The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-23

|
Luke we have vivid Oriental picturing
| of the crisis, which was to bring an end
| to the Jewish world, and a solemn en-
| forcement of the need of the disciples
attaining to an immovable confidence
| in Jesus as the Son of Man. Matthew,
Mark and Luke agree in reporting es-
sentially these words OF Jesus as central
and pivotal in his address: This genera
ton shall not pass a,cdy, till all things
be accomplished.
Luke's report of the Masters address
begins with the words: Take heed that
ge be not led astray. He tells his dis
ciples that in the coming overturn there
will rise many ambitious leaders, claim
ing divine commission; he would have
his followers so assured in their reading
of the signs of the times and so conf
dent that good would result from the
crisis, that they would not, like the
panic stricken, be lead to destruction
by these seditious leaders. Jesus tells
his followers to expect wars, earth
quakes, famines, pestilences, and many
terror creating signs in the skies. They
must expect to be prosecuted for his
names sake; and his pame will turn to
| them for testimony. He tells them
not to fear their adversaries; he will
give them right words in all critical
moments. They may for his names
sake be cast out by kinsmen and friends;
they may incur the hatred of mankind;
they may be called to msrtyrdom. He
| exhorts them to remain eteadfast
through all, in the assurance that not a
hair of their heads can perish, and that
| in their patience they shall win their
souls.
| Special directions from this point on
ward are given in our lesson passage.
l. The Approaching DesOla-
ton of Jerusalem, vs.. 20-27
When ye see Jerusalem comprised
avith armies, then kno,1 that her desoIo.
ton is at hand. Jesus forsaw the in
evitable result of the fanatical perversity
of the Jewish leaders, in their rebellion
against Rome. While he did not pro-
fess to tell the exact times and seasons,
| indeed disclaimed such knowledge
he could forsee the natural elimination
of the course of events then in progress.
Thirty-six years afterwards "a. D. 66)
Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans
under the project Cestius. Because of
the breaking out of civil war in Rome
and the desperate resistance OF the Jews,
this assault was beaten off; the Roman
army retiring from the unconquered
city. This temporary success OF the
Jews however served only to infiame
their fanatical patriotism, and make
their subsequent defeat the more over
whelming. Four years later "a. d. 10Y
the Roman general Titus came with an
army to again besiege the city. The
city, as Josephus tells US, was entirely
surrounded by palisaded mound; and
then, to make the anaconda like pres
sure of the army more irresistible, a
second wall of masonry was built about
the city. The appearance of such
armies on the hills around Jerusalem
would be the sign to the discerning that
her desolation must follow; such sign
as none save self blinded fanatics could
mistake.
Then let them that are in Juded flee
into the mountains; and let them that
are in the midst of her depart out; and
let not them that are in the country en-
ter therein. This counsel is the exact
opposite of customary counsel in nation.
al danger. Those in the fields we're
counseled to fee to the walled city. Now
the word was given to flee away from
the city. Eusebius tell US that just be.
fore the final siege of Jerusalem. the
Christians of the city and vicinity did
flee out of Judea, and across the Jordan
to the town of Pella among the Perean
hills.
These are the days of vengeance, that
all things Which are acritten mag be full
filed. These are the days when every
prophecy Of calamity ever uttered
against the Jews shall come to fulfil
ment. Josephus tells US as typical
fact, that mothers killed and ate their
own children. During this siege, one
million and one hundred thousand Jews
persisted in the city and in the fields and
on the b II adjacent. Less than one hun
bred thousand remained at the surren-
der. Aug. 4, A. D., 70) to be sold as
slaves.
The unparalleled horror of this period
can be fully expressed neither in prose
nor poetry. There shall be signs in sun
and moon and stars; and upon earth
the distress of nations, in perple1ity for
the roaring of the sea and the bilious
| 1.-THE seas Of nations becoming as a
Storm beaten ocean,; men fdtnttag for
fear, and for expectation of the things
that are coming on the avorId: for the
potcers of the heduens shall be shaken.
1t is hardly strange that some scholars,
having a habit of literal Interpretation,
should refer this language to dreadful
catastrophe of dramatic judgment yet
in the future But surely it must be
that the author of this language
| kDows IN what IL refera And he takAa