The daily route Jesus took in and out of the city passed over the Mount of Olives. From ancient times the revered rise overlooking Jerusalem from the east was seen with importance. It was here that Ezekiel 11:23 says, “the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is upon the east side of the city”, and Zechariah 14:3 prophesied “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”. It was while crossing these slopes, the day after He cleared the Temple of merchants and money-changers, that Jesus cursed the fig tree, Matthew 21:18 and Mark 11:13.
The southern slopes of this hill are dominated by the Jerusalem’s enormous continuously used cemetery in the world. Here new graves can be found near those dug over 4,000 years ago. Westward the summit affords great views of the Judean Desert right across to the Mountains of Gilead and Moab.
*And in the daytime he was teaching in the Temple; and at night he went out, and above in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. Luke 21:37
This page is part of the book The Holy Land of Jesus
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