Finally to the top of the Mount of Olives

I finally walked to the top of the Mount of Olives for this great view of the Old City and Jerusalem.

Remember that Jesus looked out from this place and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft I would have gathered you, as a hen gathereth her chicks and ye would not." Jesus is said to have spent a good deal of time on the mount, teaching and prophesying to his disciples (Matthew 24-25), including the Olivet discourse, topics that included:
The future destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem
Tribulation in Israel and the nations of the world
Various signs of the coming of the Son of Man returning after each day to rest (Luke 21:37), and also coming there on the night of his betrayal (Matthew 26:39).






According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will come through the Golden Gate (or Gate of Mercy) which if you look close enough in this picture, you can see that it is sealed up. They believe He will bring about the resurrection of the dead in the cemetery on the Mount, also.






Jews have always sought to be buried here, and from biblical times until today, the mountain has been used as a Jewish cemetery. The cemetery sits atop a hill that was once dotted with olive trees. Given the sanctity of the place, the cemetery's terrible condition comes as a shock. Grave stones are broken and scattered. Most of the damage dates to the Jordanian occupation (1948-1967).















And a little tase of what it might have looked like in those times. This guy wanted to give me a donkey ride, but I just wasn't that interested.

















And this was a veiw from the cemetary.