2,000-year-old Jewish rebel coin unearthed in Jerusalem, echoing Jesus’ prophecy of the Second Temple’s destruction
- Archaeologists have unearthed a bronze coin called the Year Four coin. It is exceptionally scarce due to declining production during the fall of Jerusalem, making it a highly sought-after historical artifact.
- Discovered near the Temple Mount, the coin ties directly to Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:2 – “not one stone will be left on another” – amplifying its spiritual weight.
- Minted during a pivotal moment (the Roman siege of Jerusalem, about 70 AD), the coin embodies the collapse of Jewish autonomy and the destruction of the Second Temple.
- Its proximity to the Temple Mount – a sacred and contested site – deepens its cultural and religious meaning, linking it to both Jewish and Christian heritage.
- The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) confirms its authenticity and rarity, reinforcing its status as a tangible connection to ancient history and biblical events.
Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered a rare 2,000-year-old bronze coin minted by Jewish rebels in the final months of the Great Revolt against Rome (66-73 AD), just before the destruction of the Second Temple – a cataclysmic event foretold by Jesus in the Gospels.
The coin was found at the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, near the southwest corner of the Temple Mount. It bears the inscription “For the Redemption of Zion” in ancient Hebrew, reflecting the rebels’ fading hopes as Roman legions closed in.
On its reverse, a lulav (palm frond) and two etrogs (citron fruits) evoke the Israelites’ desert wanderings and a yearning for divine deliverance. The palm frond and citrus fruits are symbols of the Sukkot festival, which Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch engine defines as “a biblical harvest celebration where the Israelites were commanded to gather and rejoice … in gratitude for the land’s blessings.”
The discovery was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) days before Tisha B’Av (the Jewish fast day mourning the Temple’s fall). It offers a tangible connection to one of the most pivotal moments in Jewish and Christian history. (Related: Jewish activists want to practice ritual animal sacrifice at the Temple Mount, one of the holiest sites of Islam.)
IAA coin specialist Yaniv David Levy described the artifact’s condition as “quite good” and noted its precise dating. It was minted between Nissan (March to April) 69 AD and Adar (February to March) 70 AD, the coin marks the revolt’s fourth and final year.
Meanwhile, excavation director Yuval Baruch said the coin’s inscription “indicates a profound change of identity and mindset, and perhaps also reflects the desperate situation of the rebel forces.” He observed: “It would seem that in the rebellion’s fourth year, the mood of the rebels now besieged in Jerusalem changed from euphoria and anticipation of freedom at hand, to a dispirited mood and a yearning for redemption.”
The coin’s rarity underscores its historical weight. The IAA stated that Year Four coins are scarce because production dwindled as Jerusalem fell. Its discovery near the Temple Mount – where Jesus prophesied “not one stone will be left on another” (Matthew 24:2) – lends it profound symbolic resonance.
A symbol of desperation and faith, unearthed on the eve of mourning
The timing of the find, just before Tisha B’Av (July 26-27 this year), struck archaeologists as poignant. “Two thousand years after the minting of this coin … [we found] such a moving testimony to that great destruction,” said excavator Esther Rakow-Mellet. “There’s nothing more symbolic.”
The location where the coin was found is adjacent to the Temple Mount, where rebels made their last stand. Aside from the coin, the IAA’s ongoing excavations in the area have also revealed a monumental moat – part of ancient fortifications.
The moat, at least 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide, was likely repurposed during the revolt as a defensive line. This suggested that the city’s defenders undertook Herculean efforts to resist Rome.
The artifact bridges archaeology and scripture. Jesus’ prediction of the Temple’s destruction (recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) aligns with historical accounts of the Roman siege under General Titus in 70 AD. The coin’s “Redemption of Zion” inscription echoes the rebels’ defiance, even as their cause crumbled.
“The [Year Four] inscription denotes the number of years since the outbreak of the rebellion and allows us to accurately date the coin to the period between the Hebrew month of Nissan (March-April) of the year 69 CE, and the month of Adar (February-March) of the year 70 CE,” Levy said.
The IAA will display it at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, alongside other recent finds, including a centuries-old garden at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and inscriptions in the Room of the Last Supper.
The Great Revolt ended with the fall of Masada in 73 AD, leaving Judea devastated. The Temple’s destruction scattered the Jewish people, reshaping Judaism and early Christianity. For Christians, the event fulfilled Jesus’ warnings; for Jews, it became a cornerstone of collective memory.
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Watch this video about the ancient mystery revealing the destruction of Temple and the 2,000-year exile of the Jews.
This video is from the End of Days 777 channel on Brighteon.com.
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Sources include:
DailyMail.co.uk
Brighteon.ai
FoxNews.com
BibleGateway.com
NYPost.com
Brighteon.com
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