Since King David’s conquest in 1000 BC, numerous empires have fought over this sacred, strategic city, including the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and British. Nestled atop gently sloping hills and surrounded by lush valleys, Jerusalem is the capital of the modern state of Israel, established in 1948.
It is a bustling city of just under one million people, about 64% of whom are Jewish, 34% Muslim, and 2% Christian. The city is divided into three sections: the walled-off Old City (including separate quarters for Jews, Armenians, Christians, and Muslims), West Jerusalem (mostly Jewish), and East Jerusalem (mostly Arab).
Fifteen different Christian denominations, some ancient, live side by side in Jerusalem. In addition, there are migrant workers from South Sudan, Eritrea, and the Philippines. History collides with the present day as ancient landmarks stand in view of sleek, modern office and apartment buildings.
After WWI and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the British, who were governing the area, paved the way for the establishment of a home state for Jews who had been persecuted and scattered throughout the world. Tensions between Jews and Arabs flared from the start and continue to this day.
The city is significant to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. It is Islam’s third holiest city, after Mecca and Medina. In fact, it was towards Jerusalem that Muhammad first instructed his followers to pray (this later changed to Mecca). The al-Aqsa mosque sits on the Temple Mount along with the iconic Dome of the Rock, a golden-domed shrine built by Muslims in the 7th century to mark the rock from where Muhammad took his famous “night journey” to heaven (Quran 17:1).
Prayers said at al-Aqsa are believed to be worth 500 prayers said elsewhere. Quran commentaries note that the angel Israfil will stand on that rock and blow the trumpet on the day of judgment.
Arab Christians can sometimes feel caught in the middle of the conflict between Jews and Muslims in Israel, but many have a powerful witness through their humble service and ministries of reconciliation. Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians are working together to help everyone in Israel. The Bible Society’s goal is to share “life and hope with people from all around the world, from Jerusalem on outward.”
Christians not only reach out to Muslims in Jerusalem, but also to Muslims in the West Bank and Gaza, where millions of people are destitute. Delivery of food and basic necessities accompany the proclamation of the Gospel among Muslims in need. God uses dreams and visions to draw people to himself in miraculous ways.
He also uses media ministries. Consider the example of one young man, a former Muslim student of Shari’a law, who first connected with Christians online. He was kidnapped by Hamas and brutally tortured for becoming a Christian. He stood firm, did not renounce Jesus, and continues to walk in faithfulness to his Lord!