Jesus definitely spoke of his “coming” in the lifetimes of the disciples and the disciples all spoke and acted as if they expected him to “return” during their lives. Jesus wasn’t decieving them nor did he actually mean that he was addressing people who would live over 2000 years later. He actually meant in their lifetimes because he said he would come quickly — that means “I am coming soon”. What’s more he said, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled”

It’s obvious that Jesus did not return during their lifetimes. Why?

Jesus was asked by his disciples three different questions (Mat 24:1-3):

Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us,
when shall these things be (destruction of the temple)?
and what shall be the sign of thy coming [?],
and of the end of the world?

Three different events Jesus was asked about:

1. The destruction of the temple
2. The sign of his coming
3. The end of the world

Jesus answered all those questions about separate events all together — or at least it was written down that way. Most people understand that all of these events were to happen all in the same time period. However, this could not possibly be since we know that the destruction of the temple took place around 70 AD and the end of the world (as we know it) is supposed to happen when all those catastrofies that Jesus fortold, take place which would be over 2000 years later.

And since these two happenings obviously occur separately in different eras, there is no reason why that the “sign of his coming” would also not be a separate event… or events.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In Mat 24:29 Jesus says that the “sign of the son of man” would be “immediately after those days“. What are those days that Jesus speaking about? What would happen at that time? He was speaking of the “elect” which has always referred to the chosen people of God. Where did he say that this would take place? He was very specific. He says it will take place in Judea (Mat 24:16), in the place where it the (abomination of desolation) ought not be — in the holy place. The holy place was the temple in Jesusalem (Mat 24:15), and it will be specifically happen to the Jews since he says “pray that your flight be not…on the Sabbath“. (Mat 24:15-22)

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place [the temple at Jerusalem], (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

The “abomination that maketh desolate” prophesied by Daniel (Dan 11:31) the prophet spoke of were armies. An army certainly creates desolation, and I wouldn’t doubt that the Roman army was an abomination to God. And I also wouldn’t doubt that the army stood where it ought not, especially since they tore it down and did not leave one stone that would not be thrown down as Jesus prophesied.

Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Mar 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

The “all these things” that Jesus was refering to was the tribulation in Judea, and not necessarily the “end of the age” (correctly translated), since the two events are separated by over 2000 years.

If you consider the destruction of the temple to be just before the “end of the world”, that would mean that the Dome of the Rock to be torn down, temple would have to be rebuilt, the daily sacrifice of animals would have to be re-established and then “arms [an army] would take away the daily sacrifice” (Dan 11:31). This does not seem at all likely since the Jews haven’t sacrificed animals for 2,000 years and there is no evidence that they plan to begin. The Jews do have plans to re-build the temple, but it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon — if at all.

But it does appear that we are living in the times of the “end of the world” because of the things that are happening in the world today that Jesus foretold of: famines, pestilences, earthquakes and wars.

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

The generation that he was talking about was the people symbolized by the fig tree – Israel. Here is yet another instance where Jesus declares that his coming would be in their generation, in their lifetimes.

In the time of tribulation that preceded the destuction of the temple, there was one of the most terrible times of tribulation in which huge numbers of Jews as well as Christians were persecuted and murdered for rising up against the Romans. In Mat 24:16 the tribulation takes place in Judea. In Luke we can conclude that the abomination of desolation are armies that surround Jerusalem.

He says, “pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day, aluding to the fact that it would be happening to Jews. It says “they shall be lead captive into all nations and Jerusalems shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled”. This certainly sounds like what happened to the Jews and Jerusalem in 70 AD and it certainly was a great tribulation. The Jews were always known as the “elect”. It says that he “gathers together his elect”. The parable Jesus gives is of the fig tree which is the symbol of Israel.

Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto [into Judea].

Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. [a specific people]

Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Some people say that the generation that Jesus was referring to here was the generation that this would happen to more than 2000 years later. Sorry, but I just can’t buy that one. That sounds like an excuse that someone made up to excuse the fact that Jesus didn’t actually “return” in that generation. If that was so, he would have said “that generation” and not “this generation”. He was actually referring to the current generation — of his time.

What does all this have to do with the afterlife?

That leaves one last thing: he comes back immediately following the tribulation of those days. The key here is the phrase “those days”. That tells is when he comes back. If it is true that his coming is when he receives his elect into his world then it could be that it happens multiple times. He never said it would only be once. Of course, the coming that happens “immediately after the tribulation of those days” is, in this specific case, a singular occurrence.

He also likened his coming as a thief in the night. How would his so-called “return” be soon, in the disciples’ generation before they died and unexpectedly? What that describes to me is death. Death usually comes unexpectedly, the angels gather together God’s elect and they see him coming in the clouds. What other explanation could there possibly be?

Jesus gave a hint at the interpretation in another part of the parable:

Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

These two verses were meant to work together to help with the real meaning of the whole parable Jesus spoke. These verses have not only something to do with his “return”, but also death. But whose death? Right after this verse he says that his angels would “gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other”.

In my opinion, the carcass signifies the death of his elect and the eagles symbolize the angels. Now aren’t there thousands of God’s elect that die everyday? And haven’t we heard stories of NDE’s that the angels come and take their spirits when they leave the body? And aren’t the clouds symbolic of the spirit world where people go when they die? And haven’t many claimed to have seen Jesus when they were on the other side? And many who have been through an NDE say they believe to have seen Jesus. And isn’t it true that no one knows the day nor the hour of their death and thus the coming of the son of man? It makes sense that Jesus could not give an answer as to “no man knoweth the day and hour of his coming” since only God knows when a person’s time to leave this world.

I believe that the “end of the world” is the end of each person’s world when he dies. The “coming of the son of man” is when Jesus meets each one of his “elect” after their death, just as it was immediately following the tribulation in Judea.