Maranatha Media

Why Golgatha ??

Posted Apr 07, 2012 by Bobbie Beck in Everlasting Gospel
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"And he bearing his cross went forth unto the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgatha." Jn 19:17

What is this place 'Golgatha', why is it called "the place of a skull" ?... What skull ?...Who's skull???

Let us go back, way back in history to a battle between God's people and the Philistines, to the battle of David and Goliath.
Now David had already been annointed by Samuel to become King over all Israel. But Saul was King at this time, he had rejected the Lord and "the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." 1 Sam 16:14 And David was brought before him..." And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul that David took an harp and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." 1 Sam 16:23


Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle...and Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a great valley between them." 1 Sam 17: 1-3

It is important to note here that Jerusalem is at least 12 miles away.

And there came out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath whose height was six cubits and a span....And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants of Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid." 1 Sam 17:4-11
And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine....And he took his staff in his hand, and choose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine...And the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the hosts of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and with spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands...And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forhead, that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled....And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent." 1 Sam 17:32-54

Why did David take Goliath's head to Jerusalem? At this time Jerusalem was the city 'Jebus" and was inhabited by the Jebusites. 1Chr 11:4 David wouldn't take Jebus for over 20 more years. So why did he take the Head of Goliath there?? ...Because Christ would be crucified there..."And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is in the Hebrew Golgatha. Jn 19:17 ...and is the fullfilment of the prophecy..."And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen 3:15..."Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isa 53:4 ...Halleluyah, this was a prophecy that the Son of God, the King of Kings would bruise the head of the serpent... Praise ye Yah, the enemy is defeated, if we will only believe ...." And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the Son of God." Jn 3:14-18

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen..." Lk 24:1-6

HALLELUYAH........HE IS RISEN .......... AS OUR HIGH PRIEST...... AND IS NOW MINISTERING IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY IN THIS THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT ! !

It is interestng to note what finally became of Saul ( who rejected God) about 20 years later.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinandab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archer's hit him, and he was wounded of the archers....So Saul took a sword and fell upon it...So Saul died and his three sons and all his house died together...And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And when they had stripped him they took his head and his armour...And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of dagon. 1 Chr 10:1-10

This would be those who reject God, who do not believe on the Son of God...but that's another study....

Golgatha= the place of a skull
Goliath of Gath=to reveal the wine-press



"In His purity and His faithfulness, He trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. He carried the awful weight of responsibility for the salvation of men. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul, and none could appreciate the weight that rested upon Him. Filled with intense purpose, He carried out the design of His life that He Himself should be the light of men." DA p92

"Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground from which He had partially risen. Where were His disciples, to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their fainting Master, and bathe that brow, marred indeed more that the sons of men? The Saviour trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour's agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of Satanic forces, His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight sin is.
The worlds unfallen and the heavenly angels had watched with intense interest as the conflict drew to it's close. Satan and his confederacy of evil, the legions of apostasy, watched intently this great crisis in the work of redemption. The powers of good and evil waited to see what answer would come to Christ's thrice-repeated prayer. Angels had longed to bring relief to the divine sufferer, but this might not be. No way of escape was found for the Son of God. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God's presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. he assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved.
Christ's agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in no wise abated, but He who was it's object was strengthened to meet it's fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His blood-stained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.
DA 693

HALLELUYAH !!!
HAPPY RESURRECTION WEEK