in　its　dazzling　splendor；　a　diadem　of　beauty　crowning　the　sacred　mount。
  A　thousand　years　before；　the　psalmist　had　magnified　God's　favor　to　Israel　in
  making　her　holy　house　His　dwelling　place：　〃In　Salem　also　is　His　tabernacle；
  and　His　dwelling　place　in　Zion。〃　He　〃chose　the　tribe　of　Judah；　the　Mount
  Zion　which　He　loved。　And　He　built　His　sanctuary　like　high　palaces。〃　Psalms
  76：2；　78：68；　69。　The　first　temple　had　been　erected　during　the　most
  prosperous　period　of　Israel's　history。　Vast　stores　of　treasure　for　this
  purpose　had　been　collected　by　King　David；　and　the　plans　for　its　construction
  were　made　by　divine　inspiration。　1　Chronicles　28：12；　19。　Solomon；　the　wisest
  of　Israel's　monarchs；　had　completed　the　work。　This　temple　was　the　most
  magnificent　building　which　the　world　ever　saw。　Yet　the　Lord　had　declared　by
  the　prophet　Haggai；　concerning　the　second　temple：　〃The　glory　of　this　latter
  house　shall　be　greater　than　of　the　former。〃　〃I　will　shake　all　nations；　and
  the　Desire　of　all　nations　shall　come：　and　I　will　fill　this　house　with　glory；
  saith　the　Lord　of　hosts。〃　Haggai　2：9；　7。
  After　the　destruction　of　the　temple　by　Nebuchadnezzar　it　was　rebuilt　about
  five　hundred　years　before　the　birth　of　Christ　by　a　people　who　from　a
  lifelong　captivity　had　returned　to　a　wasted　and　almost　deserted　country。
  There　were　then　among　them　aged　men　who　had　seen　the　glory　of　Solomon's
  temple；　and　who　wept　at　the　foundation　of　the　new　building；　that　it　must　be
  so　inferior　to　the　former。　The　feeling　that　prevailed　is　forcibly　described
  by　the　prophet：　〃Who　is
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  left　among　you　that　saw　this　house　in　her　first　glory？　and　how　do　ye　see　it
  now？　is　it　not　in　your　eyes　in　comparison　of　it　as　nothing？〃　Haggai　2：3；
  Ezra　3：12。　Then　was　given　the　promise　that　the　glory　of　this　latter　house
  should　be　greater　than　that　of　the　former。
  But　the　second　temple　had　not　equaled　the　first　in　magnificence；　nor　was　it
  hallowed　by　those　visible　tokens　of　the　divine　presence　which　pertained　to
  the　first　temple。　There　was　no　manifestation　of　supernatural　power　to　mark
  its　dedication。　No　cloud　of　glory　was　seen　to　fill　the　newly　erected
  sanctuary。　No　fire　from　heaven　descended　to　consume　the　sacrifice　upon　its
  altar。　The　Shekinah　no　longer　abode　between　the　cherubim　in　the　most　holy
  place；　the　ark；　the　mercy　seat；　and　the　tables　of　the　testimony　were　not　to
  be　found　therein。　No　voice　sounded　from　heaven　to　make　known　to　the
  inquiring　priest　the　will　of　Jehovah。
  For　centuries　the　Jews　had　vainly　endeavored　to　show　wherein　the　promise　of
  God　given　by　Haggai　had　been　fulfilled；　yet　pride　and　unbelief　blinded　their
  minds　to　the　true　meaning　of　the　prophet's　words。　The　second　temple　was　not
  honored　with　the　cloud　of　Jehovah's　glory；　but　with　the　living　presence　of
  One　in　whom　dwelt　the　fullness　of　the　Godhead　bodilywho　was　God　Himself
  manifest　in　the　flesh。　The　〃Desire　of　all　nations〃　had　indeed　come　to　His
  temple　when　the　Man　of　Nazareth　taught　and　healed　in　the　sacred　courts。　In
  the　presence　of　Christ；　and　in　this　only；　did　the　second　temple　exceed　the
  first　in　glory。　But　Israel　had　put　from　her　the　proffered　Gift　of　heaven。
  With　the　humble　Teacher　who　had　that　day　passed　out　from　its　golden　gate；
  the　glory　had　forever　departed　from　the　temple。　Already　were　the　Saviour's
  words　fulfilled：　〃Your　house　is　left　unto　you　desolate。〃　Matthew　23：38。
  The　disciples　had　been　filled　with　awe　and　wonder　at　Christ's　prediction　of
  the　overthrow　of　the　temple；　and　they　desired　to　understand　more　fully　the
  meaning　of　His　words。　Wealth；　labor；　and　architectural　skill　had　for　more
  than　forty　years　been　freely　expended　to　enhance　its　splendors。　Herod
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  the　Great　had　lavished　upon　it　both　Roman　wealth　and　Jewish　treasure；　and
  even　the　emperor　of　the　world　had　enriched　it　with　his　gifts。　Massive　blocks
  of　white　marble；　of　almost　fabulous　size；　forwarded　from　Rome　for　this
  purpose；　formed　a　part　of　its　structure；　and　to　these　the　disciples　had
  called　the　attention　of　their　Master；　saying：　〃See　what　manner　of　stones　and
  what　buildings　are　here！〃　Mark　13：1。
  To　these　words；　Jesus　made　the　solemn　and　startling　reply：　〃Verily　I　say
  unto　you；　There　shall　not　be　left　here　one　stone　upon　another；　that　shall
  not　be　thrown　down。〃　Matthew　24：2。
  With　the　overthrow　of　Jerusalem　the　disciples　associated　the　events　of
  Christ's　personal　coming　in　temporal　glory　to　take　the　throne　of　universal
  empire；　to　punish　the　impenitent　Jews；　and　to　break　from　off　the　nation　the
  Roman　yoke。　The　Lord　had　told　them　that　He　would　come　the　second　time。　Hence
  at　the　mention　of　judgments　upon　Jerusalem；　their　minds　reverted　to　that
  coming；　and　as　they　were　gathered　about　the　Saviour　upon　the　Mount　of
  Olives；　they　asked：　〃When　shall　these　things　be？　and　what　shall　be　the　sign
  of　Thy　coming；　and　of　the　end　of　the　world？〃　Verse　3。
  The　future　was　mercifully　veiled　from　the　disciples。　Had　they　at　that　time
  fully　comprehend　the　two　awful　facts　the　Redeemer's　sufferings　and　death；
  and　the　destruction　of　their　city　and　templethey　would　have　been
  overwhelmed　with　horror。　Christ　presented　before　them　an　outline　of　the
  prominent　events　to　take　place　before　the　close　of　time。　His　words　were　not
  then　fully　understood；　but　their　meaning　was　to　be　unfolded　as　His　people
  should　need　the　instruction　therein　given。　The　prophecy　which　He　uttered　was
  twofold　in　its　meaning；　while　foreshadowing　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem；　it
  prefigured　also　the　terrors　of　the　last　great　day。
  Jesus　declared　to　the　listening　disciples　the　judgments　that　were　to　fall
  upon　apostate　Israel；　and　especially　the　retributive　vengeance　that　would
  come　upon　them　for　their　rejection　and　crucifixion　of　the　Messiah。
  Unmistakable　signs　would　precede　the　awful　climax。　The　dreaded　hour　would
  come
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  suddenly　and　swiftly。　And　the　Saviour　warned　His　followers：　〃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：）　then
  let　them　which　be　in　Judea　flee　into　the　mountains。〃　Matthew　24：15；　16；　Luke
  21：20；　21。　When　the　idolatrous　standards　of　the　Romans　should　be　set　up　in
  the　holy　ground；　which　extended　some　furlongs　outside　the　city　walls；　then
  the　followers　of　Christ　were　to　find　safety　in　flight。　When　the　warning　sign
  should　be　seen；　those　who　would　escape　must　make　no　delay。　Throughout　the
  land　of　Judea；　as　well　as　in　Jerusalem　itself；　the　signal　for　flight　must　be
  immediately　obeyed。　He　who　chanced　to　be　upon　the　housetop　must　not　go　down
  into　his　house；　even　to　save　his　most　valued　treasures。　Those　who　were
  working　in　the　fields　or　vineyards　must　not　take　time　to　return　for　the
  outer　garment　laid　aside　while　they　should　be　toiling　in　the　heat　of　the
  day。　They　must　not　hesitate　a　moment；　lest　they　be　involved　in　the　general
  destruction。
  In　the　reign　of　Herod；　Jerusalem　had　not　only　been　greatly　beautified；　but
  by　the　erection　of　towers；　walls；　and　fortresses；　adding　to　the　natural
  strength　of　its　situation；　it　had　been　rendered　apparently　impregnable。　He
  who　would　at　this　time　have　foretold　publicly　its　destruction；　would；　like
  Noah　in　his　day；　have　been　called　a　crazed　alarmist。　But　Christ　had　said：
  〃Heaven　and　earth　shall　pass　away；　but　My　words　shall　not　pass　away。〃
  Matthew　24：35。　Because　of　her　sins；　wrath　had　been　denounced　against
  Jerusalem；　and　her　stubborn　unbelief　rendered　her　doom　certain。
  The　Lord　had　declared　by　the　prophet　Micah：　〃Hear　this；　I　pray　you；　ye　heads
  of　the　house　of　Jacob；　and　princes　of　the　house　of　Israel；　that　abhor
  judgment；　and　pervert　all　equity。　They　build　up　Zion　with　blood；　and
  Jerusalem　with　iniquity。　The　heads　thereof　judge　for　reward；　and　the　priests
  thereof　teach　for　hire；　and　the　prophets　thereof　divine　for　money：　yet　will
  they　lean　upon　the　Lord；　and　say；　Is　not　the　Lord　among　us？　none　evil　can
  come　upon　us。〃　Micah　3：9…11。
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  These　words　faithfully　described　the　corrupt　and　self…righteous　inhabitants
  of　Jerusalem。　While　claiming　to　observe　rigidly　the　precepts　of　God's　law；
  they　were　transgressing　all　its　principles。　They　hated　Christ　because　His
  purity　and　holiness　revealed　their　iniquity；　and　they　accused　Him　of　being
  the　cause　of　all　the　troubles　which　had　come　upon　them　in　consequence　of
  their　sins。　Though　they　knew　Him　to　be　sinless；　they　had　declared　that　His
  death　was　necessary　to　their　safety　as　a　nation。　〃If　we　let　Him　thus　alone；〃
  said　the　Jewish　leaders；　〃all　men　will　believe　on　Him：　and　the　Romans　shall
  come　and　take　away　both　our　place　and　nation。〃　John　11：48。　If　Christ　were
  sacrificed；　they　might　once　more　become　a　strong；　united　people。　Thus　they
  reasoned；　and　they　concurred　in　the　decision　of　their　high　priest；　that　it
  would　be　better　for　one　man　to　die　than　for　the　whole　nation　to　perish。
  Thus　the　Jewish　leaders　had　built　up　〃Zion　with　blood；　and　Jerusalem　with
  iniquity。〃　Micah　3：10。　And　yet；　while　they　slew　their　Saviour　because　He
  reproved　their　sins；　such　was　their　self…righteousness　that　they　regarded
  themselves　as　God's　favored　people　and　expecte