To answer your good question, let’s begin by reading Mark 13:1-2, “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Let us go back to Mark 11:27, where we read, “And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple…”  Mark 12:1 tells us, “And he began to speak unto them by parables…”  We read also in Mark 12:35, “And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple…”  This would prove to be the last time the Lord Jesus was in the temple.  We see that He walked in the temple, He spoke in parables while there, He taught others in the temple.  I encourage you to read chapters 11-12 to see the events that occurred during this last visit the Lord took in the temple.  Then, we read in Mark 13:1 that, “…He went out of the temple…” 

Upon leaving the temple for the last time, His disciples pointed out the beauty of all the temple to the Lord Jesus.  Surely it must have been a tremendous sight to see!  I’m sure it was quite impressive and would naturally catch the eye and cause one to stare at this structure in wonder at its greatness.  This event is so important that it is also given in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. 

In Mark 13:2, the Lord, in view of the temple’s greatness and beauty, speaks of its destruction, stating that “there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  How alarming this must have been for His disciples to hear.  This building was the shining glory of the nation of Israel…yet it would soon be destroyed.  There was an almost immediate fulfillment of these prophetic words in 70 AD.  It was in that year that the Roman army lead by General Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.  The walls were battered down, the great temple was burned down, and the city was left ruined and desolate, except for Herod’s three great towers at the northwest corner of the city. These served as a memorial of the massive strength of Jerusalem’s fortifications which Titus had brought to rubble.  The Roman army brought the captives to Caesarea and after over one million Jews were killed, 95,000 captives were taken as prisoners.

In Mark 13:2, the Lord’s disciples asked Him for more information.  We read, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”  The Lord’s answer and further teachings is what is commonly referred to as the Olivet Discourse.  Notice that the disciples ask the Lord about three events…the destruction of the temple, the sign of His coming, and the end of the world.  In this discourse, which is given in much more detail in Matthew 24-25, the Lord answers their questions. 

In reading Mark 13, Luke 21, and Matthew 24-25, we learn that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was but a foreshadowing of what is yet to come when the Lord will return in judgment to establish His millennial reign on the earth.  This will occur seven years after the Lord raptures the church out of the world. 

In only a few days after this discourse, the Lord went to the cross of Calvary where He was crucified for the sins of the world.  Indeed, He died for you and me so that though faith in Him, we might never see the wrath of God.  He will return one day in glory and will judge the world in righteousness.  However, if you put your faith in His finished work of the cross, you will not be judged.  I plead with you to repent of your sins and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who “delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10.)  (485.4)