“The Tribulation Jesus Spoke About Was Fulfilled in A.D. 70”

Some say the Tribulation Jesus talked about was fulfilled when Rome destroyed the temple in 70 A.D. Where does this idea come from?

Rubble Beside the Temple Complex (Jerusalem)

Jesus talked about the destruction of the temple several times in the week leading up to His crucifixion.

When Jesus first approached Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday, He wept over it, knowing what would happen to them since they (for the most part) had rejected Him (Ezek 18:32).

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

In the course of His daily visits to Jerusalem that week, Jesus was questioned by the chief priests and elders, Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees. At one point, He pronounced eight “woes” on the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. From this context, we pick up here:

Matthew 23:33-24:2 (NKJV)
33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
24 1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

The disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:3). He didn’t distinguish between the destruction of the temple and His coming, but the focus of His reply is on the end (Mt 24:6, 24:14)—His coming (Mt 24:29-31, 24:32-34).

Arch of Titus Commemorating the Sacking of Jerusalem (Rome)

When Christians saw Jerusalem was being surrounded by the Roman army, history tells us they fled according to the warning Jesus gave (Mt 24:15-18). Their obedience saved them from the intense suffering many in Jerusalem experienced at that time—including starvation and crucifixion.  I believe Jesus phrased it in such a way to prepare the first century Judean Church for the siege of Jerusalem, but I also believe His prophecy is ultimately unfulfilled.  Why?  Let’s look at what Jesus said about the ‘abomination of desolation’ and the times following it.

Matthew 24:15–22 (NKJV) (emphasis added)
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Jesus is referring to an event which appears several times in the book of Daniel. The most famous instance is Daniel 9:27, at the end of the seventy sevens (or “weeks”) prophecy.

Daniel 9:27 (NKJV)
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

To believe Daniel 9:27 is fulfilled, many take the view that “he” is Jesus, the covenant is Jesus’ new covenant in His blood, and that Jesus made an end to sacrifice and offering.  This doesn’t make sense, because Jesus referred to it in a negative way. I don’t understand how “abomination” could ever be pinned on Jesus’ work.  Also, “Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself”—referring to Jesus’ crucifixion on our behalf—happened after the seven and 62 (i.e., 69) sevens (Dn 9:26).  Jesus’ new covenant was in effect immediately—graphically illustrated by the temple curtain tearing in two from top to bottom immediately after Jesus died (Mt 27:50-51, Mk 15:37-38)—not in the middle of the 70th seven.  The book of Daniel has several more references to sacrifices being stopped and to the abomination of desolation, and the rest are clearly by abominable men who persecute the saints (Dn 8:9-14, 11:30-31, 12:7, 11).

Also, consider Jesus’ words, “When you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…” Rome never actually did this. They burned the temple, and then destroyed what was left.

Jesus indicated the days that follow the abomination of desolation are days of unparalleled great tribulation, and if the days weren’t cut short, no one would be saved. For the sake of the elect, those days would be shortened. From that context, consider these verses:

Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV) (emphasis added)
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

If the Tribulation was fulfilled in the first century, the main problem is that Jesus didn’t come on the clouds immediately afterwards. Nearly two thousand years have passed since Jesus ascended, and He still hasn’t come on the clouds.

Others believe Jesus “came” through the army of Rome, and “clouds” represent His judgment towards the people of Jerusalem—lumping Matthew 24:15-30 into one event.

After describing the events leading up to His coming on the clouds, Jesus told this parable:

Matthew 24:32-25 (NKJV) (emphasis added)
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

People who believe the Tribulation is fulfilled fixate on verse 34: “This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place,” insisting on a literal fulfillment for the generation who first heard Jesus’ words.  Jesus’ context, though, was “when you see all these things.”  We haven’t seen all these things (Mt 24:4-29).

To believe the Tribulation is fulfilled in A.D. 70, a person must allow themselves a very inconsistent approach to Scripture—taking “this generation” to be literal to the first century, but everything else, particularly “immediately after the tribulation of those days” and/or Christ’s coming on the clouds to be figurative.

People who reject a literal coming of Christ because of a long wait are called scoffers (2 Pe 3:3-4). Even when a future literal return of Christ and the resurrection of the saints is affirmed, there are still many issues with the fulfilled Tribulation position, and this article only scratches the surface.