The Center of Worship and Political Intrigue for Centuries

This ancient city situated in the central mountain range of Judea, about 34  miles from the Mediterranean Sea has been the center of worship and political intrigue for centuries -- from today all the way back to early Christian times (Much of the opening books of Acts takes place here) and to  the time of King David of Israel.

This city is none other than the hilltop fortress of Zion captured and renamed Jerusalem by King David in 1070 B.C.E.

From this time on the city has grown to include such other areas as Mount Moriah, youi'll remember, is  where Abraham tried to sacrifice his only son Isaac some 1900 years earlier.

David's son, King Solomon, looking for a central point for, political -- the Jewish Sanhedrin was located here --  as well as social and  religious events made Mount Moriah a part of the city of Jerusalem with a temple he built on it.

Worshipers from many parts of the Mediterranean traveled here to sacrifice, worship and observe seasonal festivals such as the Festival of Booths and Passover in obedience to Jehovah's command at Deuteronomy  16:16: where he said:  "Three times in the year every male of yours  should appear before Jehovah your God in the place that he will choose."  This was Jerusalem from the time of King Solomon -- at least until the temple was destroyed by the Romans in  70 C.E.