At the beginning of this scripture Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley at this point I stopped and knew that I had to find out more about this place.
Why does John mention this place in his gospel? I have to admit that I did not know much about it. I remembered something about David and something about burial, but that is about all. While doing research I found a lot of info, too much to use here. When Jesus is being tempted he is taken to the Temple and placed on the pinnacle – it is thought that this takes place where the wall over looks the Kidron Valley, for this is the greatest distance to fall.
Here are some places where it is mentioned:
Old testament
2 Samuel 15:23-30, King David crosses the Kidron Valley to escape
1 Kings 15:13, King Asa burned the pagan idols
2 Kings 11:16, Athaliah was executed in the Kidron Valley
2 Kings 23:6, it was a cemetery in King Josiah’s’ time
New Testament
John 11 and 12, the story of Lazarus
Luke 19:28-44, Jesus rode through the Kidron Valley, even though the Kidron Valley is not mentioned in the text. The path route mentioned had to take him through the valley.
John 18:1 in out text
In doing research I found that many scholars point to the Kidron Valley as a location for the end of times prophecy (this is the location that the dead will first start rising). I personally do not believe that Revelations is dark, but light.
I sat quietly and cleared my mind until an idea started to form. Is there something here about death and resurrection? The scripture says Jesus took his disciples across this valley of death… (Psalms 23) um. Is John trying to show us that Jesus is the path through death to a new life?