Lesson
11
The
Destruction of Jerusalem
I. The
Destruction of Jerusalem
Prophecy is a very
definite force in the scripture. Many events for future historical events are graphically
foretold in the pages of the Bible. It is one of the Bible's most interesting
studies. The Old Testament prophets continually foretold the gathering again of
the Jews to the Holy Land. Before this could happen, there must be a dispersal
of the Jews from the country he occupies to the land that he populated in the
days of the New Testament writing (Israel).
Jesus foretold this happening to his
disciples. He warned them of these coming events in the not too distant
future, so the church could be prepared for trouble and tribulation which shall
come upon the earth. In Luke 19:41-44, Jesus told of the coming destruction
of the city of Jerusalem. In verses
43 and 44 he said, "For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies
shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on
every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee,
and they shall not leave in thee
one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation."
A. Jerusalem:
Jewish Pivotal Point
Jerusalem was the
center of activity for the Jew. It was their great city, the center of religion
because the temple was there. Jerusalem represented the cultural aspect because
their lives revolved so drastically around the Hebrew religion. It was also the
center of commerce and had been for many centuries. The trade routes from the
north, south, and east converged on this city. Jerusalem was the crossroads of
the trade routes of the world.
B. Jesus Wept Over
Jerusalem
Jesus was probably on the
caravan road between Bethany and Jerusalem and had reached a particular point
on the side of the Mount of Olives that he could overlook Jerusalem. He saw the
temple in its grandeur sitting on top of Mt. Moriah. He could see the City of
David covering the mountain and stretching on down to the Kidron and Hinnon
valleys. It was then he stopped, wept, and cried, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how
often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you
desolate." (Matthew 23:37-38).
C. Jerusalem
Destroyed by the Armies of Titus
In the year 70 A.D.,
General Titus and the Roman army laid seige to the city of Jerusalem. The
smaller influential towns and cities of the Hebrews had already been subdued.
The people of Jerusalem would now feel the strong might of the Roman Empire.
The city was totally destroyed because:
1. This was God's
judgment for their sin.
2. The Romans wanted
to stamp out the Jewish religion.
3. The Romans wanted
to destroy the possibility of the Jewish nation.
The
destruction came and was quite a feat within itself. The historian, Josephus,
said that some stones were 94 feet long, 10 feet tall and 13 feet in thickness.
Jesus told the disciples, "There shall not be left here one stone upon
another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2). Destruction was
total and complete.