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12 The Mount of Olives in YEHOVAH God’s Plan

his abode (as God did in the time of Moses, in the time of Ezekiel, and in the year of A.D.66)
just to the east of the camp of Israel, but in full view of Israelites still within the camp. This
means that the only area surrounding the camp of Israel to which God would retreat as hav-
ing any semblance of holiness (in his periods of anger with them) was just to the east of the
camp of Israel. And in the time of Ezekiel and that of the apostles, that meant near the sum-
mit of the Mount of Olives, and in full view of the camp of Israel to the west. God moved out
of the camp on three different occasions: in the time of Moses, in the time of Ezekiel, and in
the year A.D.66 (An A.S.K. Research Update #2, p. 3).

YEHOVAH God abandoned Israel three times and set up His tent (His House) just “outside
the camp” east of Israel’s encampment. In these historical illustrations, YEHOVAH is surely point-
ing out the importance of this very strategic eastern region just “outside the camp.”

Significantly, this is the exact location where Yeshua the Messiah was crucified for all Is-
rael and the world. This, therefore, is one of the main reasons why Eusebius mentioned, in his book
Proof of the Gospel, that early Christians considered this region, at the summit of the Mount of Ol-
ives, as the new Temple (or House of YEHOVAH God) once the Temple on Mount Moriah was de-
stroyed as predicted by the Messiah and the prophets. The Jewish authorities have tried, on three
different occasions, to rebuild the Temple on Mount Moriah -- in the times of the emperors Hadrian,
Constantine and Julian. And, on all three occasions, they have been thwarted from doing so. As
long as YEHOVAH God is angry with Israel for their evil ways, the only place He will position
Himself in the Jerusalem area is just to the EAST of the camp of Israel (but still “outside the camp”)
as He did in the time of Moses, Ezekiel and in 66 A.D. And -- even more important than that -- it is a
fact that Isaiah and Ezekiel show that Zion will be moved from Mount Moriah to the highest moun-
tain in the Jerusalem area (Mount of Olives) when Yeshua the Messiah builds a new House of
YEHOVAH God, upon his return, to house YEHOVAH God’s returning Shekinah Glory! It is time
that Jews, as well as Christians, begin to realize these important Biblical and historical points. The
simple truth is that the only place that YEHOVAH God now holds as having any semblance of holi-
ness in the Jerusalem area (or anywhere else in the world, for that matter) is THE WESTERN
SUMMIT OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES -- WHERE YESHUA THE MESSIAH WAS
CRUCIFIED FOR THE SINS OF ISRAEL AND FOR ALL HUMAN-KIND!

In the Presence of YEHOVAH God

The place where the Jews executed criminals (blasphemers -- which Yeshua was judged to
be by the Sanhedrin) was also “outside the camp.” Notice –

Take OUTSIDE THE CAMP him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands
on his head, and let all the congregation stone him (Leviticus 24:14).

Then YEHOVAH said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation
shall stone him with stones OUTSIDE THE CAMP” (Numbers 15:35).

Now since, in Jewish Law, a person accused of the sin of blasphemy had to be tried, con-
victed, and killed in the presence of YEHOVAH God, the only appropriate execution place was the
summit of the Mount of Olives. Since YEHOVAH’s presence (Shekinah Glory) resided in the Holy

The Berean Voice March-April 2003