Like playing a Jenga game, Jesus removed key foundational pieces of Israel’s theocracy, leading to its eventual collapse. The political, theocratic nation of Israel came under judgment for their continued refusal to obey God. This happened on two levels: (1) spiritually, God’s judgment was poured out on the nation throughout Jesus’ ministry, climaxing at the crucifixion (1 Thessalonians 2:16); (2) physically, the Romans conquered the nation just a few decades later in AD 70. The theocratic dimension of Israel came to an end in the first century and will never be reestablished.
