DESOLATE

DESOLATE

0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often I would have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Matthew 23:37,38.

It was, My Father's house, at the beginning of the Lord's ministry, but after the rejection it was Your house.

Many years before this Israel had so rejected their God and His laws that they were removed from their land. Their house, their city, and their land were desolate for 70 years. And the reason for the 70 years was that for 490 years they had not observed the Sabbaths of the land.

Every 7th year was to be a Sabbath for the land. It was not to be cultivated. But Israel did not do this. So the 70 Sabbatical years were forced on them all at one time. The land was desolate, waste, deserted. The temple was in ruin.

Now Israel's Messiah had come. Their King was in the midst and the kingdom at hand. But they did not know the time of their visitation. They rejected their King. So His verdict was that their house was to be desolate until such a time as they would say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Those who think that the Lord could come at any moment in these days should note these words. There is a condition attached.

In Matt 22:2-14 is a parable that warns of these desolations. It tells how that a king made a marriage dinner for his son and then sent out his servants to bid guests. But they would not come. This is the ministry of the Lord and the 12. So the king sent out other servants and bid them again to come. This was the ministry of the apostles during Acts. But they would not come. They treated the servants shamefully. So the king sent his armies and destroyed these murderers and burned up their city. This was done by Titus, A.D. 70.

So their house and their city were made desolate. That was almost 2000 years ago and their house is still desolate. It does not even exist. A mosque stands in its stead. Some day the temple will be rebuilt, and Babylon become desolate (Rev 17 & 18).

Source: http://www.believer.com/teaching/rules/desolate.htm

P.S. Note: I do not believe that The Scriptures support the claim that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt 'by man' in Jerusalem. The reason why God allowed the two houses of Israel to go into captivity was because they didn't obey 'all' His statutes, and strayed after other gods (Baal, Astoreth, etc.).