(Galilee, Israel) — The October 7th war between Israel and Hamas boils down to one city, Jerusalem. Is Jerusalem really holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims? This question is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not only a political matter but also a religious and spiritual one.
Because it goes all the way back to God, let’s see what He says on the matter. In 2 Chronicles 6, verse 6, Scripture says: “But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”
In many places in the written Word of God, the Lord promised the land of Zion to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the Jewish people as a whole. The Jewish connection to Jerusalem runs deep in our spiritual DNA. This bond is beautifully captured in one of the most profound biblical passages for the Jewish people. Psalm 137:5-6 declares: “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!”
In fact, Jews and Christians both agree that God is preparing Jerusalem as the seat for His Messiah to reign in the future Millennial Kingdom.
But what about Islam’s claim on Jerusalem? Shockingly, the Quran never once mentions Jerusalem. It was only centuries later that Muslim writers began making claims about the city’s importance.
Before 1967, the Muslim world placed little importance on Jerusalem. So much so that during Jordan’s control over East Jerusalem, they made no effort to declare it as their capital. Jerusalem became a major talking point for the Palestinian cause only when the Israelis named it the Unified Capital of the State of Israel.
On the other hand, Jerusalem holds eternal significance for Jews and Christians as the city where God promises to one day establish His eternal kingdom, ruling over all nations. As Zechariah 14:9 declares: “The LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”
This is the real reason for the fierce battle over Jerusalem. It is a spiritual war between the true living God and those who oppose Him, whether or not they are convinced that what they are doing is in the name of God.
So, whose holy city is it? Jerusalem is the holy city of the Holy One—the Holy One of Israel, that is—and He already settled this issue in the Bible. It is time we started listening to Him.
