Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
My defense of preterism continues.
John says that a Roman soldier pierced Jesus as He was hanging on the cross.
John also says in Revelation 1:7 that they which pierced Him would see Him coming in the clouds.
Therefore, the same soldier(s) who pierced Jesus during the crucifixion in AD30 were in Jerusalem 40 years later under the command of Roman General Titus during its seige in AD70.
There are some indisputable facts:
Jesus predicted the fall of the temple in Jerusalem "where not one stone would be left upon another."
- Matthew 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
His disciples equated the destruction of the temple with His return- His "2nd Coming" which was going to be in judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Jesus then told them that this would happen during their generation's lifetime.
- Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
There are many other verses that prove Jesus was going to return during that generation's lifetime.
Forty years after Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem and the temple,
Forty years after Jesus was crucified,
Forty years after His side was pierced while hanging on the cross,
those same Roman soldiers who were at the crucifixion and who pierced His side
were at Jerusalem under the command of Titus and their eyes saw Him "coming in the clouds".
The Jews used Rome to crucify Jesus.
God used Rome to exact revenge on Jerusalem and the temple.
- Matthew 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
- 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
- 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
- 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
- 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
- 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
