No mention? No Matthew 24 in your bible, or is it another misapplication of Matthew 24? What? Is there an assumption that the Christ is addressing the end of the world entirely in Matthew 24. This cannot be because Jesus states that not even He knows when the end of the world will come about (Matt. 24:36-39)......the end of the world will come like a thief in the night, people will be making marry as in the days of Noah.I am curious about that one now..
(This is an estimate no exact year is possible)
New Testament
James--A.D. 44-49
Galatians--A.D. 49-50
Matthew--A.D. 50-60
Mark--A.D. 50-60
1 Thessalonians--A.D. 51
2 Thessalonians--A.D. 51-52
1 Corinthians--A.D. 55
2 Corinthians--A.D. 55-56
Romans-- A.D. 56
Luke--A.D. 60-61
Ephesians--A.D. 60-62
Philippians--A.D. 60-62
Philemon--A.D. 60-62
Colossians--A.D. 60-62
Acts--A.D. 62
1 Timothy--A.D. 62-64
Titus--A.D. 62-64
1 Peter--A.D. 64-65
2 Timothy--A.D. 66-67
2 Peter--A.D. 67-68
Hebrews--A.D. 67-69
Jude--A.D. 68-70
John--A.D. 80-90
1 John--A.D. 90-95
2 John--A.D. 90-95
3 John--A.D. 90-95
Revelation--A.D. 94-96
The Romans Destroy the Temple
at Jerusalem, 70 AD
In the year 66 AD the Jews of Judea rebelled against their Roman masters. In response, the Emperor Nero dispatched an army under the generalship of Vespasian to restore order. By the year 68, resistance in the northern part of the province had been eradicated and the Romans turned their full attention to the subjugation of Jerusalem. That same year, the Emperor Nero died by his own hand, creating a power vacuum in Rome. In the resultant chaos, Vespasian was declared Emperor and returned to the Imperial City. It fell to his son, Titus, to lead the remaining army in the assault on Jerusalem.
Roman Centurian
The Roman legions surrounded the city and began to slowly squeeze the life out of the Jewish stronghold. By the year 70, the attackers had breached Jerusalem's outer walls and began a systematic ransacking of the city. The assault culminated in the burning and destruction of the Temple that served as the center of Judaism.
In victory, the Romans slaughtered thousands. Of those sparred from death: thousands more were enslaved and sent to toil in the mines of Egypt, others were dispersed to arenas throughout the Empire to be butchered for the amusement of the public. The Temple's sacred relics were taken to Rome where they were displayed in celebration of the victory.
The rebellion sputtered on for another three years and was finally extinguished in 73 AD with the fall of the various pockets of resistance including the stronghold at Masada.
"...the Jews let out a shout of dismay that matched the tragedy."
Our only first-hand account of the Roman assault on the Temple comes from the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius. Josephus was a former leader of the Jewish Revolt who had surrendered to the Romans and had won favor from Vespasian. In gratitude, Josephus took on Vespasian's family name - Flavius - as his own. We join his account as the Romans fight their way into the inner sanctum of the Temple:
"...the rebels shortly after attacked the Romans again, and a clash followed between the guards of the sanctuary and the troops who were putting out the fire inside the inner court; the latter routed the Jews and followed in hot pursuit right up to the Temple itself. Then one of the soldiers, without awaiting any orders and with no dread of so momentous a deed, but urged on by some supernatural force, snatched a blazing piece of wood and, climbing on another soldier's back, hurled the flaming brand through a low golden window that gave access, on the north side, to the rooms that surrounded the sanctuary. As the flames shot up, the Jews let out a shout of dismay that matched the tragedy; they flocked to the rescue, with no thought of sparing their lives or husbanding their strength; for the sacred structure that they had constantly guarded with such devotion was vanishing before their very eyes.
...No exhortation or threat could now restrain the impetuosity of the legions; for passion was in supreme command. Crowded together around the entrances, many were trampled down by their companions; others, stumbling on the smoldering and smoked-filled ruins of the porticoes, died as miserably as the defeated. As they drew closer to the Temple, they pretended not even to hear Caesar's orders, but urged the men in front to throw in more firebrands. The rebels were powerless to help; carnage and flight spread throughout.
Most of the slain were peaceful citizens, weak and unarmed, and they were butchered where they were caught. The heap of corpses mounted higher and higher about the altar; a stream of blood flowed down the Temple's steps, and the bodies of those slain at the top slipped to the bottom.
To even understand Matthew 24 and Jesus' prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple....as always one must stay in context.....you first must read Chapter 23. In Matthew 23 we find Jesus bringing many charges to the Jewish leaders/hierarchy by their mistreatment of God's laws (Matt. 23:1-32). Then Jesus concludes His preaching and condemnation of the leadership by making a prophecy about their immediate future. (Matt.23:32-36). Jesus points out that the Jews had killed God's people in the past. Even though the current generation of leaders thought they were above such charges.....Jesus stated that they continued the practice of killing righteous people.......and they were just as guilty as their forefathers ..........and God's punishment or wrath would FALL UPON THAT VERY GENERATION.....the generation that Jesus was addressing in the 1st century.
Jesus pointed out to His disciples that the Temple would be destroyed to the point that not one stone would be left unturned. At this time all Jesus disciples were Jews and to them such a prophecy surely must be speaking of the end of the entire world for the temple could never be destroyed while the earth survived. Thus, its easy to see why modern men might also assume Jesus is speaking of the end of the world when He is actually addressing God's punishment upon Israel in the 1st century for their sins against God.
The disciples shortly thereafter asked the Christ 1. When will this prophecy come true (Jesus addresses the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple...before moving on to the end of the world prophecy 2. what would be the sign of your (Jesus') coming 3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?
Jesus actually answered the real question not the question His disciples thought they were asking (they assumed Jesus was addressing the end of the world when He was actually addressing the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple).
Jesus warned them that the destruction of the city and the temple would come very shortly, in fact it would come in their very generation -- Matt. 23:36, Matt. 24:34 (and it did in the 1st century AD). Some would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God come (Matt.16:28) The Greek words translated for "this generation" do not refer to an age, but to the people living at the time Jesus was speaking. (For reference read Matt. 11:16-19 where Jesus is scolding that generation for not paying attention to John the Baptist and Jesus Himself. Its the same Greek wording.
Jesus states that the times leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem would be unusual, as wars would increase, there would be famines, and earthquakes (Matt. 24:6-8).......(all historically happened between 50-70AD when Rome was occupying Israel) in the 1st century and burning it to the ground).
Before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple the gospel would be preached to the known world (Matt24:14). The world keeps getting smaller and smaller with the speed of communication being greater and greater. Paul states that this was fulfilled, gospel preached to the known world in (Col. 1:23), "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, AND WHICH HAS BEEN PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE WHICH UNDER HEAVEN; where of I Paul am made a minster; "
Jesus referenced the Book of Daniel (abomination of desolation) when He prophesied that Rome and its army would surround Jerusalem just prior to the desolation (Luke 21:20).
Jesus stated to anyone that paid heed to these signs of the destruction of Jerusalem.......they must flee the city before destruction comes (Matt. 24:16-32). He said they should pray that the time for flight would not come when in the winter when one's fleeing might be hindered/slowed.....or on a Sabbath when the gates of the City of Jerusalem would be closed. He warned them there might be false prophets claiming to be the Christ returning (Matt. 24:23-28).
Jesus said many would ignore the signs.........but the Christians. History tells us that indeed the Christians heeded the warning signs and not 1 Christian perished during the destruction of the City, they were not there.
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