5. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
    6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
    7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
  • 8. “If” that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Jonah 1

• • 1. Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
    2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah 3

• • 1. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
    2. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jonah 3

• • 1. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
    2. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

Exodus 19

• • 1. Now therefore, “if” ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
    2. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
  • 3. “If” it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

Jeremiah 3

• • 1. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Matthew 23

• • 1. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
    2. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
    3. Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

• • • Jesus says Jerusalem is no longer central to the worship of God.

John 4

• • 1. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
    2. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
    3. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
    4. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
    5. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
    6. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
    7. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
    8. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

• • • Israel can be reconciled “IF” they do not continue in unbelief.

Matthew 23

• • 1. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens underher wings, and ye would not!
    2. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
    3. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Romans 11

• • 1. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

• • • Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom.

Revelation 11

• • 1. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
    2. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Jeremiah 23

• • 1. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

• • • Looking to today’s Jerusalem is the path to bondage !

Galatians 4

• • 1. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
    2. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
    3. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
    4. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
    5. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
    6. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

• • • Abraham looked for a God-built city, one made without human hands !

Hebrews 11

• • 1. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
    2. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
  • 3. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
  • 4. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

• • • We are to accept God’s city to be heavenly Jerusalem !

Hebrews 12

• • 1. But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

John 14

• • 1. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
    2. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Hebrews 11

• • 1. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Revelation 21

• • 1. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
    2. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Colossians 1

• • 1. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

• • • Earthly Jerusalem is not God’s city anymore !

Hebrews 13

• • 1. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Matthew 23

• • 1. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
    2. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

• • • New Jerusalem does not descend to earth until after the “1000 years” are complete !

Revelation 21

• • 1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Revelation 20

• • 1. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
    2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a THOUSAND YEARS,
    3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the THOUSAND YEARS should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
    4. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the THOUSAND YEARS were finished. This is the first resurrection.
    5. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him aTHOUSAND YEARS.
    6. And when the THOUSAND YEARS are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
    7. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 
    8. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
    9. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

• • • God judges both divisions (house of Israel & house of Judah) of the nation of Israel !

Jeremiah 11

• • 1. The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
    2. For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

To grasp what the passages below say one must understand that the nation of Israel (after king Solomon’s reign) was divided into two nations, House of Israel & House of Judah.

Jeremiah 3

• • 1. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
    2. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
    3. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
    4. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
    5. And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

• • • The root & foundation of Jerusalem & God’s compassion for her !

Ezekiel 16

• • 1. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
    2. Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
    3. And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.
    4. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
    5. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
    6. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

• • • God pronounces (prophecies) the fate of earthly Jerusalem (twice) !

Jeremiah 22

• • 1. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
    2. Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

Matthew 23

• • 1. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
    2. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Matthew 24

• • 1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
    2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

• • • God judges the house of Israel, the Northern kingdom !

Isaiah 5

• • 1. Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
    2. And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
    3. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
    4. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
    5. And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
    6. And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
    7. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
    8. Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

• • • God judges the house of Judah, the Southern kingdom !

Matthew 21

• • 1. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
    2. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
    3. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
    4. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
    5. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
    6. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
    7. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
    8. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
    9. They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
    10. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
    11. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
    12. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
    13. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

• • • The Apostle John Identifies the Anti-Messiah, the Anti-Christ !

1John 2

• • 1. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
    2. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah] ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1John 4

• • 1. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
    2. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2John 1

• • 1. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Matthew 12

• • 1.  He that is not with Me is against me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.

John 10

• • 1. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ [Messiah], tell us plainly.
    2. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
    3. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
    4. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
    5. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
    6. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
    7. I and my Father are one.
    8. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
    9. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
    10. The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
    11. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
    12. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
    13. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
    14. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
    15. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
    16. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

• • • Jesus Identified as the Messiah [Christ] by Peter, Mary Magdalene, & Woman at the Well

Matthew 16

• • 1. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
    2. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God.

John 11

• • 1. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
    2. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
    3. She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ [Messiah], the Son of God, which should come into the world.

John 4

• • 1. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ [Messiah]: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
    2. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

• • • Jesus Christ, Yashua ha Masiach, is the Cornerstone,   !

Ephesians 2

• • 1. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
    2. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
    3. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Psalms 118

• • 1. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
    2. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Isaiah 28

• • 1. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

• • • Our World is Controlled by Satan . . . thru usurping Adam’s dominion (see Genesis 1).

Matthew 4

• • 1. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
    2. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
    3. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

2Corinthians 4

• • 1. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 2

• • 1. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

• • • Christ’s kingdom not of this world . . . that includes Jerusalem !

John 18

• • 1. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Romans 14

• • 1. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 6

• • 1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Revelation 11

• • 1. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Daniel 2

• • 1. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Revelation 21

• • 1. And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
    2. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband.
    3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are

sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a

hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Matthew 23:37-38

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