The Mount of Olives

The Mount of Olives is the best place to stand in Israel to get a bird’s-eye view of Bible prophecy. Perched “on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city” (Ezek. 11:23), all of Jerusalem is visible—from the City of David to the Old City to the Temple Mount, which is separated from the Mount of Olives by the Kidron Valley.

Here Jesus taught His disciples about Jerusalem’s prophetic fate and His glorious Second Coming (Mt. 24—25), described by the prophet Zechariah: “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley” (Zech. 14:4).

After riding down the Mount of Olives en route to Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 (Mt. 21:1–11), Jesus later walked from the upper room in Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount’s eastern slope. There He cried out to His Father in agony, “Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Lk. 22:42).

More than a month after His crucifixion, the disciples stood on the Mount with the resurrected, glorified Messiah and asked, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). The question was timely, relevant, and suitable to where their feet were planted. The resurrected Lord had just spent 40 days with them, teaching them about the Kingdom. So, their thoughts probably ventured to Zechariah’s vision of the Messiah’s feet touching down on the Mount in the last days.

That day, they had front-row seats to the prophetic drama of God’s plan for the ages. But Jesus had work for them to do, though He never denied that Kingdom restoration will one day occur as the prophets foretold. Jesus gave His disciples the consequential task of being witnesses for Him throughout the world—the same task He has given us (v. 8).

Moments later, right before their eyes, the risen Lord ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 8:1). An angel then appeared and told the bewildered men, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11)—a promise of Messiah’s return to the Mount of Olives, when He will usher in an era of true shalom (peace).

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