Jerusalem

A Chronological History of Jerusalem

Compiled for A Letter to the Leaders of the World in 1979 - Dates are approximate.

(This chronological history ends on a positive note in 1979, but the fighting has not ended by any means. The bloodshed and futility of war goes on and on.)

Within the story of Jerusalem is the history of the entire world. From the time of Adam until now there has been constant fighting. Wars have occurred all over the world for these two hundred million years, but they have been especially concentrated in this central point of Jerusalem ever since the time of Abraham. We have witnessed so many blood baths in this area; we have seen the cutting off of heads and hands and so many other acts of cruelty and violence. Every person of every religion who has heard of this sacrifice of human life and these rivers of blood must realize what is happening. We who belong to the human race must learn from the example of Jerusalem, for the history of this Holy City shows us the state of the world.

Jerusalem should be a sacred shrine, a place where the entire human race can worship God in peace. If human beings of all four religions would only understand this and live in unity, then this place of worship would not be a battlefield. If people of all races and nationalities ever hope to live as one human race, they must have absolute faith in the one God. That is mankind's only treasure.

To witness that there is one God and to establish His word and His compassion in the hearts of the people, God sent many prophets to the world. He sent 124,000 in all. Twenty-five of them are mentioned in the Qur'an, and their stories are also recounted in the Bible and Torah. From the time of Adam, they came here to develop unity and faith in God, so that the human race would live in peace and tolerance as one family, accepting one God, the Day of judgment, and the justice of God's laws.

If the human race had realized the meaning of God's message, they would not have indulged in the frenzy of wars which have resulted in bloodshed and the destruction of lives. But instead, in every country where the prophets delivered their message, the people became divided among themselves. Some believed in religion but not in God; some clung to racial differences but not to God. However, there were some who did have faith in God. A few accepted God and all the prophets and even believed that all people were the children of Adam.

The majority, however, only sought titles and positions. They were ready to conquer lands for the sake of gold, property, and worldly possessions, but they would not accept the words of God or nurture His compassionate qualities. They refused to accept the kingdom of love which encompasses mercy, tolerance, and equality. Instead they ruled their kingdoms with selfishness, preferring to worship Satan, animals, snakes, scorpions, and spirits, and trusting in the miracles of demons, earth, fire, water, air, the sun and the moon, and illusion. Those rulers believed in the power of such miracles and used them to try to destroy God and to undermine faith in Him and in truth, equality, and peace.

It does not matter whether those rulers conquered Jerusalem or Egypt or the entire world, for they are no longer here. Even the land itself has changed. Part of it has been lost to the sea, and some places which the sea once covered have again become land. Where forests once stood, cities have arisen, and ancient cities are now buried under forests. Cemeteries have become cities, and cities have turned into cemeteries. Over the centuries, many parts of the world have been destroyed by the sea, by wind, by rain, by fire, and by earthquakes.

We have related the history of Jerusalem to show that whoever rules there now will ultimately move on, just as all those who ruled there throughout the ages have moved on. They are no longer alive. This is the truth. Therefore, in this one place which all four religions honor, let us come together as one and establish what is unchanging. Let us worship the one Almighty God. He is the very form of compassion. He may be called by any name in any language: God, Andavan, Rahman, Adonai, Allah, or Yahweh, but He is still the One God. All the religions of the human race must realize this. May each of us understand and cut from our hearts any thoughts of divisiveness.

Next Section: The Fate of Jerusalem

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