I just believe that some of what Jesus was talking about did happen and some is yet to come.
Yes, the temple was destroyed, as Jesus prophesied. At that time the disciples, upon hearing that prophecy, made the jump in their own minds that this means the end. But after the three part question of verse 3, Jesus says:
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Verse 4.
The next 10 verses Jesus is warning about deceptions related to the subject
of the end, not prophesying about the end.
But I believe that the age will end not the world as the King James is the only Bible that uses the word world.
Yes, both are correct. Jesus returning is at the end of the world, to bring in a new heaven and a new earth.
However, there is an end of the age that there are reasons to believe is soon.
There are two verses I will now post for consideration on this topic.
Luke 21:24. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until "the times of the Gentiles" are fulfilled.
Notice that this is an "end of the age" for the Gentiles, and the sovereignty of Jerusalem is a legitimate point of inquiry.
Romans 11:25. For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. .
In our generation there has been a significant movement of Jews who acknowledge Jesus as Messiah.
Again, not prophesying the end of the world, but the end of an age.
Matthew 24:12. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
2 Thes. 2:1-3. Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means;
for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.
So, let me correlate, "the love of many will grow cold", and "the falling away comes first".
Let's just say hypothetically, that millions of present day Christians, evangelicals in particular, believe in the rapture. Let's say that we reach the end of the age of the Gentiles, but this does not correspond to the return of Jesus Christ, because it is not the end of all things, the last day. It is simply the
end of an Age, as you point out. There is war in Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey. False teachers are saying that this is the end. Then guess what? There is war, famine, disease, etc...all the things that Jesus says is not signs of the end of the age, but things that will be used to deceive "even the very elect".
There will be a massive falling away of believers, who were deceived into believing that Jesus is returning, and it is that end of the world.
The love of "most", this means the overwhelming majority, leaving only a remnant of true believers.
This is the end for 'the time of the Gentiles" that Jesus spoke of, and we
will see a Millennial Age, the seventh day(1000 years). This is spoken of in Revelation 20,
but an large number of believers do not believe it is literal, nor do they understand that the 1000 year reign is not Jesus Himself.
The Prophets say that it is a reign of "the throne of David", a final reign of man.
The other question, "of your coming" is not answered until the last day, of which no one knows the day or the hour.
So the sum is this, the world is about to go through major changes, life is going to be very different. Many believers will not be able to deal with these changes,
because they have been taught that they will be raptured away before there is any type of global tribulation.
This is the falling away. I reject the rapture doctrines precisely because of this, it is the instrument of the falling away.
Jesus reigns from heaven until all his enemies are under his feet.
1 Co 15:25. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
When does death cease? At the end of the Millennial Age. Revelation 20.
St Peter preached in Acts 3:
Acts 3:21. Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive(He will remain in heaven) until the times of restoration of all things,
which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Finally, consider what is happening right now, there is a global pandemic, and the Christian Forum that I post my essays on is lite up with,"is the virus a part of God's judgment? does this signal the end of the Age? Exactly what Jesus was warning about in Matthew 24.
Isaiah 66:4. So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear.
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.
John 6:39, 40. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
I certainly believe in the gathering of the saints, but attempts to predict when this happens are conflicting, and in many ways harmful.
These scriptures sound as if He only speaks of the resurrection, I know, but here is what Paul says, and his teachings are used to support some of the ideas of "the rapture", (not a Biblical word).
1 Thes 4:13-18. The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
This word caught up, or snatched away, used by Paul, is the basis for the word Rapture.
Paul says it happens after the resurrection, not before, much less
all this convoluted, pre-trib, post-trib, pre-millennial, post-millennial arguments.
You can read Rev. 20 yourself, and pay particular attention to first resurrection and second resurrection and who is blessed. Then there is the matter of defining the term 'second death' used in this chapter.
And so, here is my safe distance, avoid all the arguments and divisions position.
Jesus said he would set everything in order "on the last day", so I am planning to just wait on Him,
and endure to the end.
Matthew 24:13. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Against Deceptions
People often speak of "war and rumors of war", as well as global disasters and pandemics as being signs of the end time. I would ask you today to look with fresh eyes and consider the Lord's heart in this regard.
Matthew 24:1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to Him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
At the end of a busy day, Jesus and his disciples find a quiet place, and they simply comment on the view of the temple mount. The Lord surprises them with a very precise and shocking prophecy.
Verse 2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Jesus has mentioned a few times that He would face rejection and death in Jerusalem, but now He speaks of God's soon judgment on the city and they immediately make a jump in their own minds that this pertains to the end of the age.
Verse 3. 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?
Of course we know that most of the Lord's followers would have lived to see the destruction of the temple, this event was not a herald of the end times. While the questions reveal what was on their hearts, only the Lord's answers can show us His priorities.
Verse 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Now if we pause here in the discourse and ask the question, "what do you think was the Lord's primary concern regarding the subject of signs and the end of the world? Your answer should be that He was concerned with deceptive teachings that would come forth in this regard.
Did He not once say this concerning signs:
Matthew 16:4. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.
He continues the discourse by elaborating on the subject of deceptions, not signs.
Verse 5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
To be clear here, the Lord is not talking about anyone claiming to be the Messiah. Anyone who comes "in His name", are claiming to be legitimate ambassadors speaking on His behalf. The claim "I am Christ", should be translated: "I am anointed", because christos means anointed, and this is a claim that every false teacher, preacher and prophet is making these days. This is not a sign of the end times, this is a caution for the wise follower to avoid being deceived.
Verse 6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
These words "the end is not yet" should be enough to convince you that quoting "wars and rumors of wars" as if to imply that the end of the age is upon us is to greatly discredit your understanding.
Verse 7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Verse 8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Now this is something to consider. This expression of early birth pangs says a lot about being misinformed. Most people know that you don't rush to the hospital with the first contractions of birth. Couples are coached to time contractions to be sure that labor has begun. However, there is still occasions were an expectant mother is rushed to a hospital, only to return later that evening saying; "false alarm". A good possibility is that greater awareness avoids reacting inappropriately to the beginning of sorrows.
Verse 11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Again with the warnings and concerns over being deceived.
Verse 12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
This verse uses the word agape for love and therefore cannot be interpreted as a state of the world we live. Only believers can know the agape love of God, and only believers can lose their "first love" and fall away due to lawlessness(iniquity) within the church.
This is why Jesus now says:
Verse 13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
There are two verses I will now post for consideration on this topic.
Luke 21:24. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until "the times of the Gentiles" are fulfilled. Notice that this is the "the end of the age" for the Gentiles, and the sovereignty of Jerusalem is a legitimate point of inquiry.
Romans 11:25. For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Again with the Gentiles in the age we now occupy. With a growing number of Jews in Israel who see the historical Jesus (Yeshua) as the Son of God and Messiah, we draw closer to a true remnant in the promised land. Another reality worthy of attention.
Matthew 24:24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.