I wonder how disappointed Paul was when it didn't happen in his time as he expected. That goes for people today also.
Perhaps Paul and all the apostles believed it to be in this manner:
Luke 19:11 KJV
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately [G3916 παραχρημα] appear.
Chrema, (χρημα), is riches or money, so they thought that the kingdom of Elohim would appear immediately, in full glory, (or riches), all at once: that is the reason given in this text for correcting their thinking in the parable which follows. I understand that there is much more to the parable, and what it teaches, but I am only going to quote the portion which makes the point I wish to offer here.
Luke 19:12-20 KJV
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country
to receive for himself a kingdom,
and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come.
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
15
And it came to pass,
that when he was returned,
[Acts 2?] having received the kingdom,
then he commanded these servants to be called unto him,
to whom he had given the money,
[Rom 14:10, 2 Cor 5:10] that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16
Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18
And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
20
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
They do not all come at the same time: the Gospel is private, personal, and individual, to each in his or her own appointed times, times appointed of the Father, (and no man knows the day or the hour). Notice also that these are called unto him, which may easily be understood as
called up, for the curious word used here is φωνεω, to emit a sound, (animal, human or instrumental), which may indeed imply
the sound of a trumpet.
Then came the first .......
Then came the second .......
Then another came .......
....... then another ....... then another ....... until finally it is your turn .......
Is there a time limit? Nope.
Is there a 2000 year gap? Nope.
Can it include every believer since the first Advent? Yep.
