XI

JERUSALEM

Before we enter to this place, the “HOLY CITY,” let us first look at its’ history from once upon a time. This episode should be a sign for us to learn from its’ history and leads us the way from it’s entire long and great story.

The Hebrew town should establish a “Just” City, strong and be the Capital to raise the Throne of their gods and goddesses, and to shelter those from Egypt with no assurance of the promised land.

Adonis is one of the five Kings defeated by Joshua and his brethren, the Jebusites. Their fortresses has a very strong foundation, secured and well built in Mount Zion. The fortresses that is not easy to penetrate and invade, is toying and provoking David’s forces.

—“The lame and the blind,” shouts Adonis, —“are the one’s I’ll send you, enough to conquer and defeat you.”

According to its’ customs at that time, “David King of War,” God’s chosen, ignored and renounced Adonis’s arrogance. So David attacked those well built fortresses of Adonis and killed all his adherents. And the troops that won, occupied and inhabit Mount Zion, Arca and Moriah.

That night after winning the battle, this poetic King is viewing this mountain top while his troops are resting. The moon is illuminating, its’ silver rays are shining through the joyous celebration of success. David hold’s his harp and offers his songs of success in battle to Almighty God. The pleasant resonance of his harp and the King’s soft voice is very calm, it slowly fades away carried by the wind through the flowery Mount of Gilboa, all the way through the fissures of rocks where they dumped corpses. The sweetest resounding voice of that song reached unto now. Here is what it says:

—“The Kings of the land are united to revolt against us; they secretly conspire for this: “come here and let’s wipe them out!” They can’t be one country, and the name Israel will be no more from the face of the earth.”

—“But God’s Almighty power gave me strong arms for battle; I persecuted all my enemies and never retreated until I succeed in conquering them; they all fell under my feet; I threw them roundabout like dusts in the air; I made the unknown town and cities to surrender; they humbled themselves to my honorable name; and my enemies were shaken and hide in the mountains where they dwell.”

David put down his harp and took delight in viewing the pleasant scenery laid on his feet. His eyes are nailed to that three contiguous ridge of mountains, with its’ wide rivers in-betweens, and all those made by words which set bounds, to the turbulent water from the sea. When he saw the peaceful valley and Jehoshaphat’s wide terrain, the red water from the East were flowing under Cedron, and the south side is Gehenna’s cliff that’s cut-off, and to the west side is the mountain of corpses……………He shouts aloud!

—“Jerousch a’ Aim!” which means, “House of Peace!”

—“You are going to be strong, City of Israel; I’ll make you grow, expand and enriched until all the countries envy you! In the north side where it is weak, in you, I will build three layers of stronghold military fortresses for your forces, and to destroy and crash your enemies’ greed!”

David is the King of Battle, who built Jerusalem; Solomon is the King of Peace, the one who expands and made it big. The young man son of David, was crowned in the year 2970 from the year the earth was created. Mount Gibeah, watched and observed its’ shining glossy fluid running down the valley, the blood of a thousand animals, an offering to Almighty God, at Moses bronze’s shrine in the front side.

God appeared to Solomon’s dream, saying this:

—“Ask what you want my Love!”

Solomon asked for wisdom, and God granted it to him. Aside from this, God gave him beauty, wealth and honor. From all these, Solomon beat and surmounted the four children of Mohol, the world’s first poet from Levi’s descendants. Here’s why:

Solomon made three thousand (3000) proverbs, five thousand (5000) songs, and a thick book about plants and animals; the cedar woods that grow and spread their sweet fragrances from Mount Lebanon; through the tiniest plants that grow in between the rocks; from these Eagle birds that dares the sun through its’ proud gaze; through the tiniest fishes that hides under the small rocks in the deep sea. Most of these books had vanished and lost through thousands of years that had passed by. But the Psalms remained and left for us; where the poetic rhymes are more than the sweet fragrances of its’ lyrics that grow in Gilboa; from its’ debonair and elegant words that surmount the roses from Saaron; and from its’ glitters that beaten the real diamonds of Golconda.

These alone can give honor and nobility to its’ composition. Solomon had achieved the wealthiest, the happiest, and the grandest achievements worldwide, but he lacks people with enough ability to operate things that his father thought; to build the Temple, for offerings to Almighty God at the top of Mount Moriah.

Hiram, King of Tyre in Sidon sent him bronze molders, architects, and artists that Solomon does not have. Ten thousand people began to build the Temple at the top Mount of Lebanon, using cedar woods with their sweet fragrances, and after seven years had passed, the Temple was built. From the City of Ephesus, Jonio’s two hundred twenty (220) people were needed for finishing Diana’s Temple. God fulfilled his promises to Solomon because of his marvelous artwork, a true miracle of creation.

The Poet King, Solomon’s popularity spreads all over the world. Solomon’s sailing ships navigate and sailed the oceans to bring in to his beloved City the biggest and the most valuable, and astonishing things of the world.

The Queen of Sheba, the most beautiful Nicaulis, was charmed by Solomon’s popularity, and insist on meeting him, persistent to dazzle him with her wealth. The Queen from the south arrived in Holy Land, followed by her shimmering and gleaming troops. The Queen’s grand entrance made everyone in a trance of her amazing glitters that surmounts the whole Palace. As her toe touched the steps of Solomon’s Palace, she then immediately raised and lifted up her dress fully covered of valuable jewels, in fear that her tiny feet covered with diamonds and sapphires would get wet with water.

Solomon smiled when he saw the Queen’s big fearful eyes because the water that the Queen thought is not a real water but a burnished crystal. So, Nicaulis, after regaining her graceful poise, talked right away:

—“Fortunate are those under your great wisdom. Oh Noble King! Fortunate are those that serve you!”

Nicaulis left Jerusalem with plenty of gifts. The Queen who tried to dazzle Solomon went home bedazzled by whom she visits.

Solomon’s Kingship reigned for forty (40) years during its’ absolute peace. David’s magnificent Kingdom, is a father like Kingdom for him, but it was stained with his lustful sin of adultery. Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, whom David had murdered for self-shame, is guilty of this crime through vulgarity of his lewdness!

The wealthy and prosperous Kingdom of Solomon were tainted too, for something bad that aroused his interest, and inclined to his lustful immorality. He was deceived to lie, and cheat to his own faith and continued to linger on, with no intention to end this wrongful deed.

Solomon’s wealth, and beauty, charmed many young beautiful maidens. From all over the world, these young women came to Jerusalem to see him. Solomon is a very affectionate person; he is very loving and admired by most women. Solomon’s display of affection is how the women behave, and gave back their love and affections to him, where he was taken advantage to and forced him to worship their wicked and false gods and goddesses. These Samaritan women forced him to kneel in front of a golden cow, but Almighty God immediately reminded him of the evil deed they had done. So, God said to Solomon that his Kingdom would come to an end, and would fall into the hand of a just one slave. From then on, the Hebrew town starts to split, divided in to two; the first part is Juda, who continued to ensue Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. But the entire Israel voted Jeroboam for their King.

This entire town chosen by God started to fall. From Rehoboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Ahab, all became Israel’s Kings, but like a featherweight object, their Kingship was easily blown away by a great storm, like transiting. The only time that the Hebrew town obtained an absolute peace was when Jehoshaphat reigned in as their King. Not long after this, the cruel and vicious woman, Athaliah, came to rule this tribes, she is like a wild, and brutal torturer from heaven. Nothing happened when Elijah, “God’s Lightning,” forced and insist to keep this town from dissipation, and be scattered all over. His words and the performed miracles he did were not considered nor even recognized. Like a fast running water that succumbed and overflow the shores, Abraham’s great-grandchildren are indeed on their way to the cliff of their death.

The Prophets that sprouts like mushrooms, after Elijah were: Jonah, Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah. The coming “Savior” was a great warning, but they covered their ears not to hear this vital prophecy. The brave and God fearing King, Hezekiah is the one to raise and erect Juda’s flag against the Assyrians, because the Heaven’s Angels helped their armies. After this, God turned His merciful eyes again to His chosen town like in David’s time. Hachamoni, Semma, Jashobeam, and Fesdomoni were in remembrance once again, and hope is back to life.

But when Hezekiah was killed by his two sons, the rascal and perverse Manasseh took his father’s Throne to reign as a King. Manasseh, the coward, and the wicked murderer, would ran whenever he is in front of the Assyrians, and he would hide behind the Zarza trees because of his guilt, for the crime he committed, but was eventually caught and arrested. Not long after his arrest, he was transmitted to Babylon like a slave. Amon replaced him and like Manasseh, he was wicked and evil too.

After twenty years, Nebuchadnezzar and his armies attacked Israel, and they badly injured these twelve tribes and its’ clans. This time Israel became true slaves of that cruel Babylon. Nebuzaradan, one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s army leader, was set on fire, burned at King’s command. Zion’s Temple and the King’s Palace is at the four hundred twenty-four (424) years, three months, and eight days from when it was built by the King who composed the “Book of Songs,” or the “Songs of Solomon.” He wrote this one Saturday and Saturday too when the Romans planned to destroy the said Temple, and we will understand this at the end of the story:

Nebuchadnezzar took the Israelites as his captives and even stole their sacred glasses from Zion’s Temple. But Almighty God punished him for his cruelty, and blew-off the light of his mind; after that the sanity of this savage Babylonian became like a wild beast animal and he lived a brutal life for seven years more. Seventy years had passed from these tormented people of Israel; the only comfort from these sufferings brethren was the Prophet David. From Juda’s trees were the young maidens harps tied-up, for no one is singing because God cannot be taken for granted.

Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, the last King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. One night the coward Belshazzar held a party for his friends and comrades. They held the feast at the top floor. The sacred glasses they stole from Zion’s Temple were in use for the celebration; the impure lips of these impure women that worship Belo’s God and their enslaved Governors with their King Belshazzar were really going to degrade and mire those sacred glasses, they were at an act of toasting, when one miraculous hand appeared in front of everybody, the hand wrote on the wall and in solid fire, wrote these words: —“Mane, Thecel, Phares.”

Big fear and confusion came rushing through these dirty gentlemen. Then in a sudden, the light went off, and the sound of a roaring thunder blasted the heaven’s realm, and the ground trembled violently. King Belshazzar lost his confidence and shaken by this severe destruction; he immediately called his friend the Prophet Daniel and asked him the meaning of this miraculous event. This is what the Prophet Daniel told him: —“This is the last night of your life.”

Unknown to them and suddenly, an unexpected guests crashed their party. Cyrus and Darius and their combined forces, beheaded and decapitated all the Babylonians that night.

Cyrus is good and merciful to the Jewish people, he liberated and freed them and even gave them the permission to rebuild their ancestors destroyed Temple. Zerubbabel leads his people to the Holy City. The following year, the new Temple was once again placed where it was built for the God of gods. The Jewish people lived for two hundred years as Persian’s slaves.

One night, the sounds of war blasted and heard from Jerusalem, and stunned this entire town’s peace. Alejandro Magno (Alexander the Great), son of Filipo II, King of Macedonia, the noble and world’s destroyer, is near his fortress. His victorious flag spreads out and ready to attack and destroy Jerusalem, just like when he attacked and destroyed Athens. The name “Jerusalem” is noted in a wood board, a sign and a marked name for Macedonia’s aggressors; the wooden board is exposed to Tyre and Sidon, because this is where they write too.

Jaddus from Jerusalem, saw how the Macedonian’s attacked Gaza. He saw the fiery fires burning Gaza’s town and heard the Trumpet’s grim sound blasting from Macedonia. Fearful of this scene, he immediately ran to the Temple and asked help from Almighty God, and God responded to him like this:

—“Meet Alejandro, welcome him, shower him with flowers and Palm leaves where he passes. Open the Holy City gates for him, and do not be afraid of whatever.”

Jaddus obeyed God’s command. When Alejandro saw the Holy City gates opened for him, the lead aggressor (Alejandro) immediately hides his frightening sword in his clothes. When he saw the entire town were on their knees, he knelt too at the foot of this tall priest, Jaddus. Permenion (Macedonian General), saw Alejandro knelt at the foot of this priest; he belittled him and insulted him by asking like this: —“Is this the priest you visit here in the Aunnor’s Oasis?”

—“Listen!” replied Alejandro, —“when I was in Macedonia, I was planning and thinking of how I am going to overpower and subjugate the whole of Asia, but God appeared to me in a dream. His clothing is just like that of the old man; on his forehead is a sparkling crown, and he can be distinguished as a God. “Don’t be afraid,” he told me: “Go track the Hellespont narrow passage, follow them with all your might; I will lead your troops, I will make you God of the Persian’s Empire.”

One hundred sixty years had gone by after Alejandro’s reign, and all those countries he defeated at one time were all divided now. Antiochus from Elecindas clans tried to destroy Abraham’s town, but he did not succeed. And now the new life and vivacity of Abraham’s town had emerged with improved and expanded City and finally Israel had obtained honors.

The brave children of old Mattathias believed to be rumored to surmount and overcame David’s most valiant emissaries. From these five children of Matatthias, one is missing, “the Poet Homer,” who sang the honorable courage they did, more daring than the noble Achilles work. They paraded their victorious flag to the twelve tribes with these four letters: M.C.B.I. and the historian believed and presumed that this is where they get their name “Maccabbees.”

Here are the names of the five Heroes kept and protected from their history: John (Gaddi), Simon (Thassi), Judas (Maccabeus), Eleazar (Avaran), Jonathan (Apphus). To relate and tell the account of these five martyrs, their noble heroism for liberating, in freedom of the Hebrew people. And from them is their father Mattathias, one hundred forty years of age in need to write a book of this story of heroism with one thousand pages. But in the end, these five martyrs were killed, succumbed by their enemies sent by Demetrius, King of Macedonia after his recent defeat from another battle.

Judas Maccabeus, sent his envoys to Rome asking for help for this noble town Israel, that at the time were starting to become great, and achieving their well-renowned name in the eyes of the entire world. But at the return of his envoys, Judas died amid his courageous delegates. This Judas who destroyed and exterminate unto the last soldier of the thick and brave armies of Demetrius; for this, Demetrius is the one to order from nailing Nicanor’s head and hands in view of the entire Jerusalem. Nicanor, son of an old Palestinian, is courageous and honorable, a renowned hero died.

From then on, Romans gradual interfering and slow meddling to Israel is the predetermined course of events, their fate, and Jew’s paying taxes to Roman’s Capitol were put into effect.

Pompey, the Roman General, attacked the Holy City and conquered them. He appointed Hyrcanus, his servant as King of Israel’s Kingdom, but he forbade him to wear a crown. Jacob’s prophecies are now gradually being fulfilled; the coming Savior would not be long anymore, and Juda’s scepter is now passed around into foreign land’s hands.

An Edomite is now sitting at David’s and Solomon’s Throne after a few years more. But at the time of Herod, Jerusalem still has its’ own charm. The Nehemian’s fortresses were all surrounded by a sturdy stone wall. It’s thirteen towers and twelve tough gates are indestructible; their enemies will have a hard time to destroy and invade their territory.

At the front side from the East, tracking Joshaphat’s valley and the visible Mount Olive, are four gates; Fiemo (dung); the Valley; the Golden; and “of the waters.”…………….The first one is on the Spring side they call, “Dragon.”……….The second is going to Gethsemani town…………..The third is going to Ein Geddi and Dead Sea……….The fourth is going to Jordan and Jericho.

At the front side, front of the fortress are two gates: The one is going to Mount Ergo……….The second is going to Bethlehem and Hebron.

From the Mountain where they dumped corpses, in the southern side are the gates call “of the Fish,” “Judiciary,” and “Genath.” ………exiting from the first gate is a distance of fifty feet to Bethlehem, Hebron, Gaza, Egypt, Emmaus, Joppa or to the Sea………..the second gate is going to Silo and Gabaon, turning right, then left is the grave of “Pontiff Ananias,” and across is “Mount Calvary”……….the third gate is Herod’s Palace’s Reception Hall, but it is always closed. At the other side of that closed gorgeous door is the Edomite King’s unique garden, his thickening Pines, Palms, and Sycamore; the special custom-built Deep Well; and big Swimming Pools; the extravagant and flashy lagoons, where large numbers of Swans often visits, and hordes of different kinds of birds with beautiful colors that flies around the garden.

And the last one, the south side is the gate of three towers called: “de las Mujeres” (Women’s Gate), “Ephraim,” and the “Corner Gate.” ……….the first one is going to the vast land of farm trees, visited by young Bachelors on feasts days………..the second is going to Samaria and Galilee……….the third is going to Anathoth and Bette. Leaving the left side is the “Serpent’s Pool” of the “Snakes Pool,” and the right side is the “Mount Scandal.”

Like what was mentioned at first, the towers are thirteen in exact. Their names are the following: “Hornilus, Angular (Jaffa Gate), Hananeel, Torre Alta (Golden Gate), Mesh or Mea, Torre Grande, Silvo, David, Psfine, and the last four called: “Women’s Gate.”

Jerusalem is divided into four Cities. and each are separated by the thick walls of Murals, where accessibility is not an easy task for any aggressive attack for battle. But there’s always ways in any openings, and the thresholds from preventing the entering and the exiting of any kind.

The Superior City, or the City of David is surrounded by it’s fortresses in Mount Zion. David’s Tomb, and King’s Palaces in Juda, of Anna and Caiphas, are all inside this City.

The Inferior City is proud because of their Temples that occupies most of the City. It is approximately fourth part of the entire City were occupied…………”Pontius Pilate Palace; the Antonia Citadel; Xisto- which is like a bridge where the Roman Governors can make any announcement needed for the towns people; Mount Arca; the Maccabbees’ Palaces; the Theater “El Grande,” built by Herod for compliment to Caesar and at the top of this Theater is the “Golden Eagle.”

The Second City is for people with nobility, and this is where Herod’s Palace is situated, with his beautiful gardens.

The very last one is “Bezetha City,” where the merchants dwell; selling furs, wool, blacksmiths, vintage stores, and small businesses.

This is how Herod’s administration arranged Jerusalem in order.

Noble City, all eyes are on you. Your name fill the entire world, because at the top of your many Mountains, “the Savior was killed!”

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 !!!