Why Did God Choose Jerusalem?

Why Did God Choose Jerusalem?

By ICEJ USA President Dr. Susan Michael

The city of Jerusalem in the Bible unveils more than most Christians realize. It is, of course, where the First and Second Temples stood, where Jesus taught during certain feasts, and where He was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Indeed, it is important, and for many Christians, it is the most meaningful location in the whole earth.

However, why did God choose Jerusalem to be such a special place to begin with?

The Mystery of the Chosen Place

God’s choice of Jerusalem was for a distinct purpose, and though it appears early in the narrative of the Bible, it is a bit obscure. Just before the nation of Israel entered the promised land, the Lord instructed Moses to tell the people that they were to meet the Lord three times a year at “the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place” (Deuteronomy 12:5; see also Deuteronomy 16:16). This “place” would be more than an identified location or territory; it would be where God Himself would dwell. The Hebrew word for “dwelling” in that verse is shakan, which implies a permanent. God would inhabit this “place” where He would put His name forever.

However, it would be more than 400 years before God would reveal to the Israelites where this “place” was, during the time of David and Solomon. Second Chronicles 6:6 says: “I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there.” Not only was this a divine confirmation bridging the gap between the wilderness promise and the physical reality of Jerusalem, but God confirmed His very name would be in this city. In the ancient Near East, putting one’s name on something was a legal claim of ownership and authority. Jerusalem was God’s, and God’s alone.

Before ever knowing this place was Jerusalem, God instructed the children of Israel what they were to do there:

Then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 12:5–6)

In short, in Jerusalem, Israel was to worship her Creator.

The Selection of Zion

When David became king over all 12 tribes, he faced a challenge: uniting a divided nation. Jerusalem was a Jebusite stronghold on the border between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin that belonged to no one, making it neutral ground. David chose Jerusalem in hopes of uniting the north and south. Jerusalem was also surrounded by deep valleys on three sides, making it an ideal military fortress. (This is why Jerusalem was often called Zion, meaning “fortification.”) Plus, it was in the heart of the promised land, bridging the coast and the desert.

While David saw political advantages, Jerusalem was just a small, average ancient Near Eastern city. Yet God’s choice defied human logic and success metrics.

David’s heart for God was so great that he couldn’t bear to live in his ornate palace while the ark of God sat in a tent. While David prepared the materials and secured the site, the honor of completing the temple building project fell to his son, Solomon. This temple became the physical place to which God’s people would bring their sacrifices and offerings in worship.

Before building the temple, Solomon prayed to God that His eyes would be “open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there’” (1 Kings 8:29). After the temple was completed and dedicated it to the Lord, God answered:

I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. (1 Kings 9:3; see also 2 Chronicles 7:16)

The “obscure” place mentioned to Moses was finally realized, transforming a Jebusite stronghold into God’s eternal city.

Biblical Significance and Precedent

Though God’s indication of a special place surfaced in the book of Deuteronomy, two stories in Genesis point to the preexisting significance of Jerusalem. The first has to do with an ambiguous figure, the king and priest Melchizedek, who presided over a worship site to the one true God in Salem, the ancient name for Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18; see also Psalm 76:2). The second is the story of the binding of Abraham’s son, Isaac. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the place to which Abraham took Isaac out of obedience to God was Mount Moriah, where the temple in Jerusalem would one day stand (2 Chronicles 3:1).

These two stories point forward to Jerusalem as a site of both sovereignty and sacrifice; in Melchizedek, we see the “king of peace” (shalem); in Abraham, we see “the God who provides.” Together, these two figures form the foundation of this “city of peace.”

Most profoundly, in ancient biblical times, a person’s name was connected to their character. Consequently, when God placed His name upon Jerusalem, He was committing His reputation there (2 Chronicles 6:6; 1 Kings 14:21; Psalm 48:1; Psalm 132:13–14).

From Jerusalem, the very nature of God would be manifest to a watching world: His faithfulness, goodness, kindness, justice, and unwavering commitment to His promises. By placing His name in this specific city, God was not just claiming a piece of geography; He was inviting all of humanity to see His heart in action.

Conclusion

The prophet Isaiah called Jerusalem a “holy” or “set apart” city. In Hebrew, “holiness” means to be set apart for God’s use. God distinguished Jerusalem from every other city in the world for a special purpose. In Isaiah 45:13, the Lord calls Jerusalem “My city.” Clearly, Jerusalem is special to God.

God intentionally chooses the small and insignificant to display His power. Jerusalem is a literal, physical city where God dwelt. Yet today, He dwells within anyone who has put their faith in Jesus. In the same way, God transforms a person’s “average” life into a dwelling place for His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 12:9), so that through us, His heart might be made obvious to the world.