jerusalem

Tonight i didn't attend cell group. Not because i didn't want to but because i couldn't..i'm still sick you see. Pik yee told me that if i had a fever for more than 4 days i better go for a blood test. Now with the dengue epidemic, and 2 of my friends who caught dengue fever, i'm starting to wonder whether i have a similar fate. But the cause of my fever was playing too much tennis in the morning..2.5 hours. Over-exertion is definitely the case. Furthermore, i don't remember any mosquito biting me in the past 1 month.

After dinner, i got to my bed and read "Welfare Ministry" by Ellen White. I got bored and turned to my bookshelf to see if there were other more interesting books to read. Right then, i was compelled to re-read "The Great Controversy" by the same author. I've read it twice before but somehow i wanted to read it again. It is a thick book of almost 700 pages and i knew that from past readings, the first chapter was the most difficult to understand and boring one. It talked of "The Destruction of Jerusalem". I started reading the preface, introduction and then the first chapter. Through the reading, i was amazed that i could understand what it was talking about. Had my eyes opened and understanding kindled? Hmm...maybe because God reveals more truth as we re-visit truth. Now what does the destruction of Jerusalem have to do with the great controversy? Perhaps it is a foundation for understanding the big picture because in Jerusalem's destruction, the people had rejected God's kindness and mercy and thus, God had taken away the protection over the people and taken away the restraining power over satan and his agencies. It gives an idea of God being in control and that if left to ourselves, we would die. The destruction of Jerusalem was a big thing. The mere writing of its record cannot portray adequately the devastating nature of the event. Only someone inspired by God can write so well the happenings. I read as if i was a first hand witness.

Miracles of mercy even occured during the attack when the Roman soldiers, at their first arrival to the gates of Jerusalem, without any reason, pulled back the attack. This allowed the christians in there to flee.

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains." Matthew 24:15,

Another miracle was when the Roman general Titus, saw the temple in Jerusalem and ordered the soldiers not to touch it.

"Before attempting to gain possession of this stronghold,he [Titus]made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders not to force him to defile the sacred place with blood.Josephus himself, in a most eloquent appeal, entreated them to surrender, to save themselves, their city, and their place of worship. But his words were answered with bitter curses. "

"It was an appalling spectacle to the Roman--what was it to the Jew? The whole summit of the hill which commanded the city, blazed like a volcano. One after another the buildings fell in, with a tremendous crash, and were swallowed up in the fiery abyss. The roofs of cedar were like sheets of flame; the gilded pinnacles shone like spikes of red light; the gate towers sent up tall columns of flame and smoke. The neighboring hills were lighted up; and dark groups of people were seen watching in horrible anxiety the progress of the destruction: the walls and heights of the upper city were crowded with faces, some pale with the agony of despair, others scowling unavailing vengeance."

The destruction of Jerusalem happened in AD 70.