You're completely ignoring the context of Matthew 24:1-2 where the disciples clearly were marveling at the temple buildings standing at that time and then Jesus pointed to them and said "see these things" and proceeded to tell them that they would be destroyed. In no way, shape or form was He talking about His body in Matthew 24:1-2 the way that He did in John 2:18-22. You lack the discernment necessary to differentiate between one passage and another. Ask God for wisdom so that you can start doing that (James 1:5-7).
I respectfully disagree,
@Spiritual Jew .
We really don't have to speculate, we search the scriptures to find out
when the holy city was destroyed. When, is not subject to our own personal opinions or private interpretations. So the question is, when does the Bible illustrate that the Holy City was destroyed, and more importantly HOW was it destroyed? Jesus clearly said:
Matthew 23:37-38
- "O 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."
Was this Holy City, this Jerusalem Christ was talking about, left desolate in AD 70?
No, it was left spiritually desolate because it is the Old Testament congregation that Christ was speaking about. Christ is not talking about a physical city being destroyed, or physical bricks falling in ruin, but
of a corporate people of God. A people who had rejected God's servants and prophets despite God's care and care of them. A people who were supposed to be the holy city but who loved abominations rather than righteousness and as a result would be left desolate, and no longer be the city of peace. He was not talking about a city being destroyed by Romans some 37 years later, but a spiritual city brought to blindness and ruin by their wickedness.
The fact is, interpretations don't belong to Josephus, they belong to God (Genesis 40:8 ). God doesn't leave it up to human bias, historians or man to judge so-called Biblical facts If that were the case, we would all come to totally different conclusions reading the same Bible. Which (by the way) is the very reason that we have so many diverse interpretations in the churches. Because so many professing Christians do not hold to the sound hermeneutic of allowing the Bible to interpret itself. People use the
methodology of thinking they can "of themselves" discern truth through speculation and secular history. No way that is a sound system.
Truth about prophecy is found upon the pages of the Bible,
Not on the pages of history books. The Spirit of God that is within every believer does not reveal whether historical facts/events line up with prophecies, it reveals when scripture lines up with scripture, when it is in harmony with itself, thus revealing the truth of how
God Himself interpret imagery, symbols and prophecies.
By contrast, many seem to be saying that history, as found in secular history books, is an accurate way to interpret God's word. If that is what you believe, I would say that is an unsound system of interpretation. The assumption is the mother of errors. Secular History may be true, but it also may not be. For "
History is written by the victors," and we should never assume that what is written is the truth just because it finds its way into renowned books. Nevertheless, even if it were "mostly" true, we can never use secular history to interpret or understand God's word. God didn't inspire His holy word to be interpreted by books written by uninspired men. The Bible is meant to be interpreted by the Bible, not by comparing it to what other men may have written. That's the most basic and fundamental of all sound interpretation. itself. The only
infallible means of interpretation is an infallible word. Scripture interprets scripture
because interpretations belong to God (Genesis 40:8 ), and God today speaks to us through His word. Anything else is a private interpretation.
2nd Peter 1:20
- "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."
Prophesy has never been subject to any man's historical observations, personal opinions, individual explanations or learned, scholarly suppositions. Interpretation is by God through God's word alone.
Matthew 24:1-2
- "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
- And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
@Spiritual Jew , of course the natural man would look at this and think that God was speaking about a physical temple building, but the spiritual man knows God speaks of the congregation as a temple and those within it as the stones of that Temple. That's not something I made up, that's a Biblical fact. And as far as the prophecy, and despite suppositions to the contrary, our Lord was very specific saying not only that
"not one stone would be left standing one upon another of it, but further amplified it by saying they (the stones one upon another) would all (BAR NONE) be thrown down! Even by using the vaunted secular history books
we know of a certainty that more than one stone was left standing one upon another after AD 70. In point of
fact, to this very day, there are foundation stones left STILL standing "one upon another" of the physical Temple. Moreover, there were (and let's not forget this) many stones of the physical city Jerusalem today are STILL left standing one upon another. Again, the qualifying prophecy was that
"not one stone would be left standing one upon another. Too many people want to "ignore" this qualification because it doesn't fit or conform to their personal/private interpretations of this prophecy taking place in AD 70.
Luke 19:41-46
- "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
- Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
- 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.
- And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
- Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves."
Many Christians refuse to hear the part where Christ unambiguously says the city shall be
laid even with the ground and her children within her. It's very willfully convenient to leave that part out. Now, who did Christ said TRULY were the enemies of Jerusalem and how were they compassed round about her? Who truly brought the city to desolation?
Was it the Romans, or was it those who would smite the Shepherd? Only by comparing scripture with scripture will we ever know the "TRUE" answer to that. No, it's not the Romans! Christ said that the city Jerusalem
ITSELF and
ALL ITS CHILDREN WITHIN would be
laid even with the ground so that
Not one stone would be left standing one upon another. Again, Christ's
specific qualification for fulfillment, not mine. Of course, the physical city remained with
many stones left standing one upon another, which means that the physical city in AD 70 was
NOT what Christ was speaking about in the prophecy. Only their spiritual city, the Old Testament congregation qualifies for having been completely laid even with the ground and brought to desolation. The kingdom representative was taken from her and gave to another which is the New Testament Congregation in three days! Spiritually! We have to understand, Christ didn't weep for literal stones or for a physical city Jerusalem, he wept for the congregation Jerusalem,
the people who were the stones and the city proper! It is "THEY" who would be brought to
desolation or total ruin by their abominations, and it is they who were laid even with the ground. That is why the Apostle Paul also Wept for his kinsmen according to the flesh. Because He understood that at that moment, they were no longer the people of God or no longer represent God's kingdom. That is the RUIN that came upon Jerusalem because of her abominations.
Romans 9:8
- "That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."
Something has already taken place where the Old Testament congregation has been brought to ruin. They have been thrown down and would never be the representation of the holy city of God ever again! This is what the veil of the Holy Temple being torn in two signified.
Matthew 27:50-51
- "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
- And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"
This true destruction of Jerusalem, the holy city. It did NOT occur in AD 70, but
when Christ was crucified on the cross. RIght when the temple veil was torn in two and the rocks rent that symbolized there was instituted a new way, a New Temple (a rebuilding or as Biblically put, "Build again"). And in order for the building again, there would have to he been the ruin before first! Selah! For how do you rebuild up something that has not been previously brought down to ruin. Not one stone was left one upon another in that city because by their abominations, it was laid waste--the Kingdom was taken from them and given to another. Where all stones were thrown down, Christ came to start the rebuilding, being the beginning, the cornerstone of that rebuilding. Not rebuilding a physical Temple as so many modern Christians suppose, but as God had always intended.
Matthew 21:42-43
- "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
The Holy City representation of the congregation of God, the kingdom of God on earth, was taken from them and was instituted in the New Testament Church. Christ is the beginning, the cornerstone of that rebuilding of what was brought to ruin. The people of the congregation built upon Him are the stones of that rebuilding of city and Temple. Thrown down, rebuilt, it's not rocket science!! It is simply understanding Scripture
spiritually, the way our Lord fully intended. Christians are spiritual beings, we don't understand things in the way the world does, but in the Spirit of truth. Comparing scripture with scripture in the only sound hermeneutic whereby we may understand righteously God's view of things.
1st Corinthians 2:13
- "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."
Not by comparing the carnal, natural and physical with the carnal,
but by spiritual with spiritual. These are things that man's natural wisdom will miss as he looks to worldly or carnal interpretations through history books, nations and political rulers.
It is only in searching the word of God where we will find how Jerusalem was brought to desolation and ruin, and when.
Matthew 12:25-27
- "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
- And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
- And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges."
Jerusalem was brought to ruin because it was a city that was divided against itself, no longer Holy and couldn't stand. That's not talking about an inanimate object such as a physical city or physical stones,
but people. Thus they were destroyed, every last stone laid level with the ground. And a rebuilding commenced in Christ as the first stone. This is the "TRUE" restoration of Israel, which secular history cannot dream of comprehending.
Acts 15:16-17
- "After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
- That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things."
The Tabernacle was indeed fallen, and it had to be rebuilt, and the ruins restored, and this is all talking about Christ and the New Testament congregation!! Not physical city in 70AD. Look deeper into the prophecy and know that it is true. What many people don't understand is the spiritual nature of the Bible. A literal Temple or rebuilding is not in view! These people were the stones that were laid level in ruin, and Christ was the beginning of a new building, with new stones. God is not interested in physical bricks falling except in seeing they may not see. Consider wisely what Christ said:
Matthew 21:41-43
- "They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
- Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
The Old Jerusalem was laid ruin at the cross
by their rejection of Christ, the New Testament Jerusalem is built on their ruins. You, me, and all other Christians are the
stones of that "building again" of the ruins. One laid one upon another. These are spiritual truths, not truths anyone will find in a secular history book, but ONLY in the word of God diligently searched out! And in searching it out we find that the Temple
was destroyed at His death. But the responsibility for that destruction rests upon the head of those who rejected Christ. They (according to scripture) destroyed the sanctuary, they are those who Jesus said (according to scripture) "destroy this temple," and in three days the Lord raised it up. Sure, we can wax poetic about how no one really destroyed the Temple until AD 70, but according to prophesy, they not only did destroy the holy temple by their abominations, but that it was left desolate (totally in ruins) by its abominations, not by Romans.
Anyone can study history. There is no Biblical law against the study of History. The problem comes in
when Christians attempt to use secular history to prove fulfilled scripture. History doesn't prove scripture, scripture proves History. The scriptures are not in error, your understanding of them is in error. That can be very easily proven,
IF we take Christ at his word when He says that not one stone will be left standing one upon another. For example, there were many stones left standing one upon another after the Romans attack of the city, and anyone can prove that for themselves by flying to Jersualem today and seeing the ruins and walls and stones left STILL STANDING one upon another. Unless Jesus made a mistake in claiming they wouldn't be left that way, then obviously your understanding of what He truly was saying is flawed.
Hope this helps.
