The Great Revolt

When the Christians lost the temple at Jerusalem at its destruction in A.D. 70, what did they do? They left. The bigger question, then is: Why did they leave? Part of the reason goes back to Israel’s original purpose to be the light of the world (Exodus 19:6). Before this time the Church had been spending its time in Jerusalem, preaching to the Jews, only. Now, through the destruction of Jerusalem, God was calling His people to go, away from those who rejected the message, to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21, Rom. 11:15). Even if they wanted to return, their old life was gone; the temple was gone, the focus of Jewish worship was no more. Thus, they turned to Jesus more than ever. What remains they had from the Judaic culture, mindset and heart was
Through His guidance both of events and the Church’s human leadership, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:47, NIV).” Now, in 70 A.D., there was a major event that caused much destruction in Jerusalem, the Great Revolt.* Thankfully, God warned them both by Jesus’ prophecy in Matt. 24 and, according to some sources, another prophecy followed Jesus; by these words the Christians were able to flee before the destruction happened. Before this major thrust of Messianic believers left Jerusalem, some Christians left due to Jewish persecution, according to God’s unseen plan, they may be “In the [world’s] wilderness prepare the way of the Lord (Acts 8:4, Isaiah 40:3b, NIV).” Not only that, they were some of the first harvesters in the vineyard. After the fleeing to Pella, many more people had joined in harvesting the fields. One thing that made travel easier was the Roman roads, the easy travel Now, these Christians were used to bring in more and God’s multiplication effect began to take place. Eventually, there were churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Colossae, Philippi and many other places. Out a few hands, who were “the foolish...weak things of the world,” all this came about (1 Cor. 1:27, NIV). By them, God did His plan in His extraordinary
Jesus described things unbelievable. When he mentioned the Temple, earlier, He mentions destroying a temple, they believe he is talking about the Temple and that seems impossible to do (John 2:19). Now, when He talks about “not one stone here will be left on another” He means that the Temple will be torn apart so that “every [stone] will be thrown down” (Matthew24:2a, Matthew24:2b, NIV). The incredibility of it when it actually happened, not only of the event but the Man who prophesied it, who was condemned as a blasphemer, inevitably adds to the credibility of His