THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

FIVE PLACES YOU’VE JUST GOT TO SEE

The Mount of Olives

MATT. CHAPTER 24-25

I feel like the guy who wrote “The Tale of Two Cities” when he said, “It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times”. 

My statements are: “I haven’t traveled as much as I would like; I’ve traveled much more than I want”. 

QUESTION:  Do you like to travel, go on vacation?  QUESTION:  Where is the best place you have traveled and why?

Well, no matter where you have been or really where you go you will undoubtedly somewhere along the line here a statement something like this: “Oh, while you are here you have just got to see_____” and they will mention some place, some site, some monument that they believe you just have to visit.

We are only 5 weeks away from Easter.  So for the next 5 Bible studies I want to take you on a journey to 5 high places that I believe you just have to see.  So pack your bags and let’s get ready to travel.

You can pack light because we will not stay long at each spot.  Some of the spots we will visit will not be really pleasant.  Bring your old cloths because at some of the places we visit you might get your cloths dirty.  There will be no need to pack a pillow or blanket because we won’t do much resting while we are on this trip. Don’t worry if you are old, tired or if you don’t have good shoes for walking because the 5 places where we are going are only a short walking distance from each other.  Actually we will be visiting some of them twice.  Bring your camera or at least a good memory because you will not want to forget the things you experience.

I believe that when we return from this trip you will be like most people when they return from vacation.  I believe you will want to show folks your pictures and tell them of the things you have seen and heard. 

As our map for this journey we will use the Book of Matthew. We will begin at chapter 24 and end with the last chapter, chapter 28.  Feel free to check out the travel plans ahead of time if you like, it will help you get a better feel for the places we visit. 

First let me give you a document that will show you the lay of the land.  It is a map of the city of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas.   The five places we will visit are:

1) The Mount of Olives   2) The upper room   3) Gethsemane 4) Golgotha   5) The high lands near Bethany

Also, I am giving out a document that will identify each site we are going to visit and many other sites around the area.  If you put this inside your Bible it will help you as you study. 

The Mount of Olives:

Tonight we will begin our travel to a small hill outside the city of Jerusalem.  It is located as you can see on your map just to the East of the city.  Actually it is less than ½ mile from the Susa Gate on the East wall of the city. 

This little place is also called Mt. Olivet.  It is actually a mountain ridge with three peaks running from north to south.  The highest peak called at-Tur, rises to 2,683 feet above sea level.  It is named for the vast olive groves that cover it slopes.  This mountainous area has been used by the people in that area as a cemetery for over 3,000 years.  Its ground presently holds around 150,000 graves that are know and most likely many more that are unknown and unmarked. 

The Mount of Olives is first mentioned in the Old Testament in II Samuel 15:30.  There it tells us about David ascending the Mt. of Olives, weeping as he went.  If you remember he was running from his son, Absalom. 

In the New Testament it is mentioned many times.  It is here that Jesus stood overlooking the Holy city as he cried “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft I would have gathered you as a hen doeth gather her chicks, but you would not”.  He visited here many times as he taught his disciples.  It was here He gave what we have come to know as the Olivet discourse.

Today this little mountain range is an active place. Listen to what’s going on there now. In 2010 the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives was regularly targeted by Arab vandals, who smear human feces on the grave markers of the Jews.  They daub the markers with tar and paint.  They write graffiti all over the walls.  Garbage and construction debris are scattered all over the cemetery.  Headstones were smashed with hammers.  Jewish mourners who went there to visit the graves of their loved ones were physically assaulted.  Their cars were stoned from the near by Arab school yard.  In just one day 23 headstones were smashed.    

***************

It’s nice to visit a place.  It’s great to know the specific details about a certain location.  But a big part of actually KNOWING a place is to know what happened in that place. Let me share an example with you.

To simply walk across the green fields of Chickamauga today is a pleasant stroll.  There in the North West region of Georgia there are rolling little hills, small lakes and ponds and miles of split rail fence.  But there are many other sites in that state and across the country just like it.  The landscape doesn’t make it special. It’s only when you understand what actually happened there that you really KNOW the land.

The day that Keva and I parked our car and stepped over the split rail fence and walked about across those fields and I realized that over 150 years before I had relatives who fought on that very ground.  There were young men who risked their lives to defend that little spot of ground.  When I knew the story, the place meant something to me.  I think that the Mt. of Olives will have a very similar meaning to you and I when we study actually what went on there. 

********

Jesus and his disciples had just come from the city of Jerusalem.  They had visited the beautiful temple there and the disciples had been in awe of the building and its majesty.  But on this day Jesus led these hand picked men out of the city past the crowds on the street and took a little ½ mile walk.  (Can you just imagine what it would have been like to just go on a walk with Jesus?  I think God must like to go on walks with folks.  Remember how the Old Testament tells us that God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve.)  Any way they took this little trip and went there to discuss things that were to come.

  

I can imagine them taking the leisurely stroll up the side of that mountain and finding a nice place that overlooked the city. Jesus found a rock to sit on and the 12 men who had come to love him so much each picked out his spot on the ground near Jesus.  They wanted to be close enough to hear what He had to say. He had told them that the temple would be destroyed that a lot would change in their world.  And they had one question, “When, when Lord will these things happen”?

In the 24^th and 25^th chapters of Matthew Jesus says a lot of things about His second coming.  This must have sounded really strange to the disciples, even confusing, because Jesus was still there with them.  How could He be talking about coming again when He was still among them?  We do not have the time, nor do I have the knowledge to talk about all the things and what they mean.  But a few things are clear and I want us to touch on them for a while tonight. 

 1) FALSE CHRIST: Jesus started out by telling them that in times to come there would be people who would call themselves “Christ”.  They will actually tell people that “they” are the Christ.  He told them that these people would deceive many others into thinking that they actually were the Christ.  He said that they would even be able to do signs and wonders to convince people that they were the Christ.

In the 20^th century alone there have been over 22 men who have claimed or who have been heralded by their followers to be The Christ.  Men like Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Son Myung Moon are just some that you and I have heard about. 

The appearance of these men and men like them only serve to fulfill the prophesy that Jesus made on that day on Olivet. 

2) WARS: He told them that there would be “wars and rumors of wars”.  I thought of this scripture just last week when I watched the news of events happening in the Middle East.  Egypt followed by other small countries were marching in the streets.  They demanded certain “rights”.  They rebelled against  their government. To the casual observer it looked exactly like “war”.   Battle lines were drawn.  Shots were fired, and people were killed. 

I’ll tell you something that will knock your socks off.  Go to your computer and just type in “wars involving the United States of America” and see how many you find.  War after war after war, wars I’ve never even heard of.  I thought I had studied history pretty well, Heck, I lived most of it.  And I never realized the U.S. was involved in so many wars.

He foretold of famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places.  It’s not hard to see those things that Jesus told His disciples about that day on the side of the Mt. of Olives come true today.  That’s called the fulfilling of prophecy. All you have to do is turn on the television or pick up the paper. Let me throw some facts at your. 

Famines: The word famine means “a wide spread scarcity of food”.  Let me list the famines that have occurred in our world just since the year 2000.

• 2000–2009 Zimbabwe , 2003 Sudan, 2003 Darfur, 2005 Malawi, 2005-2006 Niger, 2006 Africa, Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, 2008 Myanmar ,Burma, North Korea, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Bangladesh,  East Africa, Tajikistan,  2009 Kenya, 10 million Kenyans face starvation. 2010 Sahel

Earthquakes:  Now look at these facts regarding earthquakes: (understand that this only includes earthquakes ranging from 5.0 -9.9 on the Richter scale)

2000-1505, 2001-1361, 2002-1341,2003-1358.2004-1672,2005-1844,2006-1865,2007-2270,2008-1948,2009-2014,2010-2102

There are over 600 more earthquakes per year now than in 2000.  Just yesterday, (2/21/11) an earthquake hit New Zealand and caused extensive damage.  It’s amazing, frightening to sit in you living room and watch video of buildings falling and the earth spewing up sidewalks and roads.  Look at how the words of Jesus are being fulfilled on a daily basis.  How can one read the scriptures that we have read here and watch what we have watched on T.V. and deny that Jesus was exactly on target with everything He said? Even a blind man can see the pattern here.  This is happening just like Jesus said it would while He sat there on the side of that little mountain.  But Jesus said, this is just the “beginning of sorrows”, “the end is not yet”.

 3)  PERSECUTION:   The picture that Jesus was painting was not a pleasant one for His men to hear back then nor is it pleasant for us to realize now.  He said you will be afflicted, hated of all nations and killed for your association with Jesus. He said that the love you have or say you have for each other and for me will become cold.  

But in spite of all this trouble and conflict, the gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world.

I have mentioned just a small part of what Jesus said to His disciple that day.   If you have read Matthew chapter 24 you know there is much more; examples, stories, reminders that Jesus is coming again. 

When I read this and study this I am left with lots of questions and so were his disciples.  But I think they got it.  Because if you will turn over to II Peter 3, you will see the message old rough, tough, uneducated, hard-headed Peter gave to his people about the same topic.  Let’s go there and read what he said.

Read II Peter 3: 3-18.

Look at the question in verse 11, “what manner of person ought ye to be…”

New International Version Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

International Standard Version
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, think of the kind of holy and godly people you ought to be

And then Peter tells them (and us).  In verse 12 he tells us “don’t be afraid of the second coming”…but instead “hasting to it” or running toward it.  Verse 14 says, “be careful that you will be found in PEACE, WITHOUT SPOT and BLAMELESS”  and verse 18 says “grow in grace and knowledge”

So the message we have heard on the Mount of Olives is a message of prophesy, promise, and preparation. 

It’s not really a new lesson at all is it?  It’s the same message we have heard in our study of Gideon, in our study of James and now in our study of Matthew and Peter.  Don’t be afraid, be forgiven, live Holy lives and continually study God’s Word and grow as Christians. 

Well, we have other places to see.  Tell you what, let’s get down off of this little mountain and get back to the city of Jerusalem.  I’ve got another place that you’ve just got to see.

Next week, Matthew chapter 26.