This claim of divinity shows that something is wrong in the collective mentality of the empire. That collective mentality, previously like a mountain among the nations, is now ignited with the insane claim to be the Most High God. Caligula ordered Petronius, the military governor of Syria, to march troops into Jerusalem and forcibly place the statue in the Temple. When Petronius arrived, some Judeans stood in his path and shouted that they preferred death rather than let him pass. Petronius turned back. This shocked Caligula. He ordered Petronius to commit suicide. Before Petronius could comply, however, Caligula was assassinated. Caligula lived twentynine years and ruled Rome for three years, ten months, and eight days. His death ends this crisis over his statue. His actions, however, made emperor worship an accepted practice in the empire. This paved the way for subsequent emperors to insist that they are divine. This caused serious tensions for all Judeans, including those who were Christian. Shortly after Caligula's death, the next emperor appointed Herod Agrippa I as king of Judea.

Agrippa was born around 10 B.C. His grandfather, Herod the Great, ordered the Christchild killed. His uncle, Herod Antipas, ordered John the Baptist killed. Agrippa's father, Aristobulus, was murdered by order of Agrippa's grandfather, Herod the Great. Agrippa, himself, will try to destroy the Church. God will strike him dead. When Agrippa was six, his mother took him to Rome to be raised in the imperial court. When he was a young man, he made friends with Caligula who was fourteen years younger. When Caligula was twentyfive, the emperor Tiberius heard that Caligula plotted for the throne. Tiberius blamed Agrippa and put Agrippa in prison. A few months later Tiberius died. When Caligula became emperor, he released his friend Agrippa and sent him home as king of northern Palestine and southern Syria. Agrippa's uncle, Herod Antipas, feeling he was the legitimate heir, went to Rome to protest. Agrippa also went to Rome to present his case. Caligula sided with Agrippa. He deposed Herod Antipas and allowed Agrippa to annex Galilee.

Later, when Caligula was assassinated, the Roman senate planned to abolish the imperial throne and restore the old republic. Agrippa spoke before the senate and convinced the senators to accept Claudius as Imperial Caesar. This averted a civil war and made Claudius his friend. Claudius then rewarded Agrippa by adding Samaria and Judea to his kingdom. This now made Agrippa king of all Palestine and placed under his rule many Judeans and practically all Christians.

Agrippa proved more popular than his uncle or grandfather. His zealous observance of the Law and support for the Temple won him the people's admiration. His promotion of traditional Judean practices and repression of any violations won their love and loyalty as well. Later historians will refer to his reign as the last "golden age" of the Jewish people (Potok, p. 210). However, he was engulfed in the spiritual darkness of his times. He did not recognize his nation's day of visitation. Instead of believing that Christ is the promised one, he could only see that Christianity deviated from tradition; therefore, he suppressed it.

While Agrippa defended tradition (A.D. 41–42), the apostles, especially Paul, were saying that traditional customs (the religious rituals and dietary law—but not the Ten Commandments) have been abolished. The Messiah's followers could now eat foods their ancestors could not eat. They could accept pagans for baptism without first requiring circumcision. This increased the wedge between the Judeans who did believe Jesus and those who did not. Agrippa tried to force Christians to follow the old customs. In A.D. 42, he ordered James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, arrested for violating the old Law. Found guilty, James was executed. Public sentiment favored this action. Agrippa then ordered St. Peter arrested. The Lord sent an angel to release Peter (Acts 12:7 ff.).

The Church's future in Agrippa's kingdom looked bad. The Judean people, with Agrippa as their visible head, misunderstood the high destiny God had given them. They diverted their energies inward toward their own goals and became poisoned toward God's goals, as symbolized by the fallen star "wormwood." Soon after, in A.D. 44, Herod Agrippa fell dead, struck by God:

And he (Herod) was angry with the Tyrians and the Sidonians. But they with one accord came to him, and having gained Blastus, who was the king's chamberlain, they desired peace, because their countries were nourished by him. And upon a day appointed, Herod being arrayed in kingly apparel, sat in the judgment seat, and made an oration to them. And the people made acclamation, saying: It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And forthwith an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the honour to God: and being eaten up by worms, he gave up the ghost (Acts 12:20–23).

Josephus tells the story in more detail:

Now when Agrippa had reigned three years, over all Judea, he came to the city Cesarea, which was formerly called Strato's Tower; and there he exhibited shows in honour of Caesar, upon his being informed that there was a certain festival celebrated to make vows for his safety. At which festival a great multitude was gotten together of the principle persons, and such as were of dignity through his province. On the second day of which shows he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the first reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out . . . that 'he was a god;' and they added, 'Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as a superior to mortal nature'. Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery (Josephus, II, p. 102 [Antig. XIX, VIII, 2]).

Josephus goes on to say that Agrippa looked up and saw an owl (some translators say the word was "angel" not "owl"). At any rate, it reminded Agrippa of a prophecy about himself that he had heard years ago and: “severe pain . . . arose in his belly, and began in the most violent manner." Five days later "quite worn out by the pain in his belly . . . he departed this life" (ibid.).

The fall of the first chosen and the elevation of those not chosen first is a common theme throughout Scripture. Cain's sacrifice was rejected. Abel's sacrifice was accepted. In a fit of poisonous jealousy, Cain murdered Abel. Esau traded his birth right as first-born to his younger brother for a bowl of porridge. When Esau realized that he forever lost his right as first-born, he was poisoned with rage against his brother (Gen. 27:41).

King Saul was God's choice as king of Israel. When Saul continually disobeyed, God told Samuel to anoint David and inform Saul that Saul is no longer king. Saul refused to step down. He burned with envy of the new king. Seeing how the people loved David, Saul often tried to kill him. Saul came to a sad end. Even his heirs were killed because of what he did (2 Sam. 21:1–9). When he heard of Christ’s birth, Herod the Great sent men to murder him. Herod also came to a sad end. Every one of his heirs that dared to sit on David's throne came to a sad end as well.

The angels who disobeyed God, Lucifer and the devils, were God's firstborn and were first in knowledge and ability compared to human beings. Satan's name "Lucifer," "bearer of light" designates Satan as the first of the first, probably the most splendid angel God created. Because of their disobedience, God drove the fallen angels from heaven. So it is not without precedence that Israel (God's firstchosen) should lose place to another (the followers of Christ) because of disobedience.

The affliction that propelled Judea into political disaster was caused by the injustice of her neighbors. Like hail, their injustice pounded the selfesteem of the Judeans. This injustice incited some Judeans into unjust reprisals of their own. There had been much friction between the Judeans and the pagan peoples within Judea. The Judeans wanted to be free of pagan influence. The pagans wanted one religion throughout the empire. Rome's use of vassal Judean kings instead of Roman administrators served to minimize the strife. When Agrippa died, Claudius sent a procurator to place Agrippa's kingdom under direct Roman administration. Claudius gave the new procurator more power than Pontius Pilate had. This ended any semblance of self-rule for the Judeans. In desperation, they turned to armed revolt.

The new procurator, Cuspius Fadus, began his relationship with the Judeans by using military force to crush the revolt. The term of office was two years. Rome replaced Fadus in A.D. 46 with Tiberius Julius Alexander. Alexander was a Judean, but he had rejected Judaism and became a pagan. Rome replaced him two years later with Ventidius Cumanus. These new procurators used their appointments to enrich themselves and as stepping-stones to better assignments. This helped to create constant tension and political unrest.

Some unbelieving Judeans, bristling with nationalism and religious fanaticism, drew the uncommitted in one direction, while the apostles appealed to them from the opposite direction. Some extremists among the unbelievers claimed that God would bless any effort, endorse any method used to establish an independent Judea. Liberation of Judea could spread into Galilee, Samaria, and the surrounding nations. The entire area, they felt, the former kingdom as David and Solomon ruled it, might reassert itself under the leadership of a free Judea.

In this state of political tension, even a small spark can start a riot. A Roman soldier in Jerusalem insulted some Judean men by obscenely thrusting his breech toward them. Their reaction spread like fire. Before the riot was quelled, soldiers had killed many Judeans. Another time, also in Jerusalem, a Roman soldier unrolled a Torah scroll in public and burned it. Outraged Judean leaders went to the procurator's home in Caesarea and protested this blasphemy. After thinking it over, the procurator ordered the soldier beheaded rather than chance another riot.

Around A.D. 50, a terrorist group formed within the Zealot party. The Zealots sought Judean independence. They organized shortly after Herod the Great's death when Rome increased direct control over Judea. Simon the apostle was a former Zealot. This new group, unlike the original Zealots, used terrorism. They assassinated any prominent Judean sympathetic to Rome. Drawing small daggers, they, without any warning, stabbed their victims, even in public, and quickly vanished. The Latin word for dagger is "sica," so these terrorists became known as "Sicarri." Scripture calls them "the murderers" (Acts 21:38). The Sicarri justified their killing by claiming that any means, including terror tactics, may be used to help establish God's kingdom. Their motto was "terror may be used to oppose terror" (Zeitlin, III, p. 149). Though they claimed concern for the Judean people, they killed many Judeans, especially rich Sadducees.

The Sadducees did not believe in life after death, so they did nothing to prepare for the next life. All their hopes focused on worldly success. To preserve their wealth and social position, they were willing partners with Rome. Within twenty years, the Sicarri will have destroyed the entire Sadducee class—a telling example of affliction by fallen humans against those who did not recognize their day of visitation.

Agrippa's son was the last king of Herod's dynasty. The son was born in A.D. 17. Agrippa had his son educated in the imperial court in Rome. When Agrippa died, Rome bypassed his son, who was then twentyseven, and annexed his kingdom. But six years later, in A.D. 50, the emperor Claudius let Agrippa's son (known to history as Herod Agrippa II) succeed his uncle, Herod of Chalcis, who died in 48. Chalcis was a small kingdom in north Palestine.

Three years later, Claudius allowed Herod Agrippa II to exchange that kingdom for the one previously ruled by his great uncle Philip (whose wife lived with Herod Antipas). This new kingdom was northeast of the Sea of Galilee. A year later, A.D. 54 (I am getting ahead of myself now); the new emperor Nero will add Galilee and Perea. Galilee was to the north (above Samaria) and Perea was south along the Jordan's east bank and the northeast shore of the Dead Sea. Agrippa II will, by then, rule over many Judean people but not over the whole nation. He will never rule the whole nation. The Acts of the Apostles mentions him. He and his sister, Bernice, listened to St. Paul's testimony (Acts 25:23).

A few years later, in A.D. 55, Judeans and pagans rioted in Caesarea. Herod the Great had built the city and named it Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus. Rome used it as the administrative seat of Palestine. All the procurators made their headquarters there. It attracted a large Roman, and therefore, pagan population. The pagans and Judeans began to quarrel about whether Caesarea should be administered as a pagan or as a Judean city. Street riots erupted. The procurator Antonius Felix appealed to Rome. Nero decreed that it was a pagan city. Nero's decision made Judeans second-class citizens in their own country. Resentment spread throughout Judea.

Throughout these years, the Judeans heard this early portion of Revelation along with the oral Gospels and the Apostle's sermons. The Christians tried to convert as many Judeans as possible. They felt the Lord would return in their lifetime, so there was urgency in their witness: Believe! Believe now, and escape the wrath to come! Simultaneously, a different messianic hope spread among the Judeans who did not believe Christ. They expected the promised one to come, but not like Jesus. They expected him to come with power and glory. He would restore the Judean kingdom and usher in a new golden age. Many messianic leaders, or what the Christians would call "false messiahs," formed splinter groups at this time. Here are Josephus’ words about one:

But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also, and got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him: these he led round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives, and was ready to break into Jerusalem by force from that place; and if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison, and the people, he intended to domineer over them by the assistance of those guards of his who were to break into the city with him. But Felix prevented his attempt, and met him with his Roman soldiers, while all the people assisted him in his attack upon them, insomuch that, when it came to a battle, the Egyptian ran away, with a few others, whilst the greater part of those that were with him were either destroyed or taken alive; but the rest of the multitude were dispersed every one of them to their own homes, and there concealed themselves (Josephus, II, p. 260 [Wars II, XIII, 5]).

This messianist was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles when Paul, during his trial by Felix, was asked if he were: “. . . that Egyptian who before these days didst raise a tumult, and didst lead forth into the desert four thousand men that were murderers” (Acts 21:37–8).

In A.D. 61, the Sadducees chose a new high priest. He judged cases according to Sadducee law. He had James the lesser, cousin of Jesus, brought before the Sanhedrin because James did not follow traditional customs. Found guilty, James was executed. The Sadducees then started a new persecution of Christians. In A.D. 63, the Sicarri kidnapped a rich Sadducee as hostage for the release of an imprisoned Sicarri. Albinus, the new procurator, for a fee, helped negotiate. With success in this first effort, the Sicarri kept on kidnapping Sadducees to get other prisoners released. It is said that Albinus got rich releasing men imprisoned by former procurators. The wealthy Sadducees suffered greatly from this injustice.

The above events happened within twenty-eight years of the Crucifixion and happened to the same generation that witnessed the Resurrection. God is dealing severely with them; but then, millions of future people will doubt that Christ rose because so many people of this generation denied it. Supernatural events warned this generation also. Both the Judean historian, Josephus, and the Roman historian, Tacitus, report unusual sights in Jerusalem. They saw armies battling in the skies:

. . . (They saw) . . . the Temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds . . . (and later) . . . when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eight day of the month . . . and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright daytime; which light lasted half an hour . . . before sunsetting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armour were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities . . .

This kept up even during the war. One day as he was on top of the wall surrounding the city: going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force 'Woe! woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!' And just as he added at the last 'Woe, woe to myself also!' there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately: and as he was uttering the very same presages, he gave up the ghost (Josephus, II, pp. 431–2 [WARS VI, V, 3]).

The conflict between the Judean and the pagan populations kept getting worse. The government officials, most of whom were Roman pagans, were growing rich through graft and corruption. They heavily taxed the Judeans. Because of the tax, many small farming families lost their land. This produced a new class of Judean: the landless poor. The gulf between this class and the aristocracy that sided with Rome, particularly the Sadducees, became wider and more explosive. The expectation of a Messiah encouraged many who did not recognize Christ to follow several messianic cults, all politically minded and ready to fight for an independent Israel. All that was needed now was a spark to ignite the holocaust. Badly as events progressed under the four winds, they nevertheless proceeded slowly enough that all Judeans had time to hear and respond to the Gospel. The Christians also had time to gain new members. I outlined this above when I described the four winds as held back.

In A.D. 64, Nero began a new persecution against Christians, the first formal persecution by the Roman government. Christianity had grown for thirtyseven years by then. Due to persecution by unbelieving Judeans, Christianity had already spread throughout the Empire. Peter and Paul planted Christianity in Rome. Christianity became a strong enough force that even Nero felt its presence. Nero revived the socalled "Imperial Cult" and made it a test of Roman allegiance throughout the empire. This test required a sacrifice to Caesar. Judeans alone, because they believed in only one God, were exempt from it. Due to prior agreements with Rome they had always been exempt from observing the Imperial Cult.

Up to that time an outsider looking at Christianity would judge it to be a sect within Judaism. Both groups, in the holy land at least, consisted mainly of Judeans. In Jerusalem, both groups worshiped in the Temple. The Christians also had a Eucharist service, which they celebrated after the Temple service in a separate ceremony they usually held in a private room. The Judeans wanted to preserve their exemption. They wanted also to be rid of Christians. So they denied Christians access to the Temple. They wished to make it clear that Christians were not adherents of their faith. This prevented Christians from claiming exemption from the Imperial Cult even though they worshiped only the one true God of Israel.

Until now, the four winds had been held back (as described in the visions). I think, now with the Christians no longer safe in Judea, the angels released the winds. I think so because from here on Judea's afflictions will rapidly build to a climax, so rapidly that within one year, Judea will be at war with Rome.

The final spark flared out of Caesarea. For a long time, there had been tension between the Judeans and the pagans. The Judeans owned a synagogue next to property owned by a pagan Gentile. The Judeans tried often to purchase the property, offering a generous price for it. The pagan said he would never sell. Instead, he began building workshops close by, so close that the work prevented free access to the synagogue. Some hotheaded Judeans then attacked the workers. They hoped this would stop construction. The pagans appealed to the procurator, Florus. Florus ruled in their favor and ordered the Judeans not to interfere.

The Judeans then offered Florus a bribe to stop the construction. Florus took the money; but, instead of stopping construction, he went to Sebaste, about twenty miles to the southeast. The next day, a Sabbath day, in late April or early May, A.D. 65, a pagan man, " . . . a certain man of Caesarea, of a seditious temper" as Josephus puts it (Josephus, II, p. 262 [Wars, II, XIV, 5]) went in front of the synagogue and set up a makeshift altar on an overturned pot. He sacrificed a bird to the pagan gods. Outraged Judeans rushed at him. Pagan observers came to his assistance. Soon a fullfledged race riot erupted. News of this spread to other cities and sparked race riots there also. Seeing things rapidly get out of hand, some well-to-do Judeans who were sympathetic to Rome went to Sebaste to ask Florus to return and stop the rioting. Florus had them arrested.

When news of the riots reached Jerusalem, which was about fifty miles to the southeast, the people there grew tense and apprehensive. Florus took advantage of the situation and had his men raid the Temple. They stole seventeen talents from the Temple treasury. Florus claimed the emperor needed it. This happened on May 16, A.D. 65. Of all the procurators who oppressed the Judeans, Florus was the most unprincipled. He worried that the Judeans would ask the emperor to look into his conduct. Historians think he deliberately goaded the Judeans into rebellion to discredit their complaints. When news of the Temple robbery spread throughout Jerusalem, a crowd gathered around the Temple. They passed a collection basket so, as they put it, the impoverished Procurator need not resort to robbery. This offended Florus. He ordered extra troops, cavalry and infantry, to march from Caesarea to Jerusalem and punish those who mocked him.

The next day he held court and demanded those responsible be surrendered to him. When the people refused, he punished them by allowing his troops to take whatever they wanted from a neighborhood called "the upper market" and to kill anyone who resisted. The looters slaughtered three thousand and six hundred men, women, and children. Some they scourged and crucified, even Roman citizens. No Judean procurator ever before dared do the brutal things that Florus did that day. The Judeans were ready to revolt, but the priests talked them out of it. The Romans will kill them all, the priests argued. Hoping to end this crisis by a public gesture of submission, the people agreed to salute the Roman troops when they arrived from Caesarea. It was customary for troops to be saluted on their arrival and for them to acknowledge the salute. Florus, still angry, advised the troops not to acknowledge the salute. If any Judeans taunt them, they may retaliate.

When the soldiers ignored the salute, some Judeans insulted them. The soldiers attacked. After dispersing the crowd, they tried to storm the Temple. The Judeans blocked the way. The Judeans then destroyed the walkway between the Temple and the fortress, thus isolating the Temple. When Florus saw that he could no longer get access to the Temple and, therefore, could not easily rob its treasury, he sent for the Temple leaders. He told them that he would leave Jerusalem and take most of his troops with him if they, in turn, restored order. Florus then sent a report to Cestius Gallus, a Roman governor with higher authority. Florus falsely accused the Judeans of revolt. The Judeans also sent their report accusing Florus. To learn the facts, Cestius sent a man to investigate. The man happened to meet King Agrippa II on the way. Agrippa II had no authority over Judea but was concerned. He decided to go to Jerusalem also.

The facts supported the Temple leaders. Cestius then reported Florus' misconduct to Nero. Agrippa II advised the Judeans to repair the walkway and continue paying the Roman tax. This would show good faith when Nero investigates. Agrippa thought Nero would replace Florus. He encouraged the Judeans to continue respecting Florus as procurator until Nero sends a replacement. This the Judeans refused to do. Furious that he would ask such a thing, they would not listen to him anymore. Agrippa II then returned to his own kingdom. Later when war did break out, he went to Rome.

Soon after, Eleazar ben Jairi and some Sicarri captured Masada. Masada is thirty-five miles south of Jerusalem in the mountains near the Dead Sea. Later, the new High Priest refused to accept any request for sacrifice from Gentiles. This was an open break with Rome. Ever since their first contact with Pompey, the Temple authorities always made a daily sacrifice on Rome's behalf. This conveyed the Empire's respect to the God of Israel. The Temple authorities in the past always accepted gifts to God from foreign kings. Josephus counts this refusal as the war's real beginning. The upper-class Judeans, the rich ones who cooperate with Rome, including most of the Sadducees, but also including many rich Pharisees, priests, and well-educated Judeans, were against war. Those for war were mainly the less well-off and, of course, the Zealots and Sicarri. The middle-class tried to remain neutral.

The upper-class urged resumption of the daily sacrifice on Rome's behalf. They wanted to avoid any action that might lead to war. Opposed by Zealots and Sicarri, they then advised Florus and Agrippa to send troops to restore order. Florus already had a detachment in Jerusalem. Agrippa II sent some of his troops. Together they quickly recaptured the upper city, where the well-to-do Judeans lived, but the lower city and the Temple area remained under control of those who wanted war.

For seven days, both sides attacked each other without gaining any headway. On the eighth day the revolutionaries, taking advantage of a religious ceremony, caught the upper city by surprise. They defeated the well-to-do Judeans, burnt their homes, and massacred many. The survivors fled for their lives. The revolutionaries then burnt the public archives where all credit records were stored. This prevented the rich from collecting debts. The revolutionaries did this to win support from those who had debts. The revolutionaries then beat back the foreign troops and cornered them. After some negotiations, they agreed to safe conduct out of Jerusalem if the soldiers lay down their arms. When the soldiers did, the revolutionaries let Agrippa's troops leave but killed the Romans.

When the pagans in Caesarea heard what happened—the soldiers were their own relatives—the pagans killed twenty thousand Judeans. This prompted Judeans in other cities to attack and kill Gentiles. This led to further retaliation by Gentiles in other cities. Bloodshed and violence spread throughout Judea. Even outside Judea, as far away as Alexandria, Egypt, the Gentiles killed fifty thousand Judeans. All this happened in summer of 65, three months after the pagan man's bird sacrifice in Caesarea.

Cestius Gallus, without waiting for Rome's directive, brought in the Syrianbased XII Legion to crush the revolt. He conquered many small Judean towns on his way to Jerusalem. He subdued most of Jerusalem by October 30, but reached a stalemate when the Zealots fought their way inside the Temple mount and shut the gates. Afraid that the whole population would attack from all sides if he attacked the Temple, he decided to withdraw from the city. The Zealots pursued him. With their greater number, the Zealots caused the Romans to break rank. Before the rout was over, the Zealots killed five thousand footsoldiers and more than four hundred cavalry (Faulkner covers this in detail, pp. 123–28). This unprecedented and humiliating defeat of a fullscale Roman army filled the Judeans with confidence. They cheered Simon bar Giora, who led the attack, calling him their hero. This man will play an important role later in the war. Judea was now, in late November 65, in open rebellion against Rome.

The people planned their defense against Rome's retaliation. On January 28, A.D. 66, they formed a provisional government led by the middle class, who up to that time had been neutral. Now that war was inevitable, the middle class felt they should control the revolution. They appointed Simon, son of Gamaliel, and Joseph, son of Gorion, as joint heads of the new government, and Ananus, a Sadducee, as High Priest. The wellknown and influential Ananus wound up as the real head.

Ananus organized the country into military defense zones. One was Galilee. He placed Galilee under the command of Josephus, son of Matthias. Josephus will later become the Judean historian who will give an eyewitness account of this war. The government's policy was more of organizing a defense and secretly longing for a peaceful settlement rather than taking the offensive. Josephus, then, as military commander of Galilee, openly urged a plan against invasion, but, privately, tried to defuse the revolution. He soon had a rival, a Zealot extremist named John from Gischala in Galilee. John was very keen to fight the Romans.

Another extremist was Simon bar Giora, who defeated the XII Legion. Simon opposed the provisional government. He lost the political infighting and was forced to leave Jerusalem. He and his followers joined the Sicarri at Masada. After a while, he quarreled with the Sicarri also. He then took his men to the hills. There he recruited runaway slaves to build up an army and furnished it by raiding nearby towns. His indiscriminate raids on Judeans as well as Gentiles alarmed the provisional government. The government sent armed men out to destroy him, but he eluded them. It was at this time (A.D. 66) that the apostles Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome.

No one knows how Nero would have dealt with Florus, had the Judeans not revolted. Faced with open rebellion, Nero sent a fresh army commanded by Vespasian to crush it. Vespasian's army entered Palestine from the north, and began a systematic conquest, city by city. Within a year he conquered Jotapata, the headquarters of Josephus, and took Josephus prisoner. Later Josephus became an interpreter for Vespasian. In his service as interpreter, Josephus tried, many times, to get the Judeans to give up their hopeless revolt against Rome.

Vespasian's army then conquered Joppa on July 12, A.D. 66, causing 11,600 fatalities. By October Vespasian had conquered Gischala. John of Gischala, the rival of Josephus, fled with many followers to Jerusalem. Many refugees from other areas conquered by Vespasian also went to Jerusalem. The city could not hold so many people. Overcrowding and the new political ambitions of the refugees weakened the provisional government. What will happen to law and order if the government falls?

REVELATION 8:13
13 And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the three angels, who are yet to sound the trumpet.

Back to View My Entire Book

Back to Master Page