1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

all. The point not previously noticed is that theJewish polity was not to be destroyed inJerusalem only, but throughout all Judea. Nordoes Judea mean all of Palestine. The actualdepopulation of the whole of Palestine did notoccur until the year 135 A. D. (corresponding toour year 1980), on the ninth day of the month ofAb, the anniversary of the burning of the Templeunder Titus. On that day came to an end theinsurrection of Bar-Cocheba, the false Messiah,who wrought his own destruction and that of580,000 of his followers, when he attempted toregain control of Judea and Jerusalem. Thestruggle was of five years' duration having begunin 130 A. D. "It was the effort, under theleadership of Bar-Cocheba, to regain theirindependence, that brought about a repetition ofscenes enacted under Titus, and resulted actuallyin the depopulation of Palestine. The whole ofJudea was turned into a desert; about 985 townsand villages were laid in ashes; fifty of theirfortresses were razed to the ground; even thename of their capital was changed to AEliaCapitolina, and they were forbidden to approachit on pain of death; thousands of those who hadescaped death were reduced to slavery, and suchas could not be thus disposed of were transportedinto Egypt."— McC.When the Lord gave His wonderful prophecy inwhich the destinies of nominal Fleshly Israel,nominal Spiritual Israel, and the Israel of God,are set forth, it was in answer to three definitequestions: "When shall these things be? andwhat shall be the sign of Thy Parousia, and ofthe end of the Age?" (Matt. 24:3.) The Lord didnot ignore their question. He answered it with areply that sweeps the history of twenty centuries.He showed that the end of Fleshly Israelforeshadowed the end of Spiritual Israel. FleshlyIsrael had three ends; the destruction ofJerusalem in A. D. 70, the complete subjugationof Judea in A. D. 73, and the actual depopulationof the whole of Palestine in A. D. 135.Which did He mean should be the end thatwould be a guide to His followers?