1 Samuel 17:54 – “David took the severed head of the Philistine, Goliath, and brought it to Jerusalem.”
John 19:17 – “They took Yeshua, bearing his own cross, to The Place of a Skull, called Golgotha.”
In Part 1 we discovered that the Mount of Olives is the place of the crime, the place of arrest, the high ground, and the place where the busy crossroads met. We also discovered that according to Josephus, the Romans crucified all of the Jewish criminals on the Mount of Olives. Today we will look at some more recent information regarding the Mount of Olives as the Place of the Skull and Crucifixion.
The Empty Lot and The Israeli Flag
At the top of the Mount of Olives sits an empty lot which has an Israeli flag flying over it. The lot sits at the crossroads of the East/West and North/South roads – i.e. at the place where the busy crossroads meet. The empty lot also sits directly in line with the Eastern Gate and would therefore also line up directly with the Holy of Holies which existed at the time of Yeshua’s crucifixion. Yahweh has prevented this lot from being developed or taken from the Jews. It is believed that this lot is both the burial place of Goliath’s head/skull, and the place of Yeshua’s crucifixion.
The Israeli Government Excavation
Messianic Rabbi Zev Porat shows tour groups a significant, Israeli government-controlled excavation site on one portion of the empty lot. Perhaps, he says, “The diggers (excavators) are searching for Goliath’s head and/or artifacts from Golgotha.”
The Church of the Pater Noster and The Olive Garden
Across the street from the empty lot is a church called the Church of the Pater Noster. It was built by Constantine’s wife, Helena, but has never been completed and therefore has neither idols nor icons within. Yahweh will not allow it to become yet another Roman Catholic shrine or tourist destination. Inside is a small, un-maintained olive garden which at one time had an olive press within.
The Church of the Pater Noster and The Empty Tomb
Underneath the Church of the Pater Noster is an empty tomb which at one time had a circular or rolling stone in front of it. It is believed that the empty tomb is the tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea where Yeshua was buried (Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:43-47; Luke 23:50-53).
The Olive Trees and The Mount of Olives
For nearly 2,000 years, many of the ancient Olive Trees around the Mount of Olives have been dormant. No Longer! Those supposedly dormant trees are now starting to bud!! I believe that they are getting ready for their Lord and King, Yeshua, to arrive….
What do you say?
Conclusions
The Mount of Olives is the place of the crime, the place of arrest, the high ground, and the place where the busy crossroads met. According to Josephus, the Romans crucified all of the Jewish criminals on the Mount of Olives. Only from the Mount of Olives can one see the Veil being rent. Therefore, it is on the Mount of Olives that the cross was placed, not in some other location.
Slides with photos are available at my website on the Free Downloads Page.
Part 1: https://www.raptureready.com/2020/10/14/the-place-of-the-skull-and-crucifixion-by-jeff-van-hatten/
Website: https://raptureparty.net/
Email: jeff@raptureparty.net/