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entranced； he looked from the crest of Olivet upon the magnificent temple
and gave command that not one stone of it be touched。 Before attempting to
gain possession of this stronghold；
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he made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders not to force him to defile
the sacred place with blood。 If they would come forth and fight in any other
place； no Roman should violate the sanctity of the temple。 Josephus himself；
in a most eloquent appeal； entreated them to surrender； to save themselves；
their city； and their place of worship。 But his words were answered with
bitter curses。 Darts were hurled at him； their last human mediator； as he
stood pleading with them。 The Jews had rejected the entreaties of the Son of
God； and now expostulation and entreaty only made them more determined to
resist to the last。 In vain were the efforts of Titus to save the temple；
One greater than he had declared that not one stone was to be left upon
another。
The blind obstinacy of the Jewish leaders； and the detestable crimes
perpetrated within the besieged city； excited the horror and indignation of
the Romans； and Titus at last decided to take the temple by storm。 He
determined； however； that if possible it should be saved from destruction。
But his commands were disregarded。 After he had retired to his tent at
night； the Jews； sallying from the temple； attacked the soldiers without。 In
the struggle； a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an opening in the
porch； and immediately the cedar…lined chambers about the holy house were in
a blaze。 Titus rushed to the place； followed by his generals and
legionaries； and commanded the soldiers to quench the flames。 His words were
unheeded。 In their fury the soldiers hurled blazing brands into the chambers
adjoining the temple； and then with their swords they slaughtered in great
numbers those who had found shelter there。 Blood flowed down the temple
steps like water。 Thousands upon thousands of Jews perished。 Above the sound
of battle； voices were heard shouting： 〃Ichabod！〃the glory is departed。
〃Titus found it impossible to check the rage of the soldiery； he entered
with his officers； and surveyed the interior of the sacred edifice。 The
splendor filled them with wonder； and as the flames had not yet penetrated
to the holy place；
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he made a last effort to save it； and springing forth； again exhorted the
soldiers to stay the progress of the conflagration。 The centurion Liberalis
endeavored to force obedience with his staff of office； but even respect for
the emperor gave way to the furious animosity against the Jews； to the
fierce excitement of battle； and to the insatiable hope of plunder。 The
soldiers saw everything around them radiant with gold； which shone
dazzlingly in the wild light of the flames； they supposed that incalculable
treasures were laid up in the sanctuary。 A soldier； unperceived； thrust a
lighted torch between the hinges of the door： the whole building was in
flames in an instant。 The blinding smoke and fire forced the officers to
retreat； and the noble edifice was left to its fate。
〃It was an appalling spectacle to the Romanwhat was it to the Jew？ The
whole summit of the hill which commanded the city； blazed like a volcano。
One after another the buildings fell in； with a tremendous crash； and were
swallowed up in the fiery abyss。 The roofs of cedar were like sheets of
flame； the gilded pinnacles shone like spikes of red light； the gate towers
sent up tall columns of flame and smoke。 The neighboring hills were lighted
up； and dark groups of people were seen watching in horrible anxiety the
progress of the destruction： the walls and heights of the upper city were
crowded with faces； some pale with the agony of despair； others scowling
unavailing vengeance。 The shouts of the Roman soldiery as they ran to and
fro； and the howlings of the insurgents who were perishing in the flames；
mingled with the roaring of the conflagration and the thundering sound of
falling timbers。 The echoes of the mountains replied or brought back the
shrieks of the people on the heights； all along the walls resounded screams
and wailings； men who were expiring with famine rallied their remaining
strength to utter a cry of anguish and desolation。
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〃The slaughter within was even more dreadful than the spectacle from
without。 Men and women； old and young； insurgents and priests； those who
fought and those who entreated mercy； were hewn down in indiscriminate
carnage。 The number of the slain exceeded that of the slayers。 The
legionaries had to clamber over heaps of dead to carry on the work of
extermination。〃Milman； The History of the Jews； book 16。
After the destruction of the temple； the whole city soon fell into the hands
of the Romans。 The leaders of the Jews forsook their impregnable towers； and
Titus found them solitary。 He gazed upon them with amazement； and declared
that God had given them into his hands； for no engines； however powerful；
could have prevailed against those stupendous battlements。 Both the city and
the temple were razed to their foundations； and the ground upon which the
holy house had stood was 〃plowed like a field。〃 Jeremiah 26：18。 In the siege
and the slaughter that followed； more than a million of the people perished；
the survivors were carried away as captives； sold as slaves； dragged to Rome
to grace the conqueror's triumph； thrown to wild beasts in the
amphitheaters； or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth。
The Jews had forged their own fetters； they had filled for themselves the
cup of vengeance。 In the utter destruction that befell them as a nation； and
in all the woes that followed them in their dispersion； they were but
reaping the harvest which their own hands had sown。 Says the prophet： 〃O
Israel； thou hast destroyed thyself；〃 〃for thou hast fallen by thine
iniquity。〃 Hosea 13：9； 14：1。 Their sufferings are often represented as a
punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God。 It is thus that
the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work。 By stubborn rejection of
divine love and mercy； the Jews had caused the protection of God to be
withdrawn from them； and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his
will。 The horrible cruelties enacted in the
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destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's vindictive power
over those who yield to his control。
We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the peace and protection which
we enjoy。 It is the restraining power of God that prevents mankind from
passing fully under the control of Satan。 The disobedient and unthankful
have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and long…suffering in
holding in check the cruel； malignant power of the evil one。 But when men
pass the limits of divine forbearance； that restraint is removed。 God does
not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against
transgression； but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves； to
reap that which they have sown。 Every ray of light rejected； every warning
despised or unheeded； every passion indulged； every transgression of the law
of God； is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest。 The Spirit of
God； persistently resisted； is at last withdrawn from the sinner； and then
there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul； and no
protection from the malice and enmity of Satan。 The destruction of Jerusalem
is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of
divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy。 Never was there
given a more decisive testimony to God's hatred of sin and to the certain
punishment that will fall upon the guilty。
The Saviour's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem
is to have another fulfillment； of which that terrible desolation was but a
faint shadow。 In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a
world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law。 Dark are the
records of human misery that earth has witnessed