The Bible is full of prophecies from the old testament beginning in the book of Genesis and ending with the book of Revelations. The common thread throughout the Word of God is the story of Jesus Christ coming to redeem or pay for the salvation of mankind. When man sinned death was introduced and man’s authority was given to Satan, God’s enemy. When Jesus came, He paid the price for man’s salvation on the cross and all who believe in Him and receive Him as savior have eternal life, a free gift. Along with salvation, man can take back his authority over Satan and do the works of Jesus through faith.
During Jesus’ time on earth, the Jews were under the rule of Rome. The people had to pay taxes to Caesar, they were governed by Roman rulers, and the Roman military made sure that there were no insurrections or attempts to take back their land. The Romans allowed the Jews to continue their worship of God in the temple in Jerusalem. The temple was very lavish with tons of gold and beautiful stones and was the center of Jewish life.
In the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, each one gives an account of Jesus predicting the destruction of the temple. Jesus warned that the temple would utterly be destroyed and no stone (temple walls) would be left on top of the other. He told His followers to watch and when they start to see armies surrounding Jerusalem, then they are to escape to the mountains and not go into the city again. Jesus said that the destruction would happen during their generation and warned that many would be killed.
Jesus went on to say that Jerusalem would be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Jesus continued to predict that there would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilence, and many things that would cause men’s hearts to fail because of fear and the expectations of bad things coming on the earth. Jesus warns and tells His followers to watch and pray and not get trapped in the cares of this life, drunkenness, and carousing. He tells us to watch what is going on and know the signs of the times. As Christians we are to live with the expectation that Jesus can return anytime but we are to continue His work while we are here.
Shortly after Jesus made the prediction of the destruction of the temple, He was arrested and crucified, rose from the dead, and later ascended into heaven. Approximately 35 years after Jesus’s crucifixion, there were rebels fighting against the Romans. Roman armies were camping around the city. Those who remembered Jesus’s words escaped out of the city and did not return. In 70 A.D. During Passover many Jews were returning back to Jerusalem but were not allowed to leave. The Roman general Titus attacked the city, fire broke out, and many were killed during the full destruction of the city. Those that listened to Jesus escaped. The Jewish accounts of the destruction were written by historians who survived and were eyewitnesses of the event.
Today, when there seems to be a war against Christian values and freedoms, remember, Jesus had already predicted this. He told us not to be fearful. He is with us always and we are to keep watch and pray. These are exciting times and God put you here during this time for His purpose. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Peter 2:9)
Read the rest at: https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/signs-of-the-times?sd=pf