![]() ![]() By September, the Romans had plundered and burned the city and its temple and had torn them apart stone by stone, just as Jesus had earlier foretold. In June 70 C.E., Titus ordered his soldiers to strip the Judean countryside of trees, which were used in building a 7-kilometer-long (4.5 mi) wall of pointed stakes around Jerusalem. However, soon after Emperor Nero died in 68 C.E., Vespasian returned to Rome to assume the throne, leaving the Judean campaign to his son Titus with an army of some 60,000. The following year, Rome renewed its campaign against Judea, headed by General Vespasian and his son Titus. With the warring parties away, the Christians, heeding Jesus’ warning, fled from Jerusalem to the mountains beyond the Jordan River.- Matthew 24:15, 16. The Jewish rebels rejoiced and promptly gave chase. Then, for no apparent reason, they retreated. The Romans quickly penetrated the city and undermined the outer wall of the temple area. Soon, Jewish fighters swarmed into Jerusalem, slaughtered the local Roman garrison, and declared their independence from Rome.Ībout three months later, over 30,000 Roman troops, led by Cestius Gallus, advanced on Jerusalem to crush the rebellion. when the Roman procurator of Judea, Gessius Florus, seized funds from the sacred temple treasury, the enraged Jews had had enough. Thirty-three years passed, and Judea still chafed under the Roman yoke. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her.” ( Luke 21:20, 21) Did Jesus’ words come true? Jesus further told them: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Two days later, on viewing Jerusalem’s temple, one of them exclaimed: “Teacher, see! what wonderful stones and buildings!” Indeed, some temple stones were reportedly over 11 meters (36 ft) long, 5 meters (16 ft) wide, and 3 meters (10 ft) high! Yet, Jesus replied: “As for these things that you now see, the days will come when not a stone will be left upon a stone and not be thrown down.”- Mark 13:1 Luke 21:6. ![]() Jesus’ words evidently puzzled his disciples. They will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you.”- Luke 19:43, 44. Jesus said: “The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification of pointed stakes and will encircle you and besiege you from every side. But in 33 C.E., Jesus Christ declared that Jerusalem faced a coming catastrophe. The Jews resented foreign masters who cared nothing for their traditions, and the Romans found Jewish stubbornness cause for severe intolerance.” Many Jews hoped that a political messiah would expel the hated Romans and restore a golden era to Israel. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome states: “Few territories under Rome’s control were marked by such intense dislike, on both sides, as Judaea. But one remote area was a source of constant frustration for Rome-the restless province of Judea. ![]() Early in the first century C.E., the Roman Empire stretched from Britain and Gaul (now France) to Egypt, and the region enjoyed unprecedented stability and prosperity. ![]()
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