Lessons

The Bar Kokhba Revolt

In the previous lesson, we looked at the terrible destruction in A.D. 70 of the Temple, and Jerusalem, by the Roman Empire. The Temple was destroyed, the priesthood was ended, and it was no longer possible to carry out the Law of Moses. The Roman Empire, that fourth beast system of Daniel's prophecy, would crush underfoot the saints of God - both Jews and Christians. The loss of life was enormous.

But as time went on, Jews slowly returned to Jerusalem. Under the Emperor Hadrian's rule (the same Hadrian who built Hadrian's Wall in Britain), the Jews again revolted. This revolt was known as the Bar Kokhba Revolt, from the name of its founder. Unfortunately, it too involved massive loss of life. Jerusalem was utterly destroyed, flattened, ploughed over as a field, and a new pagan Roman City, called Aelia Capitolina, was built over the ruins. It was to be a Roman city, to worship the Roman gods and Emperor Hadrian, unlike the old Jerusalem, which gave honour to the God of Heaven.

As we examine these events in this lesson, we shall also see that both Hebrew and Aramaic were still spoken at this time. Aramaic was still the dominant language, but Hebrew was, nevertheless, still spoken. Both languages have a part to play in the preservation of God's Holy Word.

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