Psalm 52:8-9
King James Version
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God:
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
We've heard of the Mount of Olives, where JESUS taught.
We've heard of the "Olivet" discourse.
Where was she located?
What did she have?
"The Mount of Olives, one of three hills on a long ridge to the east of Jerusalem, is the location of many biblical events. Rising to more than 800 metres, it offers an unrivalled vista of the Old City and its environs.
The hill, also called Mount Olivet, takes its name from the fact that it was once covered with olive trees."
The Mount of Olives saw much during the Old Testament.
She was the site of so much pain, betrayal, festivity, vision, and triumph.
Her olive trees witnessed all these:
King David's betrayal by his son, Absalom.
2 Samuel 15:30-34
King James Version
30 And David went up
by the ascent of mount Olivet,
and wept as he went up,
and had his head covered,
and he went barefoot:
and all the people that was with him
covered every man his head,
and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And one told David, saying,
Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.
And David said, O Lord, I pray thee,
turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 And it came to pass,
that when David was come to the top of the mount,
where he worshipped God,
behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him
with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
33 Unto whom David said,
If thou passest on with me,
then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
34 But if thou return to the city,
and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king;
as I have been thy father's servant hitherto,
so will I now also be thy servant:
then mayest thou for me
defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
King Solomon betrays GOD.
1 Kings 11:7
King James Version
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh,
the abomination of Moab,
in the hill that is before Jerusalem,
and for Molech,
the abomination of the children of Ammon.
King Josiah destroys Solomon's altars to other gods.
2 Kings 23:13-14
King James Version
13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem,
which were on the right hand
of the mount of corruption,
which Solomon the king of Israel
had builded for Ashtoreth
the abomination of the Zidonians,
and for Chemosh
the abomination of the Moabites,
and for Milcom
the abomination of the children of Ammon,
did the king defile.
14 And he brake in pieces the images,
and cut down the groves,
and filled their places with the bones of men.
The children of Israel make "booths" for their seven-day feast.
Nehemiah 8:13-18
King James Version
13 And on the second day were gathered together
the chief of the fathers of all the people,
the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe,
even to understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law
which the Lord had commanded by Moses,
that the children of Israel should dwell in booths
in the feast of the seventh month:
15 And that they should publish and proclaim
in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying,
Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches,
and pine branches, and myrtle branches,
and palm branches, and branches of thick trees,
to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them,
and made themselves booths,
every one upon the roof of his house,
and in their courts,
and in the courts of the house of God,
and in the street of the water gate,
and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were
come again out of the captivity made booths,
and sat under the booths:
for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun
unto that day had not the children of Israel done so.
And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day,
from the first day unto the last day,
he read in the book of the law of God.
And they kept the feast seven days;
and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly,
according unto the manner.
The olive trees witnessed the GLORY of GOD.
Ezekiel 11:22-23
King James Version
22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings,
and the wheels beside them;
and the glory of the God of Israel
was over them above.
23 And the glory of the Lord
went up from the midst of the city,
and stood upon the mountain
which is on the east side of the city.
The olive trees witnessed the "day of the Lord" prophecy.
Zechariah 14:1-5
King James Version
14 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,
and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 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.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth,
and fight against those nations,
as when he fought in the day of battle.
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.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains;
for the valley of the mountains
shall reach unto Azal:
yea, ye shall flee,
like as ye fled from before the earthquake
in the days of Uzziah king of Judah:
and the Lord my God shall come,
and all the saints with thee.
In SUMMARY, this is the Mount of Olives in the Old Testament:
where David "worshipped God"
"the hill that is before Jerusalem"
"the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth"
"Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written."
"the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city"
"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"
The next post tells us more about the Mount of Olives.
This time, during JESUS' time.
Related material:
Jerusalem: Mount of Olives and Kidron Valley Photos 1 (174x)
Image: Clipart Library
