1. The Destruction Of Jerusalem. 23
“ Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” 30
With the overthrow of Jerusalem the disciples associated the events of Christ ' s personal coming in temporal glory to take the throne of universal empire, to punish the impenitent Jews, and to break from off the nation the Roman yoke. The Lord had told them that He would come the second time. Hence at the mention of judgments upon Jerusalem, their minds reverted to that coming; and as they were gathered about the Saviour upon the Mount of Olives, they asked,“ When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” 31
The future was mercifully veiled from the disciples. Had they at that time fully comprehended the two awful facts,— the Redeemer ' s sufferings and death, and the destruction of their city and temple,— they would have been overwhelmed with horror. Christ presented before them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close of time. His words were not then fully understood; but their meaning was to be unfolded as His people should need the instruction therein given. The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meaning: while foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day.
Jesus declared to the listening disciples the judgments that were to fall upon apostate Israel, and especially the retributive vengeance that would come upon them for their rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah. Unmistakable signs would precede the awful climax. The dreaded hour would come suddenly [ 026 ] and swiftly. And the Saviour warned His followers:“ When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,( whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judea flee into
30 Matt. 24:2, 3. 31 Ibid.