Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Called: Ariel

◄ Jerusalem: Called: Ariel ►

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Jerusalem, the ancient and significant city in biblical history, is referred to by various names throughout the Scriptures. One such name is "Ariel," which appears in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. The name "Ariel" is found in the book of Isaiah, where it is used as a symbolic reference to the city of Jerusalem.

Biblical Reference:

The primary reference to Jerusalem as "Ariel" is found in Isaiah 29:1-2 :
"Woe to you, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur. Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to Me like an altar hearth."

In this passage, the prophet Isaiah addresses Jerusalem with the name "Ariel," which can be translated as "lion of God" or "altar hearth." The context of the passage is a prophetic warning of impending judgment and siege upon the city. The use of "Ariel" emphasizes both the strength and the sacrificial aspect of Jerusalem, as it was the center of worship and sacrifice in Israel.

Symbolic Meaning:

The name "Ariel" carries a dual symbolism. On one hand, it signifies strength and might, akin to a lion, which is often associated with power and majesty. On the other hand, "Ariel" as "altar hearth" suggests a place of sacrifice and worship, reflecting Jerusalem's role as the spiritual heart of Israel where the Temple stood.

Historical and Theological Context:

Jerusalem, as Ariel, is depicted in Isaiah's prophecy as a city under divine scrutiny. The passage highlights the tension between Jerusalem's esteemed position as the city of David and the center of religious festivals, and the impending divine judgment due to the people's disobedience and spiritual complacency.

Theologically, the reference to Jerusalem as Ariel underscores the city's dual role as both a place of divine favor and a subject of divine judgment. It serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, where blessings are contingent upon faithfulness, and judgment follows rebellion.

Prophetic Implications:

Isaiah's use of "Ariel" in his prophecy serves as a call to repentance for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The imagery of siege and lamentation is intended to awaken the people to their spiritual condition and the need for genuine worship and obedience to God. The prophecy ultimately points to the hope of restoration and redemption, themes that are prevalent throughout the book of Isaiah.

In summary, the designation of Jerusalem as "Ariel" in the book of Isaiah encapsulates the city's complex identity as a place of strength, worship, and divine judgment. It reflects the broader biblical narrative of Jerusalem as a city chosen by God, yet accountable to His righteous standards.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 29:1
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelled! add you year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Lord's Furnace
... as a lion roareth on his prey when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against
him ... As Isaiah says in another place, Jerusalem is 'Ariel,' which probably ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the lords furnace.htm

Appendix 1 Massecheth Middoth
... and 15 cubits from the south, and it was called the house ... to a lion, as it is said:
"O Ariel, the lion ... It has no Gemara either in the Jerusalem or the Babylon ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/appendix 1 massecheth middoth.htm

The Unclean Spirits.
... God said to Ariel, "And thou shalt be brought down, and ... dreamed his dreams, he first
"sent and called for all ... in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
... How different was the case as regards Jerusalem! ... gentle touches, of the position
which Judah was called to occupy ... xxix.1, 2, he says: "Woe to Ariel, (ie, Lion ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessing of jacob upon.htm

Appendices
... in Assyria, 2 years 727 Ulula, called Shalmaneser IV ... forsake the territory of the
city of Jerusalem."To the ... I took from thence the Ariel (champion) of (the god ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

Isaiah
... distress that is to be inflicted on Ariel, ie Jerusalem ... Jerusalem and the cities
of Judah are in ruins, xlv ... in the light of that destiny"called, through their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/isaiah.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... storming it is written, "Woe to Ariel, to Ariel""that is ... is rendered Zoar that is
little.' She called to mind ... [2830] I will return to Jerusalem and, passing ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... At the instigation of Adoni-zedeck, King of Jerusalem, the Canaanites collected
their forces ... differently in Judges 1:1-9, where the king is called Adoni-bezek. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... personal life, had in hand a work against fatalism or, as it is called, Mathesis,
and ... which it has shown in its previous life in that new Jerusalem which is ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /