Matthew 24:32-36 / Mark 13:28-32 / Luke 21:29-33…
The question remains…
Jesus uses illustrations to give us a seasonal approach to prophecy. He had spoken about the coming destruction of the temple, and also about the signs of the Second Coming. He says that the signs He had been speaking about would help us recognize when His return is drawing near. It will be just like you can recognize the nearing of summer when a fig tree puts out leaves. We will know when the season is upon us, but we will not know the exact date of His coming.
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. The generation that sees the signs will see His return. When the signs of the beginning of the end come, then the end will come relatively quickly, within a generation. Jesus’ words had relevance to those who heard Him speak these words. There was tribulation, and there was destruction. They will also be relevant to the saints of the last days as well. There are some things yet to be fulfilled, in a sense, and the return of Christ will be preceded by these same signs.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Jesus does not allow us to dismiss these words, no matter what generation we are in. There will be deception and destruction, discernment and deliverance. How this looks in each generation may seem different, but it will still be true. The ultimate fulfillment of this is the eternal state.
But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. In the Incarnation, Jesus was still fully God, but He had now also become fully man. In doing so, Jesus voluntarily limited His knowledge to what the Father chose to reveal to Him. So you see, no matter how neatly we can package our prophetic predictions, the question remains. It isn’t, “When is Jesus coming back?” It is, “Are you ready?”
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