reproved　their　sins；　such　was　their　self…righteousness　that　they　regarded
  themselves　as　God's　favored　people　and　expected　the　Lord　to　deliver　them
  from　their　enemies。　〃Therefore；〃　continued　the　prophet；　〃shall　Zion　for　your
  sake　be　plowed　as　a　field；　and　Jerusalem　shall　become　heaps；　and　the
  mountain　of　the　house　as　the　high　places　of　the　forest。〃　Verse　12。
  For　nearly　forty　years　after　the　doom　of　Jerusalem　had　been　pronounced　by
  Christ　Himself；　the　Lord　delayed　His　judgments　upon　the　city　and　the　nation。
  Wonderful　was　the　long…suffering　of　God　toward　the　rejectors　of　His　gospel
  and　the　murderers　of　His　Son。　The　parable　of　the　unfruitful　tree　represented
  God's　dealings　with　the　Jewish　nation。　The　command　had　gone　forth；　〃Cut　it
  down；　why　cumbereth　it　the　ground？〃　（Luke　13：7）　but　divine　mercy　had　spared
  it　yet　a　little　longer。　There　were　still　many　among　the　Jews　who　were
  ignorant　of　the　character　and　the　work　of　Christ。　And　the　children　had　not
  enjoyed　the　opportunities　or
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  received　the　light　which　their　parents　had　spurned。　Through　the　preaching　of
  the　apostles　and　their　associates；　God　would　cause　light　to　shine　upon　them；
  they　would　be　permitted　to　see　how　prophecy　had　been　fulfilled；　not　only　in
  the　birth　and　life　of　Christ；　but　in　His　death　and　resurrection。　The
  children　were　not　condemned　for　the　sins　of　the　parents；　but　when；　with　a
  knowledge　of　all　the　light　given　to　their　parents；　the　children　rejected　the
  additional　light　granted　to　themselves；　they　became　partakers　of　the
  parents'　sins；　and　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　iniquity。
  The　long…suffering　of　God　toward　Jerusalem　only　confirmed　the　Jews　in　their
  stubborn　impenitence。　In　their　hatred　and　cruelty　toward　the　disciples　of
  Jesus　they　rejected　the　last　offer　of　mercy。　Then　God　withdrew　His
  protection　from　them　and　removed　His　restraining　power　from　Satan　and　his
  angels；　and　the　nation　was　left　to　the　control　of　the　leader　she　had　chosen。
  Her　children　had　spurned　the　grace　of　Christ；　which　would　have　enabled　them
  to　subdue　their　evil　impulses；　and　now　these　became　the　conquerors。　Satan
  aroused　the　fiercest　and　most　debased　passions　of　the　soul。　Men　did　not
  reason；　they　were　beyond　reasoncontrolled　by　impulse　and　blind　rage。　They
  became　satanic　in　their　cruelty。　In　the　family　and　in　the　nation；　among　the
  highest　and　the　lowest　classes　alike；　there　was　suspicion；　envy；　hatred；
  strife；　rebellion；　murder。　There　was　no　safety　anywhere。　Friends　and　kindred
  betrayed　one　another。　Parents　slew　their　children；　and　children　their
  parents。　The　rulers　of　the　people　had　no　power　to　rule　themselves。
  Uncontrolled　passions　made　them　tyrants。　The　Jews　had　accepted　false
  testimony　to　condemn　the　innocent　Son　of　God。　Now　false　accusations　made
  their　own　lives　uncertain。　By　their　actions　they　had　long　been　saying：
  〃Cause　the　Holy　One　of　Israel　to　cease　from　before　us。〃　Isaiah　30：11。　Now
  their　desire　was　granted。　The　fear　of　God　no　longer　disturbed　them。　Satan
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  was　at　the　head　of　the　nation；　and　the　highest　civil　and　religious
  authorities　were　under　his　sway。
  The　leaders　of　the　opposing　factions　at　times　united　to　plunder　and　torture
  their　wretched　victims；　and　again　they　fell　upon　each　other's　forces　and
  slaughtered　without　mercy。　Even　the　sanctity　of　the　temple　could　not
  restrain　their　horrible　ferocity。　The　worshipers　were　stricken　down　before
  the　altar；　and　the　sanctuary　was　polluted　with　the　bodies　of　the　slain。　Yet
  in　their　blind　and　blasphemous　presumption　the　instigators　of　this　hellish
  work　publicly　declared　that　they　had　no　fear　that　Jerusalem　would　be
  destroyed；　for　it　was　God's　own　city。　To　establish　their　power　more　firmly；
  they　bribed　false　prophets　to　proclaim；　even　while　Roman　legions　were
  besieging　the　temple；　that　the　people　were　to　wait　for　deliverance　from　God。
  To　the　last；　multitudes　held　fast　to　the　belief　that　the　Most　High　would
  interpose　for　the　defeat　of　their　adversaries。　But　Israel　had　spurned　the
  divine　protection；　and　now　she　had　no　defense。　Unhappy　Jerusalem！　rent　by
  internal　dissensions；　the　blood　of　her　children　slain　by　one　another's　hands
  crimsoning　her　streets；　while　alien　armies　beat　down　her　fortifications　and
  slew　her　men　of　war！
  All　the　predictions　given　by　Christ　concerning　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem
  were　fulfilled　to　the　letter。　The　Jews　experienced　the　truth　of　His　words　of
  warning：　〃With　what　measure　ye　mete；　it　shall　be　measured　to　you　again。〃
  Matthew　7：2。
  Signs　and　wonders　appeared；　foreboding　disaster　and　doom。　In　the　midst　of
  the　night　an　unnatural　light　shone　over　the　temple　and　the　altar。　Upon　the
  clouds　at　sunset　were　pictured　chariots　and　men　of　war　gathering　for　battle。
  The　priests　ministering　by　night　in　the　sanctuary　were　terrified　by
  mysterious　sounds；　the　earth　trembled；　and　a　multitude　of　voices　were　heard
  crying：　〃Let　us　depart　hence。〃　The　great　eastern　gate；　which　was　so　heavy
  that　it　could　hardly　be　shut　by　a　score　of　men；　and　which　was　secured　by
  30
  immense　bars　of　iron　fastened　deep　in　the　pavement　of　solid　stone；　opened　at
  midnight；　without　visible　agency。Milman；　The　History　of　the　Jews；　book　13。
  For　seven　years　a　man　continued　to　go　up　and　down　the　streets　of　Jerusalem；
  declaring　the　woes　that　were　to　come　upon　the　city。　By　day　and　by　night　he
  chanted　the　wild　dirge：　〃A　voice　from　the　east！　a　voice　from　the　west！　a
  voice　from　the　four　winds！　a　voice　against　Jerusalem　and　against　the　temple！
  a　voice　against　the　bridegrooms　and　the　brides！　a　voice　against　the　whole
  people！〃Ibid。　This　strange　being　was　imprisoned　and　scourged；　but　no
  complaint　escaped　his　lips。　To　insult　and　abuse　he　answered　only：　〃Woe；　woe
  to　Jerusalem！〃　〃woe；　woe　to　the　inhabitants　thereof！〃　His　warning　cry　ceased
  not　until　he　was　slain　in　the　siege　he　had　foretold。
  Not　one　Christian　perished　in　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem。　Christ　had　given
  His　disciples　warning；　and　all　who　believed　His　words　watched　for　the
  promised　sign。　〃When　ye　shall　see　Jerusalem　compassed　with　armies；〃　said
  Jesus；　〃then　know　that　the　desolation　thereof　is　nigh。　Then　let　them　which
  are　in　Judea　flee　to　the　mountains；　and　let　them　which　are　in　the　midst　of
  it　depart　out。〃　Luke　21：20；　21。　After　the　Romans　under　Cestius　had
  surrounded　the　city；　they　unexpectedly　abandoned　the　siege　when　everything
  seemed　favorable　for　an　immediate　attack。　The　besieged；　despairing　of
  successful　resistance；　were　on　the　point　of　surrender；　when　the　Roman
  general　withdrew　his　forces　without　the　least　apparent　reason。　But　God's
  merciful　providence　was　directing　events　for　the　good　of　His　own　people。　The
  promised　sign　had　been　given　to　the　waiting　Christians；　and　now　an
  opportunity　was　offered　for　all　who　would；　to　obey　the　Saviour's　warning。
  Events　were　so　overruled　that　neither　Jews　nor　Romans　should　hinder　the
  flight　of　the　Christians。　Upon　the　retreat　of　Cestius；　the　Jews；　sallying
  from　Jerusalem；　pursued　after　his　retiring　army；　and　while　both　forces　were
  thus　fully　engaged；　the　Christians　had　an　opportunity　to　leave　the　city。　At
  this　time　the　country　also
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  had　been　cleared　of　enemies　who　might　have　endeavored　to　intercept　them。　At
  the　time　of　the　siege；　the　Jews　were　assembled　at　Jerusalem　to　keep　the
  Feast　of　Tabernacles；　and　thus　the　Christians　throughout　the　land　were　able
  to　make　their　escape　unmolested。　Without　delay　they　fled　to　a　place　of
  safetythe　city　of　Pella；　in　the　land　of　Perea；　beyond　Jordan。
  The　Jewish　forces；　pursuing　after　Cestius　and　his　army；　fell　upon　their　rear
  with　such　fierceness　as　to　threaten　them　with　total　destruction。　It　was　with
  great　difficulty　that　the　Romans　succeeded　in　making　their　retreat。　The　Jews
  escaped　almost　without　loss；　and　with　their　spoils　returned　in　triumph　to
  Jerusalem。　Yet　this　apparent　success　brought　them　only　evil。　It　inspired
  them　with　that　spirit　of　stubborn　resistance　to　the　Romans　which　speedily
  brought　unutterable　woe　upon　the　doomed　city。
  Terrible　were　the　calamities　that　fell　upon　Jerusalem　when　the　siege　was
  resumed　by　Titus。　The　city　was　invested　at　the　time　of　the　Passover；　when
  millions　of　Jews　were　assembled　within　its　walls。　Their　stores　of　provision；
  which　if　carefully　preserved　would　have　supplied　the　inhabitants　for　years；
  had　previously　been　destroyed　through　the　jealousy　and　revenge　of　the
  contending　factions；　and　now　all　the　horrors　of　starvation　were　experienced。
  A　measure　of　wheat　was　sold　for　a　talent。　So　fierce　were　the　pangs　of　hunger
  that　men　would　gnaw　the　leather　of　their　belts　and　sandals　and　the　covering
  of　their　shields。　Great　numbers　of　the　people　would　steal　out　at　night　to
  gather　wild　plants　growing　outside　the　city　walls；　though　many　were　seized
  and　put　to　death　with　cruel　torture；　and　often　those　who　returned　in　safety
  were　robbed　of　what　they　had　gleaned　at　so　great　peril。　The　most　inhuman
  tortures　were　inflicted　by　those　in　power；　to　force　from　the　want…stricken
  people　the　last　scanty　supplies　which　they　might　have　concealed。　And　these
  cruelties　were　not　infrequently　practiced　by　men　who　were　themselves　well
  fed；　and　wh