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Show DESTRUCTION OF DESTRUCTION JERUSALEM. OF JERUSALEM. which continued 5. Josephus says again: “ As the high priests were leading a heifer to the altar to be sacrificed, she 2. “ About the sixth hour of the night, (says Josephus.) the eastern gate of the temple was found to open without human assistance.’ ‘Lhis gate was of solid brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple.”— equal to the brightness of the day; for the space of half an hour.” brass; and so large men to close it. and heavy, as to Most striking rebuke to those infidel priests, who had rejected the Lamb of God who had shed his blood once for all, and abrogated the Levitical sacrifices; require twenty And Josephus says, “it was secured by iron bolts, and bars, that were let down into a large threshold consisting of one entire stone.” The Jews themselves concluded, from nature of the miraculous this event, that the security of their temple had fled. When the procurator was taformed of it, he senta band of men to close the door; executed their orders. who with great difficulty i 3. Again, the same cciebrated Jewish author says: ** At a subsequent feast of pentecost, while the priests were going by night isto the inner temple, to per- form their customary ministrations, they first felt (as they said,) a shaking accompanied by an indistinct murmuring ; and afterwards voices as of a multitude, saying in a distinct and earnest manner: “ Let us depart hence.”? How striking was this miraculous pre- monition. It commenced with a shaking, to call and fix the attention of these Jewish priests. ‘Then was ‘This would make them heard an indistinct murmur. Then they heard the listen with all possible heed. distinct voices, as of a multitude in great earnestness And their last and haste ;—“‘ Let us depart hence!” fatal war with the Romans commenced before the next season for celebrating this feast. 4. Another sign was the following. The same author says; “‘ A meteor, resembling a sword, bung over Jerusalem, during one whele year.”? ~~ This could not have been a comet, for it was stationary a whole year, and seems, from the words of Josephus, to bave been much nearer than a comet, and appeared to be appro‘This reminds one of the sword riated to that city. of the destroying angel, stretched out over Jerusalem, xxi. I Chro. 16. This stationary position of the sword for a year, was a lively indicauon that the impending ruin was fatal. Pal ; which yet they were impiously continuing. ‘This wonder was exhibited in the temple, the type of the body of Christ, and at the passover, when at a preceding passover Jesus was arrested and sacrificed; and it took place before the high priests and their attendants ; so that they could never complain for want of evidence of the fact. G. This author says: ‘Soon after the feast of the -passover, in various parts of the country, before the ¢ setting of the sun, chariots and armed men were seen jin the air passing round about Jerusalem.” This ; strange sight occurring before sunset, and being seen } eo 2 sin various . £ u r : parts of the country, re ~ E 3 cE must have been a mi- raculous portent; asign from heaven. The Jews had said, “‘ What sign showest thou, that we may sce : save! Sa and believe. raat in abundance; ’? Now ies they myhad theirsha sigus yet they would not believe. ’ 7. ryThe last. : and most fearful sign Joseph usee relates ; , ’; that one Jesus, son of Ananus, a rustic of the lower Class, appeared in the temple at the feast of tabernacles, and suddenly exclaimed, “4 voice from the a vowe from the west—a voice froi n theay foua ees ss east— JS WliaAS —ag voice against Jerusalem and the# temple—-a voice against the bridegrooms and eo the brus €s a voice against the whole people??? Th ese words he continued to exclaim through the streets of Jerusa lem by day and b night, with no cessation (unless what ? was needed / forVv the support of nature) for seven years! He ¢ menced in the year 63, while tie cig io ee. ee in peac CIHY Was es and termin and ie“Den prosperity, ag ia hes ato, amidst the + his strang eres. - Vics cs e Soon excited great befor a ty ° broucht WSet t 2 Pere rye a4 * A ated hiss exclamati excramations onlymare horrors of Hak es tee ce thing, when athe it| eroce commenced ce Was vies this J CSus atte; and R ’ ition beiore Albtnus, the OMAN LOVernor rrecated tim errogated him, er oe ‘ itd ves } : but could Obtain 3 ae aa Who inca i iOP, no ai swer exce pt the |
