Chapter Eighteen: Only One Mountain, But How Many Messiahs?

One of the most awesome moments of my journey took place on top of the Mount of Olives, where I stood, looking down at Jerusalem. This happened early on the tour and almost every day afterwards, I was also gazing up from Jerusalem toward the Mount of Olives. So strange, to see a landmark I had read about and taught about for years, blending into the background as a natural, everyday sight to the residents of an ancient city, a city that stands like a time warp in the 21^st century.

At the summit of this small mount, the resurrected Jesus spoke with his disciples for the last time after appearing to them and some 500 others for 40 days. From this memorable spot (already important to ancient Jewish prophecy) Jesus “blasted off” back into heaven:

Acts 1:6-12

So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

“He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives…”

Of course the apostles did not obey Jesus. (What else is new?) They were content to hang around Jerusalem, limiting their teaching/preaching to the holy city alone. Early followers of the apostles did the same. This all changed when persecution broke out against the church and many Christians were forced to flee their homes. Where did they end up? The very places Jesus had commanded them to go anyway!

Acts 8:1-2

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”

Whether ideally (our obedience) or creatively, with God standing back and moving the chess pieces according to His sovereign will, providence sooner or later forces God’s people to carry out His mission one way or the other.

But this is only the beginning of my discussion of the Mount of Olives. After all, it is not only the place where Christians expect the second coming of the Messiah; it is the place where Jews expect the first coming of the Messiah. The expectation has been heightened in Israel today and I have some mind blowing experiences to share in the diary entries ahead.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE

New International Version NIV

Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.