Who really owns Jerusalem... Jews, Christians, Muslims? Find out the real truth!
Jerusalem - for three of the world's largest religions, it's one of the most holy places on earth. It is an ancient city tracing its existence to thousands of years before Jesus Christ.
For Jews, it is where Solomon's temple was a place of God's special presence on earth. The Dome of the Rock is where Muslims believe Muhammad ascended into heaven to receive instructions from Allah. Christian believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified and resurrected in Jerusalem. Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Christian Crusaders have shed blood over possession of this city.
Who really owns Jerusalem? Jew? Muslim? Christian? Christians, Jews and Muslims all believe that a messiah will appear to restore Jerusalem as a beacon of Judaism, Islam, or one of the many forms of Christianity. The Bible says that in the near future armies will surround this ancient city, its inhabitants will experience terrible tribulation, and then the rightful owner is going to arrive. Jesus Christ, the one who, almost two thousand years ago, dragged His cross through its narrow streets, will appear in the heavens and take possession of His capital city of the Kingdom of God.
When Christ returns to establish His Kingdom, He isn't just coming as the Christian Messiah, but He is coming to bring the way of peace and prosperity to Jew, Muslim and pagan alike. If a person truly believes in Jesus' first coming, then he or she must also believe in His second coming. No one know the exact time of Christ's return and Christians must be careful about proclaiming dates, but at the same time, Jesus told His disciples to be prepared for His return.
Now, how can a person prepare for Christ's return?
First, you need to examine your life to see if you really are a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many people claim to be followers of Jesus. But do you even know what He really taught? Jesus said that many would come in His name but at His return, He will deny them because they refused to practice what He preached. Blow the dust off your Bible and read the four gospels about Jesus, the Son of God. Study the Sermon on the Mount, the parables Jesus used to illustrate lessons. Discover what He said about who He really is and how He wants us to live.
Secondly, internalize the reality that He is returning to set up His Kingdom, the Kingdom of God on this earth. Jerusalem is going to be the focal point of world history over the next few years. And its here where armies will assemble in the final battle of a great world war. It is in Jerusalem that humanity will see the realization of the only hope of our survival. Jesus Christ is returning to claim Jerusalem as His capital city. For Beyond Today TV, I'm Gary Petty.
