Mount Zion

No Peace for Jerusalem

The very name Jerusalem means “Foundation of Peace” or “Teacher of Peace“. But the only time the city of Jerusalem has ever known peace was during the reign of King Solomon (970-930 BC) whose name also means “peaceful” or “peaceable.” He succeeded his father, David, on the throne over the whole House of Israel. He built the Temple of Solomon on Zion, the City of David (2 Samuel 5:7), during his reign. Since his time, there has been no peace in the land called Jerusalem! The Temple was destroyed, rebuilt and destroyed again. Jesus taught there for about three years during the Roman Occupation. He was killed by Roman soldiers at the behest of the high priests.

The earthly city of Jerusalem is once again under fire. The ongoing unrest between Judah and Palestine has been since the times of our fathers, the Patriarchs. An eternal enmity exists between them. (“Hamas fires rockets into Israel“) The city of Jerusalem, previous to the time of David and Solomon, was a royal city of the Canaanites. It was a merchant city with temples dedicated to Jupiter and Venus. It has been fought over for millennia.

The Jubilee, Sound the Trumpet

The word jubile can mean, ‘the sound of a trumpet,’ ‘a trumpet-blast of liberty’ and/or ‘a shout of joy’. A Trumpet is commanded to sound in the Jubilee Year as signal of the year of release for all the people who will hear the sound and come to the ingathering of the congregation. It is a day of great rejoicing for the House of Israel, a Day of Atonement, salvation, liberty, restoration and comfort. In days of ole, the Jubilee year was announced by a blast on a shofar, an instrument made from a ram’s horn, during that year’s Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement.

The priest blowing the shofar
The Jubilee Shofar or Ram’s Horn was the Trumpet Sound

Q&A: “The Valley of Dry Bones”

Question: What is the meaning of “The Valley of Dry Bones”?

The Valley of Dry Bones is a reference to Ezekiel chapter 37 where we find him being carried away and set down in a valley filled with bones. They are a disconnected, dried up body whose bones are scattered, without life. Their hope is gone.

These ‘bones’ are the House of Israel, the Body of Christ.

Time to Choose: You Cannot Serve Two Masters

One thing is certain: As it is impossible for a man to mount two horses, so no man can serve/please two masters, you cannot serve God and the pursuit of wealth. You must choose between one or the other. For if you serve the pursuit of mammon, it will be your master. It will govern every decision you make. It will consume you with all that you have. You will never have enough. On the other hand, if God is master/focus, there won’t be enough room to contain the abundance poured out. It is The Valley of Decision, and a choice to be made. In this so-called ‘time of uncertainty’, it’s time for discernment to make certain. Jesus said to pay attention always so ‘that Day’ doesn’t come upon you in unawareness. That Day? What Day? The Day of the Lord! Just like when Moses required the people to make a choice between God’s servant and a rebellious servant. Making the wrong choice was a bad decision.

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon/pursuit of wealth.

The priests also, who were covetous (that is: fond of money, avaricious or greedy for riches), heard all these things: and they derided/sneered at him. Jesus said to them, ‘You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.’”

Jesus – Gospel of Luke 16:13-15

The Love of Money

“…But they that are rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts/desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some covet after, they have erred from the faith/truth and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

But you, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith/truth, love, patience, meekness.”

Apostle Paul – 1 Timothy 6:9-11
Scroll to Top