BEN F. VICK, JR.
The Mount of Olives is situated east of Jerusalem, about 3000 feet, separated by the Kedron valley. It is 2,665 feet in elevation. The Garden of Gethsemane is located on the ascent to the mount. One has a panoramic view of the city from the Mount of Olives. In later Jewish history, the mount was called “the mountain of lights” because the first beacon light was sent out from there to announce the appearance of the New Moon. Several Biblical experiences occurred on the Mount of Olives.
When David was fleeing from Absalom, his son, who was trying to take the kingdom from him, we are told that David crossed the Kidron valley and "went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up" (2 Sam. 15:30). As David ascended the mount, he was told "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." David said, "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness" (2 Sam. 15:32). When David arrived at the top of the mountain, he worshipped God. We can understand why Ahithophel turned on his friend because he was the grandfather of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 23:34).
The prophet Zechariah refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Zech. 14:1-11). If it does not refer to that momentous event, the description fits. Approximately five hundred years before Christ, Zechariah wrote:
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, And thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; And the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; And half of the city shall go forth into captivity, And the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, As when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, Which is before Jerusalem on the east, And the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, And there shall be a very great valley; And half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, And half of it toward the south (Zech.14:1–4).
According to historical accounts by Josephus, Pliny, Horne, and Clarke of the destruction of Jerusalem, Zechariah's prophetic description was accurate. The "nation" here represents the Roman army led by Titus in besieging Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (The Complete Works of Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book V and VI). This event does not refer to the Lord's second coming.
Matthew records,
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matt. 24:1–3.)
Jesus from this mount answers the three questions which relate to two events. The first event, the destruction of Jerusalem, there would be signs. The first is answered in verses 4-35. The second event refers to the second coming of Christ and would not be at the same time as the first event. There were signs given for the first; there will be no signs of the Lord's second coming (verses 36-51). Matthew 25 continues with three parables emphasizing the final judgment and the need for preparation.
The Mount of Olives is the place where Jesus ascended into heaven. He had told his apostles on that mount, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Luke then records:
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey (Acts 1:9–12.)
Just a few brief thoughts on these events are in order. The Lord had said to David, “I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house.” This was one of the consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba and subsequently his putting Uriah to death. So, as David trudged up the mount, it was a dark day for him. It also seems that David had given more time to the kingdom than his own home. This often happens to leaders. They lose their families in trying to save the kingdom (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21).
Zechariah and Christ prophesied five hundred years and forty years, respectively, before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. These prophecies are proofs of the inspiration of the Bible. Josephus, an eyewitness to the destruction, gave a detailed description of the city's destruction. Since Christ was right about the coming of the destruction of Jerusalem, he is also right about his second coming. One event has happened; the other could happen anytime.
The ascension of Christ from the Mount of Olives was a sad, serious, and somber moment for the apostles. However, the two men (angels) who stood by them gave them hope. They said he would return as he went into heaven, visibly and in a cloud. John wrote of his second coming when he said, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen" (Rev.1:7).