Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom
Meta Description
Uncover the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy when He foretold that Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom.
Introduction: Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom.
Let's explore Jesus' prophecy that Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom. I was given the understanding that the Lord's prophecy referred specifically to the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire, the world super power of the era.
When we examine the texts, we will see the uprising is really the subject of this part of the prophecy. The Lord then said that the uprising would result in wars and commotions.
Matthew used the preposition FOR (Matthew 24: 7) to show that the cause of the wars and commotions was due to the uprising of nation (Jews) against nation (Romans).
Depiction of the AD70 Jewish-Roman War
Bible Verses: Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom.
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 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.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Josephus' Record Of The Jewish Revolt Against The Roman Empire
AI Query: Using Josephus as the key reference point, provide a timeline of the AD66 Jewish revolt against Rome, to capture Jesus' prophecy that nation would rise against nation
Based on the eyewitness accounts of Flavius Josephus in The Jewish War, the AD 66–70 revolt represents a literal fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:7: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." [1, 2, 3]
Josephus details how the Judean province devolved into chaos, with internal factional fighting (Jews against Jews) alongside a brutal uprising against the Roman Empire (Jews against Romans). [1, 2, 3]
Josephus' Timeline of the Jewish Revolt (AD 66–73)
I. Outbreak and Initial Success (AD 66)
- May AD 66: The revolt begins after Roman Procurator Gessius Florus seizes 17 talents from the Temple treasury, leading to widespread riots in Jerusalem.
- Summer AD 66: Zealots, led by Eleazar ben Hanania, stop the daily sacrifice for the Roman Emperor, marking a formal act of rebellion (see more below).
- Autumn AD 66: Rebels capture the Antonia Fortress, massacre the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, and kill the high priest Ananias.
- Nov AD 66: Cestius Gallus, the Roman legate of Syria, attempts to crush the revolt but is defeated at the Pass of Beth-Horon, losing the Twelfth Legion's eagle. [1, 2, 3, 5]
II. Roman Response and Galilee Campaign (AD 67)
- Spring AD 67: Emperor Nero dispatches Vespasian, who gathers a massive army (approx. 60,000 troops).
- Spring AD 67: Romans enter Galilee. Josephus (the author) takes command of Galilean defenses but faces internal rebellion, battling fellow countrymen as well as Romans.
- June-July AD 67: The Siege of Jotapata. The city falls; Josephus surrenders to Vespasian, prophesying that Vespasian will become Emperor.
- Summer-Autumn AD 67: Galilee is systematically conquered by Vespasian. [1, 2, 3, 5]
- AD 68: Vespasian conquers the coastal plain and Perea, pausing the direct assault on Jerusalem to focus on regional strongholds.
- AD 68: Nero dies, leading to the "Year of the Four Emperors." Vespasian suspends operations to pursue the throne.
- AD 68-69: Inside Jerusalem, brutal civil war breaks out between rival Jewish factions (Zealots led by Eleazar, John of Giscala, and Simon bar Giora). They destroy the city's food stores, accelerating the famine. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
IV. Siege and Destruction (AD 70)
- Spring AD 70: Titus, son of Vespasian, arrives at Jerusalem just before Passover to besiege the city with four legions.
- April-July AD 70: Starvation leads to cannibalism and tens of thousands of deaths. Romans build a wall around the city to prevent escape.
- August 70 (9th of Av): The Second Temple is burned, despite Titus's stated desire to save it.
- Sept 70: Jerusalem is completely broken. The city is razed to the ground, with the Temple completely destroyed. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
V. Final Action (AD 71–73)
Fulfillment of Jesus' Prophecy: "Nation Against Nation"
Josephus's account highlights the multifaceted conflict that fulfilled the "nation against nation" prophecy:
- Jews vs. Romans: The main conflict, described as a battle for freedom against Roman oppression.
- Jews vs. Gentiles: Widespread massacres occurred between Jewish and non-Jewish populations in cities like Caesarea, Scythopolis, and Alexandria.
- Jews vs. Jews: Josephus describes the internal strife, where civil war was arguably more destructive than the Roman army itself. [1, 2, 3, 5]
This period was seen by early Christians as the unfolding of the prophecy in Matthew 24, where Jesus described this exact period as the start of a "Great Tribulation" within that generation.
What Were The Daily Sacrifice For The Roman Emperor?
In the spring of 66 CE, the decision by Zealots, led by Eleazar ben Hanania, to stop the daily sacrifice for the Roman Emperor was the pivotal "point of no return" that transformed local unrest into the full-scale First Jewish-Roman War. [1, 2]
Here are the key details surrounding this event:
1. The Context: A Tense Atmosphere
- Roman Oppression: Judea was under heavy strain from Roman procurators, most recently Gessius Florus, who was viewed as corrupt and disrespectful to Jewish religious practices.
- Trigger Incident: Following riots in Caesarea, Florus arrived in Jerusalem and seized 17 talents from the Temple treasury, claiming it was for the Emperor. This triggered mass protests and mockery of Florus.
- The Leader: Eleazar ben Hanania was not just a common rebel; he was the captain of the Temple police and the son of the High Priest Hanania ben Nedebai. His position allowed him to influence the priests to take action. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- The Ritual: Since the time of Julius Caesar, the Jewish Temple had offered a daily sacrifice of two lambs and a bull on behalf of the Roman Emperor, representing loyalty to Rome and the acceptance of Roman protection.
- The Rejection: Eleazar persuaded the priests in the Temple to refuse any further offerings from foreigners or on behalf of the Emperor.
- Significance: According to the historian Josephus, this was the true beginning of the war. By refusing to sacrifice for Rome, the Zealots were officially declaring that the Emperor no longer had authority over them and that God was their only king. [1, 2, 3, 5]
3. Immediate Consequences
- Revolt Escalation: The act severed the remaining ties between the Jewish authorities and the Roman administration.
- Civil War and Rebellion: The Zealots, along with the Sicarii (a radical faction led by Menahem), escalated their actions by taking the Antonia Fortress and burning the palaces of the high priest and Agrippa II.
- Roman Response: The Roman governor of Syria, Cestius Gallus, marched on Jerusalem to suppress the rebellion, but he suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Beth Horon in 66 CE, encouraging the rebels to form a provisional government. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Eleazar’s action was a bold move against both the Roman authority and the pro-Roman moderate Jewish leadership, aiming to force a confrontation that he believed would lead to Divine intervention against Rome.
Conclusion
Once again, Jesus' prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple were fulfilled. The Jewish revolt against the mighty Goliath of the Roman Empire was forseen in His somber prophetic words, Nation Shall Rise Against Nation And Kingdom Against Kingdom.
The Lord also showed that the uprising would lead to wars and commotions.
Do you believe the Word of the Lord Jesus? He said that you can receive eternal life if you are born again.
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