How exactly do you go about deciding which words or phrases are "allegory", "literal" or figurative? When Jesus was answering his disciples' question as told in Matthew 24:3
Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
He had several different times to explain. The questions were prompted when Jesus was talking about the temple in Jerusalem:
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “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.” (Matt. 24:1,2)
His answers addressed both those present as well as those in the future who would actually experience certain events. You seem to think that ALL the things Jesus foretold happened when Jerusalem was conquered by Titus in 70 A.D., but it was only a partial fulfillment. The whole rest of the chapter is Jesus speaking about the REAL end times - not a partial destruction of the city and the scattering of the Jewish people. A whole lot more things are yet to happen, on a GLOBAL basis that Jesus spoke of here as well as what had already been said by the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, Daniel, and others, as well as John in the NT book, Revelation, and even Peter. I do not see how anyone can logically imagine all the events God said would happen have already happened. If that were so, we would not be even having this conversation right now.
Nonetheless, the doctrines of end-times are not salvific doctrines. Our salvation is not dependent on what we know or believe about the last days. They were, however, given to us so that we can know the "times and seasons" and to be prepared so that they do not overtake us as a thief in the night. None of us knows when the Lord will come for us, so every day should be lived as if it were our last - because, one day, it WILL be. We can respectfully disagree, while not allowing our disagreements to cause dissension or discord. In all things, we should love one another as Christ loved us.
>>>Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”<<<
>>>He had several different times to explain. The questions were prompted when Jesus was talking about the temple in Jerusalem:<<<
I see where you are coming from. I have heard and read these arguments many, many times. Let me try a different approach so you might see where I am coming from. Let's take this question by the disciples:
"…what shall be the sign of thy coming?"
They did not ask this out of the blue. Jesus had already told them that he would be coming in their lifetimes, in at least two different ways that are written:
"But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (Mat 10:23 KJV)
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Mat 16:27-28 KJV)
"And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." (Mark 9:1 KJV)
We also know that Jesus expounded the (old testament) scriptures for them, on occasion, so the disciples could have very well be privy to a lot more understanding of OT prophecies than we can even imagine today. He did say this about it:
"For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (Matt 13:17)
Now, to the question asking when will be "the end of the age." Jesus had given them numerous statements and parables about the end of the age, or the "age to come." The disciples had been with him for several years. And while there is no evidence to support this, there is also none to deny it; and that is, that there is a very good possibility that the disciples knew the scriptures well enough by that time to understand that when Jesus came in his kingdom, he would necessarily destroy most everything related to the old kingdom, including Jerusalem, Israel and the temple. And they very possibly could have known that his coming would be the fulfillment of certain prophecies that would bring in a new age.
What I am really implying is, while those may seem like three isolated questions, they very well could be two or three highly related events separated by very short periods of time.
>>>I do not see how anyone can logically imagine all the events God said would happen have already happened. If that were so, we would not be even having this conversation right now.<<<
I can't understand why you cannot see that they are all related. The most significant and terrible event in the history of the Judeo-Christian religion is barely a blip on the radar of futurists of every stripe. That makes absolutely no sense to me, and I seriously doubt it ever will.
All O.T prophecy pointed to Jesus, the destruction of Jerusalem and Mosaic law, and the creation of the church, new Jerusalem, on heavenly mount Sion. The temple went from a building, or tents, to actual people and a spiritual realm; and the fact that the Gentiles were brought into the kingdom was the most significant thing that happened, in my opinion, since the Abrahamic covenant. In a very short period of time, God's chosen people went from one race, to all races. And all this happened in the span of about 40 years in the first century. I don't understand why you don't understand.
I believe it all has to do with the time contexts, as I mentioned before. But I don't believe you will see them any other way--that is all you have ever known. From the opposite perspective, I am the same. I knew no escatologies or ideologies, to speak of, until last year. All I had known, until recently, for going on 40 years, was the plain-jane KJV scripture. You think I have it all wrong, and I think you have it all wrong. I don’t see that changing any time soon. LOL!
In the meantime, we can debate our ideas. I have learned new things on this forum because of good, solid questions and posts that have been presented. I have been "forced" to do biblical and historical research to evaluate and "justify" my responses, and I believe I am a better person for it.
Philip