Jerusalem, pronounced in Hebrew as Ye-rush-a-lay-im, implies a place of divine peace and completion. Its ultimate destiny is to be the City of Peace. However, peace is an ending place, not a starting point, and it is the result of doing the right thing and securing a just completion. Sometimes the only avenue to real peace leads through the pain of conflict, because a peace without justice is no peace at all. Today's ceasefires in the region are merely temporary and not true peace. Historically, Jerusalem has been far from peaceful, marked by conflicts, sieges, and destruction throughout centuries. It has been attacked and destroyed repeatedly, despite its name incorporating the Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, meaning habitation of peace. War and devastation have been more characteristic of Jerusalem than the title of City of Peace. Even under the reigns of most kings of Judah and in later centuries down to today, Jerusalem has been a center of conflict rather than peace. When the Tabernacle temple was first placed in Jerusalem under Joshua, the city signified peace and completion in physical Israel. However, due to the sins of the Israelites over hundreds of years, conflicted Jerusalem was unable to retain its image as the City of Peace. Since losing this moniker and blessing because of sin, God's people look to the future when the New Jerusalem will be eternally peaceful and complete. At its best, earthly Jerusalem was only a weak type of the heavenly city to come, yet it still caused joy in the heart of the arriving Israelite pilgrim. The New Jerusalem, as a heavenly city, will far transcend the glory of its earthly counterpart. In the New Jerusalem, the people of God will enjoy unhindered worship and fellowship under the great Davidic King, Jesus Christ. It is described as a glorious new city, not a mere copy of the earthly city destroyed for sins. The New Jerusalem represents the full realization of the grand destiny of the people of God, a place where they will live in peace and dwell in joyous fellowship with God and His Son through eternity.