20<\/strong>. Jerusalem compassed with armies<\/em> ] See on Luk 19:43<\/span>, and Jos. B.J. <\/em> v. 2, 6, 12. Some regard this as the “abomination that maketh desolate.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After our Saviours ascension, the seditions amongst the Jews were so many, and they rebelled so often against the Romans, during the governments of Felix, Festus, Albinus, and Florus, that the Romans resolved wholly to destroy them, and to that purpose Titus Vespasian was sent with an army against them, who took the city. Our Saviour foresaw, that when that time should come there would be some vain persons full of stomach for their liberties, that would be prophesying their deliverance, and encouraging them to hold out to the last. He warns his disciples to give no credit to them, for God would certainly deliver the city into their hands; therefore he advises them, as soon as they should see the city besieged, they should all shift for themselves as first as they could, for there was no true ground to hope for any deliverance. The time of Gods vengeance was come, when God would most certainly fulfil against that place whatsoever he had foretold against it. <\/P> <\/p>\n 20, 21. by armies<\/B>encampedarmies, that is, besieged: “the abomination of desolation”(meaning the Roman ensigns, as the symbols of an idolatrous, pagan,unclean power) “spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Da9:27<\/span>) “standing where it ought not” (Mr13:14<\/span>). “Whoso readeth [that prophecy] let him understand”(Mt 24:15<\/span>). <\/P> Then . . . flee,<\/B>c.EUSEBIUS says theChristians fled to Pella,<\/I> at the north extremity of Perea,being “prophetically directed” perhaps by some propheticintimation still more explicit than this, which still would be theirchart.<\/I><\/P><\/p>\n And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies<\/strong>,…. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions read, “with an army”; that is, with the Roman army, as it was by the army which Titus Vespasian brought against it, and besieged it with:<\/p>\n then know that the desolation thereof is nigh<\/strong>; signifying, that there would be no deliverance to be expected, as when the Assyrian army under Rabshakeh appeared against it; but that whenever the Roman army besieged it, its destruction might be looked upon as inevitable; nor was the siege raised until it was destroyed, which was about four years after.<\/p>\n Judgments Predicted.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Juda flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.<\/P> Having given them an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next ensuing, he here comes to show them what all those things would issue in at last, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation, which would be a little day of judgment, a type and figure of Christ’s second coming, which was not so fully spoken of here as in the parallel place (Matt. xxiv.<\/span>), yet glanced at; for the destruction of Jerusalem would be as it were the destruction of the world to those whose hearts were bound up in it.<\/P> I. He tells them that they should see Jerusalem besieged, compassed with armies<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 20<\/span>), the Roman armies; and, when they saw this, they might conclude that its desolation was nigh,<\/I> for in this the siege would infallibly end,<\/I> though it might be a long siege. Note, As in mercy, so in judgment, when God begins, he will make an end.<\/P> II. He warns them, upon this signal given, to shift for their own safety (v.<\/I><\/span> 21<\/span>): “Then let them that are in Judea<\/I> quit the country and flee to the mountains; let them that are in the midst of it<\/I>” (Of Jerusalem) “depart out,<\/I> before the city be closely shut up, and” (as we say now) “before the trenches be opened; and let not them that are in the countries and villages about enter into the city, thinking to be safe there. Do you abandon a city and country which you see God has abandoned and given up to ruin. Come out of her, my people.<\/I>“<\/P> III. He foretels the terrible havoc that should be made of the Jewish nation (v.<\/I><\/span> 22<\/span>): Those are the days of vengeance<\/I> so often spoken of by the Old-Testament prophets, which would complete the ruin of that provoking people. All their predictions must now be fulfilled, and the blood of all the Old-Testament martyrs must now be required. All things that are written must be fulfilled<\/I> at length. After days of patience long abused, there will come days of vengeance;<\/I> for reprieves are not pardons. The greatness of that destruction is set forth, 1. By the inflicting cause of it. It is wrath upon this people,<\/I> the wrath of God, that will kindle this devouring consuming fire. 2. By the particular terror it would be to women with child, and poor mothers that are nurses. Woe to them,<\/I> not only because they are most subject to frights, and least able to shift for their own safety, but because it will be a very great torment to them to think of having borne and nursed children for the murderers. 3. By the general confusion that should be all the nation over. There shall be great distress in the land,<\/I> for men will not know what course to take, nor how to help themselves.<\/P> IV. He describes the issue of the struggles between the Jews and the Romans, and what they will come to at last; in short, 1. Multitudes of them shall fall by the edge of the sword.<\/I> It is computed that in those wars of the Jews there fell by the sword above eleven hundred thousand. And the siege of Jerusalem was, in effect, a military execution. 2. The rest shall be led away captive;<\/I> not into one<\/I> nations, as when they were conquered by the Chaldeans, which gave them an opportunity of keeping together, but into all nations,<\/I> which made it impossible for them to correspond<\/I> with each other, much less to incorporate.<\/I> 3. Jerusalem itself was trodden down of the Gentiles.<\/I> The Romans, when they had made themselves masters of it, laid it quite waste, as a rebellious and bad city, hurtful to kings and provinces,<\/I> and therefore hateful to them.<\/P> V. He describes the great frights that people should generally be in. Many frightful sights<\/I> shall be in the sun, moon, and stars,<\/I> prodigies in the heavens, and here in this lower world, the sea and the waves roaring,<\/I> with terrible storms and tempests, such as had not been known, and above the ordinary working of natural causes. The effect of this shall be universal confusion and consternation upon the earth, distress of nations with perplexity,<\/I> v.<\/span> 25<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Dr. Hammond understands by the nations<\/I> the several governments or tetrarchies of the Jewish nation, Judea, Samaria, and Galilee; these shall be brought to the last extremity. Men’s hearts shall fail them for fear<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 26<\/span>), apopsychonton anthropon<\/B><\/I>—men being quite exanimated,<\/I> dispirited, unsouled,<\/I> dying away for fear. Thus those are killed all the day long<\/I> by whom Christ’s apostles were so (Rom. viii. 36<\/span>), that is, they are all the day long in fear of being killed; sinking under that which lies upon them, and yet still trembling for fear of worse, and looking after those things which are coming upon the world.<\/I> When judgment begins at the house of God,<\/I> it will not end there; it shall be as if all the world were falling in pieces; and where can any be secure then? The powers of heaven shall be shaken,<\/I> and then the pillars of the earth cannot but tremble. Thus shall the present Jewish policy, religion, laws, and government, be all entirely dissolved by a series of unparalleled calamities, attended with the utmost confusion. So Dr. Clarke. But our Saviour makes use of these figurative expressions because at the end of time they shall be literally accomplished, when the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll,<\/I> and all their powers not only shaken, but broken, and the earth<\/I> and all the works that are therein<\/I> shall be burnt up, 2Pe 3:10<\/span>; 2Pe 3:12<\/span>. As that day was all terror and destruction to the unbelieving Jews, so the great day will be to all unbelievers.<\/P> VI. He makes this to be a kind of appearing of the Son of man: Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory,<\/I> v.<\/span> 27<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. The destruction of Jerusalem was in a particular manner an act of Christ’s judgment, the judgment committed to the Son of man; his religion could never be thoroughly established but by the destruction of the temple, and the abolishing of the Levitical priesthood and economy, after which even the converted Jews, and many of the Gentiles too, were still hankering, till they were destroyed; so that it might justly be looked upon as a coming of the Son of man, in power and great glory,<\/I> yet not visibly, but in the clouds;<\/I> for in executing such judgments as these clouds and darkness are round about him.<\/I> Now this was, 1. An evidence<\/I> of the first coming of the Messiah; so some understand it. Then the unbelieving Jews shall be confined, when it is too late, that Jesus was the Messiah; those that would not see him coming in the power of his grace to save them<\/I> shall be made to see him coming in the power of his wrath to destroy them;<\/I> those that would not have him to reign over them<\/I> shall have him to triumph over them.<\/I> 2. It was an earnest<\/I> of his second coming. Then<\/I> in the terrors of that day they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud,<\/I> and all the terrors of the last day. They shall see a specimen<\/I> of it, a faint resemblance of it. If this be so terrible, what will that be?<\/P> VII. He encourages all the faithful disciples in reference to the terrors of that day (v.<\/I><\/span> 28<\/span>): “When these things begin to come to pass,<\/I> when Jerusalem is besieged, and every thing is concurring to the destruction of the Jews, then<\/I> do you look up,<\/I> when others are looking down, look heavenward, in faith, hope, and prayer, and lift up your heads<\/I> with cheerfulness and confidence, for your redemption draws night.<\/I>” 1. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; then had the churches rest.<\/I> 2. When he comes to judge the world at the last day, he will redeem<\/I> all that are his, from all their grievances. And the foresight of that day is as pleasant to all good Christians as it is terrible to the wicked and ungodly. Their death itself is so; when they see that day approaching, they can lift up their heads with joy,<\/I> knowing that their redemption draws nigh,<\/I> their removal to their Redeemer.<\/P> VIII. Here is one word of prediction that looks further than the destruction of the Jewish nation, which is not easily understood; we have it in v.<\/I><\/span> 24<\/span>: Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.<\/I> 1. Some understand it of what is past; so Dr. Hammond. The Gentiles, who have conquered Jerusalem, shall keep possession of it, and it shall be purely Gentile, till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, till a great part of the Gentile world shall have become Christian, and then after Jerusalem shall have been rebuilt by Adrian the emperor, with an exclusion of all the Jews from it, many of the Jews shall turn Christians, shall join with the Gentile Christians, to set up a church in Jerusalem, which shall flourish there for a long time. 2. Others understand it of what is yet to come; so Dr. Whitby. Jerusalem shall be possessed by the Gentiles, of one sort or other, for the most part, till the time come when the nations that yet remain infidels shall embrace the Christian faith, when the kingdoms of this world shall become Christ’s kingdoms, and then all the Jews shall be converted. Jerusalem shall be inhabited by them, and neither they nor their city any longer trodden down by the Gentiles.<\/P> <\/p>\n Compassed with armies <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Present passive participle of <\/SPAN><\/span>, to circle, encircle, from <\/SPAN><\/span>, circle. Old verb, but only four times in N.T. The point of this warning is the present tense, being encircled. It will be too late after the city is surrounded. It is objected by some that Jesus, not to say Luke, could not have spoken (or written) these words before the Roman armies came. One may ask why not, if such a thing as predictive prophecy can exist and especially in the case of the Lord Jesus. The word <\/SPAN><\/span> (<\/SPAN><\/span>, army, <\/SPAN><\/span>, plain) is a military camp and then an army in camp. Old word, but only here in the N.T.<\/P> Then know <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Second aorist active imperative of <\/SPAN><\/span>. Christians did flee from Jerusalem to Pella before it was too late as directed in Luke 21:21<\/span>; Mark 13:14<\/span>; Matt 24:16<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, DISPERSION OF JEWS V. 20-24<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,” <\/strong>(hotan de idete kekloumenen hupo stratopedon lerousalem) “Then when you all behold Jerusalem being, surrounded by camps,” Mat 24:15<\/span>. Camps of soldiers on every side, apparently a judgment prophecy of the destruction of the city, and dispersion of the Jews, AD 70.<\/p>\n 2) “Then know ye that,” <\/strong>(tote gnote) “At that point you all know,” or simply realize that the time when, “one stone shall not be left upon another,” in the temple’s destruction, was at hand, Mat 24:2<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “The desolation therefore is nigh.” <\/strong>(hoti engiken he eremosis autes) “That its desolation has drawn near,” Mar 13:2<\/span>; Mat 23:38<\/span>; Luk 21:6<\/span>; Luk 21:24<\/span>.<\/p>\n Appleburys Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n Jerusalem Surrounded by Armies Luk. 21:20-24<\/span> But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand. 21 Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein. 22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.<\/p>\n Comments<\/p>\n But when ye see Jerusalem surrounded with armies.This was the sign that her destruction was at hand. And it did happen in 70 A. D. when the Roman legions surrounded the city, desecrated its holy temple, and utterly destroyed the city with a devastation the like of which had not occurred from the beginning of the world nor would ever befall another city (Mat. 24:21<\/span>). The next thing like it will be the destruction of the world at the end of the age.<\/p>\n Then let them that are in Judea.Since this instruction was for those in Judea, it could not apply to the end of the world and the destruction that shall come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth (Luk. 21:35<\/span>).<\/p>\n For these are days of vengeance.The wrath of the Lord came upon the nation that rejected its King. Jerusalem suffered because it would not let Christ save it from impending doom (Luk. 13:34-35<\/span>).<\/p>\n and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles.As in the case of any occupied country, the people of Jerusalem must have hated the sound of marching feet as Roman soldiers moved everywhere through the streets of their city. They were eager to throw off the Roman yoke and might have been willing to follow Jesus if He had offered to lead them. We do not know the extent to which His refusal to let them make Him their king may have influenced them. We do know that they turned away from Him and finally before the Roman judge cried out, We have no king but Caesar. Because they crucified the Christ, their beloved city will be trodden down by the Gentiles until He comes again.<\/p>\n until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.Some assume from Pauls reference to the fulness of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:25<\/span>) that when the full number of Gentiles will have been converted to Christ, the Jews will come again into the favor of God. There seems to be no good reason for this view, for since the Day of Pentecost all whom God invites through the gospel message to come to Him, even those who are afar off whether Jews or Gentiles, may be saved. The priority of the Jew was forfeited at the cross, but the gospel, of course, is to be preached to all men, both Jews and Gentiles, until Christ comes again.<\/p>\n The history of Jerusalem to this day supports the view that the city will be under Gentile domination to the end of time.<\/p>\n Butlers Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n SECTION 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Precise Signs of Destruction (<\/strong>Luk. 21:20-32<\/span><\/strong>)<\/strong><\/p>\n 20But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it; 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written. 23Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; 24they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.<\/p>\n 25 And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.<\/p>\n 29 And he told them a parable: Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; 30as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the kingdom of God is near. So also when you see these things taking place, you know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.<\/p>\n Luk. 21:20-21<\/span><\/strong> Pagan Profanation: <\/strong>Jesus now lists a number of things that will be plainly observable to the generation then living. He prophesies there will be immediate signs that Judaism is forsaken and desolated and that the end has come for Jerusalem (cf. Mat. 24:15-34<\/span>; Mar. 13:14-30<\/span>). The first of these immediate signs will be when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. Matthew and Mark call it the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel (cf. Dan. 9:27<\/span>; Dan. 11:31<\/span>; Dan. 12:11<\/span>, see our comments there in Daniel, College Press). Daniel predicted the desecration of the Temple and the city by Romans armies as the consequence of the Jews rejecting their Anointed Prince 490 years after the restoration of the Jewish commonwealth in 457 B.C. (Dan. 9:24-27<\/span>). After a series of Jewish uprisings and riots, the city of Jerusalem was first besieged in November A.D. 66 by the Roman legate of Syria, Cestius Gallus. He had marched to Judea in November, 66 A.D., with the Twelfth Legion and surrounded the city on orders from the emperor, Nero. Gallus occupied the northern edge of Jerusalem, called Bezetha, but concluded his forces were too small to take the rest of the city so he withdrew. The Jews, assuming Divine providence had intervened to spare the city, took no advantage of the opportunity to flee. In fact, many Jews living in the immediate environs outside the city fled into the city for what they thought would be protection. Meanwhile, on the way back to Syria Gallus and his forces were ambushed by Jewish insurgents in the pass at Beth-horon and the Romans suffered great losses. Christians, remembering Jesus prophecy, fled to Pella when Cestius Gallus returned to Syria. Eusebius writes in his History, 111:5:3, . . . the people of the church in Jerusalem, being commanded to leave and dwell in a city of Perea, called Pella, in accordance with a certain oracle which was uttered before the war to the approved men there by way of revelation. . . .<\/p>\n Nero sent his general, Vespasian, with 60,000 men to Judea in the Spring of 67 A.D. Vespasian conquered all of Judea and was about to besiege Jerusalem, when he was called back to Rome after Neros suicide. Vespasian became emperor and sent his son, Titus, to Judea to put down the Jewish revolt. July 24, 70 A.D., Titus recaptured the Tower of Antonia at the northern edge of the Temple courts. August 5, he caused the daily sacrifices of the Jewish priests to cease. August 27, the Temple gates were burned. August 29, (the anniversary of Babylonian destruction of Solomons temple in 587 B.C.), the sanctuary itself was set on fire. While the sanctuary was burning, Roman soldiers brought their legionary standards into the Temple area and offered sacrifices to the Roman emperor there! On September 26, A.D. 70, the whole city was in Titus hands. All during the siege and assaults on the city by the Romans, the Jews within the city had been reduced to such desperation there were atrocities the Jews perpetrated upon one another almost too horrible and gruesome to recount.<\/p>\n Luk. 21:22-24<\/span><\/strong> Terrible Tribulations and Deceiving Deliverers: <\/strong>Jesus specifically and categorically says of this terrible holocaust, . . . for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. . . . Moses wrote that this would happen should the Jews reject The Prophet (cf. Deu. 18:15-18<\/span>; Deu. 28:15-68<\/span>); Daniel prophesied these things would come to pass because the Jews would cut off their Anointed One, (cf. Dan. 9:24-27<\/span>); Jesus proclaimed they would Fill up the measure of their fathers . . . that upon them would come all the righteous blood shed on earth. . . . (Mat. 23:31-36<\/span>) because they were going to kill the Son of God. Luke records Jesus as saying: For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people. Matthew and Mark record that Jesus said further: For then will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. This is one of the points of the Olivet Discourse which causes major confusion. Many readers insist that such language cannot be referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, even though that event was certainly terrible in its time. First, there have been many tribulations since the destruction of Jerusalem much worse in statistics than that one. For example, two world wars caused more death and destruction than that. Nazi Germany killed approximately 8,000,000 Jews during World War IIthat is certainly more than the estimated 1,500,000 slain and captured in 70 A.D. Then there is Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the prisons of Russian Siberia and Chinese Mongolia.<\/p>\n But the term, such as, in the description of Jesus, really does not refer to the statistical magnitude of the tribulationit refers rather to the kind of tribulation. Jesus is anticipating the uniqueness of the cause and effect of the suffering and afflictionnot the quantity or number who suffered. It is hardly possible for any tribulation to exceed in magnitude that of the flood of Noahs day when there were only eight survivors! We must explain what Jesus said, then, by quality or uniqueness. Perhaps these suggestions will help us understand why Jesus intended this great tribulation to be applied to the destruction of Jerusalem and Judaism:<\/p>\n a.<\/p>\n This tribulation involved the final destruction of what once had been Gods holy nation. This had never happened before. God rescued a remnant from captivity and restored their nationality. It will never happen again, since the Church of Christ is now Gods holy nation (1Pe. 2:9<\/span>) and it will never be destroyed (Mat. 16:18<\/span>; Dan. 2:44<\/span>).<\/p>\n b.<\/p>\n The circumstances of the Jews trapped in Jerusalem was unique in all of history. God had withdrawn His presence. They were abandoned to their own evil. The residents turned on one another in hatred and panic, and inflicted on themselves atrocities more horrible than even the Romans could invent!<\/p>\n c.<\/p>\n It was a tribulation suffered only by those Jews who had rejected Christ. Those who believed Jesus (especially this prophecy of Jerusalems destruction), were saved from the disaster of 70 A.D.<\/p>\n Still, how can we accept this statement that there was never such tribulation before or after 70 A.D.? Consider the following possibilities:<\/p>\n a.<\/p>\n The Bible was written for all timethe atomic age as well as that of bows and arrows. For Jesus to try to compare the tribulation of Roman warfare with Hiroshima would mean nothing to the apostles. So, Jesus is simply saying, In the frame-of-reference of what you apostles know and can visualize, Jerusalems suffering is going to be the greatest. This is no contradiction of Jesus omniscience. He is, in fact, condescending to the human limitations of the apostles. He did this at other times. He told them a few hours later, I have many things to say to you which you are not presently able to bear (Joh. 16:12<\/span> f.).<\/p>\n b.<\/p>\n The holocaust of 70 A.D. was unique in the way Jews tortured, murdered, and despised their fellow Jews. Jerusalem was really self-destroyed. Titus, the Roman general, made every effort to spare the people, the city and the Temple; but the Jews were implacable in their intentions to never surrender to the Romans again. Titus eventually could wait no longer and went into Jerusalem, killing and burning.<\/p>\n c.<\/p>\n It may be that this great tribulation which began with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., has continued with more or less intensity up to the present time! The Jews, since 70 A.D., have, in many lands and many centuries suffered great tribulation.<\/p>\n Matthew and Mark add, And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, those days will be shortened (Mat. 24:22<\/span>; Mar. 13:20<\/span>). Titus first thought to build a siege wall and starve the Jews all to death or let them all die of disease. But then, with pressing business back in Rome beckoning, he stormed the city, killed, burned and took thousands of Jews captive. Thus many thousands of Jews were saved alive who would have otherwise perished (cf. Josephus, Wars, 12:1).<\/p>\n Luke records that Jesus specifically predicted the great tribulation would involve the death of many Jews, but many would also be led captive among all the nations. Jesus then makes a statement, recorded by Luke alone, which has been the focus of much confusing comment by alleged students of eschatology. Jesus said, . . . and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luk. 21:24<\/span> b). By the word until Jesus is indicating that the desolation of Jerusalem would continue as long as God sees fit. That is the question-how long will that be? There is a passage in Rom. 11:25-26<\/span> which should provide a clue. That passage says, . . . a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved. . . . This passage makes it clear that at the time all Israel has been saved, the full number of the Gentiles (the times of the Gentiles . . . fulfilled) will have come in. So the question really focuses on all Israels salvation. It is plain from the New Testament that Israel is the church of Jesus Christ. Paul says in Rom. 9:8<\/span> . . . it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants. . . . Paul writes in Gal. 3:29<\/span>, And if you are Christs, then you are Abrahams offspring, heirs according to promise. The until then points to a time when God will have grafted into true spiritual Israel, all that through faith in Christ and obedience of that faith shall be saved. That is the end of time. Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the end of the world. The Jews had their time. They were allotted 490 years from the reestablishment of the Jewish commonwealth (457 B.C. to fulfill their messianic destiny and bring the Messiah into the world and complete Gods redemptive program (34 A.D.) (cf. Dan. 9:24-27<\/span>, see our comments there in Daniel, College Press). They rejected the Messiah and crucified Him. So the kingdom was taken from the Jews and given to others (cf. Mat. 21:43<\/span>). God gave His kingdom to a mixture of all races and tribes and languages which would produce the fruits of repentance. In this kingdom neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but a new creation. Those who walk by this rule are the Israel of God (cf. Gal. 6:15-16<\/span>). God has not absolutely rejected the Jews, neither have the Jews totally rejected Christa hardening has taken place only in part. There are still Jews coming to God through Christ today. But that is the only way God will accept anyone (cf. Joh. 5:23<\/span>; Joh. 14:6<\/span>; Heb. 10:10<\/span>; Heb. 10:12-14<\/span>, etc.), from now until the end of time. Genetic Jewishness counts nothing with Godnever did, never shall (cf. Rom. 2:28-29<\/span>; Rom. 4:9<\/span> ff; Rom. 9:22-26<\/span>; Gal. 3:6-9<\/span>, etc.); it has always been faith that made anyone a child of God. When the Jews were given their allotted time and when the apostles had completed the first part of Jesus Great Commission and had taken the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria (Act. 1:8<\/span>), and they had, for the most part, rejected it, then the gospel of the kingdom was delivered to the Gentiles (see Act. 13:46<\/span>). The time allotted for the Gentiles (and any Jews who will now believe in Christ, for they are no longer His chosen but are as the Gentiles) is until Christ delivers up the kingdom to God after destroying every authority and power (cf. 1Co. 15:23-28<\/span>), and that is the end of time.<\/p>\n Until the end of time Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles. Geographical Jerusalem and national Israel will be characterized as Gentile so long as the present world exists. So long as a Jew will not come to Jehovah by faith in Jesus Christ, he is a heathen, an unbeliever, one who crucifies Christ afresh and for him there is no possibility of repentance before God unless through Jesus Christ (cf. Heb. 6:1-8<\/span>; Heb. 10:1-31<\/span>). There is no grace of God for anyone outside of Christ, not even in Judaism (cf. Gal. 5:2-6<\/span>). Jews in Jerusalem today, outside of Christ, are as Gentile as any unbeliever practicing any form of idolatry, because Gods covenant is in Christ!<\/p>\n At this point in the discourse Jesus warned that another of the signs indicating the imminent destruction of Jerusalem would be false Christs and false prophets showing signs and wonders attempting to lead many astray, even the elect. These pseudo-Christs would try to convince many to follow them into different places of alleged safety. But Jesus exhorts His listeners to take heed, I have told you all things beforehand (cf. Mat. 24:23-27<\/span>; Mar. 13:21-23<\/span>). Then Jesus adds, For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man (Mat. 24:27<\/span>). What Jesus is saying is this: Do not follow the pseudo-Christs; their signs will be obscure, deceitful and false. When the Son of man comes in His judgment upon this city, the signs will be unmistakable. The signs which I have told you will be as clearly visible as the lightning! This interpretation of the Son of mans coming in Mat. 24:27<\/span> is in harmony with Jesus next statement, Wherever the body is, there the eagles (Gr. aetoi, vultures) will be gathered together (Mat. 24:28<\/span>). Vultures easily ascertain where deadness is and hasten to devour them. The Romans pounced on the rotting carcass of Judaism. The Jews expected a Messiah to appear from out of nowhere and deliver them from the Romans. Those Jews besieged within the walls of Jerusalem were especially vulnerable to false prophets and false Christs. Jesus said this would be a sign that Jerusalem was about to be wiped out. The real Messiah did come in 70 A.D. with His army to destroy (not deliver) Jerusalem. The reader is referred to Mat. 22:7<\/span> where Jesus is plainly parabolizing the destruction of the Jewish nation at the hands of the Kings troops who destroyed and burned their city (see also, Isa. 10:5-10<\/span>; Jer. 27:5-7<\/span>). This reference to the destruction of Jerusalem as a coming of the Son of man is imperative for the proper understanding of the next section of Jesus discourse.<\/p>\n Before continuing with the narrative, however, it is necessary at this point to include a few brief notes from Josephus account of the destruction of Jerusalem in his, Wars, Books V and VI:<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n Three different political parties of the Jews were within the city fighting one another for the three years of siege.<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n They fought one another with such malice and abandon that thousands of innocent Jews were slain in their cross-fire. Even priests and worshipers in the Temple courts were slain in the very act of offering sacrifices.<\/p>\n 3.<\/p>\n These factions burned storehouses filled with food, polluted water reservoirs to keep others from having them, and thus caused the starvation of thousands of their countrymen.<\/p>\n 4.<\/p>\n Anyone who sought to escape the city, if caught by the Jews, was slain by having his throat cut.<\/p>\n 5.<\/p>\n Burial of dead bodies within the city was impossible so they simply let the cadavers rot, tramped over them, or threw them over the walls.<\/p>\n 6.<\/p>\n Some Jews tried to swallow their gold and escape the city, hoping to pass it after escape. Both their own countrymen, and later the Romans, caught on to their ruse. When such people were captured trying to escape, they were thrown to the ground and disemboweled alive and their gold taken from their intestines while they writhed in death throes.<\/p>\n 7.<\/p>\n Robbers plundered stores, homes, government buildings, torturing anyone found inside for food or other articles of value.<\/p>\n 8.<\/p>\n Children pulled the very morsels of food out of the mouths of their aged parents, and parents did the same to children.<\/p>\n 9.<\/p>\n Many Jews sold their homes, their children, anything they possessed, for one measure of wheat or barley.<\/p>\n 10.<\/p>\n One method of Jews torturing Jews was to drive wooden spikes up their private parts and this for no reason at all except they wished to express some anger.<\/p>\n 11.<\/p>\n Romans crucified Jews who escaped at the rate of 500 per day, They ran out of wood with which to make crosses so many were crucified.<\/p>\n 12.<\/p>\n Tens of thousands died of rampant disease and pestilences.<\/p>\n 13.<\/p>\n Some Jews leaped from the tops of the walls of Jerusalem, broke bones, mangled bodies, and many died. If they did survive and escape, they ate food, when they could find any, so much and so rapidly, they died.<\/p>\n 14.<\/p>\n Dead bodies were stacked in great heaps as high as houses.<\/p>\n 15.<\/p>\n Blood ran down the gutters and narrow streets of Jerusalem ankle deep.<\/p>\n 16.<\/p>\n Some ate from public sewers, cattle and pigeon dung, wood, leather shields, hay, clothing, and things even scavenger animals would not eat.<\/p>\n 17.<\/p>\n Book VI:3:4, documents the incident of a woman roasting her own infant son and eating his flesh to stay alive (cf. Deu. 28:53<\/span>).<\/p>\n 18.<\/p>\n Many false prophets went throughout the city telling people to take refuge in the Temple. As a result, 10,000 were slain and burned when Titus burned the Temple.<\/p>\n 19.<\/p>\n After the woman (mentioned above) ate the flesh of her own child, the whole city was full of this horrid action immediately Josephus says.<\/p>\n 20.<\/p>\n The Romans, upon capturing the entire city, slew every living person they came into contact withthey obstructed the very streets with their dead bodies, and made the whole city run down with blood, to such a degree that the fire of many houses was quenched with these mens blood.<\/p>\n 21.<\/p>\n Josephus records that 1,100,000 perished and 97,000 were taken captive at this destruction of Jerusalem. Some estimates go as high as a total of 2,000,000.<\/p>\n 22.<\/p>\n Josephus concludes, . . . thus the city was thoroughly laid even with the ground. . . . Only three towers and a little part of one wall was left by Titus to memorialize his victory over the Jews.<\/p>\n Luk. 21:25-28<\/span><\/strong> Potentates Plummeting: <\/strong>Luke says, And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars. . . . etc. Matthew says, Immediately after the tribulation of those days. . . . (Mat. 24:29<\/span>) and Mark says, But in those days, after that tribulation. . . . (Mar. 13:24<\/span>). The very strong indication that this text (Luk. 21:25-28<\/span> parallels Mat. 24:29-31<\/span>; Mar. 13:24-27<\/span>) is a continuation of the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judaism may be seen from: (a) Immediately does not usually make room for much of a time gapcertainly not a gap of over 2000 years; (b) When these things begin to take place. . . . (Luk. 21:28<\/span>) surely is not referring to the Second Coming for there will be no signs pointing to its nearnessit will be instantaneous; (c) and the further statement, . . . this generation will not pass away till all these things take place (Luk. 21:32<\/span>; Mat. 24:34<\/span>; Mar. 13:30<\/span>) undoubtedly includes the sun and moon being darkened, stars falling from heaven, perplexity and distress of nations and the powers of the heavens being shaken.<\/p>\n Now this section is difficult for the Occidental mind, but not for the Oriental. The careful Bible student will find much help in understanding this simply by giving attention to context, comparable passages from the Old Testament and Biblical word usage. This section is plainly couched in what is called apocalyptic language, similar to that of the Old Testament prophets and Revelation when predicting the coming of God in judgment upon pagan nations (and even upon the Jewish nation). Apocalyptic language is characterized by its figurativeness, symbolism and drama. The apocalyptic language of Jesus here should be interpreted in light of the following considerations:<\/p>\n a.<\/p>\n Sun, moon, and stars darkened or falling from heaven is often stated symbolically in the Old Testament to picture any inexpressible calamity such as an overturning of kingdoms or cities or kings or religious potentates thought otherwise to be invincible. It is clear that Isa. 13:10<\/span>; Isa. 14:12<\/span> ff; Isa. 24:23<\/span>; Isa. 34:1-4<\/span>; Jer. 4:23-28<\/span>; Jer. 15:9<\/span>; Joe. 2:10<\/span>; Joe. 2:30<\/span> to Joe. 3:21<\/span>; Amo. 4:9<\/span>; Mic. 3:6<\/span>; Hab. 3:11<\/span>, and others, refer to the fall of kingdoms and kings in such terms, This kind of imagery goes back at least as far as Joseph and his brothers (cf. Gen. 37:9<\/span> ff.). They understood it then.<\/p>\n b.<\/p>\n Luke says, distress of nations . . . in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves. . . . This is picturing the distress of the wicked as these calamities of the destruction of Jerusalem roll over them like waves of the sea. Isa. 57:20-21<\/span> uses the same symbolism. It may also refer to the overwhelming flood of the Roman army to come upon Jerusalem (see Jer. 6:23<\/span> ff. describing the flood of Babylonians about to come upon Jerusalem in 606 B.C.).<\/p>\n c.<\/p>\n The powers of the heavens being shaken. . . . is apparently a figurative prophecy of the shaking down of the system of Judaism and the obsolete priesthood (cf. Heb. 8:13<\/span>; Heb. 12:25-29<\/span>; Heb. 13:13-14<\/span> with Isa. 14:12<\/span> ff; Isa. 24:21-23<\/span>).<\/p>\n d.<\/p>\n Then will appear the signs of the Son of man. . . . or as Luke puts it, And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. . . . Jesus plainly told His apostles some of them would not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power and before they saw the Son of man coming in His kingdom (cf. Mar. 9:1<\/span>; Mat. 16:28<\/span>). He is saying here that when the destruction of Jerusalem occurs it will be unmistakable evidence to His followers, at least, that the Son of man has come to keep His word about taking the kingdom from the Jews.<\/p>\n e.<\/p>\n Luke says men will be fainting with fear and with foreboding. . . . Matthew says, then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. Jews had been scattered all over the world ever since the Babylonian captivity. These would certainly mourn and faint with fear when they learned of Jerusalems obliteration by the Romans because they would fear the same treatment. This probably refers also to the prediction of Zechariah (Luk. 12:10<\/span>). There the Jews are predicted as mourning over the crucifying of their Messiah. John refers to this prophecy at the crucifixion (cf. Joh. 19:37<\/span>). The destruction of Jerusalem was Gods wrath upon the nation for crucifying (cutting off) the Messiah (cf. Dan. 9:24-27<\/span>).<\/p>\n f.<\/p>\n This is probably what Jesus meant when He said the same thing to the High Priest warning him of the consequences of crucifying the Messiah (cf. Mat. 26:64<\/span>)the destruction of Judaism.<\/p>\n g.<\/p>\n Matthew and Mark add the words: And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, (Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
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<\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Scripture<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n