Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24)
Whenever we think of promises, we tend to think positively about what a person says he or she will do. But promises can be those of judgment as well, such as in the classic statement: "That's not a threat; it's a promise!" Such it is with the promises of God. He does not threaten us with "Don't do this or else!" He gives promises about what will happen because of man's sin. Often it is the loss of what is a beautiful blessing, like in Christ's words here about the Temple. He knew what would happen because of Israel's rejection of the Messiah: the temple, which would not be necessary when God's people became the temple of His presence and Holy Spirit, would be torn down and leveled. God's promises are often two-sided: good news/bad news, joy and sorrow. Both point to God being God, a consistency of His character, and the rights He has as Sovereign Lord.
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