Silence on the Destruction of Jerusalem

Silence on the Destruction of Jerusalem

One of the strongest indications that the book of Revelation was written before the destruction of Jerusalem is its complete silence on the event. In all of John’s writings—traditionally believed to have been composed later—there is no mention of Jerusalem’s fall. This absence is particularly striking given that Scripture records other significant historical events, such as

The famine in Judea-Acts 11:27-30

The expulsion of Jews from Rome-Acts 18:2

The martyrdom of John the Baptist-Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29

The martyrdom of Stephen-Acts 7:59-60

The martyrdom of James, the son of Zebedee. -Acts 12:2

Peter's future death- John 21:18-19, 2 Peter 1:14

Paul's future death-2 Timothy 4:6-8

It is remarkable that such a catastrophic event—one in which, as Josephus records, over a million Jews were killed and tens of thousands taken captive—would go unmentioned. 

When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, the prophets of that era, including Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, all referenced the event in their writings.

Jeremiah mourned Jerusalem’s fall in Lamentations:

"Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed…" (Lamentations 1:8)

He further describes the destruction: "The Lord hath violently taken away his tabernacle… he hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary… her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars…" (Lamentations 2:6-9).

Ezekiel also recorded the event after the fact:

"It came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity… one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, 'The city is smitten.'" (Ezekiel 33:21).

Daniel, in exile, referenced Jerusalem’s destruction when Gabriel spoke of its future rebuilding:

"From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem… the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." (Daniel 9:25).

Other post-destruction writings—Ezra (4:15), Nehemiah (1:3), Esther (2:6), Haggai (1:9; 2:3), and Zechariah (1:12-17)—also acknowledge the devastation and captivity that followed.

Conclusion 

The absence of any mention of Jerusalem’s destruction in Revelation strongly suggests that the book was written before the events of 70 AD. Even if the critics disagreed about the early date of Revelation, the late date proponents have to deal with why the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 132 AD-135AD wasn't the fulfillment of Revelation.