The Second Coming?

The people of today who regard themselves as Christian still look forward to the day when Jesus will return. They refuse to accept the clearest of statements in the New testament, to the effect that Jesus was to return around the fall of 70 CE or perhaps sometime in 71, it depends on how relative the word immediate was meant to be.

Jesus said there are some of you standing here, which shall not taste death, till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom. Matthew. 16:27-28.

This language is clear. Jesus told his disciples that some of them wound not taste death [would not die] before he returned. If you have been taught that this verse refers to Jesus transfiguration on the mount then you have been misled. Read Revelation 20:12. Because this coincides with Matthew 16:27, in describing a judgment day scenario.

Revelation 20:12, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Jesus was clearly referring to his Second Coming before the present generation had past. The New Testament has other references to the immediate coming of Christ’s return.

1 Peter 4:7. But the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober, watch and pray.

Hebrew 1:1-2, …….in these last days………..

Revelation. 1:3, "The time is near"

1 Corinthians 7:29, "The time is short".

Matthew 25:13, "Watch therefore".

Hebrew 10:37, "He will not tarry".

Revelation 22:20, "I am coming quickly".

1 Thessalonians 4:16b and 17a "and the dead in Christ will rise first." "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them………." Here we see that Paul also expected his Christ to return while he, Paul was still alive.

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ said he would return in the generation in which he lived. He said the sign of the Son of Man would appear in heaven. He said all the tribes of Israel would mourn. He said the tribes would see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He said he would send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. The angels were to gather the "elect" from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. All of these things were to have happened in his generation. Its now 2000 years later and the world still continues on. The bible was wrong. Christians seem to be able to rationalise away the very plain meaning of the scriptures.

Jesus did not return as he said he would. He did not return as his disciples believed and preached that he would. Jesus didn't come in the disciples generation. He didn't come in any generation. The disciples all died. Jesus' promise was broken. The disciples believed and lived a false hope.
Jesus didn't come then and he isn't coming in the future. Those who cling to the broken promise and false hope of his return will be just as disappointed as the disciples who died looking in vain for the Second Coming of their Christ.