THE Freschatologist

This post won't earn me many friends in the Jewish community. Today we commemorate Tisha B'Av, the day both Temples were destroyed by enemy armies. The rabbis, reflecting on the destruction of the Second Temple, concluded that its downfall was caused by "sinat chinam", "baseless hatred." Unlike the First Temple, which fell because of rampant idolatry, the Second Temple period was marked by a people who had lost love for one another. That conclusion is valid and is consistent with Yeshua's own words. Immediately before prophesying the Temple's destruction, He pronounced a series of woes upon the Pharisees and Torah teachers: 👉 Shutting people out of the Kingdom of Heaven 👉 Making converts into "sons of hell" 👉 Neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness 👉 Living in hypocrisy These are all manifestations of the very kind of corruption the rabbis later described as "baseless hatred". But I believe there was something even deeper at the root. The destruction of the Temple, followed by the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Jewish people, was unparalleled divine judgment. Such a judgment points not merely to broken relationships between people, but to the unresolved problem of sin before God. Yeshua came to provide the atonement that the sacrificial system did not fully accomplish. Yet the leadership of first-century Judaism largely rejected Him and the atonement He offered. Just before declaring the Temple desolate, Yeshua lamented: "How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate." (Matthew 23:37–38) Notice the connection. The desolation is directly tied to their unwillingness to come to Him. Jewish people have had it up to here with this sentiment. For centuries, Jews have endured persecution at the hands of those claiming to be Christians, often under the false and hateful accusation of being "Christ-killers." As a result, any suggestion that Israel's suffering is connected to the rejection of Yeshua evokes deep resentment. But it is difficult to escape the plain meaning of Yeshua's words. He Himself connected the coming desolation of the Temple with the nation's rejection of Him. Yes, "sinat chinam" was real. It characterized the spiritual condition of the generation. But the ultimate issue was that the Messiah whom God sent, and the atonement He provided, was rejected. My prayer on this Tisha B'Av is that Israel will receive her Messiah, embrace His atoning work, and experience the spiritual restoration promised by the prophets. May the final ingathering take place in our day. May Israel look upon the One whom they pierced, mourn in repentance, and may Messiah come quickly.