I always wondered why Jerusalem was held in such esteem in the Bible. Psalm 122 says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem... peace be within your walls, and security within your towers." Mentioned over 1000 times in the bible, no other place gets as much attention as Jerusalem.
Author Rich Cohen helps me to understand the mystical nature of Jerusalem when he writes, "Always changing hands, filling and emptying. Stained by the blood of its citizens. Claimed by people who do not live there... but who still consider it their own. It exists in the past, as the captial of a lost civilization. It exists in the future, as the portal to the next world. It exists everywhere but in the present. It is where the past and future overwhelm the present."
The Temple that existed in Jerusalem was the place where heaven and earth met; where God descended to His people in fire and smoke. Perhaps you can still smell God there.
I have been to places close to Israel but never been in Jerusalem. I always wonder what would be like to learn the culture of the people living there. The countries around Israel are somewhat homogeneous, sharing similar worldviews and Israel is so different to them. I wonder what is like to be an Israeli and live around people that are significantly different from them.
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