When Jesus speaks during the Olivet Discourse about the destruction of the Temple, he was showing mercy with regard to the coming judgment of Jerusalem. He warns his disciples and those who follow them to flee when the time comes. How are we to understand this prophecy today? Is it about the future, or is it here to help us understand God’s desire to bring mercy and salvation in the midst of judgment against sin?

Image: The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, Francesco Hayez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.