JERUSALEM

1. Bible History 

a) In this panoramic Bible Story, we present the important events, and gradual development of Bible History, keeping in view, throughout, the spiritual purpose of divine revelation.

b) It exhibits a part at a time, by being unrolled before the viewer. An unobstructed or complete view in every direction; hence a comprehensive presentation to aid viewer with a better understanding of Bible History.

c) It follows the stream of the Bible narrative, so as to aid viewer in visualizing and grasping the great truths of Bible History.

2. Jerusalem

a) Jerusalem was called Salem, and was the abode of Melchizedek in the time of Abraham. (Genesis 14:18), but was afterwards named Jebus, the people of which were the Jebusites, one of the nations of Canaan.

b) The earliest reference to the site is probably under the appellation of "the land of Moriah", where Abram was commanded to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. When it is believed that the patriarch trod the very ground of the future city.

c) On the entrance of the twelve tribes into Canaan, it is introduced to us at once as a royal city (Joshua 10), at which time its known history commenced, when it was in the possession of the Jebusites. In the first united opposition of the Canaanites against Israel, Joshua obviously never assailed it, and the capture of the city by the tribe of Judah was only partial and temporary. The Jebusites still dwelt among the children of Judah and Benjamin, and Jebus, situated on their boundary line, was still referred to as a "city of the stranger that is not of the children of Israel" (Judges 19:12),  and seems to have remained for four hundred years under the same rule, until the time of Israel's Kings.

d) After David was proclaimed King over all Israel he made an expedition against Jebus, erected his palace, and called it "the city of David". Thirty-seven years later Solomon laid the foundations of the Temple on the opposite hill of Moriah, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, and Jerusalem became the sacred and civil capital of the Jewish nation. After the revolt and division of the Kingdom Omri, the fifth from Jeroboam, built Samaria, which was thenceforth, the capital of the northern Kingdom, Israel. The Kingdom of Judah survived the Kingdom of Israel one hundred and thirty years, and then it too, was overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, who destroyed Solomon's Temple, and took the people captive to Babylon. After the  capture of Babylon by Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, the captives were permitted to return to their beloved city, where they repaired the walls, and rebuilt the Temple. Herod the Great became King of Judea in the year 38 B.C. During his reign the last Temple was mostly built, though not completed until some time after his death. This was the Temple visited by our Lord, and was finally destroyed by Titus about forty years after Christ's crucifixion. And just as Jesus declared, not one stone is left upon another.