The Fall of Jerusalem

Next Part PART THREE – WHO WILL GOD PROTECT?

Now let’s examine an extraordinary—and truly fascinating—parallel event in the first century when God protected the Jerusalem congregation. This was just before another time of great trial for that city and Judea.

Provocations by Roman procurators against the Jewish priesthood starting in A.D. 60 finally led to a revolt by Jewish separatists. This brought escalating Jewish military reprisals, which resulted in miraculous delivery of God’s people.

Fanatical Belief?

Some may find it embarrassing to believe in a literal place of safety. They associate it with religious fanaticism, such as the Jim Jones cult, who retreated to Guyana in the late 1970s, and the crisis at Waco, Texas in the 1990s under David Koresh, and other religious groups with fanatical or bizarre conduct.

The actions of such leaders, and the groups following them, distort and taint the Bible’s teachings, repelling many from the truth. Such fanatics personify this prophetic scripture: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you...And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of ” (II Pet. 2:1-2).

Some who have been called, and who became aware of growing world trouble, have expressed that they do not want their relatives, friends, neighbours or associates to look upon them as religious fanatics. They seem to prefer to suffer the greatest time of trouble the world has ever known, rather than obey God and risk suffering ridicule and scorn.

What about those who fled Jerusalem in AD 69, who may have been considered traitors, fanatics or cowards? Then, what about those who stayed behind, concerned about what friends and associates would think? In the end, these were victims of starvation, crucifixion and other horrors of war. Those who obeyed and trusted God—following His instructions to flee—survived. Certainly many around them would have thought them fanatical.

Obedience and faith in God will again be crucial in the prophesied flight to come!

In Judea, A.D. 66, intending to crush the rebellion, the Roman army under General Cestius approached the walls of Jerusalem to capture the city. For unknown reasons, Cestius lost his momentum and turned back. The Jews took heart. Cestius had missed his chance. Later, a second Roman advance, this time under General Vespasian, also suddenly halted so he could race back to Rome to become Emperor. Upon his departure, his son Titus assumed command.

These two delays were not random events. God’s people were still in Jerusalem! Of course, it was only a matter of time before Rome’s mighty armies inevitably defeated Jerusalem. But Christ, who oversees His Church, was guiding and altering events to allow His people to vacate Jerusalem before the city was besieged and finally devastated by the Roman armies.

The famous Jewish historian Josephus gave a detailed account of various signs that occurred at the time of Pentecost A.D. 69. He related that many had witnessed, shortly before Pentecost, what seemed to be formations in the clouds that took the form of troops and chariots surrounding cities. Josephus continued: “Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple...they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a multitude, saying, ‘LET US REMOVE HENCE’” (Wars of the Jews, bk. VI, ch. V, sec. 3).

Miraculous Intervention Necessary

God’s people did flee Jerusalem at that time. But without God’s intervention, they would have never been able to leave. While the Roman army was readying for siege, the congregation exited in full view of the soldiers, before crossing the Jordan River. The brethren also had to contend with patrolling Jewish fighters who considered them traitors. With God’s protection, the new exiles went northeast to another little town—Pella. Within months, after horrible suffering and starvation, Jerusalem fell to the Romans. The Temple was destroyed.

God is unlimited in His ability to choose any form of miraculous intervention—whether an earthquake, cloud formations or the loud noise of a multitude. Without His divine intervention, the Jerusalem congregation would have perished during the destruction of the city. Quite possibly, the voices of the multitude were discernable only to God’s people—just as Paul heard a voice in Acts 22:6-9, when others with him did not. Those in tune with God both heard and heeded. Others may not have heard the warning. Obviously, the Temple priests did.

Some ridicule the promise of a flight to a place of protection on the premise that “there is no way to know the time to flee” or “one cannot know that the signal is valid,” among others. These are but shallow excuses to those who serve and believe the true God!

God’s servants must steadfastly look to Him to know what to do, and when to do it. Timing is vital to God’s protection. Suppose some in the congregation learned beforehand that Pella would be their place of protection. Suppose they fled there even just a little in advance. The result? They would have been killed by the Roman armies that had devastated Pella just months previous. God sent His people there only after that city was destroyed!

Also, critics might have insisted at the time that Pella was the worst possible choice because it was within territory easily accessible to the Romans. And Jewish patriots also patrolled the region around Pella. But God protected the Jerusalem/Pella congregation exactly where He led them. They survived, and even thrived there for decades. This is connected to why—of all places—God’s people are to gather in Judea. God can reveal all necessary events to His people. The first-century leadership of His Church eventually would have known their destination, as well as other important details. The Bible does not reveal what the sign will be for the Church’s flight in the years just ahead. But there will be no doubt among those willing to trust God’s instructions.

Do You Believe God?

Those who reject a place of safety deny all of God’s explicit promises to protect His people. Keep this simple! You have seen that Scripture emphatically proves there will be a specific, physical PLACE OF SAFETY! This extensive booklet should have made this abundantly clear. And Part 1 proved conclusively that there will be no secret rapture.

Remember Christ’s admonition: “But pray you that your flight be not in the winter [again, meaning in wintry conditions], neither on the Sabbath day” (Matt. 24:20). Mt 24:15 reveals the signal for God’s people to flee—the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. Those in Judea at that time are to flee into nearby mountains.

Mt 24:4-15 follow with Christ listing a series of events to occur sequentially until just before His Return. Mt 24:15 concludes, “whoso reads, let him understand.”

Most today do not—and will not!—UNDERSTAND the shocking crush of events soon to smash into civilization. Here is why. God’s servants obey Him. Acts 5:32 speaks of “the Holy Spirit, [that] God has given to them that obey Him.” Understanding flows directly from having God’s Spirit and obedience: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments” (Ps. 111:10).

All who yield themselves to obey God, and strive to serve Him in all points, will understand these great events, and will be found worthy to ESCAPE this worst time of trouble ever (Luke 21:36)!

The masses of professing Christianity refuse to obey God, they reject plain truths of His Word and reject His authority over their lives. Thus, they remain blind. These have no hope of unlocking God’s Purpose. Stuck in confusion, they misunderstand and mangle the prophecies about terrible, civilization-shattering events to soon impact every human being on this planet!

God will supernaturally hide and protect His people in a specific location. Will you TRUST Him? Will you BELIEVE His promises? Will you QUALIFY for deliverance and protection?—or await a rapture that will never come?