Here is some brief history of Jerusalem (that is also used interchangeably with Zion, see Ps 51:18; 102:21, 135:21, in which Jerusalem was initially built on Mount Zion, but later expanded by David, see 2 Sam 5:9b) and how literal Jerusalem transitioned to symbolic Jerusalem. At Genesis 14:18, Jerusalem is called initially Salem, meaning "Peace" (see Heb 7:2), with Melchizedek as its king in about 1938 B.C.E. It is then seen as "Jerusalem" ( meaning "Possession of Twofold Peace") not long after the Israelites entered the land of Canaan in 1473 B.C.E., at Joshua 10:1, with Jerusalem being ruled by Adonizedek (meaning "Lord of Zedek"), who was possibly a Jebusite, and defeated by Joshua and the Israelite army.(Joshua 10:12-19, 26) However, the Jebusites continued to inhabit Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:63, also called "Jebusi", at Joshua 18:28) until David conquered the city in about 1070 B.C.E., taking it away from the Jebusites, whereby "David took up residence in the stronghold, and it was called the City of David......Thus, David became greater and greater, and Jehovah (God's name, see Ex 6:3, KJV) the God of armies was with him".(2 Sam 5:4-10) With David making Jerusalem his "residence", and with the ark of the covenant being placed there in a tent, it took on a significant meaning. Later, with the temple being built by David's son Solomon on Mount Moriah (1 Kings 6:1; 2; 2 Chron 3:1), "next door" to the original city of Jerusalem, it became the center for worshipping Jehovah God.(see Ps 68:29) But Jerusalem's dynasty of kings that followed David (reigned 1077-1038 B.C.E.) mostly became apostate, so that by the time of Jeremiah (Jehovah's prophet from 647-580 B.C.E.), it was found corrupt with its last king of Zedekiah being called "a rotten fig".(Jer 24:8-10) By the time Jesus arrived as the promised Messiah in 29 C.E., at the start of the 70th "week of years" (Dan 9:24-27), Jerusalem had become "the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her".(Matt 23:37) So, three days before Jesus was executed on a stake, he told the Pharisees, who were Jerusalem's rulers: "Did you never read in the Scriptures (at Ps 118:22, 23), ‘The stone (Jesus Christ) that the builders (the Jewish religious leaders) rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone (of God's heavenly Kingdom). This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be TAKEN FROM YOU and be given to (or replaced with) a (new, spiritual) nation producing its fruits (of holy conduct, see Isa 2:2-4). At Matthew 23:37-39, Jesus says because literal Jerusalem (which stood the entire nation of Israel as it capital) rejected his efforts to save it, "to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings ! But you did not want it. Look ! Your house (or sacred temple) is abandoned to you. For I say to you, you will by no means see me from now until you say (quoting Ps 118:26), ‘Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name !’” So, at Galatians 4:25, 26, the apostle Paul shows that literal Jerusalem has been "upended" and replaced with a new "Jerusalem", saying: "Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today (or literal Jerusalem), for she is in SLAVERY with her children (as the nation of fleshly Israel). But the Jerusalem ABOVE (or spiritual "Jerusalem") is free, and she is our (or true Christians) mother." Thus, "Jerusalem today" is NOT God's people, having become his enemy as murderers, as can be seen at Isaiah 66, whereby both literal Jerusalem and spiritual "Jerusalem" are in stark contrast, with literal Jerusalem ' choosing their own ways, taking delight in what is disgusting........There is a sound of uproar from the city, a sound from the temple ! It is the sound of Jehovah repaying his enemies (of literal Jerusalem or the fleshly nation of Israel) what they deserve.' (Isa 66:3) On the other hand, spiritual "Jerusalem" is the one that is spoken of at Isaiah 66:2: "And this is how they all came to be,” declares Jehovah. “To this one, then, I will look, to the one humble and broken in spirit who trembles at my word." At verses 7-10, it further points to symbolic "Jerusalem", the body of loyal angels that adopts 144,000 more "sons" (Rom 8:15-17; Rev 7:4-8): "Before she went into labor, she gave birth. Before birth pangs came to her, she delivered a male child.(compare Rev 12:1-5, in which "the male child" is NOT Jesus) Who has ever heard of such a thing ? Who has seen such things ? Will a land be brought to birth in one day ? Or will a nation be born all at once ?" "Yet, as soon as (symbolic) Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons.(compare Isa 54:1; Acts 2:1-4) “Will I bring it to the point of birth and then not bring it forth ?” says Jehovah. “Or would I cause the birth and then shut the womb ?” says your God. Rejoice with (symbolic) Jerusalem and be joyful with her, all you who love her. Exult greatly with her, all you who are in mourning over her."
In the Old Testament there are prophecies about the advent of different four Messiahs who have to appear according to the promise of God Almighty. We should not confuse them with one another as the signs and times of their advent are different and their Missions are different. One Massiah who had to appear 2000 years ago, only for the people of Israel, was the Jesus, Son of Mary. There are also descriptions in Old Testament about the advent of a second one Massiah, with a universal message for the people of all religions and nations, after Jesus. Jesus was the last prophet to reform the people of Israel and he had informed that after him there would be a prophet to reform the world. According to the prophecies of the Bible this Messiah had to appear in the area of Paran. There are also descriptions in Old Testament about the advent of a third one Messiah who had to appear about 200 years ago in the middle of the eighteenth century for current era to fill it with justice and peace. God Almighty sent these all three on time according to His promise. The fourth one Massiah is described who will appear at the End Time of the 7th Millennium (we are passing through the 7th Millennium that is the last one Millennium and two hundred years have passed). Secondly, the 'Descent' or the 'Coming' does not mean the coming of the Messiah son of Mary. Actually, it is a figure of speech signifying the coming of someone resembling the son of Mary; and that, in accordance with Divine intimation and revelation. According to the Bible, and other records, only two Prophets are supposed to have physically ascended to the heavens, namely Elijah, and Messiah son of Mary, also known as Jesus. Concerning both these Prophets some books of the Old and New Testament say that they were raised to the heavens and shall return to the earth sometime in the latter days, and that people will actually witness their descent from the skies. Concerning Elias, whose Biblical name is Elijah, the Gospels positively declare that the prophecy of his descent from the skies has been fulfilled with the birth of John, son of Zechariah. The Messiah son of Mary declares in unmistakable terms: “He is indeed the Elijah who was expected to come. Acknowledge him if you will.” (Matthew 11:13-15) (Matthew 17:10-13) Through this arbitration by no less a person than a Prophet of God, the case of Elijah, his ascension to the skies and subsequent descent has been effectively settled and the manner and meaning of the 'Second Coming' clearly determined. This, therefore, is the doctrine, consistent with the Gospels, to which Christians should unanimously subscribe, that Elijah, whose descent was awaited, did, in the time of the Messiah, return from the heavens in the person of John who was born to Zechariah, with the temperament and qualities of Elijah. The Jews, however, continue to await Elijah's descent. They believe that he will physically descend from the skies and land on the minarets of Baitul Muqaddas, where the Jews will assemble and lower him down to the ground with the help of ladders or some such device. In any case, the real connotation of the term 'descent from the skies' has been determined by the verdict of Jesus Christ himself, and the dispute about Elijah's descent has been finally settled. If Jesus Christ's interpretation regarding the descent of Elijah from the skies is true, the question arises that the case of the Messiah being parallel to that of Elijah, why not draw the same conclusion, particularly when a Prophet of God has already lifted the veil off the face of this close secret? And, what is more, this interpretation is also in exact consonance with the laws of nature.(Ruhanikhazain)
The Bible speaks of only one Messiah (meaning "anointed" one), that would "terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies ."(Dan 9:24-27; see Heb 9:12, 24)
Here is some brief history of Jerusalem (that is also used interchangeably with Zion, see Ps 51:18; 102:21, 135:21, in which Jerusalem was initially built on Mount Zion, but later expanded by David, see 2 Sam 5:9b) and how literal Jerusalem transitioned to symbolic Jerusalem. At Genesis 14:18, Jerusalem is called initially Salem, meaning "Peace" (see Heb 7:2), with Melchizedek as its king in about 1938 B.C.E.
It is then seen as "Jerusalem" ( meaning "Possession of Twofold Peace") not long after the Israelites entered the land of Canaan in 1473 B.C.E., at Joshua 10:1, with Jerusalem being ruled by Adonizedek (meaning "Lord of Zedek"), who was possibly a Jebusite, and defeated by Joshua and the Israelite army.(Joshua 10:12-19, 26)
However, the Jebusites continued to inhabit Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:63, also called "Jebusi", at Joshua 18:28) until David conquered the city in about 1070 B.C.E., taking it away from the Jebusites, whereby "David took up residence in the stronghold, and it was called the City of David......Thus, David became greater and greater, and Jehovah (God's name, see Ex 6:3, KJV) the God of armies was with him".(2 Sam 5:4-10)
With David making Jerusalem his "residence", and with the ark of the covenant being placed there in a tent, it took on a significant meaning. Later, with the temple being built by David's son Solomon on Mount Moriah (1 Kings 6:1; 2; 2 Chron 3:1), "next door" to the original city of Jerusalem, it became the center for worshipping Jehovah God.(see Ps 68:29)
But Jerusalem's dynasty of kings that followed David (reigned 1077-1038 B.C.E.) mostly became apostate, so that by the time of Jeremiah (Jehovah's prophet from 647-580 B.C.E.), it was found corrupt with its last king of Zedekiah being called "a rotten fig".(Jer 24:8-10)
By the time Jesus arrived as the promised Messiah in 29 C.E., at the start of the 70th "week of years" (Dan 9:24-27), Jerusalem had become "the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her".(Matt 23:37) So, three days before Jesus was executed on a stake, he told the Pharisees, who were Jerusalem's rulers:
"Did you never read in the Scriptures (at Ps 118:22, 23), ‘The stone (Jesus Christ) that the builders (the Jewish religious leaders) rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone (of God's heavenly Kingdom). This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be TAKEN FROM YOU and be given to (or replaced with) a (new, spiritual) nation producing its fruits (of holy conduct, see Isa 2:2-4).
At Matthew 23:37-39, Jesus says because literal Jerusalem (which stood the entire nation of Israel as it capital) rejected his efforts to save it, "to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings ! But you did not want it. Look ! Your house (or sacred temple) is abandoned to you. For I say to you, you will by no means see me from now until you say (quoting Ps 118:26), ‘Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name !’”
So, at Galatians 4:25, 26, the apostle Paul shows that literal Jerusalem has been "upended" and replaced with a new "Jerusalem", saying: "Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today (or literal Jerusalem), for she is in SLAVERY with her children (as the nation of fleshly Israel). But the Jerusalem ABOVE (or spiritual "Jerusalem") is free, and she is our (or true Christians) mother."
Thus, "Jerusalem today" is NOT God's people, having become his enemy as murderers, as can be seen at Isaiah 66, whereby both literal Jerusalem and spiritual "Jerusalem" are in stark contrast, with literal Jerusalem ' choosing their own ways, taking delight in what is disgusting........There is a sound of uproar from the city, a sound from the temple ! It is the sound of Jehovah repaying his enemies (of literal Jerusalem or the fleshly nation of Israel) what they deserve.' (Isa 66:3)
On the other hand, spiritual "Jerusalem" is the one that is spoken of at Isaiah 66:2: "And this is how they all came to be,” declares Jehovah. “To this one, then, I will look, to the one humble and broken in spirit who trembles at my word."
At verses 7-10, it further points to symbolic "Jerusalem", the body of loyal angels that adopts 144,000 more "sons" (Rom 8:15-17; Rev 7:4-8): "Before she went into labor, she gave birth. Before birth pangs came to her, she delivered a male child.(compare Rev 12:1-5, in which "the male child" is NOT Jesus) Who has ever heard of such a thing ? Who has seen such things ? Will a land be brought to birth in one day ? Or will a nation be born all at once ?"
"Yet, as soon as (symbolic) Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons.(compare Isa 54:1; Acts 2:1-4) “Will I bring it to the point of birth and then not bring it forth ?” says Jehovah. “Or would I cause the birth and then shut the womb ?” says your God. Rejoice with (symbolic) Jerusalem and be joyful with her, all you who love her. Exult greatly with her, all you who are in mourning over her."
In the Old Testament there are prophecies about the advent of different four Messiahs who have to appear according to the promise of God Almighty. We should not confuse them with one another as the signs and times of their advent are different and their Missions are different. One Massiah who had to appear 2000 years ago, only for the people of Israel, was the Jesus, Son of Mary. There are also descriptions in Old Testament about the advent of a second one Massiah, with a universal message for the people of all religions and nations, after Jesus. Jesus was the last prophet to reform the people of Israel and he had informed that after him there would be a prophet to reform the world. According to the prophecies of the Bible this Messiah had to appear in the area of Paran. There are also descriptions in Old Testament about the advent of a third one Messiah who had to appear about 200 years ago in the middle of the eighteenth century for current era to fill it with justice and peace. God Almighty sent these all three on time according to His promise. The fourth one Massiah is described who will appear at the End Time of the 7th Millennium (we are passing through the 7th Millennium that is the last one Millennium and two hundred years have passed).
Secondly, the 'Descent' or the 'Coming' does not mean the coming of the Messiah son of Mary. Actually, it is a figure of speech signifying the coming of someone resembling the son of Mary; and that, in accordance with Divine intimation and revelation. According to the Bible, and other records, only two Prophets are supposed to have physically ascended to the heavens, namely Elijah, and Messiah son of Mary, also known as Jesus. Concerning both these Prophets some books of the Old and New Testament say that they were raised to the heavens and shall return to the earth sometime in the latter days, and that people will actually witness their descent from the skies. Concerning Elias, whose Biblical name is Elijah, the Gospels positively declare that the prophecy of his descent from the skies has been fulfilled with the birth of John, son of Zechariah. The Messiah son of Mary declares in unmistakable terms: “He is indeed the Elijah who was expected to come. Acknowledge him if you will.” (Matthew 11:13-15) (Matthew 17:10-13)
Through this arbitration by no less a person than a Prophet of God, the case of Elijah, his ascension to the skies and subsequent descent has been effectively settled and the manner and meaning of the 'Second Coming' clearly determined. This, therefore, is the doctrine, consistent with the Gospels, to which Christians should unanimously subscribe, that Elijah, whose descent was awaited, did, in the time of the Messiah, return from the heavens in the person of John who was born to Zechariah, with the temperament and qualities of Elijah.
The Jews, however, continue to await Elijah's descent. They believe that he will physically descend from the skies and land on the minarets of Baitul Muqaddas, where the Jews will assemble and lower him down to the ground with the help of ladders or some such device. In any case, the real connotation of the term 'descent from the skies' has been determined by the verdict of Jesus Christ himself, and the dispute about Elijah's descent has been finally settled. If Jesus Christ's interpretation regarding the descent of Elijah from the skies is true, the question arises that the case of the Messiah being parallel to that of Elijah, why not draw the same conclusion, particularly when a Prophet of God has already lifted the veil off the face of this close secret? And, what is more, this interpretation is also in exact consonance with the laws of nature.(Ruhanikhazain)
The Bible speaks of only one Messiah (meaning "anointed" one), that would "terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies
."(Dan 9:24-27; see Heb 9:12, 24)