And this is all speculation. No one knows if people kept fleeing for 3+ years.
Apparently Jesus knew because he's the one who said it! We don't need Josephus to confirm it for us. We do know from history that the Roman armies came twice, once in 66 AD and again in 70 AD. The first time Jesus indicated there was time to plan, for pregnant women and to get around Sabbath regulations. The second time Jesus indicated there would be no time to turn back and get anything. What Jesus said is good enough for me.
People had no reason to flee after 66AD. In fact many still came from all over the earth to Jerusalem the next 3 years, each year for the Passover celebration. Most of the people trapped in Jerusalem in 70AD were from out of town, and never escaped. They were devout OT Law observers. There was no AoD in 70AD period. In fact nothing happened specifically in 70AD that was mentioned in the OD, that had not been ongoing for years.
Jesus said the coming of the Roman armies would constitute an AoD, an army standing in the holy place, ie in the environs of Jerusalem. They would surround Jerusalem before taking down every brick of the temple.
This is precisely how Daniel described it in ch. 9 vss 26-27. And this is how the Church Fathers largely interpreted it.
I don't know how you know in detail what happened in these years after the Romans came under Cestius Gallus? I don't know if Jews would've wanted to come at that time? Regardless, for Jesus' Disciples it was a time to prepare to leave for the hills. Some who had gone out to their fields may have required some time to gather what they could, or may have lagged in preparation. At any rate, some disciples of Jesus likely lagged until the 2nd coming of the Roman Army under Titus. They had to virtually *run!*
"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh."
The only reason we even know this happened was because of Josephus.
We know it from Jesus' words, as well, and from the historical outcome in whatever records remain. That the Jews were dispersed at that time accounts for Jews being spread out all over the world, and very few remaining in their land. But Josephus' account is valuable.
Josephus made the claim many fled. Those armies left in 66AD. Titus came back in 70AD. He was not camped outside of Jerusalem for 3 years.
Of course not. The record is that Cestius Gallus made a huge mistake returning home. In the course of this, his army was beaten up. Titus came with a vengeance 3 years later.
70AD was a totally different attack. More than likely no one was left to flee.
I know 70 AD was a 2nd attack. You are speculating that no one was left to flee. And I'm supposing there were people among Jesus' disciples still remaining because he indicated they would have to leave under emergency conditions at some point. We know that point was 3 years after the initial siege.
Life had gone on as normal. People still came each year for the Passover, not for an Easter celebration. Those concerned about Easter were not around for any Passover. Those coming for the Passover would not flee on the warnings of a failed alledged Messiah. Why would Christians return if desolation could happen at any moment after they had already fled once?
Christians did not likely come back! They largely had not yet left. That's why Jesus encouraged them to make plans, because of things that could hinder their escape. There were Sabbath regulations, pregnancies, and any number of things that could make a sudden departure undesirable. But after 3 years, they had no time left to prepare. They had to leave under emergency conditions.
"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
This was an ongoing phenomenon. It was not a one time event in 70AD.
I agree. It started in 70 AD, and has continued throughout the NT age. It is called the "endtimes" for that reason, because it is Israel's last and worst punishment, referred to by Jesus as "the Great Tribulation." It was a *Jewish Punishment,* but when the nation suffered, Christians within the nation suffered the loss of their homeland too.
And even worse, Christians would be persecuted by their fellow Jews. And Christians in other nations would ultimately be persecuted by the irreligious in their countries, as well. And Christians, wherever they found themselves, would find themselves opposed by people who love this ungodly world.
Yes Jesus said "all this" would be destroyed. Jesus said that at the temple itself, not in private during the OD.
I don't know what you mean "in private?" We agree Jesus said, in his Olivet Discourse, that the temple would be demolished. But he did refer to this as the AoD described by Daniel (9.26-27).
70AD was horrible. But Rome and the rebellion had been going on for years. Titus never had a chance to set up an AoD and make the place utter desolation and still hold authority within the Holy place over the Jews. That is what an AoD is all about. Not a proximity alert of some foreign dignitary and his armies.
I think you're confusing prophesies that applied to Antiochus 4 with Jesus' prophecy of the AoD in his Olivet Discourse. Both Antiochus 4 and the Roman Army represented AoDs, according to Daniel. Both persecuted the Jewish People, and both were represented by armies considered pagan "abominations" by the Jews who were orthodox.
Antiochus did commit sacrilege in the temple by setting up an idol and by sacrificing a pig. But these specific activities are not what necessarily constitutes an "abomination of desolation." Pagan armies constitute an "abomination" anywhere near the temple. And pagan armies that destroy either the Jewish People or their holy city are considered "desolators."
Titus and the Roman Army were an AoD precisely for the reason Jesus gave, that they would surround the holy city and desolate the temple. And they were pagans who desecrated the "holy place." They didn't need to put anything into the temple itself to be an AoD. Why would they do that if they were going to destroy it?
Many may not know this, but even Pilate himself was accused of the Jews as setting up the AoD way before the Cross and 30AD. Pilate agreed to take them down. So this point was not lost on those hearing words from the OD. Many today, unfortunately have the wrong concept of the AoD, especially the one in the OD. If 70AD is one's metric of fulfillment, that metric had been ongoing for over 100 years before 70AD. 70AD was nothing special in that regard.
The end of the temple system was *huge!* Israel had been practicing Judaism under the Law of Moses quite literally for 1500 years! And now the covenant was irrevocably broken, the temple veil being rent, and the temple itself being destroyed.
I think Caligula also tried to defame the sanctuary of Israel, but met resistance. For that reason the Romans determined to destroy Jerusalem and its rebels. There was no need to deface the image of God with Roman idolatry. The pagans will have destroyed God's temple.
