The Powerful Symbolism
In The Garden of Gethsemane All of Time (past & future) Was Made in a Single Moment God created all time and space and laid out all human history before the foundation of the world even existed. This includes all the plants, animals, generations of people, nations, empires, and all the untold trillion of events that have unfolded on Earth since the beginning of what we call “time.” There was a “time” when “time” did not exist, and that is before Gen 1:1. The Scriptures are so precise that when our English translation in Gen 1:1 says, “In the beginning …”, a much more precise extraction of the original Hebrew into English says “In the dateless past …”; meaning that there was a period that preceded Gen 1:1 that didn’t have what we would call “time” and couldn’t be dated. It was when God created our heavens and Earth, or the physical universe, that time was also created. Since God exists outside of time, all of “time” and all our past since Gen 1:1 and all our future were also created in a single moment by God. It is because of this that God can and does constantly proves that He is God, as He has always told humankind over the millennia, “the end from the beginning” (Isa 46:10). Each generation of human history has been given prophecies by God so they could see that past prophecies have been fulfilled and future prophecies are yet to unfold. We are no different, except we have been given more proof of God’s existence through prophecy than any prior generation. We have recorded over 2,000 prophecies that have been fulfilled with absolute precision and have approximately 500 to be fulfilled in quick succession as the end times are unfolding today before our very eyes. Everything Was Pre-Determined by God at Creation The name, purpose, position, and significance of every location on Earth have been pre-determined and created by God in that single moment when He created the universe, time, and space. Our universe is a reflection of God’s creation and because of this “we are all without excuse” (Rom 1:20; Ps 19:1-14). With a Biblical worldview, we see the world (past, present, and future) as a reflection of God’s will and purpose. [God has also given man free will to choose for a short season and then the judgment.] We should be constantly in awe at the interweaving of countless physical places, names, and events into symbolism that directly parallels a spiritual meaning throughout the scriptures and throughout history. It is the physical description of names, places, and events that non-Christians see, but they are not able to see the spiritual parallels, as those must be spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14), and they do not have the ability to see that as the Holy Spirit is not in them. The whole of the scriptures from Gen 1:1 through Rev 22:21 is read quite differently by a non-Christian without Christ or a Biblical worldview. The Garden of Gethsemane Has a Special Symbolic Significance Knowing the above, it’s expected that the Garden of Gethsemane was created at the beginning of the world for the very purpose for which it was created. The garden was frequented many times by Jesus and the apostles over His ministry to pray and rest. The garden was an olive grove which a press for making oil. This garden is still in the same place today as it was 1,900 years ago, having 800+ yr old trees which were descendants of those at the time of Christ. Gethsemane literally means “oil press,” and that is the significance of the place besides being located on the Mount of Olives just outside the “East Gate” of Jerusalem” (another topic). All Christians are familiar with the events in the garden just after the last supper with the apostles and right before He was arrested and brought back to Jerusalem. The story is described in only a few short verses (Matt 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46) but has immense significance. It is interesting to note that on this evening, Christ and the apostles walked down to and crossed the Kidron Brook and then up the Mount of Olives to the garden. The historian Josephus indicates that at this Passover celebration, there were up to two million Jews in and around Jerusalem. Due to the requirements to bring your sacrifice to Jerusalem, the priests were busy around the clock for days sacrificing the animals in preparation for the Passover. The massive volume of the blood of the animals being sacrificed was flowing from the temple mount down into the Kindred Brook, which most certainly flowed as a river of blood due to the sacrifices. It was this brook that Christ had to walk through, most likely staining his sandals and robe, on the way to the garden to pray. The purpose of the Garden was to produce oil and had an oil press to process the olives grown there. Oil is mentioned more than 200 times in the scriptures and played a significant part in the life of the Jews (Lev 8; Ex 40:36-38; Deut 8:6-10; 1 Kings 17:8-16; 2 Kings 4:1-7; Ps 23:5; Ps 92:12-15; Ps 104:15; Ps 133; Isa 61:3; Ezek 16:9; Luke 10:25-37; Joel 2:25; Matt 25:1-13; Matt 26:6-12; Juke 7:36-50; James 5:13-15; Matt 6:16-18). Physically it was used to consecrate or to set apart and to make holy. It was used to consecrate items in the temple and to anoint and bless the priests and people in addition to bringing light into the world. The oil lamps in the Temple were never allowed to run out of oil and were to be lit day and night. Spiritually oil represents God’s presence in our lives and the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit, and only the Holy Spirit, who performs God’s work of the ministry for which we are called in our lives. As with the candle sticks in the temple, we must never let the oil go out in our lives and must follow the Spirit day and night. The Process to Produce Oil Parallels the Spiritual Process on Christ Combining the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we know that Christ went to the garden to pray. This is no normal prayer but lasted at least three agonizing hours in prayer. He refers to the Father as “Abba” which indicates a very close relationship, and in today’s vernacular, we would say “dad.” This is a very personal relationship between a dad and a son. Jesus prays three times, and with each prayer, His agony grows more intense. So intense that by the third hour of prayer, His sweat was like drops of blood. We don’t fully understand the analogy except that the agony for what was about to happen weighed heavily upon Christ, and Jesus even says that His soul is very sorrowful, even to death (Matt 26:38). Jesus prayed three times and each time it was more agonizing than the prior prayer. The process of producing oil follows exactly the same pattern. An oil press in the garden would be used three times to press all the oil out of the olives. Each time the olives are pressed, more weight was added to the press to get more and more oil out of the olives until the final stones were added at the third pressing, and every last drop was removed from the olives. Luke records that an Angel from heaven came and strengthened Jesus as His anguish brought Him near death (Luke 22:43). It is possible that this “Angel” was the Holy Spirit Himself as the angel strengthened Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. What angel could do that unless it was the Holy Spirit? This is only a possibility as the scriptures do not make this clear. If this is the case, then we see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit come together here at the end of Jesus’ ministry, just as we saw them come together at the start of Jesus’ ministry when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Matt 3:13-17; John 1:29-34). Jesus Gives a Command to the Apostles (and to us) in the Garden Jesus gave the apostles a command in the garden which they disobeyed and consequently were scattered like sheep after Jesus was arrested. Jesus told them to “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Matt 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46). This command is just as applicable to us today more than ever as we are clearly entering the end times. A great deception will fall upon the whole world and Christians will no longer be following Christ (the great apostasy), but they, of course, will say they are (Matt 24:24; Mark 13:5-6; Luke 21:8; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Thes 2:3). As in the Days of Noah … It is critical that Christians stay awake and sober and read God’s Word and Praying. We must not let our oil run out. Christ died to allow the Holy Spirit to be within us and direct our paths (our oil) if we let Him. In our technology-based society, many Christians do not have time for Christ or even try to develop a personal relationship with Him as society demands nearly all your time and they don’t make time to Study (2 Tim 2:15; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Ps 119:11,105; Prov 3:1-2; 1 Pet 3:15; Rom 12:2; Heb 4:12; James 1:2; Eph 6:11-17; Prov 2:1-12) and Pray (Luke 21:36; Matt 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46). I wonder how many people thought that when they saw the rains come during the days of Noah were planning to then accept the invitation to enter the Ark. Of course, the time to accept safety had passed as God closed the doors to the Ark and all perished when the flood came. I can imagine countless millions pleading to God to get into the Ark, but it was too late. There is a time limit to everything, and unfortunately, I feel that many people today (including those that call themselves Christians) are waiting till an event happens that clearly tells them we are in the last days, and only then will they “start” Studying God’s Word and Praying in earnest to “try” to develop a relationship with Him at the last possible moment. When this “event” they are waiting for happens, as in the days of Noah, it will be too late. As these End-times are Unfolding, How Do We Follow the Lord? First of all, commit your life to follow the Lord! Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit continuously throughout each day of your life. Hate evil and run from it as this is the Fear of the Lord [see "Fear of the Lord" link below]. Know that you are leaving the Kingdom of Darkness to never have anything to do with it again, and a citizen of the Kingdom of Light, and as such, you receive your orders from the Lord. Set in your heart what Jacob said so many years ago: "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Josh 24:15b). Determine your Service of Calling and use the Gifts of the Spirit that He will provide to you to perform whatever He desires for you as you serve Him (yes, think of yourself as a willing servant, a bondservant, just as the Apostles did as they served the Lord). "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom 6:16). Put on the full armor of God, Study the Word of God and hide it in your heart (memorize it) so that you won't sin against Him (Ps 119:11) and seek His guidance in Prayer. Our Father has provided us with everything we need to follow Him. He has provided us with His Word to study and meditate upon. He has also provided us each a service of calling and spiritual gifts to accomplish those tasks. A few references to what the scriptures say are available here: The Pure Word is a Resource All Christians Should Have! Watch the official intro video now and see exactly how The Pure Word is an invaluable resource that should be used by every Christian, pastor, and Bible study group. Experience the gospel as they did in the first century, during the time of Christ, the Apostles, and the birth of the Church! Revealing the Original Depth of Meaning as Written by the Apostles Over 1,900 Years Ago! | 
Posts