the Olivet Discourse understood

[RandyPNW]

What does this passage mean?...

Matt 24.Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

This happened in 70 AD, about 40 years after Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This is not Last Days prophecy--this happened in the generation of those alive in Jesus' time.

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

These "Birth Pains" took place in Jesus' own generation. They anticipated the coming fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. There were rumors of wars, warning Jesus' Disciples that this judgment was surely coming. The signs included indications God was unhappy with Israel and was soon to bring final judgment to them.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Jesus' own Disciples among the Jewish People would be rejected and persecuted by apostate Israel, ie by their unbelieving Jewish brothers. This was some of the sin for which God was bringing judgment to Israel in 70 AD.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

There is no question, particularly when the parallel account is read in Luke 21, that this is about a Great Tribulation spanning the entire NT age. That's what makes it the "Great Tribulation." It's the greatest punishment that Israel has ever experienced--the longest punishment in its history. And when Israel experienced punishment, they suffered the tribulation of exile and the curses that followed them in that exile. It is called the "Jewish Diaspora."

The "Abomination of Desolation" is spelled out in Daniel, and is not to be confused with another AoD mentioned in Daniel, which applied to Antiochus 4 of Syria. This particular AoD originates from Dan 9 where the "people of the prince to come," an Army, is to come to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple. That's the AoD Jesus is speaking of here.

And the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD was merely the start of Israel's exile and an entire age of Jewish Diaspora. It was to last until the preaching of the Gospel is preached to the whole world as a warning of ultimate judgment for human sin.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

As there was in that early generation so it continues throughout the age that Millennial groups attempt to state that they are the "move of Christ" to bring God's Kingdom to earth. But God is concerned about the ultimate destruction of the Jewish People before He can judge and remove the wicked from among them in order to restore the nation using the repentant. And so, Christ will in the end come from heaven to bring an end to Israel's oppression and to save the Church from their persecution.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

In accordance with Dan 7, the Son of Man comes from the clouds, ie from heaven, and not before. In other words, even as false Messianic movements proliferated the Roman army would gather around Jerusalem. And Jesus would not deliver Israel at that time, but would come later with the clouds.

So Jesus warns his Disciples that the Roman "vultures" will gather against Jerusalem to destroy the Temple. The Romans carried "eagle" standards, representing gods that they worshiped. They gathered "like eagles" around Jerusalem, the "corpse." Deliverance from heaven will not come before Israel is brought under judgment in that generation.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

It is after the Jewish Distress of the present age, while Christians are persecuted, that Christ, the Son of Man, will return from heaven, but not before.

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."

This is the completion of what Daniel saw in Dan 7, which is the coming of the Son of Man from heaven to destroy the persecutors of the Church and to establish God's Kingdom on their behalf. Daniel there portrays the coming of the Son of Man to destroy Antichrist, the Man of Sin, who opposes God's People and His Kingdom.

 

[AlexB23]

What does this passage mean?...

Matt 24.Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

This happened in 70 AD, about 40 years after Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This is not Last Days prophecy--this happened in the generation of those alive in Jesus' time.

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

These "Birth Pains" took place in Jesus' own generation. They anticipated the coming fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. There were rumors of wars, warning Jesus' Disciples that this judgment was surely coming. The signs included indications God was unhappy with Israel and was soon to bring final judgment to them.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Jesus' own Disciples among the Jewish People would be rejected and persecuted by apostate Israel, ie by their unbelieving Jewish brothers. This was some of the sin for which God was bringing judgment to Israel in 70 AD.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

There is no question, particularly when the parallel account is read in Luke 21, that this is about a Great Tribulation spanning the entire NT age. That's what makes it the "Great Tribulation." It's the greatest punishment that Israel has ever experienced--the longest punishment in its history. And when Israel experienced punishment, they suffered the tribulation of exile and the curses that followed them in that exile. It is called the "Jewish Diaspora."

The "Abomination of Desolation" is spelled out in Daniel, and is not to be confused with another AoD mentioned in Daniel, which applied to Antiochus 4 of Syria. This particular AoD originates from Dan 9 where the "people of the prince to come," an Army, is to come to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple. That's the AoD Jesus is speaking of here.

And the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD was merely the start of Israel's exile and an entire age of Jewish Diaspora. It was to last until the preaching of the Gospel is preached to the whole world as a warning of ultimate judgment for human sin.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

As there was in that early generation so it continues throughout the age that Millennial groups attempt to state that they are the "move of Christ" to bring God's Kingdom to earth. But God is concerned about the ultimate destruction of the Jewish People before He can judge and remove the wicked from among them in order to restore the nation using the repentant. And so, Christ will in the end come from heaven to bring an end to Israel's oppression and to save the Church from their persecution.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

In accordance with Dan 7, the Son of Man comes from the clouds, ie from heaven, and not before. In other words, even as false Messianic movements proliferated the Roman army would gather around Jerusalem. And Jesus would not deliver Israel at that time, but would come later with the clouds.

So Jesus warns his Disciples that the Roman "vultures" will gather against Jerusalem to destroy the Temple. The Romans carried "eagle" standards, representing gods that they worshiped. They gathered "like eagles" around Jerusalem, the "corpse." Deliverance from heaven will not come before Israel is brought under judgment in that generation.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

It is after the Jewish Distress of the present age, while Christians are persecuted, that Christ, the Son of Man, will return from heaven, but not before.

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."

This is the completion of what Daniel saw in Dan 7, which is the coming of the Son of Man from heaven to destroy the persecutors of the Church and to establish God's Kingdom on their behalf. Daniel there portrays the coming of the Son of Man to destroy Antichrist, the Man of Sin, who opposes God's People and His Kingdom.

Guys, this historical stuff gets old. How about we say that 70 AD was the start of the end times, and that the tribulation has yet to come. We might be living in the end times, assuming 70 AD was a start. Good compromise? We can please both the Preterists, and the Futurists with the timeline below.

Timeline below:

1st coming of Christ | Fall of Jerusalem | The End Times before Tribulation | Current Age | Tribulation | Mid Trib. Rapture | Tribulation End |
0 AD ------------- 33 AD ------------ 70 AD ------------------------------- 2024 -------- 20XX ------ +3.5 yrs ----------- +7 yrs --------------

 

[RandyPNW]

Guys, this historical stuff gets old. How about we say that 70 AD was the start of the end times, and that the tribulation has yet to come. We might be living in the end times, assuming 70 AD was a start. Good compromise? We can please both the Preterists, and the Futurists with the timeline below.

Timeline below:

View attachment 350680

1st coming of Christ | Fall of Jerusalem | The End Times before Tribulation | Current Age | Tribulation | Mid Trib. Rapture | Tribulation End |
0 AD ------------- 33 AD ------------ 70 AD ------------------------------- 2024 -------- 20XX ------ +3.5 yrs ----------- +7 yrs --------------

None of this ever gets old for me. It may not get old until people finally get what I've been saying. They don't accept what I say because it is historical and not part of modern Dispensationalism or some leftover eschatology from the past.

The things I'm sharing are not my own. They are somewhat my own view of Scriptures, but the Scriptures belong to God. We are doing our best to interpret them.

For many years I could not adequately interpret the Olivet Discourse to my satisfaction. It just didn't sound cohesive, and didn't follow a genuine intellectual line of thought. I couldn't really tell where Jesus was coming from, or what in prior Scriptures he was basing his statements on.

Ultimately, by considering everybody's point of view, and in particular the Church Fathers' views, I came to a recognition. It does sound Preterist, because Preterists hold similar views of the Olivet Discourse. Yet I'm not a Preterist. I hold to the future 3.5 years of the Antichristian reign and to the ultimate Millennial Salvation of Israel.

I do hold to *some* Dispensationalist views, such as the future Salvation of national Israel in the Millennium. However, Dispensationalism is also responsible, I feel, for my years of inability to interpret the Olivet Discourse. That belief system rendered the whole Address as future, when it really centered, as Jesus said, upon the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

The "Great Tribulation" is really the age-long dispersal of the Jewish People, and not just the persecution of Christians under Antichrist and the trouble Israel goes through in that period of time. Futurist Dispensationalism would see the "Great Tribulation" as the "Reign of Antichrist," whether for 3.5 years of 7 years.

I think Antichrist's reign is only 3.5 years. Daniel's 70th Week was, I believe, fulfilled in history, when Christ was crucified and the Temple was destroyed in his generation.

So I need to get the terms right, as well as the time period for these things to take place in order to properly understand what Jesus was saying. Only in this way does any of this make sense to me--honestly!

So do with it what you will. Have your own opinion--I hope it works out for you and gives you peace as my position affords me.

So these things are always in my mind to help those who are as I once was, completely lost over this passage. I had memorized it, and yet still it didn't sound like a cohesive Address. Now it does, and I just have to keep sharing it until somebody gets it or at least properly understands what I'm saying.

I recently heard a lawyer say, "I don't always care to win the case. It gives me some satisfaction to know the judge at least *understands* my arguments!"

 

[AlexB23]

None of this ever gets old for me. It may not get old until people finally get what I've been saying. They don't accept what I say because it is historical and not part of modern Dispensationalism or some leftover eschatology from the past.

The things I'm sharing are not my own. They are somewhat my own view of Scriptures, but the Scriptures belong to God. We are doing our best to interpret them.

For many years I could not adequately interpret the Olivet Discourse to my satisfaction. It just didn't sound cohesive, and didn't follow a genuine intellectual line of thought. I couldn't really tell where Jesus was coming from, or what in prior Scriptures he was basing his statements on.

Ultimately, by considering everybody's point of view, and in particular the Church Fathers' views, I came to a recognition. It does sound Preterist, because Preterists hold similar views of the Olivet Discourse. Yet I'm not a Preterist. I hold to the future 3.5 years of the Antichristian reign and to the ultimate Millennial Salvation of Israel.

I do hold to *some* Dispensationalist views, such as the future Salvation of national Israel in the Millennium. However, Dispensationalism is also responsible, I feel, for my years of inability to interpret the Olivet Discourse. That belief system rendered the whole Address as future, when it really centered, as Jesus said, upon the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

The "Great Tribulation" is really the age-long dispersal of the Jewish People, and not just the persecution of Christians under Antichrist and the trouble Israel goes through in that period of time. Futurist Dispensationalism would see the "Great Tribulation" as the "Reign of Antichrist," whether for 3.5 years of 7 years. I think Antichrist's reign is only 3.5 years. Daniel's 70th Week was, I believe, fulfilled in history, when Christ was crucified and the Temple was destroyed in his generation.

So I need to get the terms right, as well as the time period for these things to take place in order to properly understand what Jesus was saying. Only in this way does any of this make sense to me--honestly!

So do with it what you will. Have your own opinion--I hope it works out for you and gives you peace as my position affords me.

So these things are always in my mind to help those who are as I once was, completely lost over this passage. I had memorized it, and yet still it didn't sound like a cohesive Address. Now it does, and I just have to keep sharing it until somebody gets it or at least properly understands what I'm saying.

I recently heard a lawyer say, "I don't always care to win the case. It gives me some satisfaction to know the judge at least *understands* my arguments!"

So, what do you think about 1948 Israel founding, and 1967 Israel borders? Could these two dates represent the fig tree blooming? And then a Biblical generation after (70-80 years) would not die? That means 1948+70 years = 2018 and 1967 + 80 years = 2047. That means the end times could happen any time between now and 2047, with 2018-2023 being out of the question?

 

[RandyPNW]

So, what do you think about 1948 Israel founding, and 1967 Israel borders? Could these two dates represent the fig tree blooming? And then a Biblical generation after (70-80 years) would not die? That means 1948+70 years = 2018 and 1967 + 80 years = 2047. That means the end times could happen any time between now and 2047, with 2018-2023 being out of the question?

I've lived long enough to have read Hal Lindsey's book when it came out, "The Late Great Planet Earth." I believe Lindsey made a big deal about the restoration of Israel and how after a 40 year generation Christ would come back for his Church, a Pretrib Rapture. It didn't happen.

Other Pretribbers, extended the generation to perhaps 70 years until the "Rapture" takes place. For example, Chuck Smith predicted it would happen in the early 80s, I believe. That didn't happen.

Do the Math, from 1948 until now is about 76 years, well past a "generation." The interpretation of the "Fig Tree" was wrong.

I don't find that the context even allows for the Fig Tree to be identified as Israel's rebirth as a nation. On the contrary, the context of the Olivet Discourse is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

So Jesus is describing how soon this judgment upon Jerusalem will happen, within the generation of people alive in his time. They will see this take place. And he described it as a Fig Tree that begins to bear its leaves before bearing fruit.

It's just that the fruit apparently never are borne--just the leaves, because as the Fig Tree dried up upon Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, so Israel was drying up and not producing fruit. Instead, at just the time the Fig Tree, ie Israel, should be preparing to produce fruit, they would be judged.

The producing of leaves, therefore, represent the early warning signs of imminent judgment, including the sins of Israel leading to judgment, and the rumors of wars heralding this coming judgment. There would be signs on earth of God's displeasure with Israel, including famines and earthquakes. And one of the signs of Israel's certain destruction would be their persecution of Christians.

These early warning signs, also called "Birth Pains," would lead to the Abomination of Desolation, which like Antiochus 4 would bring about a mass murder of Jews, coupled with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This would be followed by a mass exile of the Jewish People throughout the present age, called the "Great Tribulation."

At the end of this period of trouble for both Jews and Christians the Son of Man would come from the skies to deliver Christians and to restore the nation of Israel.

When Jesus said "all this will take place in this generation," he was referring largely to the destruction of the Temple in his generation, which in turn would lead to an age-long punishment of the Jewish People. It had nothing to do with the modern restoration of national Israel, although I think that event is of great prophetic significance. God had promised Abraham a nation descended from him, and that nation is Israel.

But many other nations were promised to Abraham, and we've seen many nations of Christian faith come into existence. Though they've fallen, just as Israel has fallen, they also will rise again just as I believe Israel will.

 

[AlexB23]

I've lived long enough to have read Hal Lindsey's book when it came out, "The Late Great Planet Earth." I believe Lindsey made a big deal about the restoration of Israel and how after a 40 year generation Christ would come back for his Church, a Pretrib Rapture. It didn't happen.

Other Pretribbers, extended the generation to perhaps 70 years until the "Rapture" takes place. For example, Chuck Smith predicted it would happen in the early 80s, I believe. That didn't happen.

Do the Math, from 1948 until now is about 76 years, well past a "generation." The interpretation of the "Fig Tree" was wrong.

I don't find that the context even allows for the Fig Tree to be identified as Israel's rebirth as a nation. On the contrary, the context of the Olivet Discourse is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

So Jesus is describing how soon this judgment upon Jerusalem will happen, within the generation of people alive in his time. They will see this take place. And he described it as a Fig Tree that begins to bear its leaves before bearing fruit.

It's just that the fruit apparently never are borne--just the leaves, because as the Fig Tree dried up upon Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, so Israel was drying up and not producing fruit. Instead, at just the time the Fig Tree, ie Israel, should be preparing to produce fruit, they would be judged.

The producing of leaves, therefore, represent the early warning signs of imminent judgment, including the sins of Israel leading to judgment, and the rumors of wars heralding this coming judgment. There would be signs on earth of God's displeasure with Israel, including famines and earthquakes. And one of the signs of Israel's certain destruction would be their persecution of Christians.

These early warning signs, also called "Birth Pains," would lead to the Abomination of Desolation, which like Antiochus 4 would bring about a mass murder of Jews, coupled with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This would be followed by a mass exile of the Jewish People throughout the present age, called the "Great Tribulation."

At the end of this period of trouble for both Jews and Christians the Son of Man would come from the skies to deliver Christians and to restore the nation of Israel.

When Jesus said "all this will take place in this generation," he was referring largely to the destruction of the Temple in his generation, which in turn would lead to an age-long punishment of the Jewish People. It had nothing to do with the modern restoration of national Israel, although I think that event is of great prophetic significance. God had promised Abraham a nation descended from him, and that nation is Israel.

But many other nations were promised to Abraham, and we've seen many nations of Christian faith come into existence. Though they've fallen, just as Israel has fallen, they also will rise again just as I believe Israel will.

What about 1967?

 

[RandyPNW]

What about 1967?

You mean, 70 years from 1967? Well, 40 years is out--that would have been 2007. But 70 years from 1967 would be 2037. That's still future. If that's how you want to interpret it?

I of course don't see the Fig Tree as a symbol of the modern restoration of the State of Israel. I see the prophecy of "this generation" referring to Jesus' own generation, and the destruction of the Temple within 40 years of his saying this.

 

[AlexB23]

You mean, 70 years from 1967? Well, 40 years is out--that would have been 2007. But 70 years from 1967 would be 2037. That's still future. If that's how you want to interpret it?

I of course don't see the Fig Tree as a symbol of the modern restoration of the State of Israel. I see the prophecy of "this generation" referring to Jesus' own generation, and the destruction of the Temple within 40 years of his saying this.

2037-2047 might be the most likely date range.

 

[RandyPNW]

2037-2047 might be the most likely date range.

Past 2037 would be beyond the range of "this generation."

 

[AlexB23]

Past 2037 would be beyond the range of "this generation."

Generation is 70-80 years.

 

[tailgator]

You mean, 70 years from 1967? Well, 40 years is out--that would have been 2007. But 70 years from 1967 would be 2037. That's still future. If that's how you want to interpret it?

I of course don't see the Fig Tree as a symbol of the modern restoration of the State of Israel. I see the prophecy of "this generation" referring to Jesus' own generation, and the destruction of the Temple within 40 years of his saying this.

According to strongs definition,this generation could be over 2000 years.

Depends on how you look at things.

 

[tailgator]

So, what do you think about 1948 Israel founding, and 1967 Israel borders? Could these two dates represent the fig tree blooming? And then a Biblical generation after (70-80 years) would not die? That means 1948+70 years = 2018 and 1967 + 80 years = 2047. That means the end times could happen any time between now and 2047, with 2018-2023 being out of the question?

1948,the deadly wound was healed
1967,little horn defeated three kings.
Last year,little horn started attempting to change laws.

 

[RandyPNW]

According to strongs definition,this generation could be over 2000 years.

Depends on how you look at things.

Anything can mean anything if you argue long enough with just the right dose of persuasiveness.
If you want to believe "generation" means "race," be happy with your conviction. I'm satisfied with mine.

I would remind you, however, that Jesus had just used the word "generation" in application to the Jews who in his time were misrepresenting God's Kingdom. It is they, and not all generations of Jews, who he spoke to.

 

[RandyPNW]

Generation is 70-80 years.

Well, I suppose you could make that as old as Methuselah?

 

[tailgator]

Anything can mean anything if you argue long enough with just the right dose of persuasiveness.
If you want to believe "generation" means "race," be happy with your conviction. I'm satisfied with mine.

I would remind you, however, that Jesus had just used the word "generation" in application to the Jews who in his time were misrepresenting God's Kingdom. It is they, and not all generations of Jews, who he spoke to.

They are still misrepresenting God's kingdom.
They claim it is theirs.They claim it was promised to them for an everlasting possession..They will be removed when Jesus comes.

Mathew 13:41
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[AlexB23]

1948,the deadly wound was healed
1967,little horn defeated three kings.
Last year,little horn started attempting to change laws.

Is Israel the Little Horn, as it is shaped like a horn?

 

[AlexB23]

Well, I suppose you could make that as old as Methuselah?

Well, the longest that people live nowadays is ~120 years.

 

[RandyPNW]

Well, the longest that people live nowadays is ~120 years.

And so your target date for Christ's Return is somewhere between 1967 and 2087? That's long enough to be irrelevant for anybody living today? But if you think it can be tomorrow or next week, I think you're beyond the limitations Scripture would impose upon you.

God has already set a day for the Return of His Son. It can't be on just any old day, including today or next week. It must take place *at the destruction of Antichrist,* because one of the reasons the Son of Man is coming is to destroy Antichrist and to set up God's Kingdom. So who cares how many years it will be?

In reality, Jesus said the Temple would be destroyed within his generation, and it was--within 40 years of his saying that. That's the real meaning of what a "generation" meant, in my opinion.

 

[AlexB23]

And so your target date for Christ's Return is somewhere between 1967 and 2087? That's long enough to be irrelevant for anybody living today? But if you think it can be tomorrow or next week, I think you're beyond the limitations Scripture would impose upon you.

God has already set a day for the Return of His Son. It can't be on just any old day, including today or next week. It must take place *at the destruction of Antichrist,* because one of the reasons the Son of Man is coming is to destroy Antichrist and to set up God's Kingdom. So who cares how many years it will be?

In reality, Jesus said the Temple would be destroyed within his generation, and it was--within 40 years of his saying that. That's the real meaning of what a "generation" meant, in my opinion.

It is getting late here. God bless.

 

[RandyPNW]

They are still misrepresenting God's kingdom.
They claim it is theirs.They claim it was promised to them for an everlasting possession..They will be removed when Jesus comes.

What keeps antiSemitism alive is this notion that *all generations of Jews* are guilty of the generation that rejected Jesus. This can't possibly be true--not even if Jews are still rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. The 1st generation not just rejected him, but they saw him, and gave him over to the Romans to be crucified.

The Jews alive today didn't ever see Jesus personally, and certainly don't reject him in the sense that they have met him and rejected him. Many of them probably don't even know what's in the NT Scriptures? To continue to condemn Jews today for things Jews did 2000 years ago is an intolerable attitude and judgment. It is, I believe, a form of anti-Semitism.

No, Jesus addressed his own generation of Jews, who were wanting to have him killed. It is for that particular crime that God was going to send judgment upon Jerusalem and have the Jewish people sent into a very, very long exile--the Jewish Diaspora.