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STUDYING THE BIBLE is FUN; "The Abomination of Desolation", Tribulation, "the sign of Your coming".

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Alan Gross, Feb 19, 2023.

  1. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:"

    30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,c and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."

    STUDYING THE BIBLE is FUN
    when we Know that we are ENABLED by THE HOLY SPIRIT
    to arrive at a correct understanding
    of WHAT GOD WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND.

    We can arrive at a correct understanding
    of Matthew 24 and the Great Tribulation,
    by Following The HOLY SPIRIT and READING GOD'S WORD,

    IN 'A WAY' THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWS US
    WHAT GOD WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND.

    IN THAT WAY: STUDYING THE BIBLE is FUN.

    'A WAY' THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ENABLED to SHOW US

    that STUDYING THE BIBLE is FUN
    and WHAT GOD WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND
    is by Following The HOLY SPIRIT and READING GOD'S WORD,

    employing Important common sense Interpretive Procedures:

    If one is to arrive at
    a correct understanding of the Olivet discourse,
    he must follow Biblical Principles of Interpretation

    (i.e. one must adopt a genuine
    grammatical-historical theological hermeneutic,
    meaning:

    grammatical = WHAT DO THE WORDS SAY?

    historical = WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE?

    theological = THE STUDY of GOD,

    hermeneutic = THE SCIENCE of "Interpretation")

    ...

    Some basic principles of Biblical Interpretation are as follows.

    (1) The section of Scripture in question
    ( Grammatically = WHAT DO THE WORDS SAY?)

    must be interpreted in light of the original audience.

    ( Historically = WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE? )

    For example, would a first-century Jewish audience regard a phrase such as

    “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”

    THESE ARE BIBLE WORDS and GOD PUT THEM THERE.

    THE BIBLE CAN BE UNDERSTOOD.

    When The Bible Passage includes the Words

    “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”

    THEY WERE WRITTEN TO PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE,
    FOR THEM TO HEAR and UNDERSTAND, at THAT TIME.

    Acts 2:19, 20;
    "And I will show wonders in heaven above,
    and signs in the earth beneath

    -- blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

    "20 The Sun will be turned into darkness,
    and the Moon into blood
    before that Great and Notable Day of the Lord Come."

    ...

    Revelation 6:12; cf.;

    "And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal,
    and lo, there was a great earthquake,

    and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
    and the Moon became as blood;

    "13 and the Stars of Heaven fell to the Earth,

    even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs
    when she is shaken by a mighty wind.

    "14 And the Heaven departed as a scroll
    when it is rolled together,

    and every mountain and island
    were moved out of their places."

    ...

    Joel 2:28-32;

    "And it shall come to pass afterward
    that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh;

    and your sons and your daughters will Prophesy,
    your old men shall dream Dreams,
    your young men will see Visions;

    "29 and also upon the servants
    and upon the handmaids in those days
    will I pour out My Spirit.

    30 "And I will show wonders in the Heavens
    and in the Earth--

    blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

    "31 The sun will be turned into darkness
    and the Moon into blood,

    before

    The Great and The Terrible Day of The LORD Come.

    "32 And it will Come to Pass,

    that whosoever will call on The Name of The LORD will be delivered;

    because in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
    will be deliverance,

    as the LORD Has Said,
    and in the remnant whom the LORD Will Call."

    ...

    So, by INCLUDING ALL BIBLE PASSAGES,
    and READING GOD'S WORDS,

    "GRAMMATICALLY" and "HISTORICALLY",

    as to,

    "WHAT DID THOSE WORDS MEAN
    to THE PEOPLE WHO THEY WERE WRITTEN?

    would we 'come up' with

    "blood and fire and vapor of smoke",

    as 'referring' to 'nuclear war' (??)

    or

    that, "blood and fire and vapor of smoke"

    are OLD and NEW COVENANT PROPHETIC IMAGES

    THAT GOD AS ALREADY PLACED in THE OLD and NEW TESTAMENT

    TO "PICTURE":

    God's Impending Judgment on Israel?,
    In Jerusalem, in A.D. 70.

    See How FUN that is?

    And How IMPORTANT it is,
    SIMPLY to READ THE BIBLE?

    That was with One common sense
    Principle of Bible Interpretation.
    ...

    Here is a second Principle of Bible Interpretation
    that MAKES BIBLE STUDY FUN.

    (2) Scripture must be used to interpret Scripture.

    In Matthew 24, Jesus uses the terminology
    that comes directly from the Old Testament Prophetic books.

    What makes more sense?:

    using the Bible to give us the meaning
    of such Apocalyptic Images,

    in THE BIBLE'S OWN WORD PICTURES?,

    or using 'speculations'?,
    PURELY DREAMED UP, OUT OF NOWHERE (???)
    'founded' upon the New York Times or Newsweek?

    ...

    Thirdly,

    (3) One must Interpret Biblical Passages
    according to their Literary Type.

    Many Prophetic passages use the poetic metaphor
    and the "Word Pictures", of Apocalyptic Imagery.

    Apocalyptic or poetic imagery
    must be treated in a different manner
    then a straightforward Historical account.

    Once again the key to understanding Prophetic Imagery

    (e.g., Stars falling from Heaven,

    the Sun becoming dark,

    the Sky rolled up like a scroll, etc.)

    is to see how such Imagery is used in the Bible,

    rather than 'use' (??) current events
    and modern scientific discoveries to 'speculate',
    OUT OF THIN AIR (??),

    and "INVENT" IMAGINARY TRASH about supposed:

    nuclear war,
    bar codes,
    computer chips in the hand and forehead,
    attack helicopters,
    tanks, etc.?

    THE BIBLE DEFINES ITS OWN "WORD PICTURES".

    Most books THAT PEOPLE
    HAVE 'REASONED OUT with THEIR MIND",
    (which HAS BEEN EFFECTED by THE CURSE of SIN)

    'attempt' to say they are writing on 'Prophecy' today

    are COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED
    Exegetically from the Biblical text


    for ANY Critical explanation or analysis,
    to INTERPRET WHAT GOD SAYS

    and thus are nothing more
    then the 'clever fantasies' of the different authors,

    WHICH ARE MEANINGLESS,
    OTHER THAN BEING a PURE WASTE of TIME and BLASPHEME.

    ...

    Forth:

    (4) The time indicators, HISTORICALLY,

    within the discourse and the immediate context
    that relates to the discourse

    (e.g., MATTHEW 23:36;

    "Truly I Say to you,
    all these things Will Come upon this generation"

    must be taken into account
    when determining the meaning
    of this section of Scripture.

    The time indicators

    (if taken at face value,
    i.e. according to the normal etymological meaning)

    prove that Jesus’ discourse in Matthew 24,
    at verse 15, through 34,
    is answering the Discipal second question,
    after Jesus had referred to the Temple and told them,
    “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another;
    every one will be thrown down.”

    The First Question was concerning the time
    leading up to The Abomination of Desolation,
    the coming of Jesus in Providential Judgement
    upon the Jews at Jerusalem, A.D.70)

    “Tell us,” they said, ",
    In other words, "when shall these things be?", i.e.,
    "not one stone here will be left on another;
    every one will be thrown down,” of the Temple?

    Jesus answers their First Question, in Matthew 24:4-14.

    ...
    con't
     
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  2. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    The Disciples' second question,
    "what will be the sign of Your coming", regards
    the coming of Jesus (that HE was talking about,
    when,
    "not one stone here will be left on another;
    every one will be thrown down,” of the Temple)
    is when Jesus comes in Providential Judgement
    upon the Jews at Jerusalem, A.D.70,

    "15 So when you see standing in the holy place
    ‘the abomination of desolation,’
    described by the prophet Daniel
    (let the reader understand)

    Jesus answers that second question is in Matthew 24:15-34.

    Matthew 24:15-34 must be applied directly
    and solely to Christ’s Judgment upon Jerusalem
    and the Complete End of the Jewish age,
    even the Symbolic Bible Imagiary of Matthew 24, 29, 30;


    29 "Immediately after the tribulation" (of those days,
    leading up to The Abomination of Desolation
    answered in their First question
    when,
    "not one stone here will be left on another;
    every one will be thrown down,” of the Temple,
    when Jesus comes in Providential Judgement, using the Romans,
    upon the Jews at Jerusalem, A.D.70.)

    ‘The sun will be darkened,

    and the moon will not give its light;

    the stars will fall from the sky,

    and the powers of the heavens will be shaken."

    ( Rulers and Governmental Power,
    such as those spoken of in Joseph's dream, in Genesis 37:9;
    “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream,
    and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars
    were bowing down to me.”)

    30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man
    will appear in heaven and all the tribes of the earth will mourn.
    They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,
    with power and great glory."

    (when Jesus comes in Providential Judgement,
    in the manifestation of the Romans upon the Jews,
    at Jerusalem, A.D.70

    ...

    Their Third question is, “when will" be..."the end of the age?”

    Jesus answers that Third question in Matthew 35-51
    WHEN JESUS SAYS,

    35 "Heaven and earth will pass away,
    but My words will never pass away.

    "But of that Day and Hour, knoweth no man,
    no, not the Angels of Heaven,
    but My Father only."

    ONCE YOU 'GET THAT',

    YOU WILL KNOW WHAT GOD
    WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND

    ABOUT THE REST OF THE BIBLE
    and "THE END TIMES".)
    ...

    Fifth:

    (5) Whenever one
    is Interpreting a section of Scripture
    in the synoptic gospels

    (i.e. Matthew, Mark and Luke),

    parallel accounts
    should be carefully compared and analyzed.

    Because, HISTORICALLY, Matthew
    wrote to a predominately Jewish audience

    while Mark and Luke
    wrote to a predominately Gentile audience.

    Therefore, if Matthew
    uses a phrase from Old Testament History
    or Poetical Prophetic Imagery

    that would be obscure
    or difficult for a Gentile audience,

    the other gospels
    should be checked for clarification.
    ...

    Please, JOIN ME, with The HOLY SPIRIT,
    as we begin our Investigation
    into

    WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO UNDERSTAND?
    IN THE BIBLE?:

    First, we 'check' the other accounts
    written by other Apostles, of The SAME EVENT:

    (e.g., the Disciple's Question,

    MATTHEW 24:3;

    "And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives,
    the Disciples came to Him privately,

    saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?

    And what will be the sign of Your Coming

    and of The End of The World?"

    MARK 13:4;

    "Tell us, when will these things be?

    And what will be the sign
    when all these things will be Fulfilled?"

    and

    LUKE 21:7;

    "And they asked Him, saying,
    "Master, but when will these things be?

    And what sign will there be
    when these things will Come to Pass?"

    ...

    And, again, regarding

    The Abomination of Desolation,
    we 'check' the other viewpoints on it,
    written by another Inspired Author of the Bible.

    MATTHEW 24:15;

    "When you therefore will see

    The Abomination of Desolation,
    spoken of by Daniel the Prophet,

    standing in the Holy Place
    (whoso readeth, let him understand)",

    we compared with;

    LUKE 21:20;

    "And when you will see Jerusalem
    compassed with armies,

    then know that
    The Desolation thereof is near.... "

    For anyone to 'look to see'
    instead of "thinking" what they dream up as being

    "The Abomination of Desolation,
    spoken of by Daniel the Prophet",

    it is "when you will see Jerusalem
    compassed with armies,

    then know that
    The Desolation thereof is near.... "

    We need to know this.

    FROM GOD'S REVELATION to MANKIND,

    THE ETERNAL WORD of GOD,
    THE HOLY BIBLE.

    Studying the Bible is Fun.
     
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  3. 37818

    37818 Well-Known Member

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    @Alan Gross,
    What's not really fun is when we cannot come to the common conclusions we ought to.

    If each point of disagreement was a single issue it might not be as difficult. But often involves more than one issue.
     
  4. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    Right. That is always smart not to add additional "axioms" into a theory, or equation, on a Bible passage until each scripture that relates are all brought into a common understanding, first.

    I believe there is ONE Interpretation of each scripture, not, "this is a prophecy about now" AND "a prophecy about the future".

    This is one of the most difficult and misinterpreted passages in the entire Bible.
    Chew on it. There is a common conclusion God would have us to arrive at.
    Isn't this it?

    This is where basic principles of Biblical Interpretation would include:
    (1) The section of Scripture in question
    ( Grammatically = WHAT DO THE WORDS SAY?)
    must be interpreted in light of the original audience.

    ( Historically = WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE? )
    For example, how would a first-century Jewish audience regard a phrase such as
    “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”

    THESE ARE BIBLE WORDS and GOD PUT THEM THERE.
    THE BIBLE CAN BE UNDERSTOOD.

    When The Bible Passage includes the Words
    “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”
    THEY WERE WRITTEN TO PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE,
    FOR THEM TO HEAR and UNDERSTAND, at THAT TIME.

    That is how I could answer, "What do these words mean, in Matthew 24:29?
    the tribulation of those days,
    the sun be darkened,
    and the moon shall not give her light,
    and the stars shall fall from heaven,
    and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken

    the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven
    They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,
    with power and great glory, etc.?


    Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:"
    30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."

    We find and compare related scriptures and come up with,
    OF ALL THINGS!:

    that Great and Notable Day of the Lord Come
    The Great and The Terrible Day of The LORD Come.
    a parable of the fig tree
    as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs
    in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem will be deliverance

    TO MEAN: God's Impending Judgment on Israel,
    In Jerusalem, in A.D. 70.,
    "The Abomination of Desolation".

    = the same as these OLD and NEW COVENANT PROPHETIC IMAGES THAT GOD AS ALREADY PLACED in THE OLD and NEW TESTAMENT as SYMBOLIC "WORD PICTURES"

    And then, a controversial passage like:
    This generation shall not pass,
    till all these things be fulfilled",
    also falls into place, without myriad circus gymnastics!

    Acts 2:19, 20;
    "And I will show wonders in heaven above,
    and signs in the earth beneath (= the tribulation of those days)
    -- blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
    "20 The Sun will be turned into darkness,
    and the Moon into blood

    before that Great and Notable Day of the Lord Come."

    Revelation 6:12; cf.;
    "And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal,
    and lo, there was a great earthquake,
    and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
    and the Moon became as blood;

    "13 and the Stars of Heaven fell to the Earth,
    even *as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs
    when she is shaken by a mighty wind.
    "14 And the Heaven departed as a scroll (in the tribulation of those days)
    when it is rolled together,
    and every mountain and island
    were moved out of their places."

    *NOTICE: The lesson of the Fig Tree
    (Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33)
    32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree;
    When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves,
    ye know that summer is nigh:
    33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,
    know that it is near, even at the doors. (Judgement is Coming,
    when they see the tribulation of those days, with “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”)

    34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass,
    till all these things be fulfilled. (the tribulation of those days)

    ...
    Joel 2:28-32;
    "And it shall come to pass afterward
    that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; (The Day of Pentecost)
    and your sons and your daughters will Prophesy,
    your old men shall dream Dreams,
    your young men will see Visions;
    "29 and also upon the servants
    and upon the handmaids in those days
    will I pour out My Spirit.
    30 "And I will show wonders in the Heavens
    and in the Earth-- ( in the tribulation of those days)

    blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
    "31 The sun will be turned into darkness
    and the Moon into blood,

    before
    The Great and The Terrible Day of The LORD Come.

    "32 And it will Come to Pass,
    that whosoever will call on The Name of The LORD will be delivered;
    because in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem will be deliverance,
    (in the tribulation of those days, deliverance for the remnant, as in, 31 "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.")
    as the LORD Has Said,
    and in the remnant whom the LORD Will Call.
    ...
    By INCLUDING ALL RELATED BIBLE PASSAGES,
    and READING GOD'S WORDS,
    "GRAMMATICALLY" and "HISTORICALLY",
    as to,
    "WHAT DID THOSE WORDS MEAN
    to THE PEOPLE WHO THEY WERE WRITTEN?

    What does this mean?

    Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:"

    30 "At that time *the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, (*with “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”) and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see *the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."

    *Joel 2:30 "And I will show wonders in the Heavens
    and in the Earth--
    blood and fire and pillars of smoke."


    I think we see our Bibles say it means, "in the tribulation of the days before the fall of Jerusalem there will be a total shake-up in the rulers and entire region, before they see "the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, in Providential Judgment, by The Romans, to bring an end to the Jewish economy of religious sacrifices.

    That is IF we ALL stay and get our answer from WITHIN God's Revealed revelation to us, the BIBLE. If we go outside the Bible, all bets are OFF.

    28 "For wheresoever the carcass is (The Jews and their Temple worship destroyed), there will the eagles (the insignia of The Roman Army) be gathered together."

    AND THEY BETTER RUUUUN!!!

    15 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,(THE ROMANS COMING!!, with “blood, fire, vapor and smoke”, to The Temple at Jerusalem )
    (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

    16 "Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
    17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:
    18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
    19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
    20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
    21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (THE FALL OF JERUSALEM A.D.70, in Providential Judgment, by The Romans).
    22 And except those days should be shortened,
    (THE FALL OF JERUSALEM A.D.70, in Providential Judgment, by The Romans)
    there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake
    (The remnant The Lord will Call, by his angels (His witness/ His messengers) with a great sound of a trumpet (the Gospel, The Word of God, i.e., the same thing that "trumpeted down" the Walls of Jericho) his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other) those days shall be shortened (in the tribulation of those days).
     
    #4 Alan Gross, Feb 20, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2023
  5. 37818

    37818 Well-Known Member

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    Maybe. But is for God's intened audience. Interperters sometimes disagree on the intended audience.
     
  6. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    I'm going to say, He gave to answer to His Disciples that He was talking to,
    to warn all those He was saying needed to FLEEEEE.

    That is what I am mainly saying that "Interpret" any of this as the "coming of the Son of Man", to mean the Final Judgment, is missing "what it said to the people to whom it was written."

    Because even "Applying" this passage to the Final Coming of the Lord in Judgment, at the End of Time, has people looking for THE SIGNS of His "Appearing" shown here.

    There are NO SIGNS GIVEN of JESUS' SECOND COMING.
    It is EMMINENT and IMMEDIATE.

    15 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,
    (whoso readeth, let him understand)

    16 "Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
    17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:
    18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
    19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
    20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
    21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
     
    #6 Alan Gross, Feb 20, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2023
  7. 37818

    37818 Well-Known Member

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    The one future event.
     
  8. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    I am going to agree, except I believe they are all Bible prophecy speaking of "the great tribulation" as being that which God says would come upon those who killed his Son, in Jerusalem A.D. 70.

    I see one End of Time when Jesus Returns, in the scripture. No "left behind"/second chance for the Jews/ thousand year alarm clock.



    I see this in Matthew 24 and all the other passages you mentioned, below, as the Destruction of the Temple, in A.D. 70.

    There is no time to "cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on us" when Jesus Returns, at the End of Time.

    It's over.

    And He will separate the sheep from the goats.

    The eleven references.

    Isaiah 13:10.
    Isaiah 24:23.
    Ezekiel 32:7.
    Joel 2:10.
    Joel 2:31.
    Joel 3:15.
    Matthew 24:29.
    Mark 13:24.
    Luke 21:25.
    Acts of the Apostles 2:20.
    Revelation 6:12-17.
     
  9. 37818

    37818 Well-Known Member

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    There is no historical evidence for that, at that date.

    ". . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. . . ."
     
  10. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    Gill says, "For then shall be great tribulation,.... This is urged as a reason for their speedy flight; since the calamity that would come upon those who should remain in the city, what through the sword, famine, pestilence, murders, robberies, &c. would be such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

    "The burning of Sodom and Gomorrha, the bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt, their captivity in Babylon, and all their distresses and afflictions in the times of the Maccabees, are nothing to be compared with the calamities which befell the Jews in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem.

    "Great desolations have been made in the besieging and at the taking of many famous cities, such as Troy, Babylon, Carthage, &c. but none of them are to be mentioned with the deplorable case of this city.

    "Whoever reads Josephus's account will be fully convinced of this; and readily join with him, who was an eyewitness of it, when he says (m), that

    "never did any city suffer such things, nor was there ever any generation that more abounded in malice or wickedness.''

    "And indeed, all this came upon them for their impenitence and infidelity, and for their rejection and murdering of the Son of God;

    for as never any before, or since, committed the sin they did, or ever will, so there never did, or will, the same calamity befall a nation, as did them.
     
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