Have any aspects of end times prophecy been fulfilled?

This great prophecy was fulfilled in the year 70 A.D., when the Romans besieged Jerusalem and a million perished, besides 100,000 who were made slaves. It is one of the most awful pages in human history. So has verse 24 been fulfilled. The Jewish nation has been scattered among all the nations; Jerusalem has been trodden down by the Gentiles and is still in that state. But the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled in the future and when that comes, deliverance and restoration for Jerusalem and the nation are promised. Luke significantly tells us about the fig tree, "and all the trees." (Verse 29.) They are to shoot forth and that would be a sign of His Return. The fig tree is Israel. Who are the other trees? Other nations, who are to see a revival before the Lord comes, such as the centers of the Roman empire, Italy, Greece and Egypt. Israel and these other nations indeed "shoot forth"; from this we are to learn that great events in connection with the Kingdom of God are at hand. May we also heed the warnings with which this chapter closes.

How exact is the prophecy of our Lord in Luke 21. He foretold the destruction of the Temple, and it took place exactly as predicted; He foretold the terrors of the siege of Jerusalem, and it was the worst in history for bloodshed. He prophesied that the Jews should be led captive among all nations, and volumes could be written to show how literally this has been fulfilled. The phenomenon of a people, thus scattered and down-trodden, preserving its identity along the centuries, is the marvel of the world's history which cannot be explained on natural grounds. He likewise prophesied that the holy city should be trodden down of the Gentiles, and it has been, and will be till the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Could prophecy be more exact and wonderful, proving beyond a doubt the inspiration of Christ and the Scriptures?

The second prophecy we wish to bring before your notice, fell from the lips of none less than our Lord Himself. It was uttered during the last week of His earthly life, when with His disciples He was in the near vicinity of the Temple. Remarks were made about “how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,” when to the utter amazement of His disciples our Lord prophesied that the day would come, when not one stone should be left upon another, and that the wonderful Temple should be utterly destroyed. This striking prophecy was uttered A.D. 33, a date, the correctness of which not all the ingenuity of Modernists and Higher Critics can possibly dispute. Read Luke 21:20-24, and you will see in plain, unmistakable language our Lord prophesied that, (1) Jerusalem would stand a terrible siege, accompanied by immense slaughter; (2) The magnificent Temple would be completely destroyed; (3) The Jews would be driven from their land, and scattered among the nations; (4) Jerusalem would be trodden of the Gentiles until “the times of the Gentiles” be fulfilled.

In the year A.D. 70, only some short 37 years since our Lord uttered this prophecy, it was fulfilled to the very letter. It is very striking that Josephus, an eye-witness of the siege of Jerusalem, has written a history of these terrible times, entitled, The Wars of the Jews. Surely this points to the providence of God in a very remarkable way. Modernists will boldly question the statements of the Bible, but are ready to accept without question a secular account as to the fulfilment of our Lord’s prophecy. Does this not show bias? Scripture warns us of men who “willingly are ignorant” (2 Peter 3:5); and of those, who do not “like to retain God in their knowledge” (Rom. 1:28).

It is impossible to deal adequately with this greatest of all prophecies within our present limits. Only a few suggestions can be attempted. The whole utterance finds its focus, not in Christendom, but in Jerusalem and Judea. Its prime idea is the sufferings that must needs fall upon God's ancient people because of their rejection of the Messiah, come into their midst in grace. Within the lifetime of our Lord's contemporaries Jerusalem was to be compassed with armies and be utterly overthrown. Its people should fall in multitudes, many others should be sold into captivity — "and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." How literally all this had been accomplished every schoolboy knows. Luke, from whom we have just quoted, appends a few words as to further happenings at the end of the age, when the period of Israel's humiliation reaches its termination (Luke 21:20-36).

A final example. Our Lord when on earth uttered a most notable prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and its gorgeous Temple, and the scattering of the Jews among the nations. It is a matter of history, as described so graphically by Josephus, an eye witness of the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, the son of the Emperor Vespasion, that it was completely destroyed and the Temple razed to the ground, leaving not one stone upon another. This took place in A.D. 70, about thirty-seven years after our Lord prophesied that it would take place. Nearly a hundred years after the siege of Jerusalem, our Lord’s prophecy of the scattering of the Jews among the nations was fulfilled. About the year A.D. 135 this scattering took place. The occasion was the rebellion of the Jews against the Roman power, headed by a leader, Bar-chobab by name, who gave himself out to be the Messiah, come to deliver the Jews from the Roman yoke. The Romans were so tired of these recurring rebellions, that to end them once and for all they drove the Jews from their ancient land, and dispersed them among the Gentile nations. For over eighteen hundred years this prophecy has been most strikingly fulfilled, and still continues to be fulfilled under our very eyes today. This is an outstanding prophecy that could only, and in no other way, emanate from the Divine mind.

How terrible these days of vengeance were is known to all. Josephus gives the number of the slain in the siege as 1,000,000; of those carried away captive as 97,000. The complete fulfilment of our Lord's words is matter of common history. The times of the Gentiles are not yet concluded, after more than eighteen centuries of treading down; although there are many signs that they are near their end: to what then takes place the prophecy passes on.

It is in the next part of the discourse, however (Matt. 24:15-28; Luke 21:20-24), that the most marked differences appear. The prophecy, as recorded in Luke, simply foretells what occurred about forty years later. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (vv. 20-24.) Nothing can be simpler. The prediction is exact, and the directions given are precisely those followed by the Christians residing in the city when Titus's army approached Jerusalem. No exhortation is given to special haste, and in fact no occasion for special haste existed. Every reader knows that the Christians, forewarned by this prophecy, left the city; that the city was destroyed, and its inhabitants either killed or carried into slavery. Jerusalem then became a prey to the Gentiles, who have ruled over it and kept it in subjection ever since. This closes the earlier portion of Luke's prophecy.

231 Such is the prophetical revelation which presents, it seems to me, little difficulty. The exhortation which follows may suggest more; at the same time, it offers some remarkable helps as to the use of expressions. For example, "this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled" (v. 32) proves, necessarily, either that "generation" must be taken in an extended sense, as in Deuteronomy 32:5, 20, and as in other passages; or, that "all" could only apply to the establishment of the state of things at the setting aside judicially of the Jewish people, because we have the treading down of Jerusalem for a long continuous period revealed. Hence we have to seek the guidance of the Spirit for the application of the passage, there being an incipient accomplishment at the destruction or treading down of Jerusalem, its desolation, vengeance, etc., which subsists still, and a far fuller one at the close preceding the coming of the Son of man. Hence the Holy Ghost records here an expression which may apply to both: "Know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." I do not doubt that this had a certain accomplishment in the absolute suppression of the Jewish order, but no fulfilment; and that the kingdom of God will be established by the coming of the Son of man after the signs of verses 25, 26. Note also that this passage precludes the possibility of the application of "the coming of the Son of man" to the destruction of Jerusalem, because we have already had the long treading down, consequent on the encompassing with armies. The full natural application of verses 28-31, then, is to the close when, these signs having taken place, the full deliverance of the Jewish faithful will take place. So verse 35 has a limited application to Judea or Palestine; but it is evident to me that there is the larger application of the coming of the day of the Lord on the whole earth. It is the day that is spoken of. Verse 36 seems to me also to refer absolutely to the character of a Jewish remnant (though in a still better sense it will be true of the church); but in its proper application it is the escape of judgments then, and standing before the Son of man when He takes the kingdom.

366 Such is the prophetical revelation, which presents, it seems to me, little difficulty. The exhortation which follows may suggest more; at the same time it offers some remarkable helps as to the use of expressions. For example, "this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled" (verse 32) proves necessarily, either that "generation" must be taken in an extended sense, as in Deuteronomy 32:5, 20, and as in other passages, or that "all" could only apply to the establishment of the state of things at the setting aside judicially of the Jewish people, because we have the treading down of Jerusalem for a long continuous period revealed. Hence we have to seek the guidance of the Spirit for the application of the passage, there being an incipient accomplishment at the destruction or treading down of Jerusalem, its desolation, vengeance, etc., which subsists still, and a far fuller one at the close preceding the coming of the Son of man. Hence the Holy Ghost records here an expression which may apply to both: "Know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." I do not doubt that this had a certain accomplishment in the absolute suppression of the Jewish order, but no fulfilment; and that the kingdom of God will be established by the coming of the Son of man after the signs of verses 25, 26. Note also, that this passage precludes the possibility of the application of "the coming of the Son of man" to the destruction of Jerusalem, because we have already had the long treading down consequent on the encompassing with armies. The full natural application of verses 28-31, then, is to the close, when, these signs having taken place, the full deliverance of the Jewish faithful will take place. So verse 35 has a limited application to Judea or Palestine; but it is evident to me that there is the larger application of the coming of the day of the Lord on the whole earth. It is the day that is spoken of. Verse 36 seems to me also to refer absolutely to the character of a Jewish remnant (though, in a still better sense, it will be true to the Church); but in its proper application it is the escape of judgments then, and standing before the Son of man when He takes the kingdom.

The subjects of the prophecy are the troubles of Jerusalem resulting from the Lord's rejection by the Jews; the testimony of disciples in consequence of His rejection, and guidance for them in the midst of their sorrows; the whole ending with the Lord's second coming, which will usher in the city's and the nation's deliverance. Now Jerusalem's troubles, which began with the siege of the city by Titus, will not end till the times of the Gentiles have run their course. And as at the beginning of them, so in the closing days of them, there will be found upon earth real disciples of Christ, who will have to bear testimony in the face of direct opposition from their countrymen the Jews. Of these companies of faithful ones the three evangelists write, but Luke especially of the past, whereas Matthew and Mark dwell much on the trials of the coming days. In accord with what we have remarked, Luke, it will be found, acquaints us with the commencement of the sorrows of the holy city, when she was to be compassed about with armies and destroyed by Titus (21:20, 24), and of her desolation for a long period after that, ending with the Lord's return, when the nation's redemption will have drawn nigh (ver. 28).