Tonight we are going to take a trip to a certain spot in time and place. A place
where torches could be seen, guards and people shouting, the anxiety and frenzy of
what was about to happen. A garden and a Room in Israel inside and out of
Jerusalem. We will wind the night backwards and then continue in real time at the
end.
We will start in a garden, but not just any garden, the Garden of Gethsemane.
It is situated outside the Holy City gates, down through the Kidron Valley and up
the long steep hill towards the top of the Mount of Olives. The very spot that Jesus
spent a lot of time in solitude. It was just down from the main thoroughfare, the
road that lead from Bethany and main road to the north. The one that pilgrims and
merchants traveled heavily. Jesus himself came past this spot numerous times
looking down at that olive grove “thinking.”
Now the night had come. Here he was in that same garden yet again, only this time he was not alone. No this time he brought his three closest friends John, James and Peter with him to sit and provide some comfort. It must have been extremely painful to offer grace knowing that all of the wine from
the night’s festivities was catching up to them. What could their eyes do but
sleep, yet could they not stay awake and pray or offer comfort as he poured his heart
out? The spirit was willing, but the flesh was so weak.
In the olive grove is an olive press. The olives are picked and laid in a carved
stone where a millstone is rolled over the top mashing the olives. They are oily yet
no oil has really been released just yet. The pulp is picked up and laid in special
baskets. Next the baskets are laid upon one another and just the mere weight from
the mashed olives is enough to release the oil. It drips down into a 1 ½ ft hole
where the water and oil collect. The water is heavier and drops to the bottom while the oil stays to the top and can be dipped out.
This first pressing is the best, purest oil. It is what they call the “First Fruits.” It is reserved for God, and the
temple. It is used as oil to light the menorahs and for anointing Kings. It is the oil
that was used by Mary to anoint Jesus feet and usher him in as King and High
Priest just the Sunday before.
Next the olives are then pressed with an arm that holds weights on the end
squeezing the oil that is still in the mash. This is the second more strenuous
pressing, it is used for cooking, cosmetics and perfumes.
Finally, more weight is ratcheted down on the mash of olives crushing it beyond.
This 3rd and last pressing is the final stage that releases the last little bit of oil the
olive may possess. When the olives give no more, then the mash is taken out of
the baskets and what oily residue that is left will make it good for fire starters.
I am going to teach you some Hebrew. Got Schemen Got is press, Schemen is
oil. Gethsemane is olive press. The crushing and pouring out.
Jesus went there the last night to pray, and how many times? 3 times the
pressure increased and he was crushed for our iniquities. 3 times he was crushed
to the extent that his sweat became like blood, he had given all that was left.
Before the garden he had given final instructions and teachings to his disciples,
preparing them for what was about to happen, but they still were not getting it.
Maybe because of the late night, maybe because of the festivities, maybe because
of the wine, but they were more interested in when Jesus would come back and
take over, conquer and release the captives. They wanted to know about the last
days, when the end would be, not soaking in what was about to happen
immediately.
Prior to their wandering out of the city, Jesus had just sat with them. Dining
relaxing and sharing his Passover meal with those that would desert him, deny him,
those who would fall asleep and the one who was about to betray him.
This Room is on the upper story just adjacent to what they believe to be
King David’s tomb. The details, 2 Kings of Israel right beside each other. This
room was preorchestrated by God. A room was needed not just for one night’s
celebrations, but a refuge for the huddled masses for weeks of waiting. A place
where Jesus could return and meet them not once but twice. And finally a place
where they could stay and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit to come and ignite
each.
This room, this place, this special place is where they congregated to sit
down together in joy and fellowship. A night of celebrating the same Passover
meal that had been happening in homes since the Exodus. The meal that every
year for millennial the middle matza bread was wrapped, raised that represented
the coming messiah, by every awaiting Jew. This night however as Jesus lifted the
Afikomen, he said I am here, this is me, this is my body that is broken for all. It
was the solidification of everything the disciples had heard, seen and knew. The
final visual, Yohoshua as the long awaited Messiah.
Then at the appointed time he lifted up the 3 cup of wine, the cup of Redemption from the covenant with Moses, the Israelites and God. He raised it up and said you know what was spoken of
through the prophets of the covenant, this will now be transformed into a new
covenant, it will be myself the Messiah and you. It will be my blood that will be
poured out for ALL. With this sacrifice the forgiveness of all sin will be cleansed
until I drink it again anew with you.
I am sure that the solemnness of the atmosphere was one that was tangible. It had to have caused a little bewilderment, an uncomfortable edge, one of fight or flight especially for one such man. Jesus
then looked at Judas and said, “Go and do what you need to.” Even being caught
red handed Judas did not deny it, did not stay and pretend nothing had happened.
Something in him, someone in him, raised his form and ushered him out of the
room. Did Judas really know that there was no turning back now from what would
result from his actions? What was really in it for him or was he just a pawn? 30
pieces of silver. That may seem odd, however God is in the details. It is called the
Pidyon Yom. It is the redemptive price. When the first born male was taken on the
8th day to be circumcised a redemptive price was offered to redeem the child from
the priests back into the home of the parents. The only way the High Priests could
claim and own Jesus was to give back the redemptive price that had been paid by
his parents over 33 years prior. The price had to be paid, even without them
realizing what they were doing, and Judas was all too eager the recipient.
In the creation, God brought man into a garden. When? On the sixth day. In
Hebrew, the sixth day begins Thursday night. In the new creation, Messiah
suffered and died to redeem us. How did it all begin? It began in a garden, the
Garden of Gethsemane, when the Temple guards came to take him away to be
executed. As God, in the creation, God brought man into a garden, so in the
redemption, man took God out of a garden. In Genesis, it all happened on the sixth
day – So in redemption, Messiah was removed from the garden Thursday night –
the Hebrew sixth day. On the sixth day, God brought man into a garden to bless
him and make him rejoice – And on the sixth day again, man took God out of a
garden to curse Him and make Him suffer. And why did God allow it? Because of
you. God allowed Himself to be taken out of a garden to die, that you might be
brought into a garden of blessing… to live.
