Do you think Jesus is coming back soon?
Jesus wanted every generation to be ready for his second coming.
Jesus spoke of future happenings in Matthew 24:
These are signs from heaven.
"you" refers to the future people who will see all those future signs.
Jesus wasn't kidding. He used the words from this passage to speak to the future people ("you").
Jesus saw this generation in his mind and directly addressed them. When the time comes, this future generation will read this passage as Jesus' words speak to them.
All those signs will occur within a single generation.
Jesus's words will come through space-time. He wanted every generation to be ready for his second coming.
Exactly when will Jesus come back?
The disciples asked a similar question in Acts 1:
Jesus answered:
The penultimate verse in the Bible, Berean Literal Bible, Rev 22:
Jesus wanted us to act like he would be back in our generation.
I would not waste time trying to figure out the date. In the meantime, spread the gospel.
The above is my current interpretation of the passage. As usual, of course, I could be wrong
See also
This generation will not PASS AWAY
How do you understand the word "all", when it says that "... this generation will experience ALL these things. "? Does it refer to everything from verse 4 on when it says,
Mat 24:4-5 KJV 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
The reason I say that it does is found in the (play on words) question: Do you know (eido) or do you know (ginosko)? This is summed up in:
Mat 24:33-34 KJV 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see (eido) all these things, know (ginosko) that it is near,
even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
The word eido means to experience with the senses. This is why it is translated as "see" [with the eyes] in Matt 24:33, but usually translated as "know", in numerous other passage. The word ginosko, also commonly translated as "to know", has this interpretation, to know with one's understanding...to understand with the mind, as to be taught the meaning.
These distinct differences are clearly seen in Hebrews 8:10,11 where both words are used together, just as they are in Matt 24:33.
Heb 8:6-13 KJV 6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7 For if that first
covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this
is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new
covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old
is ready to vanish away.
In verse 11, we see that the old Covenant was/ is based upon knowing the Lord (ginosko) through the teaching of the law, i.e., having the law written only upon one's mind. Whereas, the new covenant is based upon knowing the Lord (eido) having the law written on one's heart, and not just having been taught what the law says. It's all about knowing (eido) the Lord Jesus, as an experience of the senses, ingrained in the heart. With that being said, let's now turn back to Matt 24:33-34 and apply what we know, ginosko/ lol.
Mat 24:33-36 KJV 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see [EIDO, experience with your senses] all these things, know [GINOSKO, understand with you mind] that it is near,
even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth [EIDO, has experienced with the senses] no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Jesus says, that 'this generation' shall not pass away until they have experienced with the senses, all these things. He isn't talking about some future generation recognizing/knowing with the mind, that all these things have taken place and been fulfilled. But he is talking about a particular generation experiencing all these things...personally with the senses. It is only that generation that experiences all these things that can say with confidence, that "that day" is near. Imminency is fictionally contrived by those who have not experienced all these things. To paraphrase the words of Jesus, he says that we will understand (with you mind), that his return is near, or imminent, only when that/ this generation experiences all these things. It is only upon that generation, that great tribulation, that is unparalleled in human history, will commense. And that unparalleled great tribulation, is what no man has ever experienced, known with his senses. When you know, then you will know. I.e., when you (that generation) experiences these things, then you will understand... the times in which you are living. And because these things didn't happen in those days (nor yet in our day) that Jesus could and did confidently say,
Act 1:7-8 KJV 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know [GINOSKO] the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
They, even unto this day, will not understand the time and season of the return of the Lord, because the world has not experienced "all these things". It is not for you (the disciples) to understand when I will return, because you will not experience these things. And not just [NOT] experience some of these things, but all these things will come on that one generation.
Be Blessed,
The PuP
