cruelties were not infrequently practiced by men who were themselves well
fed； and who were merely desirous of laying up a store of provision for the
future。
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Thousands perished from famine and pestilence。 Natural affection seemed to
have been destroyed。 Husbands robbed their wives； and wives their husbands。
Children would be seen snatching the food from the mouths of their aged
parents。 The question of the prophet； 〃Can a woman forget her sucking
child？〃 received the answer within the walls of that doomed city： 〃The hands
of the pitiful women have sodden their own children： they were their meat in
the destruction of the daughter of my people。〃 Isaiah 49：15； Lamentations
4：10。 Again was fulfilled the warning prophecy given fourteen centuries
before： 〃The tender and delicate woman among you； which would not adventure
to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness；
her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom； and toward her son；
and toward her daughter； 。 。 。 and toward her children which she shall bear：
for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and
straitness； wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates。〃
Deuteronomy 28：56； 57。
The Roman leaders endeavored to strike terror to the Jews and thus cause
them to surrender。 Those prisoners who resisted when taken； were scourged；
tortured； and crucified before the wall of the city。 Hundreds were daily put
to death in this manner； and the dreadful work continued until； along the
Valley of Jehoshaphat and at Calvary； crosses were erected in so great
numbers that there was scarcely room to move among them。 So terribly was
visited that awful imprecation uttered before the judgment seat of Pilate：
〃His blood be on us； and on our children。〃 Matthew 27：25。
Titus would willingly have put an end to the fearful scene； and thus have
spared Jerusalem the full measure of her doom。 He was filled with horror as
he saw the bodies of the dead lying in heaps in the valleys。 Like one
entranced； he looked from the crest of Olivet upon the magnificent temple
and gave command that not one stone of it be touched。 Before attempting to
gain possession of this stronghold；
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he made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders not to force him to defile
the sacred place with blood。 If they would come forth and fight in any other
place； no Roman should violate the sanctity of the temple。 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。 Darts were hurled at him； their last human mediator； as he
stood pleading with them。 The Jews had rejected the entreaties of the Son of
God； and now expostulation and entreaty only made them more determined to
resist to the last。 In vain were the efforts of Titus to save the temple；
One greater than he had declared that not one stone was to be left upon
another。
The blind obstinacy of the Jewish leaders； and the detestable crimes
perpetrated within the besieged city； excited the horror and indignation of
the Romans； and Titus at last decided to take the temple by storm。 He
determined； however； that if possible it should be saved from destruction。
But his commands were disregarded。 After he had retired to his tent at
night； the Jews； sallying from the temple； attacked the soldiers without。 In
the struggle； a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an opening in the
porch； and immediately the cedar…lined chambers about the holy house were in
a blaze。 Titus rushed to the place； followed by his generals and
legionaries； and commanded the soldiers to quench the flames。 His words were
unheeded。 In their fury the soldiers hurled blazing brands into the chambers
adjoining the temple； and then with their swords they slaughtered in great
numbers those who had found shelter there。 Blood flowed down the temple
steps like water。 Thousands upon thousands of Jews perished。 Above the sound
of battle； voices were heard shouting： 〃Ichabod！〃the glory is departed。
〃Titus found it impossible to check the rage of the soldiery； he entered
with his officers； and surveyed the interior of the sacred edifice。 The
splendor filled them with wonder； and as the flames had not yet penetrated
to the holy place；
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he made a last effort to save it； and springing forth； again exhorted the
soldiers to stay the progress of the conflagration。 The centurion Liberalis
endeavored to force obedience with his staff of office； but even respect for
the emperor gave way to the furious animosity against the Jews； to the
fierce excitement of battle； and to the insatiable hope of plunder。 The
soldiers saw everything around them radiant with gold； which shone
dazzlingly in the wild light of the flames； they supposed that incalculable
treasures were laid up in the sanctuary。 A soldier； unperceived； thrust a
lighted torch between the hinges of the door： the whole building was in
flames in an instant。 The blinding smoke and fire forced the officers to
retreat； and the noble edifice was left to its fate。
〃It was an appalling spectacle to the Romanwhat 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 shouts of the Roman soldiery as they ran to and
fro； and the howlings of the insurgents who were perishing in the flames；
mingled with the roaring of the conflagration and the thundering sound of
falling timbers。 The echoes of the mountains replied or brought back the
shrieks of the people on the heights； all along the walls resounded screams
and wailings； men who were expiring with famine rallied their remaining
strength to utter a cry of anguish and desolation。
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〃The slaughter within was even more dreadful than the spectacle from
without。 Men and women； old and young； insurgents and priests； those who
fought and those who entreated mercy； were hewn down in indiscriminate
carnage。 The number of the slain exceeded that of the slayers。 The
legionaries had to clamber over heaps of dead to carry on the work of
extermination。〃Milman； The History of the Jews； book 16。
After the destruction of the temple； the whole city soon fell into the hands
of the Romans。 The leaders of the Jews forsook their impregnable towers； and
Titus found them solitary。 He gazed upon them with amazement； and declared
that God had given them into his hands； for no engines； however powerful；
could have prevailed against those stupendous battlements。 Both the city and
the temple were razed to their foundations； and the ground upon which the
holy house had stood was 〃plowed like a field。〃 Jeremiah 26：18。 In the siege
and the slaughter that followed； more than a million of the people perished；
the survivors were carried away as captives； sold as slaves； dragged to Rome
to grace the conqueror's triumph； thrown to wild beasts in the
amphitheaters； or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth。
The Jews had forged their own fetters； they had filled for themselves the
cup of vengeance。 In the utter destruction that befell them as a nation； and
in all the woes that followed them in their dispersion； they were but
reaping the harvest which their own hands had sown。 Says the prophet： 〃O
Israel； thou hast destroyed thyself；〃 〃for thou hast fallen by thine
iniquity。〃 Hosea 13：9； 14：1。 Their sufferings are often represented as a
punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God。 It is thus that
the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work。 By stubborn rejection of
divine love and mercy； the Jews had caused the protection of God to be
withdrawn from them； and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his
will。 The horrible cruelties enacted in the
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destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's vindictive power
over those who yield to his control。
We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the peace and protection which
we enjoy。 It is the restraining power of God that prevents mankind from
passing fully under the control of Satan。 The disobedient and unthankful
have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and long…suffering in
holding in check the cruel； malignant power of the evil one。 But when men
pass the limits of divine forbearance； that restraint is removed。 God does
not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against
transgression； but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves； to
reap that which they have sown。 Every ray of li