There is a hill south of the Old City of Jerusalem and southwest of the City of David. Since the time of Jesus, and possibly before, it has been known as the "Hill of Evil Counsel".

Interestingly, in order to get to the Hill of Evil Counsel from the Old City one must pass through the Valley of Gehinnom (or Gehenna) and through Akeldama. In Greek Gehenna refers to the fires of hell. This valley was where the city's trash was thrown. There were rats and vermin there and fires smoldered there continually. Akeldama, the "Field of Blood" is the field Judas bought with the money obtained by his betrayal of Jesus (Acts 1:19).

Jewish tradition also says that when Solomon built high places for Chemosh and Molech (I Kings 11:7) they were located on the Hill of Evil Counsel.

This hill has a commanding view of its surroundings, and it is reported that prior to the time of Jesus this same hill was home to Antioches Epiphanes IV. It was he who about 165 B.C. foreshadowed the anti-Christ by desecrating the Temple of God. Flavius Josephus, the First Century Jewish historian, recorded that Antiochus sacrificed a pig on the altar of the Temple.

In the time of Jesus, the Hill of Evil Counsel was where the homes of two High Priests, Annas and his son-in-law Caiphus were located. It was Caiphus who led the Sanhedrin when it demanded the death of Jesus. According to Jewish tradition, it was on the Hill of Evil Counsel that the High Priest and Jewish leaders plotted to kill the Lord Jesus.

In 1922 the Hill of Evil Counsel became home to Government House, the headquarters for the British in Palestine. The British were not very supportive of the Jews. The Jews suffered at the hand of the British. The Jews were not allowed to have any weapons, not even pistols or revolvers. In 1948 when Israel became a state, the British withdrew from what they called Palestine and left all of their weapons, tanks and artillery, to the Arabs!

Today we know that the land is properly known as Israel. It was Israel until the Romans deported the Jews in 135 A.D. The Romans shipped the Jews to slave markets all over the Roman Empire and then renamed the land of the Children of Israel. They named the land for the enemy of the Jews, the Phillistines. In Latin "Phillistine" is Palestine. In their own language today the Palestinians call themselves "Phillistines".

It is interesting how traditions continue to hold true. Black or darkness traditionally indicates evil. White or light traditionally indicates good. The Hill of Evil Counsel traditionally has been the location of anti-God or anti-Israel forces. Who lives on the Hill of Evil Counsel today? The United Nations has an administrative compound on the hill, and is known for their anti-God or anti-Israel stance.

Ah, but the Day is coming when the Lord will judge wickedness and cause it to end. How I look forward to that Day! Praise His name!