No. They remained in Israel for a further 3.5 years after Calvary, taking the Gospel to Israel to round out the 70th week, after which they began to take the Gospel to the Gentiles as well. Acts 13:45-46.
It was the Roman Army that brought Jerusalem and the Temple to desolation. Luke 21:20
The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel and Christ was the Roman armies. Daniel 9:26-27; Matthew 24:15; Luke 21:20
The Judaean Christians fled to the mountains to escape desolation and preserve the Judaean Christian Church. Luke 21:21
The days of 70 AD were the days of vengeance upon apostate Israel.
The prophesy of Daniel was fulfilled with the advent of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. In Acts 13:45-46 trouble arose from the Jews who presided not in Jerusalem but in Antioch in Pisidia, not a city of Judaea. The Apostles departed from Jerusalem and began their missionary journeys 50 days after Christ's ascension.
Acts 13:14 (KJV) But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Just before his ascension, Jesus commissioned his apostles to continue the work he had begun.
“Ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth“. (Acts 1:8) The book of Acts shows how the work progressed.
Seven days after Jesus ascended, they began the work with the Jews at Jerusalem, at the Jewish feast of Pentecost. 3,000 Jews, who knew the Scriptures, came to understand that Jesus is their Messiah and were subsequently baptized. (Acts 2:36-42)
Persecution, initiated by the Jewish Council against the infant congregation, caused them to flee through Judea and Samaria, which effectively resulted in the light of the Gospel being taken to other areas (Acts 8:1).
Through the activity of the Apostle Paul and his companions, the work was extended across the Roman Empire, firstly to Jews and also to the Gentiles, those who were “
afar off” from God’s covenants of promise to Israel (Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:12,13)
Jesus, realizing that His disciples were not yet equipped to the task before them, promised the gift of the Holy Spirit as a “
teacher” and a “
remembrancer” (John 14:26) to guide them into all truth (John 16:13). It also confirmed the work as being of God, by signs and miracles. The gift of speaking in unknown languages enabled the preaching to be undertaken immediately, as the Jews at Pentecost found to their amazement (Acts 2:5-11).
Thus, the Holy Spirit would guide the teaching and establishment of God’s Truth in communities or ecclesias/churches. This is clearly explained in Ephesians 4, where the apostles and teachers are equated to those God separated to be teachers in Israel of old. There had been two outpourings of the Spirit, at Sinai when Israel was constituted a nation, and now at Pentecost, when believers were called out to form the ecclesia/church. Ephesians 4:8 quotes from Psalm 68 which recounts the events that took place at Sinai. At Sinai
“God gave the word” (Psalm 68:11). At Pentecost, God “
gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.” The spirit teaching work was to edify and build up the immature body of Christ till maturity was reached (Ephesians 4:12-16), and the body
“fitly joined” could operate in fulness.
Once this was achieved, and the books of the New Testament were written by Holy Spirit guidance, the Holy Spirit gifts were no longer needed. “
When that perfect (state) is come, then that which is in part (the various gifts) would be done away” (I Corinthians 13:9). The word
“perfect” is in the neuter gender, and so does not refer to a person.
Only two ceremonies were adopted:
1
Baptism Acts 2:38,41
This was as a result of a direct command of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16) and his own personal example (Matthew 3:13-15)
2
Breaking of Bread Acts 2:42
This had been instituted by Christ a few hours before his death, to be kept in memory till he came. (Luke 22:15-20) It was kept on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), and was an integral part of the working together of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:16)
“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42)
The number of believers grew quickly and considerably, even to Jewish priests being converted (Acts 6:7). The opposition also grew. Jewish believers in Christ, were cut off from their brethren and friends and denied the normal social welfare support when they left the synagogue, so it became necessary to supervise the practical daily care of those who needed it. (Acts 6:1-7)
The Roman Army did not make Jerusalem and the Temple an abomination it had already become an abomination and made a desolation before they came (Lu 13:34-35) and removed the city and temple from the face of the earth. The words Luke wrote prove only that the literal army of Rome fulfilled the words Christ spoke, but Luke did not say when the Roman Army would come.
Work of the Apostles | KeyToTheBible
It is written in the book of the wars by Josephus that there were, noble Christian Jews still living in Jerusalem when the Roman Army came and accordingly fled to the mountains to escape the onslaught. These were citizens of Jerusalem who after becoming Christians were not part of the missionary journeys. If they had waited for the city to be surrounded by the armies of Roman soldiers it would have been too late for them to flee from the city. Because, according to Josephus the siege had been
unexpected for these Christian Jewish noblemen still residing there.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Luke 21:21
flee. Accordingly, when Cestius Gallus came against Jerusalem,
unexpectedly and raised the siege, Josephus states, that many of the noble Jews departed out of the city, as out of a sinking ship; and when Vespasian afterwards drew towards it, a great multitude fled to the mountains. And we learn from Eusebius, and Epiphanius, that at this juncture, all who believed in Christ left Jerusalem, and removed to Pella, and other places beyond Jordan; and so escaped the general shipwreck of their country, that we do not read of one who perished in Jerusalem.
Lu 17:31-33;
Ge 19:17,
26;
Ex 9:20-21;
Pr 22:3;
Mt 24:16;
Mr 13:15
and let them.
Nu 16:26;
Jer 6:1;
35:11;
37:12;
Re 18:4
General references.
exp: De 28:52;
Isa 64:10;
Mt 24:16.
The days prior to and leading to 70 AD could not have been the days of vengeance "
that all things which are written may be fulfilled." Because historic record proves not all that Christ had spoken from the Mt of Olives was fulfilled when the city and temple were utterly destroyed. Because according to Matthew all that is written was the beginning, not fulfillment of all Christ spoke, and the gospel of the Kingdom of God was not preached unto all the world for a witness unto all nations as the Preterits want us to believe.
Matthew 24:8 (KJV) All these
are the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:14 (KJV) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.