|
'Mount of Olives' a sabbath day's journey from
Jerusalem (Acts 1:12) lies close to the city on the east (Ezekiel 11:23) separated by the
Kidron Valley. It's summit is about 300 feet higher than Jerusalem. (2,930 ft. above the Mediterranean). From here, you can view the
Judean Hills to the Dead Sea and the blue lines of the Mountains of Moab beyond.
|
|
|
|
Mt. of Olives covered with a lot of trees
|
|
 |
|
If these escaped destruction, they are the very contemporaries of
Christ as they are Roman olive trees. If not, they are without a doubt the shoots of those under which Yeshua prayed that night of his agony. "The olive trees does not die" (Pliny). They still bear fruit. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Oldest tree in the garden of gethsemane
carbon dated to 1400 years
|
|
The Garden of Gethsemane ('Oil Press') lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives. On the opposite hill, city followed city, but this garden is still kept as it was in the time of
Jesus, maybe with the same olive trees. St. John spoke of it as a garden over the Kidron brook
(John 18:1).
'In the garden of Gethsemane, there are eight olive trees whose age is lost in antiquity. Some botanists claim that they may be 3,000 years old.
Josephus relates that Titus cut down all the trees in the besiege of
Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
|
|
|
|
|
The Mount of Olives is also mentioned in a reference by the prophet Zechariah to the future Day of the Lord: "In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces
Jerusalem on the east.
The Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south".
Zech 14:4
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.
|
|
|
