There is a piece of real estate that is most holy to the Lord. Of course, I am speaking of the Land of Israel. More correctly, this is the Lord’s land and He so states at least twice in the Bible (Ezekiel 36:5, 38:16). Not only is this land holy to the Lord, it is the center, the navel, of the world. In Ezekiel 38:12 the word “midst” (tabbuwr - Strong’s H2872) can be translated as the navel. This is the Lord’s view of His Holy Land.

Within this land set apart by the Lord is a place precious to the Lord. He calls it “the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:7-8). In this passage the Lord is speaking of Zion. It is the focal point of the navel of the world. It is the place, as we shall see, that the Lord chose to place His name.

This special place has several names. When the Lord instructed Abraham to sacrifice the child of promise, Isaac, he was told to go to the “mountains of Moriah.” Scripture does not say that Abraham went to Mount Moriah, but rather went to a mountain in the region. This makes sense because Salem, an early name for the City of David which is also Mount Moriah, was occupied at the time (Genesis 14:18). I think it would be difficult for Abraham to sacrifice a human being in the middle of town.

Logically, Abraham took Isaac to what is known today as the Mount of Olives, east of the City of David. Many years later in Solomon’s Temple, sacrifices made to the Lord were burned on the altar, located on the east side of the Temple. The Temple faced east and the altar was before the door of the Temple. (Leviticus 4:7, 16:18, Exodus 29:10) When Aaron and his sons were consecrated, they were presented before the “door” of the Tabernacle. (Exodus 29:4) All important actions took place in front of, or east of, the Temple. Later, I believe Jesus was sacrificed east of the Temple, near or on the Mount of Olives.

At the time when David fought Goliath, Zion was not called the City of David. It was then called Jebus and was occupied by Jebusites. When David defeated Goliath, he cut off his head and took it to “Jerusalem” or Jebus (I Samuel 17:54). I have often wondered if David buried the head at what became known as “the Place of a Skull” (John 19:17).

After David conquered Jebus, it became known as the City of David (II Samuel 5:6-7). King David reigned from the City of David. When David knew that he was approaching death, he named Solomon as his successor. Solomon was anointed king near the Gihon Spring, which is in the City of David (I Kings 1:32-35). David, and many of the kings of his dynasty, were buried in the City of David (I Kings 2:10).

The City of David, not the greater Jerusalem of today, is special to the Lord. He told the Children of Israel, while they were still in the wilderness, that He would choose a place and cause His name to dwell there (Deuteronomy 12:11). The Lord instructed the Children of Israel to make their Passover sacrifices at the place He would choose to place His name (Deuteronomy 16:6). The Psalmist tells us that the Lord chose Zion and desired it for His habitation (Psalm 132:13). And to clarify where Zion is, we are told that Zion is the City of David (II Samuel 5:7). So the Lord chose the City of David.

The Israelites made their Passover sacrifices at the Temple of God, the place He chose for His name to dwell. He chose Zion, or the City of David. So Solomon built the Lord’s Temple in the City of David, on the land his father David purchased. The Bible tells us that this place is also called Mount Moriah (II Chronicles 3:1).

This location had several names down through the history as given us by the Bible; Salem, Jebus, the City of David, Mount Moriah, Mount Zion. These are all the same place, the place the Lord chose.

This is why I believe the Temple of God built by Solomon, rebuilt by Zerubbabel and rebuilt again by Herod was located in the City of David, the place the Lord chose to place His name. For this reason, I believe the Millennial Temple will be built in the same place, because the Lord chose it. I look forward to seeing the Millennial Temple in my new, perfect body promised by the Lord. Always praise His name!