As the Feast of Passover comes near, and a study that I will save for a different post, I came across a little nugget of treasure that blew my mind. I sat in awe for sometime, and the reverent fear of YHWH(LORD) came over me. Let me take you on this little journey with me, and it is okay if your jaw hits the floor. Mine sure did!
So, I will begin with the parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:
Matthew 22:1And יהושע responded and spoke to them again by parables and said,
2“The reign of the heavens is like a man, a sovereign, who made a wedding feast for his son,
3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come.
4“Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Say to those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and all is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’
5“But they disregarded it and went their way – this one to his field, that one to his trade.
6“And the rest, having seized his servants, insulted and killed them.
7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast, indeed, is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
9‘Therefore go into the street corners, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding feast.’(ISR 98)
Okay, you read all that? Great! let’s go and focus on verse 7:
7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
Now, what this is all pertaining to is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, as well as the temple, the city was set ablaze, and completely destroyed…it was laid waste/desolate.
This parable is also in direct correlation with the one mentioned prior in the previous chapter in Matthew 21, concerning the destruction of the farmers of the vineyard; which was a foreshadow of the House of Judah being destroyed along with the Old Covenant, Israel(Ishmael) after the flesh, the bondwoman and her son. Towards the end of the chapter and after Yeshua/Jesus had spoken it, the Pharisees and the chief priests, of the House of Judah, knew that this was pertaining to them, and why they were wroth with Yeshua/Jesus and sought to lay hands on Him(Mat 21:45-46).
(If you are unfamiliar with the Two Covenants, you can read here, and here.)
Now, here is where it gets really interesting.
The accounts of the destruction were documented by a man named Flavius Josephus. Josephus was a Jewish priest, scholar and historian who worked along the side of Rome during the time of the war, and provides valuable insight to historical accounts, and especially the destruction of Jerusalem.
Evidently, years prior to the war and the destruction of Jerusalem, there were some pretty amazing signs that took place prior, signs so evident, and profound, that I was in amazement, especially if you understand some of the spiritual representations behind what took place.
Now, we have our own copy of “Josephus, The Complete Works” 
translated by William Whiston, A.M. So, I am going to be directly quoting from: “The Wars of the Jews” Book 6, Chapter 5.3-4.
It might also be a good resource to have, if you do not already own a copy yourself.
Here are the signs, that were before the destruction:
1.”Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year.”(3.289)
Yeshua said: Mat 10: 34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.(KJV)
And a sword comes out of His mouth that brings forth judgement: Rev 19:15And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. And He shall shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Ěl Shaddai.(ISR 98)
2. In the month of Nisan, about a week prior to Passover: “and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright daytime; which the light lasted half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it.” (3.290-291)
♦John 1:9He was the true Light, which enlightens every man, coming into the world.(ISR 98)
♦John 8:12Therefore יהושע spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness, but possess the light of life.”(ISR 98)
3. “At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the middle of the temple”(3.292)
Now, I don’t know about you, but after reading this, I actually had to go back and read it again…As a female cow was being led by the high priest to be sacrificed, she gave birth to a lamb, in the middle of the temple.
♦John 1:29On the next day Yoḥanan saw יהושע coming toward him, and said, “See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!(ISR 98)
♦Isa 53:7He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth.(ISR 98)
♦1 Cor 5:7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:(KJV)
4. “The eastern gate of the inner [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night.”
“This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publically declared, that this signal foreshadowed the desolation that was coming upon them.” (3.293-296)
Ezek 43: 1And he led me to the gate, the gate facing east.
2And see, the esteem of the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl came from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone from His esteem.
3And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. (ISR 98)
5. Now, really pay attention to this one. A few days after the feast: “for, before sunsetting, chariots, and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding cities.”(3.298-299)
Sound familiar? It should…Mat 22:7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, AND SENT OUT HIS SOLDIERS, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
6.”Moreover at the feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as a great multitude, saying, ‘Let us remove hence.'”(3.299-300)
Isa 66:6“A roaring sound from the city, a voice from the Hĕḵal, the voice of יהוה, repaying His enemies!(ISR 98)
7. “But what is still more terrible there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the war began, and at the time when the city was in very great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for everyone to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, ‘a voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, and a voice against this whole people! This was his cry, as he went about by day and night, in all the lanes of the city”
However, the city became offended with him and gave him beatings and whippings as if it would cure his ‘madness’. “Yet, did not he either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those who chastised him, but still he went on with the same words which he cried before.”
“Now during all the time that passed before the war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, ‘Woe, woe, to Jerusalem!'”Nor did he give ill words to any of those that beat him…but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a melancholy presage of what was to come.”
“This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he counted this duty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon a wall, he cried out with his utmost force, “Woe, woe, to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!” And just as he added at the last,-“Woe, woe, to myself also!” there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him.” (3.300-309)
(If you would like to read more concerning the destruction of the temple, and what exactly remains in Jerusalem today, you can go here.)
Now, let me bring back a final time to the verse I highlighted from the beginning:
Mat 22:7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, AND SENT OUT HIS SOLDIERS, DESTROYED THOSE MURDERERS, AND SET THEIR CITY ON FIRE.
So, is everything clicking yet? Jaw dropping yet? I am still in amazement myself, and sat for a good couple of hours on this a couple nights ago.
Well, let us now go to the proceeding chapter, and see what we come across:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees…
Matthew 23:34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, ALL THESE THINGS SHALL COME UPON THIS GENERATION.
37O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, THOU THAT KILLEST THE PROPHETS, AND STONEST THEM WHICH ARE SENT TO THEE, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE. (KJV)
The King, (Yeshua) in His wrath sent His soldiers, destroyed those murderers, set the city ablaze, and laid waste the House of Judah and brought an end to the Old Covenant, casting Ishmael out.
Now, while we get great insight and treasure from the parables that Yeshua left us, that often leave us in awe, it should also leave us in reverent fear of the One who renders righteous judgement, not only upon His people, but to all.
So, my ending question is this:
How much worse punishment do you suppose will come upon those who profane the New Covenant, instituted by the blood of Yeshua? If the previous farmers of the vineyard of the Old Covenant were brought to utter destruction, how much more to those farmers leased the vineyard purchased with the blood of Messiah?
•Mat 21:40“Therefore, when the master of the vineyard comes, what shall he do to those farmers?”41They said to Him, “Evil ones! He shall bring them to evil destruction, and lease the vineyard to other farmers who shall give to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42יהושע said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone. This was from יהוה, and it is marvellous in our eyes’?43“Because of this I say to you: the reign of Elohim shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it.(ISR 98)
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•Hebrews 10:26For if we sin purposely after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughter offering for sins,27but some fearsome anticipation of judgment, and a fierce fire which is about to consume the opponents.
28Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses.29How much worse punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common, and insulted the Spirit of favour?
30For we know Him who has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay, says יהוה.” And again, “יהוה shall judge His people.”31It is fearsome to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.(ISR 98)
