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A very strange thing happened in the skies above Jerusalem four years before the Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple in 70 AD.

This supernatural event was not only reported by a first century Jewish historian Josephus, but a Roman one as well.

In his book, Jewish Wars, Josephus reported seeing angels and chariots in the sky over Jerusalem around 66 AD. 

Josephus wrote:

“Chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were running among the clouds.”

He even admitted that people would have a hard time believing his story, describing it as beyond belief, but he said others had seen it as well.

But this story takes an interesting twist as a first century Roman historian, Tacitus, also wrote about this incident in his book, Histories: 

“There had been seen hosts joining battle in the skies, the fiery gleam of arms, the temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds.”

Tacitus’ version was slightly different revealing he was using another source. He not only wrote of a battle taking place in the heavenlies, Tacitus added that the Jewish temple was illuminated by a radiant light.

This suggested that the temple was the focus of the angelic war occurring above Jerusalem.

We know that Angels played a major role in many Biblical events. Psalms 78:49 tells us that God sent quote “a band of destroying angels” into Egypt prior to the Israel’s Exodus. They undoubtedly battled the demonic angels in Egypt, preparing for Israel’s exodus. 

We also know from Daniel 10, that Godly Angels literally fought, the demonic Prince of Persia to prepare for Israel’s return to the Promised land.

God uses angels to accomplish His purposes. 

But there are a couple of big ‘Ifs” to this account. If there was an Angelic battle over Jerusalem just prior to the temple being destroyed and if this battle was about the Temple what does this tell us?

In Matthew 24, Jesus prophesied that the temple was going to be obliterated and not one stone would be on top of another.

This was God’s prophetic will and this is exactly what happened. 

So if Godly angels were battling in the skies above Jerusalem to ensure that the Jewish Temple was destroyed, who were they fighting?

But the bigger question is why was the temple destroyed?

Well after Jesus cleansed the temple, the priests asked for a sign the Lord had authority to do this in John chapter two. Jesus said destroy this temple and in three days He would raise it up again. 

After being mocked by the impossibility of this feat, John writes in verse 21, that Jesus was talking about His body, which today is the church. 

God was replacing the physical Temple with a spiritual one.