He's Coming Back!

In The Flesh

Who is

YOU?

Who is

“Jesus”

speaking to?

When someone speaks to a group of people in one time but their words or message also address or have relevance to another time or situation, it could be described as speaking "prophetically" or delivering a "prophetic message."

The term "prophetic" doesn't necessarily always refer to foretelling the future but can encompass speaking truths or messages that transcend the current moment and are relevant across different times and situations. This kind of speech can be seen in religious contexts, where a message delivered to a specific audience might also hold meaning or significance for future generations or different circumstances.

• Via ChatGPT

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.

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.

¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^[a] 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.

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.

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 Matthew 24 to 28, the text speaks specifically to the disciples but also to a general audience. Then, in Matthew 29, there is a shift in focus."

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days «

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.’^[b]

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth^[c] will mourn

https://twitter.com/dan__brummitt/status/1668772182422597632?t=pNiYxB4UEpEn_1HSB5Ox3g&s=19

https://twitter.com/dan__brummitt/status/765380592921739266?t=2jcD3Vt8NL-RxR_mJ3Bfew&s=1

when THEY

see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.^{[d] 3}

¹ And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it^[e] is near, right at the door.

³⁴ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

What generation?

The specific verse, "Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened," has been a subject of interpretation and debate among scholars and theologians for centuries. The meaning of "this generation" has been understood in various ways.

Some interpretations suggest that "this generation" refers to the people living during the time of Jesus, and the events described might have been fulfilled in the first century. Others propose that "generation" could have a broader or symbolic meaning, encompassing a span of time rather than a specific group of people.

Interpreting religious texts like the Bible often involves a deep understanding of the historical context, original languages, and various scholarly perspectives. Different religious traditions and denominations may have their interpretations of this passage.

Therefore, the exact meaning of "this generation" in this particular biblical verse remains a topic of debate and interpretation among theologians and scholars.

I'm reminded of passages such as 2 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV), which highlight a similar sentiment:

"Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.'"

I believe that the phrase "this generation" might not solely refer to a specific period but rather indicates a particular mindset or way of thinking.

Acts 1:10–11
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

The statement was made by angels, not solely by a human.

And again…

2 Peter 3:8–10
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord

one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

https://bibletolife.com/resources/verse-collections/67-bible-verses-about-the-second-coming-of-jesus/

Revelation 1:7 (NIV): "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV): "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

https://www.bible.com/bible/compare/1JN.4.3