Why did the early church believe that the time of the return was soon?

Achilles6129 said:

Could he be talking about some other form of return, like a spiritual return?

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Perhaps, but how?

Achilles6129 said:

However, it's obviously been nearly 1900 years, and there's been no return. So why did they believe this? (NET)

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They didnt hv to wait 1900 years, many died be4 the massacres of the Hebrew in 70 AD. So they are waiting for the resurrection when Jesus return.

Cant you understand that God has been waiting for your birth too so the good news may come to you too, waiting for the physical birth of those whose name was actually written in the Book of Life be4 the world was even made.

May Jesus bless you all HalleluYAH

The scriptures tell us the Lord will reign on earth, on David's throne, for a thousand generations Luke 1:32, 1 Chronicles 16:15, Psalms 105:8, Mark 11:10

By this measure, a couple of thousand years is "soon" Ezekiel 37:22-28

22 I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one king for them all. They shall never again be two nations, never again be divided into two kingdoms.

23 No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their apostasy through which they sinned. I will cleanse them so that they will be my people, and I will be their God. 24 David my servant shall be king over them; they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my ordinances, observe my statutes, and keep them. 25 They shall live on the land I gave to Jacob my servant, the land where their ancestors lived; they shall live on it always, they, their children, and their children’s children, with David my servant as their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them. I will multiply them and put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations shall know that I, the Lord, make Israel holy, by putting my sanctuary among them forever.

Bob..

dfw69 said:

Perhaps, but how?

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How? The Truth from Yhwh is beyond our most expectant dreams and hopes.
I have enjoyed reading John chapter 17 a few times again on Yhwh's Sabbath(yesterday).
Yhwh's Word
is so amazingly refreshing and delightful and full of glory to Himself and
full of blessing (and much UNexpected) for all of us seeking Him to live as His children.

If you are a Christian the Lord's spirit is already in you

His next intervention will be literal and evident .... this is an entirely different truth and is going to happen just as the scriptures tell

And this intervention is imminent .... has been and still is ... He will act when He is ready

Could happen before this day is over .... no warning .... suddenly

In the mean time I would suggest His admonition for you

Acts
1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

1:8 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.

1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Achilles6129 said:

Christ could return to the individual members of the churches in a spiritual fashion.

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You believe he never actually returns?

Achilles6129 said:

No, he returns, but I'm saying there could be different aspects to the return of Christ. There could be a spiritual return, a physical return, etc. I will say that another impressive feature of the letters to the seven churches is the amount of difficulty which they face in entering the kingdom of God.

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Difficulty? Please explain

You believe he may have returned spiritually? How so? And who can tell?

It does not have to be difficult ... Jesus bore our suffering so it is not God who causes suffering ... Man does .. Jesus bore sufferings at the hands of men and paid the price of sufferings for us... Yet we know sufferings are part of our walk now but because he born our sufferings for us we will one day no longer suffer

Achilles6129 said:

Only the person to whom Christ came spiritually would be able to tell. Christ could come spiritually in judgment or he could reveal himself spiritually to someone.

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So you think the 7 churches of revelation are not spiritual but historical and they are fulfilled? That they don't exist nor hold any future prophetic significance ?

They represent both .... the Lord uses the 7 assemblies in Asia Minor as examples in Revelation 2; 3 to reflect what He does and does not like about the practices of His "church" ... and the same goes to this very day

His message is the same and He has not change it

Keep in mind that He has not revealed the dating of His next intervention into the affairs of humanity

So the early "church" did not know .... and neither does anyone today

Time is different for Him that it is for a man .... make certain that you are ready each and every day of your short life

You are correct

Most of His evaluation is negative and one can see why .... just look a the condition of the professing "church" today .... a virtual disaster .... apostate to the max across the board

There is very little left today of those who have keep the truth .... I see no chance of revival at this time

Deadworm said:

Evidently, the first Christians wrongly believed that Jesus' resurrection appearances would culminate in His Second Coming.

3 Gospel texts illustrate why the early church believes Jesus predicted His Second Coming within their generation. In his book, "Why I Am Not a Christian," philosopher Betrand Russell identifies Matthew 10:23 as a key reason for his unbelief. As a teenager, I almost lost my faith over texts like these. In my seminary studies, I finally found interpretations of these verses that protects Jesus from error. How would you address this problem:

(1) "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 10:23)."

(2) "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28)."

(3) "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory... Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place (Mark 13:28, 30)."

I will offer my interpretations after allowing you a chance to tackle this problem.

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None of these texts pose a problem for the preterist.

tickingclocker said:

Holy Spirit. Listen.

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So You are saying the Holy Spirit hasn't revealed the meaning of Matt 24:33 to you, since you previously admitted to not knowing what it means?

Perhaps heeding your own advice in in order?

Straightshot said:

You are correct

Most of His evaluation is negative and one can see why .... just look a the condition of the professing "church" today .... a virtual disaster .... apostate to the max across the board

There is very little left today of those who have keep the truth .... I see no chance of revival at this time

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Why do you doubt the Power of Christ and His Church?

tickingclocker said:

I never said "thousands of years" means near. You are most likely confused. Maybe if you go back through the discussion, it will help to get a better grasp of what I was trying to get at.

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Perhaps if you could be less cryptic in your responses, our readers and I would have better chance at grasping your central point?

Regardless, "soon" still means what JESUS meant by it, and not anyone else's interpretation. Doesn't it.

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Yes, and I maintain that in Matt 24:33, Jesus affirms He meant it to be understood in the HUMAN understanding of the term.


As I see it, you believe the Biblical terms "near, at hand , shortly, about to take place, quickly, in a very little while, etc" really have no discernible meaning whatsoever to the honest Bible expositor.

I couldn't disagree more.