The Importance Of AD 70 Print

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One of the most significant yet often overlooked events in Christian history is the events surrounding AD 70. Not frequently discussed in sermons or everyday Christian conversations, AD 70 marked an important turning point, and failing to understand its significance can lead to misinterpretations of crucial scriptures, leaving many susceptible to false teachings.

So, what precisely happened in AD 70? To fully understand the importance of AD in Church history, we must examine Yahuwah's ultimate purpose and plan.

The Original Purpose Of Yahuwah

Yahuwah blessed them; and Yahuwah said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it… Gen. 1:28, NASB

Yahuwah desired Adam, Eve, and their descendants to fill the earth with godly people who would enjoy an intimate relationship with Yahuwah and work together to manage and develop the earth.

Yahuwah desired Adam, Eve, and their descendants to fill the earth with godly people [there would be no other kind without sin] who would enjoy an intimate relationship with Yahuwah and work together to manage and develop the earth. Yahuwah is a God of relationships. Developing the earth was to be an enjoyable family-team project.

We know, however, that Adam chose to open the door for sin to enter the world, and its cancer quickly infected everything. Yet Yahuwah did not change His original goals and desires. He began the work of redemption… bringing human beings back to a place where they could enjoy perfect union with Him.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Gen. 3:15, NIV

Right amid the judgment of the Fall, Yahuwah promised an Offspring [or Seed, KJV], which would crush the serpent’s head. Preparing the world to receive Christ to destroy the Devil would take about 4,000 years.

The Process

In a series of progressive steps, Yahuwah set up the Old Covenant system [which included six significant covenants]. This is where some people get confused. They believe that the physical nation of Israel was the goal of Yahuwah’s actions. This is not true. Yahuwah’s love and plan have always been for the world.

“…and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Gen. 22:18, NIV [Also see Gen. 12:3, 18:18, 26:4, 28:14]

Abraham was honored to head the family/nation through which Christ would come, but the end goal was always all nations.

Yahuwah left Abraham with no doubt that he would be the instrument of blessing all nations. He was honored to head the family/nation through which Christ would come, but the end goal was always all nations. The nation of Israel was the method or 'womb' through which Christ would be brought into the world, but the purpose was to bring redemption to the world, including the Jewish nation.

“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto Yahuwah: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is Yahuwah's: and he is the governor among the nations.” Ps. 22:27-27, KJV

“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahuwah, as the waters cover the sea.” Hab. 2:14, KJV

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” Dan. 2:44, NIV

The Tabernacle/Temple, sacrifices, and other rituals of the Old Covenant were never intended to be permanent. They prepared the way for Yahushua to come and establish the New Covenant, which was the end goal all the time. While sometimes the words “eternal” and “everlasting” describe some aspects of the Old Covenant, it is true the ulfilment, not the type or shadow that is everlasting.

“They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But in fact the ministry Yahushua has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.” Heb. 8:5-6, NIV

The New Covenant

We are getting close to our question about why AD 70 is so important.

The transition period between the old covenant and the new covenant lasted 40 years, from the resurrection of Yahushua to the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.

When was the New Covenant established, and when was the Old Covenant done away with? The New Covenant/Kingdom of Yahuwah was established at the death, resurrection and ascension of Yahushua Christ. It was empowered at Pentecost. Spiritually and officially, the Old Covenant was over when Christ rose from the dead. While, from our vantage point in history, it is easy to say this is the exact time it happened, in practical application, there needed to be a transition period as the New Covenant was being implemented and the Old Covenant system of rituals and sacrifices was being phased out. This transition period lasted 40 years, from the resurrection of Yahushua in AD 30 to the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.

From this, we can see that Yahushua lived under the Old Covenant system, and the Acts and New Testament letters were written during the transition period. Consider how many passages in the Old Testament prophets were written to warn the people of Israel about the Babylonian Captivity. It would be strange if the people writing in the transition period did not spend as much or more time warning about the much greater devastation that was just ahead in AD 70. And they did. When you know what you are looking for, you can find many references and warnings to the looming judgment and outpouring of the wrath of Yahuwah in the first century.

Note: To be very clear, the Bible teaches [and the Church has constantly believed in] the physical, visible return of Yahushua Christ at the end of the New Covenant age. However, many of the Scriptures that have been applied to this Second Physical Coming in our modern interpretations are actually references to the Judgment Coming of Christ in AD 66 - 70. For example, the entire Book of Revelation is surrounded with a sense of urgency [shortly, quickly come to pass, do not seal up, etc.], which is unnecessary and deceptive IF the events it predicts were in the distant future for its original readers.

What Is So Important About AD 70?

In AD 70 the Jewish nation, Jerusalem and the Temple were totally destroyed.

Consider:

When Yahuwah tore the Temple veil in half from top to bottom at the death of Christ [Matt. 27:51], it showed that the Old was done as far as Yahuwah was concerned, and a new way into His presence had been made.

When Yahuwah tore the Temple veil in half from top to bottom at the death of Christ [Matt. 27:51], it showed that the Old was done as far as Yahuwah was concerned, and a new way into His presence had been made. However, the Temple continued to be used as if nothing had happened. Even the Jewish Christians continue to meet in the Temple. When the Temple was destroyed, the sacrificial and priestly system of the Old Testament forever disappeared. It was the end of the age of the Old Covenant. To the Jews, it was the end of the world, as they had known it for over 1500 years.
This event permanently ended the place of Israel in the redemptive purpose of Yahuwah. Their mission had been to be the womb through which the Messiah was to be born. With the arrival of Yahushua, that mission was accomplished. If they had accepted the Messiah, they would have been honoured and able to lead the world into the New Covenant age - as many Jewish individuals did. However, as a nation, they rejected their destiny even though Yahuwah gave them an entire 40-year transition period to repent. AD 70 marked the spiritual end of the Jewish nation. In modern times, they are as much loved by Yahuwah as every other nationality - no more, no less.
Yahushua said that the blood of the righteous people of all the previous generations up to that point would be required of that generation [Matt. 23:35]. In the Jewish War, there was incredible suffering, and over a million Jews were killed [many by fellow Jews!]. They had cried for the guilt of the blood of Christ to be on their heads [Matt. 27:25], and it came.
AD 70 marked the end of the Jewish nation until recent history. Modern Israel is not the Israel of Bible prophecy any more than the Egypt of today is the Egypt of Bible prophecy. To try to make such an association is to misunderstand and misapply Scripture. Such violations of Bible Prophecy do a lot of damage today, both spiritually and politically.

The Jews had viciously persecuted the Christians throughout the transition period, and now the Christians were released from this persecution.

The true and faithful Israel - often referred to as the 'remnant' in the Old Testament - has blossomed to include people from all nations, as was Yahuwah's ultimate intention.

The Church was free from any bondage to the Temple and Jewish tradition and could enter into the fullness of Yahuwah's provision in the New Covenant age. The Gentiles of the transition period often identified Christianity as a sect of Judaism. With the destruction of the temple and sacrificial system, it became evident that Christianity was not a branch of Judaism. The true and faithful Israel - often referred to as the 'remnant' in the Old Testament - has blossomed to include people from all nations, as was Yahuwah's ultimate intention.
Yahushua and the apostles gave multiple signs and warnings to the Jewish Christians as to when these events would happen, and as a result, not one Christian is known to have suffered in the horrendous siege of Jerusalem. They watched for the signs and fled at the appropriate time.

An understanding of the events of AD 70 and their spiritual and physical implications is necessary to understand some of the otherwise confusing or misapplied Bible verses in the New Testament. Yes, Yahushua is returning at the end of time physically and visibly, but not every section of Scripture commonly applied to that event is actually about the Second Coming.

This is a non-WLC article by Glenn Davis.

We have taken out from the original article all pagan names and titles of the Father and Son, and have replaced them with the original given names. Furthermore, we have restored in the Scriptures quoted the names of the Father and Son, as they were originally written by the inspired authors of the Bible. -WLC Team