Brothers and sisters, as a Preterist, I often point to Scripture to show how the words of Jesus and the prophets were fulfilled in the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. But today I want to highlight something often overlooked: even secular history confirms the magnitude of what took place.

One of the most important historical sources we have is The Works of Flavius Josephus. He was a first-century Jewish historian and eyewitness to the Jewish-Roman War. His testimony adds powerful weight to the fulfillment of Jesus' words.

Let me share with you some of Josephus' most famous quotes, alongside the scriptures they affirm.

"The Greatest War Ever Fought"

Josephus writes:

"Whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans hath been the greatest of all those, not only that have been in our times, but, in a manner, of those that ever were heard of; both of those wherein cities have fought against cities, or nations against nations." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book I, Preface, Section 1

"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again." – Matthew 24:21

Josephus, without intending to affirm prophecy, ends up confirming exactly what Jesus said.

"One Stone Upon Another"

Josephus describes the complete devastation of the Temple:

"Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple... it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VII, Chapter 1, Section 1

This is exactly what Jesus foretold:

"Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down." – Matthew 24:2

This wasn't vague prophecy. It was precise, and Josephus confirms its exact fulfillment.

"Internal Division and Civil War"

Josephus reports on the chaos within Jerusalem during the siege:

"It was God who condemned the whole nation, and turned every course that was taken for their preservation to their destruction. For the Jews rose up against each other." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book V, Chapter 6, Section 2

Jesus also foretold this internal strife:

"And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will become cold." – Matthew 24:12

"False Prophets and False Hope"

Josephus tells of deception among the people:

"A false prophet was the occasion of these people's destruction, who had made a public proclamation in the city, that very day, that God commanded them to get up upon the temple, and that there they should receive miraculous signs of their deliverance." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 5, Section 2

This aligns perfectly with Jesus' warning:

"For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." – Matthew 24:24

"The Fires of Gehenna"

Josephus even uses the term "Gehenna," the valley outside Jerusalem that Jesus often referred to in His warnings of judgment.

"And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought the fire to the gates and burned them also... so that the hill [Zion] was on fire as far as Gehenna." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 8, Section 5

When Jesus spoke of Gehenna, He was not speaking of a far-off fiery pit in some distant realm. He was warning of a judgment about to fall on that very generation:

"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty... and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell [Gehenna]." – Matthew 5:22

"It was God Himself who brought the Romans"

"It is God Himself who is bringing on this fire to purge the city and temple by means of the Romans, and is going to pluck up this city to the very foundations." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 2, Section 1

Josephus confirms exactly what Jesus foretold, God used the Roman armies as His judgment tool to destroy Jerusalem. The city's fall wasn't random, it was divine justice fulfilled.

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near." – Luke 21:20

"No pity, no distinction, not even for infants"

"They slew them, even those that begged for mercy. They made no distinction between the old and the young, but went on in slaughter till they had killed almost the entire population." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 8, Section 5

Jesus warned of wrath on that generation, and Josephus records it in chilling detail, no mercy, not even for the innocent. Prophecy fulfilled in blood.

"Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days, for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people." – Luke 21:23

"Starving mothers ate their own children"

"There was a certain woman that dwelt beyond Jordan... she took up her child, being then a baby at her breast, and said, 'O miserable infant! For whom shall I preserve thee in this war...?' and she slew her son, and then roasted him, and ate one half of him." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 3, Section 4

The curses of the Law came to life in 70 AD. What Moses warned, Josephus witnessed. Jesus' generation reaped the full fury of covenant wrath.

"You will eat the flesh of your sons, and you will eat the flesh of your daughters." – Leviticus 26:29 "The refined and delicate woman among you... will secretly eat her own children." – Deuteronomy 28:56-57

"The fire could not be quenched"

"Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple... yet was the fire not restrained even after all this... it appeared that the destruction of the temple was not from man's hands, but from God." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 4, Section 5

The unquenchable fire was God's judgment, not Rome's rage. As Jesus warned, those who rejected Him faced a fate worse than pagan cities, destruction by divine fire.

"But if you do not repent, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you... and you, Capernaum, will be brought down to Hades." – Matthew 11:21-23

"The blood reached up to the horses' bridles"

"The number of those that perished during the whole siege was computed to be 1,100,000... the multitude of the slain made the whole city run down with blood to such a degree that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with the blood." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 9, Section 3

Revelation's imagery was no exaggeration, Josephus saw it fulfilled. Rivers of blood in Jerusalem matched the vision, proving the judgment was real, not symbolic.

"And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of about 200 miles." – Revelation 14:20

"The Jews were themselves the cause of their miseries"

"It was, I suppose, owing to the justice of God Himself that all the people were deluded, both by their madness and by false prophets, and that they did not listen to those who warned them. For the Jews were the cause of their own miseries." – Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter 5, Section 4

Jesus wept over their stubbornness, and Josephus confirms it—their own rebellion brought the ruin. Judgment came because they would not listen.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together... and you were unwilling." – Matthew 23:37

Conclusion

Josephus did not write as a Christian. He did not set out to prove the words of Jesus. But through his witness, God preserved a historical confirmation of the Lord's words. This war was no ordinary conflict. It was the end of the age, the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy, the great tribulation.

And as a Preterist, I declare to you with boldness: Jesus was right. The time was near. The judgment came. And the kingdom, the true heavenly kingdom, was established and remains forever.

Let history be our witness, Scripture our authority, and the fulfilled kingdom our confidence.

Amen.