Promise of Messiah: The Ascent Up the Mount of Olives
by Elizabeth Kirkley Best Judah's Glory Bible Studies
II Samuel 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
Luke 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them,Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down*, and prayed,
42 Saying,Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Matthew 27: 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
King David, King of the Jews in the Old Testament reigned around 1000b.c., and save for Jesus Christ alone, is the only other person in scripture referred to as the King of Kings, or King of the Jews. In David's life, there are many allusions and foreshadows of the Messiah, the King of Israel yet to come: David was a shepherd, David lived by faith, David defeated the enemies which vexed Israel, and David established God's Word and House, at least the foundation of it, in Jerusalem so much so, that it came to be known as the Holy City, the City of David, and the Mount Zion.
David, though, unlike the Messiah to come, had faults: even David, though obedient in delivering Israel from the Philistines, Amalekites, and others warring tribes, was ultimately not at attain his life goal of building the Temple in Jerusalem, because the Lord via Nathan, showed David that he had too much blood on his hands from the wars of Israel.
7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.
David had a myriad of other life troubles: his daughter was raped by her half brother; Absalom his son rebelled and tried to take the Kingdom out of his hand, and was killed; David had an affair with Bathsheba, which resulted in the killing of her innocent husband at David's command; and the son from that liaison died. David was a man of war, noted in the Word that "Saul had killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands", but as noted in I Chronicles 22:8, his grandest desire before the Lord, after a life fraught with the pride of a King, the willfulness of a boy, and heartache of his family crumbling, it was the blood on his hands that prevented him from building God a 'house to dwell in', with God making it clear in the end, who builds a house. Even God, even for David, acknowledged that David "hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight."
David as a Type and Foreshadow of Messiah
In light of the 'sins of David', though we hear far more in preaching about his accomplishments and victories, one would wonder, how David's life could foreshadow the coming Messiah, and yet it did, more than most precipitating lives and prophecies. We can easily point to such themes as David as King of the Jews, as king of Israel, or David the Shepherd, or Deliverer of Israel. We see him greatly establishing the City of the Great King, and Mount Zion, we see his anointing and appointment of God by the prophet Samuel, and his countless acts of faith. His heart for God is seen in the Psalms, and it was in utter joy, without reservation, that he danced before God, as the Ark of the Covenant returned to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:14). Despite his human failings, and a Kingdom filled with violence, corruption, and treachery, it is the anointing of David as God's choice of King, that causes his life to shine in the glory of God, declaring Messiah.
Nearing Easter, though, we see several other passages in which David foreshadows the events the high churches call "The Passion". The Kings of Israel, rode mules, at their coronation, and while David's is not specific, he is nevertheless mentioned as giving his to his Son Solomon upon his death, and the practice is seen when Saul rides one, and Absalom, when entangled by his hair, trying to overthrow his father's kingdom, is riding one, no doubt as symbol. The idea that the 'King of Israel' or Meschiach would ride a lowly ass into his coronation (which the crucifixion becomes), is well established since Genesis and again in Zechariah: [Gen 49:11 KJV] 11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes
[Zec 9:9 KJV] 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.While Kings rode in finery on horses in battle (a type and kind we see upon Jesus' return at the end as Faithful and True leads his saints into 'teleos' victory, and certainly David did, the lowly 'donkey' (not used in KJV) or ass, was the prophecy in Genesis to Judah, the head of tribes, by the dying Jacob, or Israel, Prince of God.
An Earthly King of Israel Ascends Olivet
While these many 'types' and shadows of the coming Messiah are seen in the Davidic Kingdom and David, there is one though which is often overlooked, and most blithely skip by it in the Second Book of Samuel:
II Samuel 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.Note the beautiful parallels:
- David 'ascends' Mount Olivet
- David Weeps Ascending the Mount
- David had his head covered
- David went barefoot
- The people who went with him, covered their head
- weeping as they went
Let's consider each of the above:
1. David Ascends or goes up on the ascent of Mount Olivet: Mount Olivet figures prominently in the Scriptures: it is the place where the Olivet discourse will be given by Christ; it is the place where Jesus does not ascend YET to the cross, but begins the ascent: in the garden of Gethsemane:
Luke 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them,Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down*, and prayed,
42 Saying,Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Gethsemane comes from a Chaldee origin of two words, 'Gath' and 'Shemen', together :"oil-press". This is the place where both David and Jesus, anointed for a purpose are put to the test, where both accept God's will, though it be with more than a modicum of 'angst'. More than that: they both cross over the brook Kidron (cedron) to get there, both to regroup to do battle, though of a differing nature, both distraught over the transpiring events.
2. David Weeps at the ascent of Mount Olivet: So does Jesus:
[Luk 22:44 KJV] 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.David 'wept as he went up'. Why was David weeping? Absalom, David's son, had just committed treachery and treason against his father, the anointed King. Rather than fight his son, and because Absalom had garnered so many followers in Israel as the young and more handsome, 'people pleaser', Absalom had stirred up discontent in Israel: David knew he would have to at least temporarily abdicate the throne, or start a bloodbath in Israel, and perhaps even kill his own son. Jesus finds himself in a similar situation: the High Priest had declared that it was 'better that one man die for Israel'...and though Jesus would shortly confront Caiaphas about who was King (and Pilate), it was clear that had not Jesus had a higher and more divine purpose, the avoidance of a great conflict in Israel was also near at hand.
Both were putting on the altar all they were and had worked for: both were facing a horrible fate: David of exile and possible death, or the death of his son, and Jesus his own impending death. Certainly, both had cause to mourn, with many in Israel. (at least a remnant).
3. David has his head covered: The covering of the head, in Jewish culture has indicated various things at different times. Priests in the Temple of God during the time of the Tabernacle, wore 'bonnets' or essentially a 'turban' with a mitre, particularly the high priest, in which the covering of the head was obedience and awe before God: the words on the covering meant "Holiness unto the LORD". (Exodus 28:36)
Several other scriptures speak of the covering of the head in regard to males: in Esther 6:12 Haman covers his head indicating mourning or extreme distress; and the protection of God is indicated in Psalm 140:7 when the psalmist writes: "O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle". The covering of heads pointed to a covering for shame or being confounded in Jeremiah 14:3, and in 14:4. By the time of the New Testament, as Paul sets in order the 'policies' for church attendance, he writes "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishououreth his head" I Cor 11:4. It is interesting to note that the change in the meaning of a male covering for the head, over 1000 years between 1000bc and around 50-60 a.d. changes to the opposite. The parallel though, even though the custom had changed, is that both mourning and headship are denoted: the ascent of David up Mount Olivet, and the weeping and praying of the Messiah in the Garden at the ascent of the Mount of Olives both show mourning, and a sign of obedience and the sovereignty of God. In the garden of Gethsemane, beseeching God that the cup of suffering about to occur might pass, but nonetheless owning it "if it be thy will" shows the acknowledgement of the order of the Son to the Father, even if they are one. With David, not only did the King ascent Olivet with his head covered, but so did his people:
...2 Samuel 15:30 ...and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.4. David went barefoot Being barefoot is not mentioned directly in the Bible more than a few times: the 4 direct mentions are of Isaiah's prophetic similitude in Isaiah 20 2-4, in which Isaiah is told for 3 years to walk 'naked and barefoot' as a sign of a coming captivity by the King of Assyria. It is a sign of shame and enslavement, or servitude, being taken captive in war. At least one in the Old Testament and once in the new, Moses is mentioned as having to remove his shoes to stand 'on holy ground':
Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place wereon thou standest is holy ground.The removing of a shoe was a covenant or contract in Ruth, and an indication in Psalms that God considered some areas of Israel as 'lesser' since he mentions casting out his shoe over them. Here though, it seems to carry the connotation of 'holy ground' and humility: the abasement of two Kings is easily seen in the ascent, both going forward to a form of willing captivity, though in both cases, their 'servitude' is to 'take captivity captivity' since David regains the earthly kingdom of Israel/Judah, and Jesus 'sets the captives free' by a divine act. It is fair to propose that barefoot David (and possibly Christ though it is not mentioned) both demonstrate the humble surrender to God's will, and in the ascent up Olivet beginning at the 'wine press', they are also on 'holy ground'.
Acts 7:33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground."
5. and 6. The people who went with him, covered their heads and wept also.
Here is an easy parallel: only a few, a remnant follow their King in his abasement, both out into the wilderness. They weep as they go, up the hill.
With David it is a band of loyalists from the palace, with Jesus, it is the remnant of his disciples and followers, particularly women who will attend his death and burial, Joseph of Arimathea, and John, the beloved disciple.(Matthew 27:55-57; LK 23:27; John 19:25-27) David sends back Ittai to attend the palace, and insists that the Ark of the Covenant be returned to the Temple in Jerusalem. Abiathar the priest and Zadok are sent back to the royal court, carrying back the Ark, even if it is to attend Absalom. The followers of both men, are willing to take on the suffering of their King, though the Kings do not tell them, that the reason they are 'sent back' is because they cannot.
How beautiful is this often unnoticed passage, where in the life of David, perfect often in faith, but imperfect often in human foible, we nonetheless see the foreshadowing of the King of Kings, the King of Israel, Yshua HaMeschiach, in the face of trial and division in Israel, with his loved Israel calling for his death, rather than consume the children he loves, willing abdicates an earthly throne for a cross in the wilderness, weeping and abased. How beautiful upon the mountains! are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that published peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)
