Crossword Answer
The biblical ridge east of Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives
Also known as: Olivet, Mount Olivet, or in Hebrew Har HaZeitim (הר הזיתים)
Table of Contents
Geographic Identification
Geographic Facts
Location: East of Jerusalem's Old City, across the Kidron Valley
Elevation: Approximately 2,710 feet (826 meters) above sea level
Height relative to Temple Mount: About 30 feet higher
Length: Roughly 2 miles (3 km) from north to south
Name origin: Named for the olive groves that covered its slopes
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem, separated from the city by the Kidron Valley. Its summit provides a panoramic view of Jerusalem, particularly the Temple Mount area. The ridge is covered with olive trees, giving it its biblical name.
In Scripture, the mount is referenced by several names: "Mount of Olives" (2 Samuel 15:30), "Olivet" (2 Samuel 15:30 KJV), and simply "the mount" in some New Testament passages. The Hebrew name Har HaZeitim literally means "Mount of the Olives."
"And David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and his head was covered and he went barefoot."
— 2 Samuel 15:30 (NKJV)
Old Testament Significance
The Mount of Olives appears at several critical moments in Old Testament history, establishing its importance as a place of both refuge and divine revelation.
David's Flight from Absalom
2 Samuel 15:30When King David fled Jerusalem during his son Absalom's rebellion, he went up the Mount of Olives weeping, with his head covered and feet barefoot. This poignant scene shows the mount as a place of anguish and prayer during national crisis.
Solomon's Idolatrous High Places
1 Kings 11:7Solomon built high places for foreign gods on the Mount of Olives, including shrines to Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech. This apostasy led to God's judgment on Solomon's kingdom. Centuries later, King Josiah destroyed these idolatrous sites (2 Kings 23:13).
Ezekiel's Vision of God's Glory
Ezekiel 11:23In Ezekiel's vision, the glory of the LORD departed from the temple and "stood over the mountain which is on the east side of the city" —the Mount of Olives. This marked God's judgment on Jerusalem before the Babylonian destruction.
Zechariah's Prophecy
Zechariah 14:4Zechariah prophesied that in the day of the LORD, "His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east." This messianic prophecy connects the mount to future redemption and divine intervention.
New Testament Events
The Mount of Olives features prominently in the ministry of Jesus Christ. More New Testament events occurred on this mount than any other location outside Jerusalem itself.
Key New Testament Events on the Mount of Olives
Jesus' Regular Retreat
Luke's Gospel reveals that the Mount of Olives was Jesus' habitual place of retreat during Passion Week: "During the day He was teaching in the temple, and at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet" (Luke 21:37). This pattern suggests the mount was a place of prayer and communion with the Father.
The Olivet Discourse
"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'"
— Matthew 24:3 (NKJV)
One of Jesus' most significant prophetic teachings occurred on the Mount of Olives. The "Olivet Discourse" (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21) contains Jesus' most detailed teaching about:
- The destruction of the temple: Jesus predicted the temple's destruction, fulfilled in AD 70
- Signs of the end times: Wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution
- The abomination of desolation: A future prophetic marker
- The Second Coming: Christ's return in glory and power
- The final judgment: Separation of sheep and goats
Significance of Location
It's profoundly meaningful that Jesus delivered His most comprehensive end-times teaching from the very mount where Zechariah prophesied the Messiah's feet would stand. The location itself reinforced His messianic identity.
The Ascension
The Mount of Olives witnessed one of the most momentous events in Christian history: the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.
"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."
— Acts 1:9 (NKJV)
The Event
After His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days appearing to His disciples and teaching about the kingdom of God. On the Mount of Olives, He gave His final instructions, promised the Holy Spirit, and then ascended to heaven as His disciples watched.
The Angelic Promise
As the disciples gazed upward, two angels appeared with a promise: "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). This connects the ascension location directly to Christ's return.
The Location
Acts 1:12 specifies that the ascension occurred on the Mount of Olives, "which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away" (about 2,000 cubits or roughly 5/8 mile). This places the event on the western slope of the mount, near Bethany.
Prophetic Significance
"And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley."
— Zechariah 14:4 (NKJV)
Zechariah's Prophecy Fulfilled
Zechariah 14 contains one of the Old Testament's most detailed messianic prophecies. The passage describes the LORD coming with all His saints, standing on the Mount of Olives, and the mountain splitting to create a valley of escape for Jerusalem's inhabitants.
Connection to Christ's Return
The angels' promise at the ascension directly connects to Zechariah's prophecy. Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives, and He will return to the same location. This creates a beautiful bookend to Christ's earthly ministry and second coming.
Eschatological Importance
For students of biblical prophecy, the Mount of Olives holds special significance as the location where:
- Christ's feet will touch at His Second Coming
- Geological transformation will occur (the mountain splitting)
- Living waters will flow from Jerusalem
- The LORD will be King over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9)
The Mount Today
The Mount of Olives remains one of the most significant sites for biblical pilgrims visiting Jerusalem. Several important features can be found on the mount today:
- Church of the Ascension: Marks the traditional site where Jesus ascended to heaven
- Garden of Gethsemane: Preserved at the foot of the mount, where Jesus prayed before His arrest
- Dominus Flevit Church: Commemorates where Jesus wept over Jerusalem
- Ancient Jewish Cemetery: The mount has been a burial site for over 3,000 years, based on Zechariah's prophecy
- Church of All Nations: Built over the rock where Jesus prayed in agony
Historical Continuity
The Mount of Olives provides remarkable continuity between biblical history and the present day. Walking its slopes connects modern believers with the footsteps of David, Jesus, and the apostles.
Conclusion
A Mountain of Divine Encounters
The Mount of Olives stands as one of Scripture's most significant geographical locations. From David's tears to Jesus' triumphal entry, from the Olivet Discourse to the ascension, this ridge east of Jerusalem has witnessed pivotal moments in salvation history.
For crossword enthusiasts, "Mount of Olives" or "Olivet" is the answer to "biblical ridge east of Jerusalem." For Bible students, it's far more—a place where heaven touched earth, where prophecy was spoken and will be fulfilled, and where Jesus' feet once stood and will stand again.
The Mount of Olives reminds us that biblical geography is never merely about places—it's about God's interaction with humanity in real locations throughout history. As Zechariah prophesied and the angels confirmed, this mount will witness the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ.