Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple

Introduction

Opening Illustration - Description of the Temple: The temple in Jerusalem during the days of Jesus, known as the Second Temple, was a construction of absolute marvel & beauty. The city of Jerusalem was well defended being perched between two mountains, and with a great thick and durable wall around it. The city wall had hundreds of twoers placed at various spots to protect the citizens. Two of those towards were massive, about 135 feet tall. Those were made from white marble, and designed with such intricacy that they looked as if they had been cut out of one solid piece of stone. Inside the city of Jerusalem were a handful of very beautiful buildings. The royal palace could be seen with all of its own pillars and porticos and galleries. The Fort of Antonia, likewise, was a sight to behold. It was a combination of palace and fort with four massive defensive pillars to house the Roman military. But it was the temple that was the grandest of them all.

Herod the Great began this refurbishing of the Temple about 20 years before the birth of Christ, and the project would last an additional 33 years after Christ’s death and resurrection. Which means in the days of Jesus, the refurbishings were in their height.

The temple itself was of such beauty that it neared the great wonders of the world. The foundations of the lower temple were 450 feet in depth. It had 160 columns, each 27 feet high, each ornamented beautifully. Many areas were covered in plates of gold which would flash in the sun, and those that were not were of such dazzling white that the building literally shone when viewed from a distance. Inside were all the golden vessels used for temple worship and the beautiful carvings and intricate craftsmanship of nearly every corner.

Destruction: That temple is in ruins today. You can go to Jerusalem and visit the its remaining ruins, which are essentially heaps of stone. It was destroyed in the year 70AD by Rome, under the leadership General Titus.

Context: The text before us is a lengthy one. It is a sermon that Jesus gave that is known as the Olivet Discourse, the other gospel writers inform us that Jesus gave this message while standing on the Mount of Olives which afforded a beautiful view of the entire temple precinct. The text begins in Luke 21:5-7 with this context:

Luke 21:5–7 “And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?””

And so, Jesus declares that the temple that stood in Jerusalem would be destroyed. Just as Jesus predicted, just about 40 years later in 70AD. It is no hyperbole, as I will show today, that the day of that temple’s destruction, was among the bloodiest and most carnage filled days in all of human history.

And so this sermon is a prophecy about events that were going to happen in his listeners future. But, those events are now in our past. And yet, like much prophecy in scripture, there are echos ideas that extend throughout history, and the words have echoes similarities intentionally to instruct us for that final judgment when Christ returns in our future.

So, I have three aims for us today.

I want to show you what Christ said would happen in this sermon.

I want to teach you what historians (primarily Josephus a Jewish historian from that time period and Tacitus a Roman historian from that time period) tell us actually happened. I’ll show you how everything Jesus said would happen, happened.

I want to help consider what Christ’s teaching might have to offer us regarding faith today.

Doctrinal

It’s a longer sermon but we’ll read through the whole thing in smaller chunks so as to process it section by section.

A Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

Luke 21:8–9 “And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.””

Immediately after telling the disciples that the temple would be destroyed he warns about the tremors that would occur before this horrific event.

False Messiahs: First, there would be false messiahs who would claim to be the Savior. We know this in fact happened. And in fact in the years leading up to the destruction of the temple a number of prominent false messiahs were clearly labeled in history.

Dositheus the Samaritan claimed that he was the Messiah.

Another false Messiah named Theudas shortly arose after that commanding people to follow to the Jordan River where the river would part for them. He was pursued by the Romans and killed along with his followers.

Felix the Egyptian led a group of 30,000 to believe he was the Messiah. They were all killed though he escaped.

Rumors of Wars: Second Jesus tells of wars and rumors of wars. The time period between the ascension of Christ and the destruction of the temple, according to Josephus the Jewish historian was littered with wars around the area.

The greatest fear of impending war was with the emperor Caligula who had ordered his statue to be placed in the temple of Jerusalem. When the Jews resisted him, the whole nation was in fear of war.

About that same time Jews from Jerusalem began to be slaughtered by the tens of thousands. First by the Greeks and Syrians after they had fled there because a pestilence. Josephus tells “The extent of this slaughter had no parallel in any former period of the Jewish history.” He believes 50,000 people were killed.

Similar events happened at the hands of the Philadelphians, Samartians, the Syraians, Tyre, Ascalaon, Gadara, and Scythopolis.

As Jesus prophesied, there were wars and rumors of wars.

B Jesus Foretells Earthquakes and Persecution:

Luke 21:10–19 “Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.”

Earthquakes/Famines/Pestilence: Here Jesus mentions more groanings of earthquakes/famines/pestilences. All of these too place. To share just one of these. History tells us that there was a surprising amount of deadly earthquakes during the years leading up to 70AD. The historian Tacitus records hese in great detail.

During the reign of Claudius there was an earthquake in Syria so destructive that the emperor didn’t tax the region for five years as they recovered.

He also records that the cities Hierapolis, Colossae, and Laodicea were all overthrown by earthquakes.

In the preceding days leading up to the seige, one storm was so intense with earthquakes that Josephus the historian would write,

“It seemed as if the system of the world had been confounded for the destruction of mankind; and one might well conjecture that these were signs of no common event.

Persecution: Jesus also in this section warns that his own followers would be persecuted in these years. Indeed we know from history that the persecution of Christian increasingly ramped up over the years after his resurrection. Perhaps the most famous of these persecutions came just six years before the destruction of the temple by Emperor Nero, who burned down 10 of the 14 districts of Rome, and blamed the Christians so as to avoid personal responsiblity.

Comfort: But Jesus give sober comforting counsel doesn’t he? The comfort and the counsel, is that though these persecutions would be intense, though they would be dragged for officials and forced to give testimony, the Holy Spirit would lead them. And though they might be killed for their faith, “not a hair of their head would perish.” Meaning, Christ will secure their eternity.

C Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

Luke 21:20–24 ““But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then 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, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

In 70AD, Jerusalem was in chaos. There had persecution in the previous years by the Romans. 150,000 Israelites had been slaughtered in 67AD. In the two years since then, great confusion on what to do was rampant. General Titus encompassed the city of Jerusalem on the Passover, when the city had swelled to millions. It was also the same festival that Christ has been killed one generation prior. Just as Christ’s prophecy says, Joshephus tells us, this happened very suddenly. After initial skirmishes Titus pleaded with the city to surrender. They refused.

The battle that played out over the coming weeks goes down in history as among the most gruesome and horrendous every recorded. Caesar had ordered that only those in arms should be slain, but those orders were not followed. General Titus did all he could to hold his men back, but war fervor took them over. The chaos was so intense that Titus himself had to escape the city. Old and young alike were killed. Josephus places the number killed at 1,200,000. Modern scholars believe he exaggerated that number, but they all agree the number was staggering. Additionally 100,000 taken captive and sold into slavery. Everything was set on fire. The whole city, it is said, was filled with blood. One writer said “The ground could not be seen because of the dead bodies.” The temple was destroyed.

Once again, Jesus said it would happen, and it happened.

D The Coming of the Son of Man

Luke 21:25–28 ““And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.””

Signs from Heaven: Here we see that there would be signs from heaven regarding sun and stars. Again, Josephus the Jewish historian, records all kinds of strange and bizarre happenings in and around Jerusalem in the years leading up to the seige. He says that there was a strange “meteor, resembling a sword, that hung over Jerusalem during one whole year” that had the whole in a foreboding worry.

Son of Man: Verse 27 is problematic. It says that we will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and glory. Some say that sounds a lot like end times, when Christ returns. Others say, that in light of what he’s speaking about here, it makes more sense to interpret that language as a reference to the spiritual reality that in some way when the temple was destroyed, Christ was leading the charge (spiritually speaking). That he came and ushered in the Times of the Gentiles.

E Final Counsel

Luke 21:29–36 “And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.””

In his final instruction he gives warning, that in light of all of this, we are to watch ourselves. that we are to live with an imminency, being ready to flee when necessary, and ready to take action when necessary. We are to live for one singular purpose whatever comes, for the glory of God.

Application

I’ve shown you what Jesus said would happen. And I’ve shown from historians how pretty much everything he said would happen, happened. But what are the deeper principles of this text that we can be shaped by today. Let me suggest three principles.

I A WARNING SIGN OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

First, the destruction of Jerusalem, like all earthly judgments, are to serve as warning signs waking us up to the consequences of our sin. Jersualem was destroyed for its sin. It’s leaders rejected God, and rejected God’s gift of grace, Jesus Christ. They not only were responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. But in that temple they continued to offer sacrifices of animals daily. Christ was the final sacrifice that was made for sin. Every animal sacrifice they offered after Christ’s death was an abomination to God, an affront, a denial of the grace of God in Christ. When we see judgment like this, on this scale, should wake us up to the reality of the consequences of our sin before a Holy God. They should serve like an alarm going off in a city before a storm comes.

Moral Evil vs. Natural Evil: Is every storm and every war and every disease a consequence of sin. In some ways yes and in some ways no. Every evil in this world, whether Natural Evil (storms and pestilence) or Moral Evil (wars and human tragedy). This was not God's design, it is all a consequence of sin's intrusion into the world. The world we now live in is scarred, and daily reveals its wounds. Without a living prophet to tell us what evil is a direct result of someone's particular sin or some nation's particular sin, I would be very slow to comment.

How to Respond: But if this text is to serve as our model, how should Christians respond to these things?

Seriousnes About Sin: I suppose there are two ideas that seem to leap from this text to me. First, we should have an utmost seriousness about our sin. For our sin does not go unseen, there are consequences far deeper than we care to admit. As a believer in Christ, when we see our contribution of sin, whether in mind, in affections, in action, we must have a seriousness, a fervor to root it out. A casualness towards our sin (in light of passages like these) is a sure sign that something is deeply unhealthy about our faith.

Gratitude for the Cross: Second, we must have a deep and abiding gratitude for the cross of Christ. For this text reminds us that of Christ’s words to his disciples when he,speaking about his own life said,

John 2:19 … “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.””

Jesus was the true temple that was destroyed. His was the place where utter holiness dwelth. He was God among us. The physical building was always just a shadow of the substance which is Christ in all of his glory. And if our eyes swell with tears when we read of the destruction of Jerusalem, as they should, then how much more should our eyes swell with tears when we read of the destruction of Christ on the cross. For on that place, all of the judgment that is owed you and I for our sin, was placed on the shoulders of one man, Jesus Christ. If this passage swells with intensity, understand that it is but a small fraction of the judgment that Christ carried on his shoulders at Calvary. Let every indication of sin in your life, every immoral thought, every false affection, become an opportunity to see Christ in your place.

Yes, earthly tragedies are warning signs for the consequences of sin.

II AN EVIDENCE THAT CHRIST WAS A TRUE PROPHET

Second, this text demonstrates that Jesus Christ, as God in the flesh, is a true prophet whose every word can be trusted. This whole text is in fact, one of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Bible. The Olivet Discourse with utmost meticulous detail describes first and foremost events that would take place nearly forty years in his future, that were so astounding that nobody would have thought them possible. It not only highlights with quite graphic detail human events, but also cosmic events like earthquakes and pestilence and meteors. What’s more is that Jesus got the timetable spot on. He said it would all occur within one generation (that’s typically thought of as 40 years), and indeed, the events took place about 37 years after Christ spoke the words. This means that Christ’s Word, as recorded for us in this book, is perfect. It is the very Word of God. If I was a skeptic to Christianity, this would be powerful evidence to me that Jesus is exactly who he said he was. He claimed to not only be a great prophet, but to be God in the flesh.

The Greatest Miracle: And by the way, let me note, if you think this is an impressive prophecy, wait until you hear about the resurrection. Because Jesus claimed he was going to be killed, and then rise from the dead three days later, and history records, he did just that.

Experientially: As we reflect on the reality that Christ Word is perfectly accurate and prophetic, what should that do to us.

Great Confidence: First, this should give you a great confidence in God’s Word. Every word spoken by the prophets, Christ included, is perfect and lacking nothing. We are like those who have heard the end of the movie before watching it. We know with utmost certainty where this is going and what it will be like as it gets there. While we might not have total clarity on all the twists and turns that might come along in the plot of the movie, we know it ends. This should give a deep confidence in the Christian, almost like a spiritual pull on your life, drawing you towards completion.

Do you cherish God’s Word?

Do you hold it in your life as the standard upon which to weigh all truth?

Are there any areas of the Word of God that you feel skeptical about, or are hesitant to stand strongly upon? Work that out with dilligence! You can have confidence in God’s Word.

Great Boldness: Secondly, I think this should develop in every Christian a great boldness about their faith. While the rest of the world uses statistics and probabilities to make educated guesses about the future. We read the the words of Him who has written the future. Imagine if you could go back in time and invest in the opening days of an IPO in Google or Microsoft or Apple. Knowing exactly where the markets were headed ultimately, you would have incredible boldness. Your peers would look at you and say “You should diversify your portfolio.” And you would say back to them, “No need. Its a sure bet.” That is how the Christian faith is to be lived. It’s a sure bet, so go all in. You are building a kingdom that will not be destroyed, that cannot be conquered because the end has been written. It is as verse 28 tells us.

Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.””

Yes, we ought to have our heads raised. We ought to have a boldness and a certainty about our faith. It is like the old song "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back." Pray boldly. Live boldly. Love boldly. Your King is on the throne and he is coming back very soon.

III A SUMMONING TO HOLINESS IN THE FACE OF THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST

Third and finally, in verse 34, after considering all of what destruction was going to come upon Jerusalem, Jesus gives the following counsel,

Luke 21:34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.”

As the days were numbered for the citizens of Jerusalem, so are the days numbered for all of us. As we have seen, this passage is best understood as being fulfilled first and foremost in the destruction of Jerusalem. But like many prophecies, there is an ultimate sense to it as well. Like a Gong echoing throughout history. There is an initial blast of truth, but then reverberations that are felt similarly as history goes on, and will ultimately be felt and experienced when Christ, the Son of Man, returns.

Warning: As Jerusalem was surrounded suddenly, so will it be on the day when Christ returns. We will be going about our business as usual. And it won’t matter what our plans were, or what we wanted to accomplish in life. The only thing that will matter is whether our hearts are right with God through Jesus Christ. Do not leave this room until you have made sure you are prepared for that day, for it will come suddenly like a trap.

Call to Holiness: But Christ goes further here, and he calls to live in holiness in light of his imminent return. We are not to “let our hearts be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the cares of this life.” That word “dissipation” speaks of drunkenness but also the dizzying hangover that comes with such a lifestyle or walking around in a drunken stupor. This is what sin functions like in our life. It distracts from reality. What is real? Christ is king—that’s real. Christ’s law is true—that’s real. Christ’s coming judgment is certain—that’s real. There is very real judgment for sin—that’s real. The Church is the bride of Christ—that’s real. But sin is like putting on foggy goggles that hinders a person from seeing reality correctly.

Stay Awake: If you are a follower of Jesus in this room, your command is in verse 36

Luke 21:36 “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.””

Do not be lulled to sleep, to inaction. Do not let your senses be dulled. Do not let your pasison rund dry. God forbid it! We are summoned to the life that is truly life, the life in Christ, the life not weighed down, the life enflamed with the love of God and the fruit of the Spirit, the life of love and gratitude. This is what we have been saved for. Christ has placed his banner of love over our life, God forbid we take it for granted.

What to do with Sin: What do you do if when you find yourself weighed down in sin. Praise God, the instructions are not too difficult to understand. We repent of our sin. That means to turn from sin, to reject it, and to turn towards Christ. His arms are ever towards you. He is never distant. No matter how weighed down you find yourself, he extends himself to you. Our sins are such that by our own strength we cannot muster the will to overcome them, even when we want to. We need His strength to see clearly. What is weighing you down today?

If you not a believer in Christ, will you be so bold as to reject such an offer from Jesus.

If you are a believer in Christ, as many in this room are, look up to the cross, see his deep of love you, see his heart of compassion. Only he can remove those weights that hinder you. Cast your burdens on him, and see how he frees you.

Conclusion

Stay awake, for Christ is returning very soon.