"And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zech 12:3).
2000 BC
Abraham attempts to offer his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. The angel of the Lord stops him and instead a ram is offered.
(Gen 22:1-19)1000 BC
David makes Jerusalem his kingdom's capital and the Ark is moved to a site near the Temple Mount.
(2 Sam 5:6-12) (2 Sam 6:1-17)1000 BC
God tells David to build him a Temple. However, because David was a man of war, his son is determined as one who will actually builds it.
(2 Sam 7:1-13)990 BC
David purchases the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. This location was to become the site for Temple.
(2 Sam 24:18-25)950 BC
Solomon begins the construction of the first Temple of God.
(1 Kings 1:5-8)920 BC
The Kingdom is divided between north (Israel) and south (Judah) with Jerusalem as capital of the Southern kingdom.835 BC
Joash, king of king of Judah, works to repairs the Temple.
(2 kings 12:4-14825 BC
Jeoash, king of Israel attacks Jerusalem, breaks down the walls, and plunders the Temple treasury
(2 Kings 14:13-14)710 BC
Because the Assyrian ruler Senacherib demanded tribute, King Hezekiah gave him all of the gold and silver in the Temple treasury, even stripped the gold from the Temple's door. His actions would prove to be unnecessary when an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 advancing Assyrian soldiers in one night.
(2 Kings 18:15-16) (2 Kings 19:35)605 BC
The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzer marches into Jerusalem, he removes all the treasures in the Temple, and carries them off to Babylon.
(2 Kings 24:11-13)585 BC
Jerusalem is invaded again by king Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon, who captures and destroys the First Temple. The Ark of the Covenant disappears at this time. It is believed either the Ark was taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzer or it was buried somewhere.
2 Kings 25:8-10)540 BC
King Belshazzar of Babylon uses the Temple vessels as drinking glasses for a pagan feast. The party is interrupted by a personal message from God.
(Dan 5:1-4)535 BC
After being stirred up by the Lord, King Cyrus of Persia, makes the proclamation that called for the Jews to return home to Jerusalem, so they could rebuild the Temple of God.
(Ezra 1:1-4) (Ezra 6:3-15)515 BC
The proclamation that King Cyrus made for the rebuilding of the Temple was not immediately acted upon. In fact, the decree remained filed away and forgotten until Zerubbabel rose to the challenge of rebuilding the Temple. After some wrangling with government red tape, Zerubbabel received the blessings of king Darius to continue his work.
(Ezra 5:2-3) (Ezra 6:1-12)330 BC
Alexander the Great captures Jerusalem, but does not harm the Temple.170 BC
Antiochus Epiphanes, King of Syria, plunders the temple and offers a pig on the Temple altar. Daniel predicted Antiochus Epiphanes would be a type of Antichrist. Where Epiphanes defiled the temple by offering a pig on the altar, the real Antichrist will defile the Tribulation Temple by offering himself to be worshipped. (Dan 11:31) (2 Thes 2:3)165 BC
The Maccabees successful revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes allowed for rededication of the Temple and for the brief freedom of the Jewish people.
(The book of Maccabees)63 BC
The Roman Empire conquers Jerusalem starting a period of domination of the Holy land by foreign force that would last until 1948 AD.20 BC
Herod the Great starts a remodeling job on the Temple site that will continue until the Romans destroy the Temple in 70 AD. (John 2:20)4 BC
Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem - four years ahead of His time. [0 or 1 AD] (Micah 5:2) (Mat 2:1)30 AD
Jesus is hailed as the Son of David as He rides into the city of Jerusalem. He Predicts the destruction of the second Temple. Jesus is crucified, stopping Daniel's prophetic clock at the 69 weeks mark. Jesus also gloriously rose from the grave on the third day.
(Mark 13:2) (Dan 9:24-26)70 AD
Roman general Titus destroys the Second Temple. Because of rumors that gold may have been hidden in the stonework of the Temple, the Roman soldiers completely tore apart the Temple, fulfilling Jesus prophecy that not one stone would be left upon another. (Josephus) (Mat 24:2)132-135 AD
Second Jewish Revolt against Roman was led by Bar Kochba. The revolt failed and much of Jerusalem was razed. Jews were excluded from Jerusalem.326 AD
Queen Helena, mother of Byzantine Emperor Constantine, visits Jerusalem and begins building major churches-- including the Holy Sepulchre.638 AD
Caliph Omar Ben Hatav captures Jerusalem placing it under Arab Muslim rule. The Temple mount is at this time buried under tons of debris.688-91 AD
Dome of the Rock (Mosque of Omar) is built by Abd al-Malik over the site where Muslims believe Mohammed was raptured up into heaven.715 AD
Al Aqsa Mosque is built over Jewish and Christian remains most likely because the Arabs wanted to cover-up any evidence of existing rights of the land.1099 AD
The Crusaders capture Jerusalem and the holy sites. The Dome of the Rock is turned into a Church. The Al Aqsa Mosque is turned into the headquarters for the Knights Templar.1187 AD
Lead by Saladin the Muslims recapture Jerusalem from the Crusaders.1229 AD
Emperor Fredrick II of the Holy Roman Empire led the sixth crusade and was able to win back Jerusalem purely by show of force.1244 AD
The Muslims seize Jerusalem from the crusaders for the last time, every Crusade that was to follow failed at the task of capturing Jerusalem.1517 AD
Turkish Sultan Selim conquers Jerusalem for the Ottoman Empire.1538 AD
Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilds city ramparts and wall around Jerusalem.1541 AD
Muslims seal up the Golden Gate to prevent the Messiah's entrance - as according to Jewish tradition.1831 AD
Jerusalem is conquered by Mehemet Ali of Egypt.1840 AD
Jerusalem yet again comes under Turkish control.1860 AD
The first neighborhood outside Jerusalem's walls is built by philanthropist Moses Montefiore.1918-1948 AD
With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following WW I, the British gain control of Palestine.1947 AD
The UN voted to end British control of Palestine and to divide the country into a Jewish and Arab state.1948 AD
14 May - The British Mandate ends 14 May - The State of Israel is proclaimed 15 May - Israel is invaded by five Arab states.1948-1949 AD
From May 1948 of to July 1949 the War of Independence is fought. Israel wins an armistice after defeating troops from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.1949 AD
Jerusalem is proclaimed the official capital of Israel.1951 AD
King Abdullah was assassinated on July 20, 1951 in Jerusalem by a Palestinian opposed to Jordanian tolerance of Israel.1956 AD
Israel and Egypt go to war over the Sinai region.1967 AD
On June 5 the six-day war begins: Israel destroys the Arab air forces; captures land three times the area of itself; and most importantly, the Jewish people win the right to free control the city of Jerusalem for the first time in over 2000 years.1973 AD
On Oct 6, during Yom Kippur, Israel's Arab neighbors launch a surprise attack. This war exacted a heavy toll on the Jewish state. Although no major territory was lost or gained, most Arabs regarded the war as a psychological victory.1977 AD
Egyptian President Sadat visits Jerusalem.1979 AD
Israel-Egypt sign a peace treaty1981 AD
Iraq's nuclear reactor is destroyed by the Israeli Air Force.1982 AD
To end the PLO's attacks from Lebanon, Israel launches an invasion of that of country.1987 AD
The Arab Intifada begins in the West Bank and Gaza strip.1991 AD
Iraq attacks Israel with 39 scud missiles during the Gulf war.1993 AD
On Sept 13, after secret negotiations, Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin signs a peace accord with longtime enemy Yasir Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.1994 AD
4 May - Israel and the PLO sign an agreement for the implementation of self-government for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the Jericho area.
15 June - Full diplomatic relations are established with the Holy City.
28 July - King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Rabin declare an end to the state of war between the two countries.
26 Oct - Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan sign a peace agreement ending 46 years of war and strained relations.1995 AD
On Nov. 4, Yizhak Rabin is assassinated after attending a peace rally.1996 AD
On May 29, Benjamin Netanyahu wins a surprise victory over Prime Minister Shimon Peres.1997 AD
On March, Israel angered Palestinians by constructing a controversial housing project for Jews in mostly Arab East Jerusalem. The start of construction was marked by scattered violence in the West Bank and Gaza.
In September, a failed attempt by Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, to assassinate Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal in Jordan's capital strained Israeli-Jordanian relations1998 AD
On Oct 23, an interim agreement was signed by Arafat and Netanyahu, known as the Wye River Memorandum, after intensive negotiation involving the leaders of United States, Israel, Palestinians and Jordan. The accord would transfer 13 percent more of the West Bank land to the Palestinians in return for assurances to crack down on Islamic militants who target the Jewish State.1999 AD
On May 16 Ehud Barak defeats sitting prime minister Netanyahu and vows to continue Israel's withdrawal of troops from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.2000 AD
On May 24 Israeli troops conclude their withdrawal from the security occupied zone of southern Lebanon, 18 years after Israel invaded its northern neighbor. Hezbollah guerrillas quickly overrun the Israeli-allied militia.Sept. 28, 2000, after Likud party leader Ariel Sharon's visit to Temple Mount area, Arabs went on a rampage. The unrest that resulted from that initial riot continue to this date.
2001 AD
March 6, 2001, Ariel Sharon is sworn in as Israeli prime minister, saying Israel's "hand is extended in peace." The 73-year-old former general and war hero has said there can be no negotiations while the violence of the Palestinian uprising continued.June 1, 2001 a Palestinian suicide bomber targets a popular seafront nightclub in Tel Aviv, killing himself and 19 Isrealis - mostly teens under 18 - and wounding almost 100 others. The attack became the main catalyst for Israel's policy of targeting known terrorist leaders.
2002 AD
March 10, A Palestinian bomber killed 11 people by blowing himself up in a crowded Jerusalem cafe near Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's residence, and Israel responded by destroying Yasser Arafat's Gaza headquarters.March 14, Israel is conducted its largest-scale military operation since the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, with some 20,000 soldiers deployed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip after a string of deadly Palestinian attacks.
March 27, A suicide bomber attacks a celebration of the Jewish Passover holiday in Netanya, killing 29 Israelis and tourists.