According to statistics the modern city of Jerusalem has eleven
gates, of which only seven gates are open. The eastern gate has been long sealed
shut symbolizing the denial of entry to the Messiah into Jerusalem. This is a
great contrast to the New Jerusalem which John saw that will have twelve open
gates, gates that will never be shut.
When Rome destroyed the ancient Temple of Israel in AD70, it left
only the outer retaining wall of the Temple Mount platform and complex. This
outer wall shell, is known to Jews as the Kotel ha-Ma'aravi, and to most
Westerners as the Western Wall or (wailing wall). Jews from around the world gather
there to pray at the Wailing Wall for centuries. It is a fact that Jews place
many scraps of paper called kvitlach that contains prayers into the crevices of the
65-foot high wall, hoping for answers to prayer.
The Jews continue till today to pray for the peace of Jerusalem
just like their fathers did in the Old testament. They have been praying three
times a day for thousands of years now saying "To Jerusalem, thy city,
shall we return with joy," and also quoting the Psalmist's oath: "If
I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."
The books of I and II Samuel, I and II Kings,
and I and II Chronicles, as well as almost every one of the Old Testament prophets
of Israel convey to us detailed information of how her unfaithfulness to
covenant with Yahweh caused Israel to be taken into exile in Babylon and why
the magnificent First Temple came to be destroyed. The major prophets like
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Isaiah were sent by God to warn Israel of their downfall.
The first temple was burnt down after great loss of life on the 9th of Av, 586
B.C. a restoration was spoken of by God through his prophets and it was fulfilled by a gradual restoration
that culminated in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
600 years later Jesus the Messiah arrived,
Israel once again enjoyed a modest place among the nations of the Middle East. But
something was happening which was well noted by the Jews. Something that we can
look back and notice what Paul was saw in 2 Corinthians 3:7
“But
if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so
that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for
the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”
Israel’s great military competence that she had
enjoyed under King David was gone. The Kingship for Israel had been a vassal
state under foreign dominion for centuries. It was no longer the glorified
kingdom that they once had. Their hope for the Messiah was misplaced in one
that would restore all that. They were oblivious of the plans of God through
the covenant with Abraham; To bless all nations.
The only thing that remained were the sacrifices
and offerings that characterized Judaism. The priesthood was corrupted and even
denied the people the place to worship God through difficult barriers they
placed as heavy burdens. There was so much internal politics that saw them divided
into factions amongst the Herodians, Hellenists, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes,
and Scribes.
As the writer of Hebrews once said
“with burnt offerings and sin offerings you
were not pleased.” (Hebrews 10:6) NIV
When the disciples the Disciples bragged about the
splendor of the Temple to Jesus in Matthew 24 they received a shocking response
that would go down as Jesus longest prophecy. He spoke about the end of that
Jewish age that would also see the temple and city burnt down just like it
happened in 586 B.C. Unfortunately most of Christianity see this as the end of
the world and so disregard the relevance of message to the original and
intended audience.
C.H.
(Charles) Spurgeon in a sermon which he delivered in 1865 (Metropolitan
Tabernacle Pulpit, Vo. XXXVII, p. 354), said:
Did
you ever regret the absence of the burnt-offering, or the red heifer, of any
one of the sacrifices and rites of the Jews? Did you ever pine for the feast of
tabernacle, or the dedication? No, because, though these were like the old
heavens and earth to the Jewish believers, they have passed away and we now
live under a new heavens and a new earth, so far as the dispensation of divine
teaching is concerned. The substance is come, and the shadow has gone: and we
do not remember it.
After Jesus resurrection and the commissioning
of the Apostles to preach the word of salvation that could not be provided in
that Old covenant age. This message also provided their escape from the coming
catastrophe known as the pouring out of the wrath of God. Look at what the
Hebrews author said
That by two
immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set
before us: (Hebrews 6:18)
The Apostles made them know that they oblivious
of God’s plan and even killed their covenant partner. They told them that had
totally missed the special appointed time of her visitation from God, a visit
personified in the manifestation of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. See what
Peter says:
17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in
ignorance, as your rulers did too. 18 But the things God foretold long ago
through all the prophets – that his Christ would suffer – he has fulfilled in
this way. 19 Therefore repent and turn back so that
your sins may be wiped out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from
the presence of the Lord, and so that he may send the Messiah appointed for you
– that is, Jesus. … 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among
your brothers. You must obey him in everything he tells you. 23 Every person who
does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets, from Samuel and
those who followed him, have spoken about and announced these days. (Acts 3)
About 40 years later, (32AD-70AD) and exactly as
prophesied by Jesus Christ, the magnificent "Herod's Temple" was
completely destroyed, leaving not one stone upon another. Majority of the Jews
were caught in this avoidable catastrophe that was spoken of for over 2,000
years.
This is the historical statement as given by Darrell G. Young, in his article “Oh Jerusalem, Thou that
Killeth the Prophets”
“The
Jewish zealots, reacting in opposition to Caligula’s campaign began a revolt
against Rome, a revolt which led to Roman legion soldiers from Syria destroying
the food stocks of the Zealots and the local Jewish population. The inhabitants
of the city of Jerusalem died in great numbers via starvation. (Luke 21:20-23)
Roman General Titus encircled the city, (later became Caesar) and began the
siege of Jerusalem in April, A.D. 70. He posted his 10th legion on the Mount of
Olives, directly east of and overlooking the Temple Mount. The 12th and 15th
legions were stationed on Mount Scopus, further to the east and commanding all
ways to Jerusalem from east to north. On the 10th of August, in A.D. 70 – (the
9th of Av) -- in Jewish calendar reckoning, the very day when the King of
Babylon burned the Temple in 586 B.C., the Temple was burned again. Titus took
the city and put it to the torch, burning the Temple, leaving not one stone
upon another.
Thus, Jerusalem was totally destroyed and as Jesus had predicted, and not one
stone was left upon another. When the Temple was set on fire the Roman soldiers
tore apart the stone to get the melted gold. The Menorah and vessels were
carried to Rome and the treasury was robbed. But perhaps the most astonishing
prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome is that it happened just as
Daniel had predicted, in that the Temple was destroyed only after the Messiah had come, and not
before he had presented himself to Israel! (Daniel 9:26) (Luke 19:41-45)”
This explains why John sees no temple in the new heaven and earth in Revelation 21:
"22 Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God –
the All-Powerful – and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the
sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its
lamp is the Lamb."
The end of that old covenant age has been eclipsed
with the establishment of God’s kingdom here on earth. Since that period the
kingdom has been growing and finding expression in all places in the earth. The
propagation of the gospel has seen transformation and cultures which will
continue with the nature of kingdom. That old covenant age faded over time but this
new one will spread and increase in glory and splendor and will overshadow the
former that it will not be remembered in any way.
Celebrate this new covenant age. It will never pass away.
"21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesian 3)
Credits:
Oh Jerusalem, Thou that Killeth the Prophets, By: Darrell G. Young