Jerusalem-The Holy Land Presented By Nick Antonelli Connor

Jerusalem-The Holy Land Presented By. Nick Antonelli, Connor Laughlin, Joe Nally, and Ben Thompson for Section 2 of Religions of the Book.

Contents • History of Jerusalem • Significance of the Holy Land in: – The Hebrew Bible – The New Testament – The Qur’an

Terms to know • Holy Land- refers to the land of Israel/ the Promised Land. • Jerusalem- A city in the Holy Land. Holiest city to Jews and Christians, highly regarded for Muslims • Temple Mount- Holy site in Jerusalem. Site of Abrahams sacrifice, 1 st and 2 nd Temples, future site of 3 rd Temple, Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Pre Jewish Jerusalem • Settlements in Jerusalem date as far back as the 4 th millennium BCE • Earliest written records are as far back as the 19 th century BCE • Was inhabited by a Canaanite tribe called the Jebusites until the 11 th century BCE

First Temple Jerusalem • King David conquered the city in the 10 th century and gave the city its name of Jerusalem or Yerushalayim • David’s reign ended around 970 BCE • Solomon took over at this point and built the first temple • The sight of this first temple is a sacred place for Muslims, Jews and Christians as the last known resting place of the Ark of the Covenant • Soon after Solomon died the kingdom split into two parts • Jerusalem remained the capitol of the Kingdom of Judea • 586 BCE the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judea and destroyed its temple

Second Temple Jerusalem • 538 BCE the Jews were allowed to return to Judea • In 19 BCE the Temple Mount was elevated and work began on an expansion of the second temple under Herod the Great • The Temple Mount is one of the most contested spots in the world • In 6 CE the city came under the direct control of the Romans • Roman rule was challenged with the Great Jewish Revolt – led to the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE

Jerusalem in the Hebrew Bible • Spiritual center for Jewish world. • Located in land God promised to Abraham (Canaan). • Site of Abrahams sacrifice of Isaac, as well as sight of 1 st and 2 nd Temples (where Dome of the Rock is).

The Holy Land Abraham • *Gen 12: 1 -9, *15: 1821 - God’s Covenant with Abraham (about 1800 BCE). • *Gen 22: 1 -3 - The sacrifice of Isaac (in land of Moriah, also thought to be site of Dome of the Rock).

Conquest of Jerusalem • 1030 BCE- Saul becomes 1 st ruler of a united Kingdom of Israel. • *2 Sam 5: 6 -12 -David becomes king after Saul’s death. In 1000 BCE he takes over Jebusite city of Jerusalem and claims it as the capitol

Solomon’s Temple and the Babylonian Exile • *2 Sam 7: 1 -17 - God tells David that his heir will build a house in His name, the 1 st Temple (actually built 970 BCE). • *2 Kings 25: 1 -12 - King Nebuchadnezzar, of Babylon, destroys city of Jerusalem along with 1 st Temple in 587.

Rebuilding Jerusalem • Zec 1: 14 -17 - God forgives the people of Jerusalem and chooses them (again) to be his people and Jerusalem to be his city. • *Neh 2: 11 -20 - Nehemiah begins rebuilding Jerusalem so it will “no longer be an object of derision” between 520 and 515 BCE.

Jerusalem in the New Testament. Luke 21 • Destruction of the temple is foretold -Nation will rise against nation -Kingdom against Kingdom -Earthquakes -Famines -Plagues • The kingdom of God will come • Luke 21: 29 -33 - Story of the fig tree

Luke 24: 33 -35 • Resurrection of Jesus • Appearance to the two travelers • Meeting with the disciples in Jerusalem • Appearance to the group

John 2: 13 -25 • Found people who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as money-changers • Made a whip to drive them out • Keeping clean the holy place of God

John 11: 55 -57 • Going to Jerusalem to purify themselves • Expecting Jesus to come purify them

Jerusalem and the Islamic Faith • Islam precedes all religions, according to tradition, and shares roots in Judaism and Christianity, with all three having strong religious ties to the city of Jerusalem. • Jerusalem is said to be third holiest city in the Islamic faith, behind the cities of Makkah and Madinah, respectively.

Al-Aqsa Mosque & The Dome of the Rock • Jerusalem is home to two major Islamic holy sites: Al-Aqsa Mosque, or the Temple Mount, and the Dome of the Rock.

Al-Aqsa Mosque • The Temple Mount (Masjid al-Aqsa) – Known as “The Farthest Mosque”, it is located in East Jerusalem. – Has progressively expanded over time, but is still constructed over the original mosque that Muhammad worshipped.

Al-Aqsa Mosque • The Mi’raj – During Muhammad’s Mi’raj, he was first taken to the Al. Aqsa Mosque by the angel Gabriel. • Qur’an, Surah 17: 1 – Some scripture in the Qu’ran has been interpreted to mean that the journey was only a divine dream. • Qu’ran, Surah 17: 60

Al-Aqsa Mosque • The First Qibla – Before Muslims began facing Makkah, they first directed their prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. • Qu’ran, Surah 2: 142150

Dome of the Rock • A holy site built around the rock where it is believed that Muhammad was taken into heaven by the angel Gabriel during his Mi’raj. – Muslims believe that Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Ishmael, not Isaac, in what is now the stretch of desert in Saudi Arabia, called Mina.

Roman/Byzantine Jerusalem • Second Jewish Revolt 132 -135 – led by Bar Kokhba • Romans sacked the city and destroyed the temple • Massive Roman reconstruction of Jerusalem in 135 CE under Emperor Hadrian • Under Constantine I Jerusalem became a center for Christianity • Built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the sight of Calvary (previously a temple to Venus there)

Muslim Control • Caliph Umar ibn al. Khattāb conquered Jerusalem in 638 CE • Allowed Jews and Christians to live there in return for a tax • Caliph Abd al-Malik commissioned and completed the Dome of the Rock by the end of the 7 th century

The Crusades • In 1099 Jerusalem was taken by the First Crusade • The Crusaders slaughtered most of the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants • Saladin conquered Jerusalem in 1187 • Was much more peaceful in his conquest, killed no civilians after the battle • Various powers controlled the city in the next few centuries

British/Israeli Control • The British Army captured the city after the Battle of Jerusalem in 1917 • 1922 the League of Nations entrusted the British Empire to help establish a State of Israel • 1947 the UN partition plan recommended that certain sites remain internationally governed – Big controversy to this day about this – Never went into effect and so the State of Israel and Jordan took half of the city each • In 1967 Israel captured the other half of the city in the Six-Day War