Tag: Resurrection

Christ’s Return: The Prophetic Power of the Mount of Olives

In Zechariah 14:4, we read of an incredible moment in prophetic history: “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” This image captures a future event that is both awe-inspiring and deeply significant for believers. It points to the Second Coming of Christ, when He will return to earth in power and glory.

The Mount of Olives is not just a location in the biblical narrative; it’s a place of immense prophetic importance. Located east of Jerusalem, it is where Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-12) and where He will return. What’s remarkable about this prophecy is how Jesus’ arrival splits the mountain, opening up a new path for the final victory of God’s plan. This visual demonstrates Christ’s unstoppable power to overcome every obstacle and establish His reign.

Directly across from the Mount of Olives is the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem. This gate, currently sealed, is believed by many to be the very gate through which the Messiah will enter Jerusalem upon His return. For centuries, it has remained closed, and directly in front of it lies a cemetery, deliberately placed there to prevent the Messiah’s entry. According to Jewish tradition, a priest cannot walk through a graveyard, as that would render him ritually unclean. Those who placed the gravesite there did so with the intent of stopping the Messiah from passing through.

Yet the prophecy of Zechariah makes clear that no human efforts will stand in the way of God’s plan. When Christ returns, the Mount of Olives will split, creating a valley and bypassing the cemetery entirely. The sealed gate and gravesite—symbols of humanity’s attempts to hinder the Messiah—will be rendered irrelevant by the power of God. Jesus’ return will demonstrate that nothing can obstruct His will.

This prophecy also serves as a reminder that God’s plan will come to pass, no matter how impossible it may seem from our perspective. The same God who will split a mountain and walk through a sealed gate is the God who is at work in our lives right now. His purposes cannot be thwarted.

Second, it calls us to live with an eternal perspective. The future return of Christ is not a distant myth but a reality we can look forward to with hope. We live in anticipation of the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. In the meantime, we can trust that the same power that will bring Jesus back to the Mount of Olives is at work in us today.

Finally, this prophecy challenges us to examine where we place our hope. Are we looking to the world for security, or are we trusting in the One who controls the future? As believers, we know the end of the story, and that should give us confidence to face whatever challenges come our way.

Effectively Resurrected

He was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He was brutally killed by savages. His blood spilled. His death mourned. He took love and hope and joy to the grave. Surely this was the worst of times. This is the new reality. He would no longer be the favoured son. He is now a memory. A scar. Death, after all, is a permanent thing. Or is it?

News came. He was not dead! He was still alive! Merely hearing the news from the first ones to see was enough to revive the spirit. But this was an exceptional event! Something like this had to be seen to be believed. Good news indeed!

Of course the picture I have painted here is easily evocative of Jesus, but the details also fit Jacob’s perspective on the life of his son, Joseph. Here, I think, is the very first foreshadowing of the resurrection, a son whose “death” allowed for the flourishing of God’s people. Death and brokenness bringing about new and renewed life is a common theme throughout the Bible.

And this is yet another of many reminders that God is in charge. He has a plan. He will not leave us nor forsake us, but our perspective has to remain eternal. Love and hope and joy are gifts that comes from Jesus, the one who beat Satan, death, demons, the grave, and hell to bring them to us. This is something that we should be thankful for every time we breathe.

Genesis 45:16-47:27 | 017/365