Now, there are several clues in Scripture showing us that the purported city of Jerusalem cannot be the city some people claim it to be. Lets look at some verses, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, that both pose problems for the historical placement of modern day Jerusalem.
Now, Genesis 26, 2 (among other places, such as Isaiah 30,2 ; 31;1), specifically talks about Egypt being a place you went down to:
`Going down to Egypt...` (as the phrase so often goes)
This would have to mean that Jerusalem was a city somewheres ABOVE Egypt. Fortunately Egypt is one of the few places that has stood the test of time, as the Pyramids are not exactly as easy to destroy or move, as say a city would be. This means we can safely assume that Egypt, stretching way down into todays Sudan, is the actual place where it was in ancient times. HOWEVER, and this is key, in ancient times people had a completely different understanding and way of navigating in the known world. Most of the ancient civilisations (Babylonian, Egyptian, Persians, etc...) believed, long before catholics or scientist started to get bored with the its rudimentary concepts - that the earth was flat and very wide, and rather was - upside down - in a manner of speaking.
Regardless if you agree or not with Egyptians or Babylonians, or Hebrews for that matter, the city cannot be where it is supposedly located today. Let me explain why this is so. Having this image in the back of your mind, where Africa and the southernmost tip of Africa would be `on top of the world` (Galatians 4,26), and perhaps even Mother of us all (So Paul writes). Having this ancient outlook on the ancient world, as it was described and understood when the words of Scripture was actually written, is kinda important to be able to understand why it was written the way it was and is essential to be able to understand where things can be found today. Remember there has been many wars and attempts (successful and unsuccessful) in rewriting history. These are to numerous to convey in a few articles, however the Bible does share and reveal essentially all you need to know in regards to these wars and rebellions, history only repeats itself. Let me just say that I would observe from a distance most modern understandings and take with a pinch of salt all mathematically based philosophies. Its so easy to be enticed by their complexity, in turn to be mislead..
Now believing in round earth spinning at thousands of miles per hour around its own axis while we shoot through endless space, really is science fiction, rest assured the world is so much stranger than these ancient concepts, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
My way of relating to this very contemporary topic (youtube is flushed with videos on the flat earth theory) is very simple. Ask yourself the question does the the earth being flat or round affect you very day life and being (does it affect you drawing breath) on this earth? Or do you base you every thought on the knowledge of moving through space on a cannonball? I sure don`t. I don`t even care to think about it that much. I doesn't really matter. And I have long since settled in with the comforting idea that perhaps we are not moving at such insane speeds as claimed by scientists. Perhaps we are standing completely still on a very vast and mysterious plain...oh yeah, did I mention it has levels? :)
Moving on then, and trying to stick to the topic - modern day Jerusalem. Seeing that Egypt was a place that one went down to, according to the Bible, also works with the now affirmed and approved by science, general understanding of a marble shaped earth. Now, most likely you believe what you have been taught in school, as did I, about the earth being a ball and all that, or you can choose to belive it floats around in space on the back on a giant turtle (yes this is actually a working philosophical theory). Whatever you chose to believe, is doesn't not matter - we can still be friends you know - because it is not important.
However, and regardless of what the earth may or may not look like - the misplacement of an important ancient cities creates serious problems and will mislead people.
Lets look at the verse that actually removes modern Jerusalem as a potential candidate.
The Book of Acts 18,22, talks about Paul journeying from Africa and (possibly) down to the Greeks, from Jerusalem, where it specifically says: `When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch`.
Where was Caesarea? I am not quite sure, although I suspect somewheres along the African East coast..
The thing to notice again is off course the word DOWN to Anticoh. Where was ancient Antioch? Well, according to historians it was above modern day Jerusalem....
If this isn't a catch TWENTYTWO, I dont know what is. You have to consider how the ancient regarded time and considered the earth before you try to navigate on it, way back then. If you place the city where it is suppose to be today you go Down to Anticoh (correct) and then Up to Egypt (wrong). Either way - you can't have them both. And trying to have them both does not make any sense, because the city is placed right smack in the middle of both Egypt and Antioch. . .
Come on people, you gotta admit there is enough smoke here..
Where was Jerusalem then? Well, I think I might have revealed this a couple of places on this blog. Its easy really, just look further south, travel down and meet the first peoples, the Bantus of Africa !
Uxolo lube nani