Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Protected by God

◄ Jerusalem: Protected by God ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Jerusalem, often referred to as the "City of David" and the "Holy City," holds a central place in biblical history and theology. It is depicted throughout the Scriptures as a city uniquely chosen and protected by God. This divine protection is a recurring theme, underscoring Jerusalem's significance in God's redemptive plan.

Divine Selection and Protection

Jerusalem's selection as a sacred city is evident in numerous biblical passages. In 2 Chronicles 6:6, God declares, "But I have chosen Jerusalem that My Name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel." This divine choice establishes Jerusalem as the spiritual and political heart of Israel, a city where God's presence is manifest.

The protection of Jerusalem is vividly illustrated in the accounts of King Hezekiah. When the Assyrian king Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, Hezekiah sought the Lord's intervention. In response, God assured Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah, "I will defend this city and save it for My sake and for the sake of David My servant" (2 Kings 19:34). That night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, demonstrating God's miraculous protection (2 Kings 19:35).

Prophetic Assurance

The prophets frequently spoke of God's protective hand over Jerusalem. Zechariah 2:5 proclaims, "For I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst." This imagery of a divine wall of fire signifies God's impenetrable defense and His presence within the city.

Isaiah also prophesied about Jerusalem's future security, stating, "As birds hovering overhead, so will the LORD of Hosts defend Jerusalem; He will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and preserve it" (Isaiah 31:5). This assurance of protection extends beyond physical safety, encompassing spiritual preservation and deliverance.

Eschatological Significance

Jerusalem's protection is not limited to historical events but extends into eschatological promises. The Book of Revelation envisions a new Jerusalem, descending from heaven, where God will dwell with His people eternally (Revelation 21:2-3). This future vision underscores the ultimate fulfillment of God's protective promise, where Jerusalem becomes the eternal city of peace and divine presence.

Symbol of God's Faithfulness

Throughout the Bible, Jerusalem stands as a symbol of God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people. Despite periods of judgment and exile, God's commitment to Jerusalem remains steadfast. In Psalm 125:2 , the psalmist declares, "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore." This imagery reinforces the enduring nature of God's protection, likening it to the immovable mountains encircling the city.

Conclusion

Jerusalem's portrayal as a city protected by God is a testament to its theological and historical significance. From its divine selection to its eschatological promise, Jerusalem embodies God's covenantal faithfulness and His sovereign power to protect and preserve His chosen city.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 31:5
As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Renewing the Enactments by the 150 Fathers Assembled at the God ...
... the enactments by the 150 Fathers assembled at the God-protected and imperial ... the
See of Alexandria, then that of Antioch, and afterwards the See of Jerusalem. ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xxxvi renewing the enactments.htm

End of Three Months' Ministry in Jerusalem.
... the Christ shows the extent of the discussion in Jerusalem. ... All who hear him shall
be protected against their own ... This safety rests upon the Fatherhood of God. ...
/.../the new testament commentary vol iii john/end of three months ministry.htm

Of the Fact that the God of the Jews, after the Subjugation of ...
... they have been thoroughly rooted out of Jerusalem itself, which ... the hidden will of
the true God, in whose ... in that matter, would rather have protected their own ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xii of the fact that.htm

Mountains Round Mount Zion
... 'As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord ... My text suggests that".
Simple trust in God, in some measure, assimilates the protected to the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/mountains round mount zion.htm

In Jericho and at Bethany - Jericho - a Guest with Zacch??us - the ...
... of prophecy and of the merciful Counsel of God, He had ... centre, and lastly, its nearness
to Jerusalem, to which ... It is protected by walls, flanked by four forts. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxiv in jericho and.htm

General Index.
... protected by angels, 512. courageous opposer of wrong, 520. in the New Jerusalem,
667. Penalty, civil, to be inflicted for keeping law of God, 459. ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /general index.htm

Ezra, the Priest and Scribe
... decree a special call to them to return to Jerusalem. ... them, and striving to obey
it, would they be protected. ... to enjoy the prospering hand of God, lent more ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 50 ezra the priest.htm

The Declensions of Christianity, an Argument of Its Truth. .
... away." This was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus ... miraculous
interpolation of providence, the people of God will be protected and delivered ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon iii the declensions of.htm

Judah, on the Defeat of the Enemy, Returned to Jerusalem...
... defeat of the enemy, returned to Jerusalem, and bent ... work of the sacred building
was protected, and the ... he had inflicted on the people of God, and acknowledged ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xxii judah on the.htm

The Gospel in Samaria
... upon his mind that this was the Sent of God. ... to do; and their wealth and influence
had protected them, in ... in helping to sustain the church at Jerusalem and in ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 11 the gospel in.htm