Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Destruction of, Foretold by Jesus

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The destruction of Jerusalem, a pivotal event in Jewish history, was explicitly foretold by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. This prophecy is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, where Jesus predicts the catastrophic events that would befall the city and its temple, which held central significance in Jewish religious life.

Prophetic Context

Jesus' prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem is set against the backdrop of His final days in the city. As He taught in the temple courts, He was acutely aware of the spiritual blindness and impending judgment upon the nation. The religious leaders' rejection of Him as the Messiah and the people's failure to recognize the time of God's coming to them set the stage for His somber predictions.

Key Passages

1. Matthew 24:1-2 : "As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings. 'Do you see all these things?' He replied. 'Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.'"

In this passage, Jesus responds to His disciples' admiration of the temple's grandeur by foretelling its complete destruction. His words emphasize the totality of the coming devastation, indicating that the physical structure, which symbolized the heart of Jewish worship, would be utterly dismantled.

2. Mark 13:1-2 : "As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!' 'Do you see all these great buildings?' Jesus replied. 'Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.'"

Mark's account parallels Matthew's, underscoring the certainty and severity of the prophecy. The disciples' awe at the temple's architecture is met with Jesus' stark prediction of its impending ruin.

3. Luke 19:41-44 : "As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, 'If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.'"

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus' lament over Jerusalem reveals His deep sorrow for the city's fate. His prophecy includes specific details about the siege tactics that would be employed by the Roman army, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the destruction.

Historical Fulfillment

The fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy occurred in A.D. 70 when the Roman legions, under the command of General Titus, besieged Jerusalem. The city was subjected to severe famine, internal strife, and ultimately, the complete destruction of the temple. The historian Josephus provides a detailed account of the siege, corroborating the accuracy of Jesus' predictions. The temple's destruction marked a significant turning point in Jewish history, as it effectively ended the sacrificial system and dispersed the Jewish people.

Theological Implications

The destruction of Jerusalem, as foretold by Jesus, serves as a profound testament to His prophetic authority and the divine judgment upon a nation that rejected its Messiah. It underscores the themes of judgment and redemption that permeate the biblical narrative, reminding believers of the consequences of unbelief and the importance of recognizing God's appointed times.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 23:37,38
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!
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Matthew 24:15
When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand:)
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Mark 13:14-23
But when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
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Luke 13:35
Behold, your house is left to you desolate: and truly I say to you, You shall not see me, until the time come when you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.
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Luke 17:26-37
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
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Luke 19:41-44
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
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Luke 21:20-24
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.
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Library

Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold.
... Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold. ^A Matthew 24:1-28; ^B Mark 13:1-23; ^C Luke
21:5-24. ^a 1 And Jesus went out from the temple [leaving it to return no more ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxiii destruction of jerusalem foretold.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem.
... not until he was slain in the siege he had foretold. Not one Christian perished
in the destruction of Jerusalem. ... "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with ...
/.../1 the destruction of jerusalem.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... not until he was slain in the siege he had foretold. Not one Christian perished
in the destruction of Jerusalem. ... "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 1 the destruction of.htm

The Destruction of Jerusalem
... would only rebel against the Romans to their destruction. ... nations' (Luke 21:24) exactly
as the Lord foretold. ... partially re-built city of Jerusalem under pain ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter ix the destruction of.htm

The Four-Fold Gospel
... CXII. Greeks Seek Jesus. He Foretells that He Shall Draw All Men Unto Him. CXIII.
Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold. CXIV. The Second Coming of Christ. CXV. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/

Argument -1 from the Withdrawal of Prophecy and Destruction of ...
... from the withdrawal of prophecy and destruction of Jerusalem ... choose to ignore, that
the Lord foretold by the ... longer king nor prophet nor Jerusalem nor sacrifice ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 40 argument -1 from.htm

That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian ...
... liberty, and honorably treated by Nebuzaradan, at the command of Nebuchadnezzar,
on account of his having foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by the ...
/.../chapter 11 that upon the.htm

The Harmony of the Gospels.
... 156; lays His hands on little children, [255]157; enters Jerusalem on an ... the, buyers
and sellers expelled from, [456]160; destruction of, foretold, [457]169 ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/the harmony of the gospels.htm

Book 20 Footnotes
... of Samaria, as they went to Judea and Jerusalem, illustrates several ... Jesus, the son
of Gamaliel.27. ... of the Jews, till their utter destruction, foretold by our ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 20 footnotes.htm

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken ...
... and our Savior himself afterwards, had clearly foretold. ... direct occasions of their
own destruction, and of ... one city whatsoever, as now happened in Jerusalem. ...
/.../chapter 10 that whereas the.htm