Upon Thy Holy City: Jerusalem
Jerusalem is also known as Zion. "11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Thy judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 13 </span style="color:darkred">Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following"</span style="color:darkred"> (Psalm 48:11-13).
The Psalmist extolled the virtues of Zion. "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King" (48:2). We should familiarize ourselves with this Scriptural magnification because they are the thoughts of our LORD. Just remember the LORD Jesus' lament over Jerusalem: "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!" (Matthew 23:37).
The kings and popes of this world have long sought to possess Jerusalem-- the apple of the LORD's eye. "7 Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus saith the LORD of Hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye" (Zechariah 2:7-8). Like a selfish child, Satan wants whatever the LORD Jesus possesses. "I [Satan] will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like The Most High [and possess what He possesses]" (Isaiah 14:14). O LORD, wilt Thou not judge Him?
Gabriel's delivery of this prophecy concerning the Jews and Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24-27) demonstrates how a deficiency of understanding of Old Testament prophecies has crippled modern Christianity's appreciation of this Time of the End (12:4). Speculation about the geopolitical significance of Jerusalem and Israel haunts especially the Western mind; namely, "What is so important about Israel?"
The King of Kings (Revelation 19:16) shall sit upon the "Throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32) making "[His] enemies [His] footstool" (Psalm 110:1).
Jerusalem will be the focus of the Millennial Reign of the LORD Jesus Christ. "8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem... 9 And the LORD shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name One" (Zechariah 14:8-9). Daniel's "holy city" (Daniel 9:24) is significant because God thinks it is significant.
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