Archeologists are fairly certain they know the site of Jesus’ empty tomb, and I got to see it last year. One of many evidences for the location is the lavish garden setting, a garden that definitely could have belonged to Joseph, “the rich man of Arimathea,” spoken of in the gospels.
My view of the garden winepress
Seeing the empty tomb was incredible, but something I did not expect also captivated my attention. A hundred yards away from where Jesus opened his eyes and walked out of the grave, there’s a winepress. Not an olive-press as found in similar local gardens, but an authentic, in-ground, ancient-stone winepress.
Grapes would have been cut down and thrown into the stone pit. As they were trampled on, the skins would stick to the rocks, and the liquid would flow into the vat. This beautiful, ancient method of crushing grapes stands smack dab between Golgotha and the empty tomb.
On this Good Friday my whole heart turns to gaze at the great winepress of Calvary. Luke 23:33 says, “And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.” Here the one who knew no sin became sin. Here he was beaten and nailed to a cross and the wrath of God fell on him. Hebrews 9:22 says, “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”
The lamb was thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God, and “crushed for our iniquities” at Calvary. How precious was the flow that pays for sin once and for all.
As horrifically beautiful as this day was, Good Friday is not the end of the story. The same Jesus who walked out of the tomb, passed the garden winepress, appeared to 500 people over 40 days, and ascended into heaven is coming back again. On that day he will not come wearing a mock-robe and a thorny crown, but “many diadems” and a robe dipped in blood. On that day he will not be followed by jeering soldiers but by “the armies of heaven” (Rev.19).
On that day he will not come as one to be tread upon, but as One who Tramples. At the end of days, Revelation 19:15 says, “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.”
The one who drank the cup is coming again to tread wrath over the whole earth. He who was judged will return to judge the living and the dead. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords will swing the sickle alongside His reaping angels (Rev. 14). John saw the striking scene: “And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle.”
Christ was counted worthy to drink his father’s wrath in our place, therefore; he is also worthy to tread his Father’s winepress. And he will tread it. Christ Jesus will come back and bring a glorious day of salvation for his people and a horrible day of reckoning for the lost. Not one sin will escape his notice. Not one act of injustice will escape his wrath. Are you prepared for that day?
If you are in Christ, consider the winepress of Good Friday and take heart. He is the remedy for this season of suffeirng. He paid for your sin, and he is coming back to reign. Paul promises us in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 that “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” This is our mighty hope in this season. This is our mighty Savior. And this is our good, Good Friday!