In April of 67 AD, after the killing of many Christ-preaching saints, during the reign of Nero (revelation 17:10) over the 4th great empire (iron kingdom), Vespasian, who would gradually rise without noble blood to humble and displace 3 other Roman emperors: Otho, Galba, and Vitellius (Daniel 7:8), arrived in Galilee (part of the potter’s clay mixed with iron, a Roman province, near the 3 cities that Jesus mentioned in Luke 10:13-15), and began his campaign.
Titus his son would join him with Legio XV, who had Apollo as their god (revelation 9:11) … 1260 days, or 3.5 years later, the Roman soldiers with crowns of gold on their head, tassels like a woman’s hair coming from those crowns, face guards that looked like lion’s teeth, breastplates of iron, and spears with sharp stinging power in their ends, would swarm Jerusalem like locusts for 5 months. (revelation 9:7-10) Furthermore, 100-pound stones would be thrown by Roman catapults into Jerusalem with devastating effects. (revelation 16:21).
Over one million would be killed according to Josephus. Many others would be marched away into slavery. For some reason, Christians in Judea seemed to know to flee to the mountains, and a remnant of the early church escaped. (Matthew 24:15, Luke 21:20) The 40-year persecution of New Covenant Christians had resulted in the message leaving Judea and entering the gentile world. (Matthew 24-14) In the fall of 70 AD, the anchor of the Old Covenant, that great city, would be demolished, and the temple destroyed with fire. The Romans would leave only three citadels standing as a memorial to “Babylon the Great’s” former glory. (revelation 16:19). The Mother of All Harlots had met its judgment, and the martyred saints were avenged and done so by the promised deadline from Jesus’ mouth. (Matthew 10:23, Mark 9:1, Matthew 24:34, John 21:20-22). The Roman attempt to wipe out Christianity with the destruction of Jerusalem was orchestrated by God to punish the wicked religious leaders therein and launch His church with accelerated growth. What looked like defeat to the world was a victory for the Son of Man and His kingdom.
The need to share the gospel? Still paramount, for “it is appointed man once to die, and after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27). Those who have accepted Jesus by grace through faith are made righteous in that spiritual courtroom, and enjoy eternal life with the one who’s been reigning since accomplishing His work, and has made us part of His kingdom. The fulfillment of prophecy from revelation is one of the greatest proofs we’ve ever been given that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.