It is common knowledge that the Jews and the Palestinians both claim the city of Jerusalem. There is plenty of evidence that the Jewish claim is legitimate and the Palestinian claim is false.
A small, but very important part of that evidence concerns the graves of Jews such as Jesus, King David, King Solomon, the High Priest Caiaphas, the apostle Peter, the Virgin Mary, Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha, and more. These Jewish graves give credence to the validity of the Bible and the presence of Jews in Jerusalem long before Mohammad was born.
God made a covenant to give the Promised Land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendents after them (Gen. 17:7-8, 18-21; 28:13, 35:10-12), but Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel) was living in Egypt when he was approaching death.
Jacob may have been thinking about God’s covenant at that time because he asked Joseph to promise him that he would bury him with his ancestors in the Promised Land. And Joseph made that promise (Gen. 47:27-31).
Later, Joseph did almost the same thing. He was in Egypt when he was approaching death and he asked to be buried in the Promised Land. So when Moses led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt Moses took the bones of Joseph with him (Exod. 13:19).
As time passed (probably during the time of Herod’s Temple), many Jews began to express that same desire to be buried in the Promised Land. Those that could afford it wanted to be buried in Jerusalem because the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah would come to Jerusalem from the direction of Bozrah, probably Petra (Isa. 63:1-6).
When Messiah comes, Jews believe He will raise the dead (Dan. 12:1-2). They believe that a Jerusalem burial will let them be among the first to be resurrected and see the Messiah.
But this desire to be among the first to be raised and see the Messiah has caused problems. Most of the Jerusalem cemeteries are full. Burial spots are so rare that some cost as much as $25,000. And there are other expenses including the cost of transporting a body to Jerusalem, etc.
In June of 2016, a Jewish burial society set out to deal with this problem by creating an underground cemetery. They have dug a tunnel more than 150 feet below the old Givat Shaul Cemetery.
Inside the tunnel they are building a 15 story building that will start out with 22,000 burial places and eventually be expanded to about 400,000 burial places.
There will be five large tunnel entrances for visitors and to allow resurrected Jews to rush out to see their Messiah. There will also be three large elevators that can quickly lift 60 people at a time (180 total) to the surface.
Christians believe differently. Most believe Jesus will fight the battle of Armageddon first. Then, He will go to Bozrah the ancient capital of the Edomites (probably the place called Petra today) and deliver the Jews there. Then, He will go to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and deliver the Jews there, etc. (Rev. 19:11; Isa. 34:6, 63:1-6; Zech. 14:4).
But isn’t it interesting that so many Jews believe in the resurrection of the dead and they are anxious to see their coming Messiah.
Compare this to the lukewarm attitude of many who call themselves Christians. They are not anxious to see the Messiah and they find no comfort in messages about His coming for His Church (I Thess. 4:18).
They don’t realize that many committed Christians wonder if they are saved.
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com