Olive Wood Crosses

<strong>The iconic symbol in belief in Jesus is the cross. In Jesus’ time, the cross was a symbol of death and oppression by the Roman government. However, due to the substitutionary sacrifice of our Savior on a cross, that symbol has been transformed into a sign of hope.</strong> What once meant death and servitude to a foreign power, now means life and freedom. That is the miracle of the cross. When Jesus died on the cross on Passover, He died at the very moment of the afternoon sacrifice. According to the Gospel of Mark, at the very moment that the priest was killing the sacrifice, Jesus shouted <strong>“It is finished!”</strong> Then He died for the sins of the world. He chose to give up His life on a specific day and at an important time. In this way, He fulfilled John’s prophecy that He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. For us as believers in Jesus the Messiah, we both mourn His death on the cross and celebrate His victory over death. Ancient history has many stories of people being raised from the dead. However, Jesus is the only man who ever died and then raised Himself from the dead. He said <strong>“I have the power to lay my life down and I have the power to take it up again.”</strong> For this reason, we look to the cross as a symbol of love and hope. We thank Jesus for His love and we look to Him to raise us again from the dead in the resurrection. Here at Jerusalem Maranatha, we are eager to aid you in displaying your faith. We have a range of olive wood crosses that are handcrafted here in the holy land by believers who use local materials. Each of these crosses is intimately tied to the land and city where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for you. Our store is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem, literally just a short walk from Calvary and the empty tomb. These crosses are a potent symbol of the hope. Instead of dying forever, Jesus rose again in victory over man’s enemy death, both physical and spiritual. One day soon, according to the prophet Zechariah, He will descend from Heaven to the Mount of Olives just outside of Jerusalem. He will enter this holy city again in triumph, just as He did thousands of years ago. Only God could take something as awful as the cross and turn it into a symbol of beauty.