Jerusalem
Jerusalem is located 14 miles west of the Dead Sea, 33 miles east of the Mediterranean. Bethlehem lies about 5 miles to the southeast. The city is situated on an uneven rocky plateau at an elevation of 2,550 feet. It is 3,800 feet above the level of the Dead Sea. It is poetically called "beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth" (Ps 48:2)...
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The Jerusalem Jesus knew nowhere near resembled the city David conquered in the tenth century BC. At that time, it had been a small, isolated hill fortress, valued more for its location than its size or splendor. Yet from that time on it was known as the City of David, and the kings of David's dynasty, especially his son Solomon, had enlarged and b...
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Once past one of the gates, you would face a maze of dusty streets and alleyways, running uphill and down in every direction. As you made your way toward the temple, you would hear sounds of voices, the clatter of hooves and odors of cooking food. Along the Small Market street in the Lower City, you would pass open-air shops where Jerusalem's craft...
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Most of Jerusalem's working people lived in the crowded, noisy precincts of the Lower City. Their one- and two-story houses stood packed closely together. In contrast, the broad fashionable avenues of the Upper City were laid out in an orderly grid pattern like the elegant cities of Greece and Rome. This part of Jerusalem was the home of the rich a...
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During these times the enormous crowd of pilgrims into the Holy City inflated its population of 25,000 to at least four or five times that number. This brought an important stimulus to the city's economy. Besides creating a huge demand for food, lodging and sacrificial animals, the incoming Jews were required to spend a tenth of their annual income...
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Images of the area of Jerusalem from the time of David, Solomon, and Hezekiah, to the time of Jesus and modern Jerusalem....
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The Jewish Wars began in 66 A.D. and they were a direct revolt by the Jews against Rome’s authority. Titus with his Roman legions arrived at the outermost northern Wall of Jerusalem, the Passover of 70 A.D. The Romans built embankments of earthenwork, they placed battering rams and the siege began.
The Roman army numbered 30,000; while the Jewish...
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After the devastating destruction of Jerusalem by Titus of Rome in 70 AD there was more disturbing history. In 135 A.D. Bar Cocheba, a false Messiah, organized a revolt against Rome and took possession of the city of Jerusalem, and attempted to rebuild the Temple. The Roman army suppressed the revolt and 580,000 Jews were slaughtered and Judah was ...
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"Like a snowy mountain glittering in the sun" ~ Josephus...
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"By far the most distinguished city not in Judea only, but of the whole Orient." ~ Pliny...
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