SIGNIFICANCE OF MOUNT CALVARY
“... And when they had come to the place called Calvary ,there they crucified Him .......
Luke 23:33
Mount Calvary, the site where Jesus Christ was crucified has great significance. Geographically, Jerusalem is said to be the center of the earth. Besides this, Mount Calvary has greater history. Even to this day the Jews, the Palestinians, Christians and many others are claiming or wanting to conquer and posses the Holy Land. Do you wonder why? Why are so many people wanting it?.....Because Jerusalem is a city set apart, which holds at its heart certain treasures and secrets which all the attacks and wars haven’t obliterated.
There is a miracle in Mount Calvary which any weary soul who comes to the Cross can receive freely without any discrimination. You can receive forgiveness ,love, joy, strength, wisdom, and peace. You can take all these blessings because Jesus has paid the price for you to enjoy these blessings.
The Cross of Jesus Christ is the most significant thing that has ever happened in all of history. Usually, when anyone plans a significant event, they would seek the best place in town, the place with greatest ambience etc. The profound truth and amazing fact concerning the site where Jesus was crucified is that it is called “Golgotha” which is an Aramaic word meaning ‘skull’ . Luke 23:33 says , When they came to a place called Golgotha which means SKULL in Hebrew, they crucified Jesus. It was called so because it resembled the shape of a human skull. In this treatise, I’d like to explain the choice of the skull shaped mountain for Christ to crush satan’s head. But before that I’d like you to have a peep at what lies beneath Calvary’s mount. Study of various scripture portions reveal that beneath the Cross of Calvary is the very Altar of God – the blood stained altar through the pages of history ...
1) Genesis 22:2, & Gen 22:17
God told Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of MORIAH, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall tell you.”
Here, we see that Abraham took his son Isaac to the place called Moriah, built an altar and laid down Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice. At the moment when Abraham was about to lay down his knife on his son, he heard God’s voice telling him to stop. God told Abraham since he did not hold back his only son, and proved his love for God, the Lord would bless him and multiply his descendents as great as the sand on the seashore.
Don’t hesitate if the Lord wants you to let go of anything in your life. Don’t let anything come in between you and God. He deserves all our love and worship.
The Lord saw how deeply Abraham loved Him, and so spared Isaac’s life and told Abraham to sacrifice a ram instead. The blood shed on Mt. Moriah is the same place where four thousand years later Jesus the Son of God was slain for the salvation of mankind.
2) 1 Chronicles 21: 1-30
The Threshing floor of Ornan
This portion of scripture is another link to our study. In this chapter we learn about the mistake that David committed by trying to assess the strength of his army by counting the Israelites. God was upset with David’s behaviour because Israel had been defeating its enemies not by the strength or number of its army but by the grace of God alone, the Lord Jehovah was fighting their battles all the time.
As a result of this mistake , a plague befell the Israelites. However, the merciful Lord tells David what he should do to stop the plague. He would have to offer a burnt sacrifice in the place that God had appointed. In 1 Chronicles 21:18, we read that the threshing floor of a Jebusite named Ornan was God’s chosen place to build the altar and to offer a burnt sacrifice that would redeem them.
3) 2 Chronicles 3:1
We must note a very important point in 2 Chronicles 3:1 which is very vital for our study. It reads, “Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”
Now, when we connect Genesis 22:2, 1 Chronicles 21:18 and 2 Chronicles 3:1, we know how precious Jerusalem is in the sight of God Almighty! The sacrifice of Abraham, the threshing floor of Ornan point us to Gethsemene which means “ threshing floor “- a place where olives or grapes were crushed, is the very same place where Jesus’ life was crushed and squeezed out and poured as an offering for the redemption of mankind. So, here we see the unfurling of God’s great plan and purpose through out history. He has been preparing that place since thousands of years ago for the great event that mankind was awating – salvation of man ever since the Fall.
In the big canvas of life ours may be a very small part, others before us and after us fit into the frame to make the big picture complete. When Abraham built the altar he did not realize he was laying the foundation stone on which God Jehovah was planning something so magnificent. Neither did David realize that his tears and sacrifice would anoint that place for Solomon to build the Temple for the Most High God. David’s sacrifice pleased the Lord so much that He appointed that place to continue offering sacrifices in the Temple till Jesus – the Lamb of God was offered as the Supreme Sacrifice once and for all (Romans 6:10) I’m sure that neither did King Solomon have the slightest clue that some day God would use this very place for the Supreme sacrifice of His beloved Son Jesus Christ .
Jerusalem is a mountainous place. Mount Calvary is located just outside the city. How meticulously our Lord executes the Divine Plan . Jesus built His altar ( cross)on the foundations of the forefathers, He carried His cross and laid down his own body to be slaughtered – A living sacrifice – Holy and Acceptable unto to the Most High God!
Only that which comes from the bottom of your heart touches the heart of God.
The tears that you’ve shed , the prayers you’ve been praying in the lonely night hours, will never go in vain ..... God sees your tears, He understands your fears and your desires.
Your wholehearted sacrifice is longer than your life,
Broarder than your sin,
Deeper than the grave and,
Higher than the clouds.
Significance of Mount Calvary being shaped like a skull -
The distinguishing feature about mount Calvary is that its outward appearance resembled the shape of a human skull. As everyone knows very well, skull is a symbol of danger and death. Secondly, those associated with black magic and evil spirits use skull for evoking the dead spirits. The skull is therefore a sign of satan.
Genesis 3:15 says that the seed of woman( that is Jesus ) shall crush the head of the serpent (which is satan), though the serpent may only succeed in bruising the heel of Saviour.
Therefore we see that it’s quite appropriate that mount Calvary was shaped like a skull representing that the head of satan was being crushed and destroyed by Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ defeated satan and stood victorious over the head/skull of satan . HALLELUJAH!
Jerusalem is envied – everyone wants to possess it, because it is HOLY. It’s a city that God loves! It’s a place that God chose for Himself.
More importantly, it’s a place where Jesus is going to return. And, He’s going to build a New Jerusalem and establish His Throne. Amen! To God be the glory forever and ever!
