@FrozenRose We'll see.

@MrSimons

If you're making a point can we just jump to that?

@Pikachu I don't see why it is necessary to see that as some kind of physical gathering up. I am going to try to summarise how I see the passage.

(1) The opening verses of Chapter 24 set the context for us. He is talking about the destruction of the temple. No stone left upon another etc.

(2) You have the kind of apocalyptic language found elsewhere, where God pronounces judgement upon a nation or city. It is the kind of language you would expect Jesus to employ if He were to prophesy about such judgement befalling Israel.

(3) Jesus is addressing the concerns of His audience, describing what is in store for them and warning them not to be distracted by events such as earthquakes, rumours of wars, false prophets etc. He is not addressing the entire planet.

(4) You have a reference to ‘the abomination that causes desolation," in verse 15, which is also found in the book of Daniel. When the Romans burnt the temple, they set up their own symbols and offered sacrifices, which the Jews would see as the fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy. So, the focus again is on the temple, upon Jerusalem, not the entire planet.

(5) Verse 14 also helps to limit the scope of the judgement by saying that the gospel will spread throughout the Roman Empire before the "end" ('oikoumenē' is the Greek word translated "world" in that verse. The word signified the Roman Empire.

So, there's an awful lot of evidence that Jesus is talking specifically about impending judgement upon Israel, involving the destruction of the Jewish temple. So, getting back to the gathering of the elect, I think the most sensible way of viewing that would be to see it as a reference to what we call 'The Great Commission.' Jesus' followers were to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). They are the "angels" spoken of in the verse. The elect are gathered in the sense that they are brought to faith in Christ. They are gathered into The Kingdom so to speak.

@MrSimons

But here's the problem. And this is why to me this all looks like rationalization.

Jesus said you will see the son of man coming in his kingdom. How does the fall of jerusalem fulfill that? After all, jesus [i]didn't[/i] appear then. Or at least it is not written that he did. That coupled with the reference to judgement according to deeds points not to the destruction of a city but to the end times.
And yes, he IS making reference to the prophecy in Daniel. But that prophecy is expressly about the second coming, not the fall of a city.

Question: since you point out that we should not necessarily take the words as literal, why do you assume he was actually talking about the temple? He talks about destroying a temple in john but we know he's talking about his resurrection.

@Pinkstarburst I look up every day waiting anxiously for his return. Ofcourse its good when he doesn't because its another day for people to be saved.

@Cowboybob He says He is coming back.

@Pikachu Not only does it comfort me to know I will be with God one day and he will make everything right, but I am so weak I can't go a day without leaning on God. He helps me through each day🙂

@Carazaa

Yeah i get ya. Must be a very comforting thing. Would believe it too if i could choose to

@Pikachu [quote]Would believe it too if i could choose to[/quote]

So, what's stopping you from making that choice?

@Spumoni Not the God I am talking about.

@SW-User We'll see about that.

@Carazaa Well, if the last 2000 years is anything to go by...

@SW-User 😅😅😅😅

@SooperSarah Because Jesus gave us the signs for the last generation and it sounds like now.

@Carazaa doesn't the bible say nobody knows when it'll be? It's amazing that you have it all figured out.
Every generation has looked at a series of events and saw the same signs. It's not difficult to find a correlation if you want to find it.

@SooperSarah No that is not what the Bible says. It says we wont know the day or the hour, but Jesus told us the signs of the last generation before he returns.

@Carazaa oh, so you're saying that all those predictions and claims listed on there never happened, just because you don't like the source?

@DunDunDun I only trust the Bible.

@Carazaa 😒

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout Very mysterious, that's an understatement.

@Abbenthewarwolf I would really like you give it a listen. Bible passages have a cultural and historical context to them. You can't just read them in modern English and assume you will be able to understand without digging deeper.

@MrSimons no one said anything abt modern day English. KJV. Or Aremian which one u like?

@Abbenthewarwolf I don't particularly favour any English translation over another. I can't read Hebrew and Greek, but I do look to what Hebrew and Greek Scholars have said about a passage or verse, and I also look into the historical and cultural context. We should ask how the original audience would have understood it, since it was spoken or written to them specifically.

@MURD3RM0NK3Y For sure!

@GodSpeed63 Where does it say anything about the temple being rebuilt?

@GodSpeed63 Jesus said WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit, so personally I think the temple is almost built now when the last person is saved, then he will come back he said. And I believe the antichrist is Satan deceiving the whole world now, so I disagree with the churches but I could be wrong.