The End is the Beginning Series
The Crucifixion & Eden Connection
Nov. 22, 2009 FBC, Chester Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
I The area where Adam fell is possibly the area where Jesus fell sin.
A In the week leading to the cross, Jesus curses a fig tree. Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.14 He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening. Mark 11:11-14 (NASB)
1 Immediately after the Triumphal Entry, He goes to Bethany (probably stayed with Mary, Martha, & Lazarus).
a On the way from Bethany, He gets hungry, sees a fig tree with no fruit (wasn’t in season).
aa Some suggest the fig tree is Israel & represents Israel’s unbelief.
bb I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, and they became as detestable as that which they loved. Hosea 9:10 (NASB) Judges 9
b Remember, after Adam & Eve sinned they sewed fig leaves together to cover their own nakedness & shame. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Gen 3:7 (NASB)
c Jesus curses the fig tree, & a few days later, He dies on the cross.
aa It’s as if He’s demonstrating that man will no longer be able to hide/cover his sin with an artificial man-made covering.
2 The place where Jesus cursed the tree was less than two miles from Jerusalem (a 20-minute walk).
a The area is to this day known for its fig trees (Bethpage is Aramaic for “fig house”).
aa The area is located next to the Mount of Olives-just east of the Temple Mount/Mount Moriah.
b Near the Mount of Olives and a hill (Hill of the Skull).
B Jesus was crucified in a location called Calvary (And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Luke 23:33 (KJV)), Golgatha (They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew , Golgotha. John 19:17 (NASB)), a.k.a. the “place of a skull.”
1 Catholic/Greek Orthodox place it in the city walls of old Jerusalem.
a 1867, Charles Gordon, hill on the Mount of Olives that looked like a skull.
b Recently, Mount of Olives
c Which is it? More in a minute.
2 Jewish & Christian tradition teach that Adam was buried in this area.
a Jewish tradition stated that Noah took Adam’s skull on the ark with him, later gave it to Shem, who buried it in Salem.
b Early Christian fathers taught that Jesus’ blood ran down the cracks in the rocks & fell on Adam’s skull.
aa Origin (185-253 AD) stated in the 2nd century the Hill of the Skull got its name because Adam’s skull was found there.
bb Interestingly, Medieval/Renaissance artist paint the crucifixion with a skull at the base of the cross (Fra Angelico painting).
3 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Cor 15:45 (NASB)
a According to early church tradition, the first Adam was buried in Jerusalem at the same place where the “last Adam” was crucified, died, & was buried.
b I wouldn’t be surprised (patterns/types) if Adam was buried where Jesus was crucified-Jerusalem!
C After Jerusalem became the capital of ancient Israel & the temple was built, the priests would sacrifice a red heifer on the Mount of Olives (half way).
1 "This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, ’Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed.3 ’You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence.4 ’Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times.5 ’Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned.6 ’The priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet material and cast it into the midst of the burning heifer.7 ’The priest shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening. Num 19:2-7 (NASB) The red heifer is a picture of Calvary.
a All the other sacrifices were to be male, the red heifer was a female. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:2 (NASB)
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." Rev 21:9 (NASB)
aa Through Christ’s sacrifice, He bought Himself a bride!
bb Greek: ekklesia (feminine Greek word)-He’d birth and build His church!
b The sacrificial red heifer was taken outside the city gates, & Jesus was taken outside the city gates to be crucified. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Heb 13:12 (NASB)
c Cedar wood was tossed in as the heifer was burning; Jesus was crucified on a wooden cross. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew , Golgotha. John 19:17 (NASB)
d A branch of hyssop was thrown in the fire; Jesus was offered a vinegar-soaked hyssop on Calvary. A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. John 19:29 (NASB)
e Scarlet thread thrown in the fire; scarlet robe place on Christ’s shoulders. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. Matt 27:28 (NASB)
f The priest watched as the heifer was burning; the priest watched as Jesus died. So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, "Do not write, ’The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ’I am King of the Jews.’ John 19:21 (NASB)
2 The Jewish Mishana tells us the priest would slit the throat of the red heifer, catch the blood with his right hand, dab it with his left & sprinkle the blood toward the Temple Door 7x’s.
a Right hands-Jews, left hands-Gentiles grafted in through the blood of Jesus! New covenant!
b We’ve got access to the heavenly Temple, God’s presence!
aa Through the blood!
bb Pattern! Jesus fulfilled ALL the Law!
3 In the possible area where Adam & Eve fell into sin, Jesus defeated it & completely redeemed us.
II The Mount of Olives is ground zero when He comes back.
A The gospel writers give us great facts related to the crucifixion of Christ.
1 He was...
a Led outside the city walls. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew , Golgotha. John 19:17 (NASB)
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Heb 13:12 (NASB)
b Crucified on Golgatha When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Luke 23:33 (NASB)
c The site was located near a garden. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. John 19:41 (NASB)
d The site was near burial tombs (John 19:41)
e The tomb of Christ was owned by a rich man. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. Matt 27:57-60 (NASB)
f Cut out of rock on a hill (Matt. 27:59-60)
g The centurion could see the Temple veil. Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matt 27:54 (NASB)
h The centurion saw the rocks rent & the veil torn (Matt. 27:54)
2 The Bible tells three things happened when Jesus died:
a An earthquake shook the entire region (Matt. 27:54)
b The rocks split (including many of the tombs) And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Matt 27:51-53 (NASB)
c The Temple veil was ripped from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51-53)
aa Veil was 30 ft. across & 40 ft. high
bb Jewish sources say veil was made of 72 squares woven together.
cc A team of oxen couldn’t rip it.
3 When Jesus died, the veil was torn!
a The centurion...saw many things...Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matt 27:54 (NASB)
b Picture of Temple Mount from Mount of Olives
c He must have been near the top of the Mount of Olives.
aa Jesus said, “It is finished”, the earth shook & the veil was torn!
bb Isn’t God good, and His word is true!
4 Picture photo 1 & 13.
B Jesus is coming again!
1 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.11 They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet , which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. Acts 1:9-12 (NASB)
a In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. Zech 14:4 (NASB)
And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. Zech 14:8 (NASB)
b Jesus will come again & set His feet on the Mount of Olives.
aa Living water coming out of renovated Mount of Olives, water flowing into the Mediterranean Sea (former sea) & Dead Sea (hinder sea).
bb Earth will shake near Dead Sea, releasing fresh water near Dead Sea...the Dead Sea will LIVE and produce freshwater fish. "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezek 47:9 (NASB)
c Special trees will grow on the banks, leaves for healing, fruit for food.
2 The Lord will bring about a restitution of all things that Satan attempted to destroy during the 6,000 years of man’s earthly governments.
C In the beginning there was no sin, death; there was intimate fellowship between God & man, undefiled by sin.
1 In the end there will be no sin, death, etc.
2 Evidence points that God’s fellowship with man began in Eden’s garden (Jerusalem), & all prophetic events will conclude in Jerusalem.
D In Revelation, John sees past millennial reign & Great White Throne Judgment.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them ,4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said* , "Write, for these words are faithful and true."6 Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.7 "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.8 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone , which is the second death."9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.Rev 21:1-11 (NASB)
2 I know where my home is...heaven, but eventually, we’re all going to Jerusalem!
Conclusion
A The veil has been torn, & I’ve been to the tree of life!
1 By His wounds I’m healed!
2 Have you been to Calvary?
B Closing
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
