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O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37, ESV)
The Bible clearly depicts Jerusalem as the most important city in history. It’s the capital of ancient Israel and the eternal home of our soon-coming Jesus.
Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible more than 800 times. The resurrection, the most important event in the life of Jesus (and world history), happened close to Jerusalem. One-third of the Gospel of Mark (chapters 11 through 16) describe events in the last week of the life of Jesus — all centered in Jerusalem.
When we read about Jerusalem in the New Testament, stories occurring in Jerusalem just float around in our minds without a geographical Google pin. We learn best when we visually place events in our brains.
It’s called brain mapping.
One scholar writes. . .
Unless our words, concepts, and ideas are hooked onto an image, they will go in one ear, sail through the brain, and go out the other ear.
I exhort all Christians, all followers of the Way, please stop ideas sailing in one ear and out the other — especially when it comes to Jerusalem!
What does my brain map initially see about Jerusalem?
- The Temple is the focal point of the entire city
- There is an upper and lower city
- To the north is a road to Galilee, and to the south, a road to the Dead Sea
- To the east, we see the Garden of Gethsemane
- To the west, we locate Calvary
Connecting the above points to the map keeps the basic geography of Jerusalem from sailing through our brains.
Let’s continue.
Other things my brain map notices. . .
- To the north is the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic (John 5:2-9 and also depicted in the series The Chosen, Season Two, Episode 4.)
- Look at the Upper Room (in the Upper City), the Garden of Gethsemane (East), the house of Caiaphas where Jesus was judged (Upper City), Herod’s Palace (Pilate lived there at the time of Jesus and judged Him), Calvary (beside the road to Emmaus) and finally the tomb (north of Calvary).
Now, we’ve brain-mapped the final hours of the life of Jesus. Let’s not allow what happened at the tomb two days later with the Resurrection to fly through our brain!!!
Also, remember that we will worship God after the Second Coming of Jesus in the New Jerusalem! I’m going to locate my house for eternity along the road to Emmaus.
Now, we’ve brain-mapped Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. Congratulations!