Cause and Effect: The Rejection of the Messiah and the Destruction of Jerusalem

The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70 is a pivotal event in both Jewish and Christian history. From a theological perspective, this event is seen not just as a historical occurrence but as a divinely ordained consequence of a deeper spiritual cause—the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by the Jewish people. This article will explore the cause-and-effect relationship between the rejection of Jesus, as highlighted in biblical prophecy and scripture, and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem, focusing particularly on the relevant passages in the Book of Daniel and the Gospels.

1. The Rejection of Jesus: The Cause

The rejection of Jesus as the Messiah is a central theme in the New Testament. Jesus’ ministry among the Jewish people was met with both acceptance and rejection. The Gospels, particularly the synoptic ones (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), emphasize that the religious leaders and a significant portion of the Jewish populace did not recognize Him as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. This rejection is seen as having profound spiritual and historical consequences, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem.

In Luke 19:41-42, Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem captures the essence of this rejection:

“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”

Jesus’ sorrow here reflects a deep grief over the spiritual blindness of the people who failed to recognize the time of their “visitation”—a term that implies divine intervention or an opportunity for salvation. The phrase “the things which belong unto thy peace” suggests that had they accepted Jesus as their Messiah, they would have found peace with God. Instead, they were now facing judgment.

2. The Prophetic Warning in Daniel 9:24-26

The Book of Daniel provides a foundational prophetic framework for understanding the cause-and-effect dynamic that would lead to Jerusalem’s downfall. Daniel 9:24-26 speaks of a series of events that would culminate in the coming of the Messiah and the destruction of the city:

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”

This passage outlines two key elements relevant to the cause-and-effect relationship between rejection and destruction:

• The Messiah’s Coming and Being “Cut Off”: The prophecy explicitly states that the Messiah would be “cut off, but not for himself.” This aligns with the New Testament account of Jesus’ crucifixion, where He was rejected and executed, not for any sin of His own, but for the sins of others.
• Destruction of the City and Sanctuary: Following the cutting off of the Messiah, the prophecy foretells that a people under a “prince” would come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Historically, this refers to the Roman forces under General Titus, who besieged and destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, along with its sacred temple. This was seen as the judgment upon the nation for their failure to recognize their Messiah.

3. Jesus’ Prophecy of Jerusalem’s Destruction

The connection between cause (rejection) and effect (destruction) is not only embedded in Old Testament prophecy but also explicitly stated by Jesus Himself. In Matthew 24:1-2, Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple:

“And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Jesus links this coming destruction to the spiritual state of the nation, as seen in passages like Matthew 23:37-39, where He laments:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”

Here, Jesus points to the repeated rejection of God’s messengers, including Himself, as the reason for the desolation that would come. The “house” left desolate refers both to the temple and to the city itself. The rejection of the Messiah, like the rejection of the prophets before Him, would lead to severe judgment.

4. The Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70: The Effect

The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans was a catastrophic event that altered the course of Jewish history. In AD 70, after a brutal siege, the city was razed to the ground, and the temple—the center of Jewish religious life—was demolished. The Jewish historian Josephus, an eyewitness to the events, recorded the immense suffering of the people during the siege, including starvation, internal conflict, and mass slaughter.

This event is seen by many Christian interpreters as the fulfillment of the prophecies in Daniel and the warnings given by Jesus. The physical destruction of Jerusalem was not an isolated historical tragedy but the outcome of a deeper spiritual rejection of God’s offer of salvation through Jesus.

5. Luke 19:41-44: A Clear Link Between Cause and Effect

Returning to Luke 19:43-44, Jesus provides a clear cause-and-effect sequence:

“For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”

Here, the “time of visitation” refers to the time when Jesus, the Messiah, came to His people, offering them salvation and peace. The “because” in this passage links their failure to recognize this divine visitation with the destruction that would follow. The rejection of the Messiah becomes the cause, and the Roman siege and destruction become the effect.

6. Spiritual Implications of the Cause and Effect

Theologically, this cause-and-effect relationship holds profound significance. It serves as a warning about the consequences of rejecting divine intervention and salvation. The rejection of Jesus as the Messiah brought about not only a national tragedy but also a spiritual desolation. The destruction of the temple symbolized the end of the old covenant system and the beginning of a new covenant, inaugurated through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

For believers, this sequence reinforces the idea of personal and communal responsibility in responding to God’s revelation. It is a reminder that divine judgment follows when opportunities for repentance and faith are ignored, and it underscores the importance of recognizing the times of God’s visitation in every generation.

Conclusion

The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 is more than a historical footnote; it is the culmination of a cause-and-effect process rooted in biblical prophecy and Jesus’ own warnings. The rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish people, as described in both the Old and New Testaments, led directly to the devastation of the holy city. This cause-and-effect dynamic serves as a powerful reminder of the spiritual consequences of rejecting God’s salvation, echoing through history as both a warning and a call to embrace the peace that comes through Jesus Christ.