Information Related to "Jerusalem, City of God"
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The collective memory of Jerusalem has echoed down through many generations of the Israelite peoples. This applies to the Jews in particular (the descendants of the ancient kingdom of Judah), as they view Jerusalem as their eternal capital.
During their captivity in King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon the Jews longingly lamented the loss of their sacred city. "By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion . . . How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy" (Psalm 137:1,4-6, New International Version throughout, emphasis added).
But the passage of time and God's interventions eventually overcame sorrow. Several million Jews now reside in the Holy Land. Psalm 147:2 reflects on what the Creator has accomplished: "The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel." (The intriguing account of how God gathered many Jews to form the nation of Israel during the 20th century is described in "Israel's Amazing Story: Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy" beginning on page 11.)
Yet national resettlement has not prevented conflict in the state of Israel. In addition to unending territorial disputes with the Palestinians, the Israelis have serious problems of their own making.
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