The Prince To Come:
Matthew 22, Jesus speaks a parable concerning the kingdom of heaven as being like a certain king who sent his servants to call the people to the wedding feast. At first they walked away making light of the invitation; than some took the kings servants beat and killed them.
When the king heard this, he sent forth his armies, and destroyed the murderers and burned up their city. You can read the rest of the story. This parable points to Jesus as the one for whom the wedding supper was meant, and the Jewish people were those who were first invited; rejected the invitation, than killed God’s servants.
The book of Daniel was written some 500 + years before the coming of the Messiah, and prophesies were made concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This happened in 70 A.D. when the Roman armies were sent to fulfill this prophesy. Of course the Roman armies had their leader, Titus, but unknown to them, they were being moved by the God of Israel to fulfill His will. His will was to punish the Jews for what they had done to the prophets and to the Son of God.
Compare with,
Daniel 9:26, “The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood.”
So my question is, “Who is this prince?” Was it Titus because he led the Roman armies into Israel? But what if Titus was not meant? What if Jesus was the prince meant? Jesus is the prince of princes, king of kings, Lord of lords. He rules over all men, and their kingdoms; He sets up, and he tears down.
In Micah, Jesus is called “The LORD of the whole earth.”
In Daniel, Jesus is called Messiah the Prince;
In Acts 5:31, Jesus is called “A Prince and Savior.”
Revelation 1:5, Jesus is called the “prince of the kings of the earth.” Compare with
Revelation 17:14, “For he (Jesus) is Lord of lords, and King of kings.”
Zachariah 4:14, speaking of the two witnesses of,
Revelation 11, “These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” These also were sent by Jesus.
I am going to say that the prince that sends the people is the prince of the whole earth, Jesus Christ. Of course Titus was the Roman General who led the armies of Rome into Jerusalem but unknown to Titus, he was sent by God to fulfill His will.
Deuteronomy 7:14, “To the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whosoever he will, and sets up over it the basest (lowest) of men.”
Scriptures reveal there were many times when God would gather the enemies of the Jews together, and send them to Israel to destroy their cities; take them into captivity and kill many because of their disobedience and sin. An example of this follows;
Ezekiel 29:19, “Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will GIVE the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezar king of Babylon.”
Verse 20, “I have GIVEN him (Nebuchadnezzar) the land of Egypt.” Of course Nebuchadrezar led his armies, but it was God who sent him.
Another example can be read in Daniel 5. We all know the story of King Belshazzar and the writing on the wall.
Daniel 5:27, “Thou (Belshazzar) are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting your kingdom is divided and GIVEN to the Medes and Persians.” Again it was the Lord who sent the armies of the Medes and Persians to destroy Babylon.
So it appears to me that the people of the prince (Jesus) that came and destroyed Jerusalem were sent by the Lord himself, for He is King and rules over the kingdoms of men, Titus being the tool the Lord used.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com