fred
in case you missed it this is what God told EVERYONE... and this is what the church has taught since 70 AD
here it is again
you assume He was speaking of HIS generation as "THIS" generation and this is not the case...
Context my friend, you forget the context... He is speaking of "THIS" generation as the one who would see ALL the signs come about... stating that when the generation seeing ALL these things come to pass THIS generation will not end til it sees His coming...
note we are also told that before this happens Israel must be taken captive and carried away into all nations... He is preferancing this... then when referring to the budding of the fig tree He is stating that they will be brought back to israel...
In the old testament we read of a complete dispersal that would come for the jew throughout the world, but that in the last day the fig tree would bud and they would be called back to their land... now 9 tribes were already carried away by the time of Christ, but judah, levi and half of benjamiin still LIVED in israel and were not dispersed until 70 ad by titus. They went nearly 2000 years before they saw the budding of the fig tree, which is the literal wording used in the old testament... This was taught by the church as well... i have had the pleasure of reading many old theology books from the 1800's which all looked at that prophecy and declared israel would again become a nation... 2000 years and then becoming a nation again was never done by any other nation ever, so this was truly miraculous in itself..
Israel becoming a nation again was part of the prophecy. Now when we see ALL these things come to pass THIS generaiton shall not pass til ALL these things be fulfilled
for referance to this
Ezekiel 36:3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because
they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: 4 Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers,
[1] and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about; 5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. 6 Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
8 But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. 9 For, behold, I am for you, and
I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: 10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: 11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 12 Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.
19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. 20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them,
These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land. 21 But
I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. 23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord GOD, when
I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate:
I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. 37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. 38 As the holy
[3] flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts;
so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord.
So you see, the regathering of Israel after a long dispersal is referred to as the trees shooting forth their branches just as Jesus prophesied and this has been recognized by Hebrew and christian since 70 AD....
The regathering of israel is a wake up call and we see quickly all the rest of the signs building for the climax of the return of the Lord to take the world
