did Christ retrun in AD 70? Matthew 24

[edward99]

I am trying to get you to see some of the stuff you post does not make sense. and is just quite out there, especially when you say stuff like Jesus (who is God and also well versed in OT scripture) could have known Jerusalem was going to be destroyed. I mean really??

Is that a typo. I DO say Jesus could and did know.

See, Eternallygrateful, you are either messing with me and everyone reading this or you really havent a clue what you are saying from one post to the next.

Here is what I actually said:

I didnt ask about Christ prophesying (and yes Jesus is a Prophet) the destruction of Jerusalem.

I asked when did God prophesy that they would not come to the truth as you assert here:

You make it seem as God did not know and they could somehow fool him and come to truth when he prophesied they would not

I have said all along Jesus did foretell of the destruction. That is the point. See it in the post above there...I re-established that we were not talking about the destruction of Jeru. But that I needed you to tell me WHERE God prophesied that ALL ISRAEL as you say could not come to the truth. See your remark above.

So if you get around to it, please address where it says this:

You make it seem as God did not know and they could somehow fool him and come to truth when he prophesied they would not

And I did not say Jesus needed to prophesy, I said he knew. How did he know? Ot prophesy.

No. You said:
You make it seem as God did not know and they could somehow fool him and come to truth when he prophesied they would not

So show me where in OT prophesy it says israel could not come to truth.
Please dont forget to post those prophesies again.

Daniel was told the city and sanctuary (jerusalem) would be destroyed and trampled after messiah was cut off. Did you forget this passage? there are also other passages which show this.. are you still going to deny it?

Uh. Thats been my assertion all along.
Jesus was cut off....then within a generation (40 years) Titus came and they trampled the city.
Why would I deny what I have been saying all along.
But I have seen this before. People slowly (or with a start) come out of your system then are too proud to say so they try a smokescreen.
Either that or you just cant remember the flow of dialogue.
Who knows.

2. No "father" of the nation of Isreal walked or lived in the new jerusalem. OT prophesy states God will bring them back to the land their fathers walked on, Lived in, and loved, The land they were promised. The can not be the new jerusalem. so no I will not concede a doctrine which is not true, and not scripturally supported without twisting the word of God.

Oh.
I wonder if you have the guts to actually read what this says:

Hebrews 11
The Triumphs of Faith

1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2For by it the men of old gained approval.
3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.

13All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

I did not insert a 1000 year time, God did by telling us he would rule for 1000 years. your argument is with God not me.

Nah. My argument is with your doctrine.
God has nothing to do with what you teach.

yeah, I guess being shown you are in error is does not feel good. So I can see your frustration. I used to get frustrated also, and hide it or try to run from it so I did not have to admit I made an error.

If you say so.

The question was did Jesus know Jerusalem would be destroyed or not? and "all Isreal rejecting Christ" where do you get this?

YAWN
You said:

You make it seem as God did not know and they could somehow fool him and come to truth when he prophesied they would not [/QUOTE]

the church would be anyone from adam and eve until the last person alive on earth who accepted Gods provision for salvation. However it was not called the church until some time in NT times. I more like the term the body of Christ, or God adopted sons and daughters. or those who are saved by Gods love

But not all the blind children of israel right.
Does that include all the first christians (who were israelites) and all the israelites who have become christians for the last 2000 years...oh. right. In your world there are none of those.

The church will be here on earth until the end.

And then what happens. In the 1,000 year kingdom that comes to and end also.

 

[JaumeJ]

no, if it was so what you suggest then
He would have said "that" generation.

but He didn't.

The word, this, is a demonstrative pronoun and it simply refers to the one about which He is speaking, it could be the extant or a future generation..........however it is the generation that would experience all of the signs.................

 

[peterT]

the flood took away the wicked and left Noah and his children.

why are the people gathered from one end of HEAVEN to the next and not one end of the EARTH to the next?

ever think of that?

Or you just going to say its the same thing?

Or just ignore how Jesus comes IN THE CLOUDS in Acts 7?

.

Jesus gathers his elect from the heavens AND the earth in Matt24

Matt24:31 gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matt24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Ones from the heavens and ones from the earth

The ones from the heavens (the dead in Christ) and the ones from the earth (we which are alive and remain)

1 Thessalonians 4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The angels are the reapers, and Jesus comes in the clouds, at the sound of a trumpet just like it says in Matt24.

Matt13:39--the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Matt24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet.

Matt24:30 and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven

 

[cronjecj]

The word, this, is a demonstrative pronoun and it simply refers to the one about which He is speaking, it could be the extant or a future generation..........however it is the generation that would experience all of the signs.................

that is what you want it to be.

but i know that He was referring to
the generation in their time (2000yrs ago)

 

[JaumeJ]

that is what you want it to be.

but i know that He was referring to
the generation in their time (2000yrs ago)

No, it is simply grammar. As for what I want it to be, I take it in its context, and our Lord is informing us what the signs will be of His returning. Thus it is a reference to the generation of His return. It seems you have taken it the way you you want to, and that is your prerogative, but please do not expect others to bend the reality simply to please your wishes. We believe Jesus, Yeshua; He is Lord, amen.

 

[cronjecj]

He still would have said "that" generation...

..if it were so.

 

[JaumeJ]

He still would have said "that" generation...

..if it were so.

Part of the definition of the demonstrative pronoun, this, is "pointed out or indicated," it does not denote time. The demonstrative pronoun, that, also has "pointed out," as part of its definition. Were one to actually seek the definition, for it is much more involved then simply here or there, one would find it must be understood intuitively by context. Now it seems you are convinced of your interpretation, however you not only are not permitted to force your opinion on others, you simply cannot.

 

[meecha]

The word, this, is a demonstrative pronoun and it simply refers to the one about which He is speaking, it could be the extant or a future generation..........however it is the generation that would experience all of the signs.................

like this in every other example of it's use...

Matthew 11:16
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
Matthew 11:15-17 (in Context) Matthew 11 (Whole Chapter) The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:42
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
Matthew 12:45
Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Matthew 23:36
Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

 

[Ariel82]

Jesus gathers his elect from the heavens AND the earth in Matt24

Matt24:31 gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matt24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

that is an assumption on your part. that the people being gathered from the fields are God's elect. as I was pointing out earlier. During the flood. the ones gathered were the wicked, they were gathered by being killed. the ones left on Earth were Noah and those on the ark with him. Think about it. if it meant the end of the world, in Revelation it talks about a time when ALL flesh was destroyed. When Jesus comes ALL flesh on Earth will be destroyed and people will be given their NEW bodies as Jesus demonstrated to Thomas after He rose from the grave.

The point I'm trying to make is that Mat 24: 40 is not about gathering God's elect, but taking away of the tares so the seed might grow.

From the very chapter you quote, who is gathered FIRST?

Mat 13

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

....39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

again it talks about the end of an AGE which is not the same as what Revelation 21 and 22 are referring to which is the end of the WORLD and the establishment of the NEW Heaven and Earth.

When God judged Jesus generation of Jews, many people who offended and ridiculed Christ while Jesus walked the Earth were destroyed.

WHO in these verses were TAKEN? who does THEY refer to: the wicked or the righteous? think about it honestly without preconceived notions. pray about it.

Mat 24

38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

I may not have all the answers, but I base my understanding on scripture and prayer. not what any man tells me. people tell me all the time that they THEY who is taken refer to God's elect, but it never made sense if you actually read the whole Bible or even the whole paragraph you find that verse in. I believe the ones taken are the wicked in verse 39-41 and the ones left behind are the elect so as to plant the seed and spread the gospel. Mainly because of Mat 13 you quoted earlier tells us God will order the wicked gathered and destroyed first before the harvest of the His people.

If the elect were gathered to Heaven with Jesus, why would the days of tribulation need to be shorten for their sake?

22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Again I do not believe that Mat 24 teaches of the end of the world as Revelation 21 and 22 speaks about, but of the judgment upon the EARTHLY temple of Jerusalem because that is what the disciples asked about.

 

[JaumeJ]

like this in every other example of it's use...

Matthew 11:16
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
Matthew 11:15-17 (in Context) Matthew 11 (Whole Chapter) The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:42
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
Matthew 12:45
Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Matthew 23:36
Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

You have heard of the generation referring to flesh? Please I could place this meaning on all of these quotes just as you are doing. Or do you honestly believe there is only one generation of mankind to whom all of these declarations are made. Perhaps THIS generation may ignore all of the lessons given by the master because your grammar book, in err, says otherwise? If you wish to believe the teachings in all of those quotes only refer to only the time when spoken and taught it is a terrible pity.

 

[edward99]

You have heard of the generation referring to flesh? Please I could place this meaning on all of these quotes just as you are doing. Or do you honestly believe there is only one generation of mankind to whom all of these declarations are made. Perhaps THIS generation may ignore all of the lessons given by the master because your grammar book, in err, says otherwise? If you wish to believe the teachings in all of those quotes only refer to only the time when spoken and taught it is a terrible pity.

Meecha is not in error on this.
The wrath of God that comes upon men on the earth before the Great Last day is not forever. His wrath poured out on Jerusalem was prophesied, warned about, and came to pass as He said it would. He is a God of Righteousness and Vengance also. But His wrath against Isreal in 70AD is over. The Covenant curses rained down on them as they were to expect. That part of His wrath is ended. It came upon that generation.

Here He is speaking of another generation He was angry with:

Hebrews 3
Jesus Our High Priest

1Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; 2He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. 3For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

7Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

8DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

9WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me,
AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.

10“THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION,
AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART,
AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;

11AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’”

And we know they did not.

You are right about our generation though - it too may see great wrath.

God, in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.

 

[IMINJC]

cronjecj


YOU SAID: show one scripture that says Jesus
will set up an earthly kingdom.
you can't because it ain't there.

I will show you where it is written in scripture where Jesus will establish his Kingdom on earth. Now... After I do this, you must show me where it is written in scripture that he will never establish his kingdom on earth....deal?

Jesus will return to "This World" the same way that he left "This World."

Acts 1:9-11
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Zechariah 14:1-5 describes this return to earth more specifically.

Behold, the day of the Lord is coming,And your spoil will be divided in your midst.2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;The city shall be taken,The houses rifled,And the women ravished.Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.3 Then the Lord will go forthAnd fight against those nations,As He fights in the day of battle.4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,From east to west,
Making a very large valley;Half of the mountain shall move toward the northAnd half of it toward the south.5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley,For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal.Yes, you shall fleeAs you fled from the earthquakeIn the days of Uzziah king of Judah.Thus the Lord my God will come,And all the saints with You.[a]

This same return to earth told from a different perspective in Revelation.

Revelation 19:11-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had[e] a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,[f] followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp[g] sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

Do you see?...it says He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron...that means when he returns he will rule the nations of "This World"...so his Kingdom will be established on earth.

Now... I have clearly shown you where it is written that Christ will return to "this earth" in 3 different passages.

Now you show me the scripture that states.."Christ will never establish his Kingdom on this earth.

 

[JaumeJ]

Certain posts here are convoluted at best. Now, I know someone will retort mine are too, however the teachings are getting quite bizarre.

I am concluding anything I have posted by saying there is nothing truly important that is worth knowing except Yeshua crucified for our sins and the Good News He delivered to mankind. I do not wish to add to the confusion of the posting in this thread.

 

[cronjecj]

cronjecj


YOU SAID: show one scripture that says Jesus
will set up an earthly kingdom.
you can't because it ain't there.

I will show you where it is written in scripture where Jesus will establish his Kingdom on earth. Now... After I do this, you must show me where it is written in scripture that he will never establish his kingdom on earth....deal?

Jesus will return to "This World" the same way that he left "This World."

Acts 1:9-11
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Zechariah 14:1-5 describes this return to earth more specifically.

Behold, the day of the Lord is coming,And your spoil will be divided in your midst.2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;The city shall be taken,The houses rifled,And the women ravished.Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.3 Then the Lord will go forthAnd fight against those nations,As He fights in the day of battle.4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,From east to west,
Making a very large valley;Half of the mountain shall move toward the northAnd half of it toward the south.5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley,For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal.Yes, you shall fleeAs you fled from the earthquakeIn the days of Uzziah king of Judah.Thus the Lord my God will come,And all the saints with You.[a]

This same return to earth told from a different perspective in Revelation.

Revelation 19:11-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had[e] a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,[f] followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp[g] sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

Do you see?...it says He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron...that means when he returns he will rule the nations of "This World"...so his Kingdom will be established on earth.

Now... I have clearly shown you where it is written that Christ will return to "this earth" in 3 different passages.

Now you show me the scripture that states.."Christ will never establish his Kingdom on this earth.

not one of those passages shows Jesus ruling
on this earth.

However He is ruling IN US RIGHT NOW,
big difference.

He is come already but if you knew this you
would not fear anymore.

 

[cronjecj]

for those who is still waiting
for Christ to come hear me
out:

HE IS COME.

i see Him even as i type this.

 

[IMINJC]

BECAUSEHEDIED


YOU SAID: It is interesting that prior to Acts 2, the kingdom is spoken of in future tense, After Acts 2 the kingdom is spoken of as present tense.

The Kingdom of God was not to be considered prior to Acts 2 as something that was coming. The Kingdom of God was present wherever Jesus went, because he carried it within him….It lived within him at all times and it still lives within him. If the Kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:21), it most certainly was within Christ first. And those who had faith in him pulled the Kingdom out of him and it manifested around and within them and that’s how they were healed by him. The kingdom of Satan ruled the world, causing death ,murder, sickness and disease etc, that’s the stuff that Satan’s kingdom is made up of, but when Jesus stepped on the scene the Kingdom of God manifested to overrule Satan’s Kingdom with healing, deliverance, abundant life, joy etc.

Luke 11:20
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Notice the Kingdom is not spoken of in the future tense. A devil was cast out, so that could only mean one thing….The Kingdom is NOW!

Jesus didn’t come to establish an earthly Kingdom the first time that he came to earth. He humbly came to be a sacrifice for many. He presented himself in Jerusalem only to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, but he knew before hand that they would not receive him. Even though he was rejected by his own people Jesus was still a King and had a Kingdom, his Kingdom at that time in relation to this world was a spiritual Kingdom as you stated, but the next time he comes he will not be humble or meek, he will come as a conquering warrior to establish an earthly Kingdom in Jerusalem. This kingdom will not be a spiritual kingdom…the spiritual will be manifested in the natural. Here is how I know this is true….

Revelation 11:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Notice it says the Kingdoms of “This World”…. What world is that?...the same world that we live in right now.

 

[IMINJC]

cronjecj

YOU SAID: not one of those passages shows Jesus ruling
on this earth.


First scripture I posted says Christ will return to this earth the same way that he left this earth....what do you think the reson is that he would return?...to play golf?

The second vers openly states that his feet will land on the mount of olives....why would he return to this earth and touch down on the mount of olives?....maybe he likes olives.

The third verse I posted says that he will rule the Nations of this World with an iron rod....How do you rule the worlds nations without establishing a kingdom in this world?

Now...Show me where it states that Christ will Never rule on this earth!.....I'm waiting.

 

[cronjecj]

There are some things not mentioned in Revelation 20.

• First, it does not mention the second coming of Christ.
• Second, it does not mention a reign on earth.
• Third, this passage does not mention a bodily resurrection.
• Fourth, it does not mention Christ on earth.
• And fifth, it does not mention us, it says "they" lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

To illustrate, consider the phrase, "John Doe reigned
with the king for one year." Does this mean the king
reigned for only one year? No, it does not. The king
could reign for many years, but the point is not how
long the king reigned but how long John reigned
with the king. The king isn't the subject, it is speaking
about how long John reigns with him. Likewise,
Revelation 20:4 (KJV) is not about how long Jesus
will reign, but how long others will reign with Jesus.

There's a big difference

 

[IMINJC]

cronjecj


Stop stalling and post a verse of scripture that says that Jesus will NEVER establish his Kingdom on earth. Until you do this any further comment from you on this subject should be dismissed by whoever reads it. Why don't you ask some of your friends on this forum to help you.. Because you obviously are having some issues with finding one. ONE VERSE... That's one less than two.

 

[peterT]

that is an assumption on your part. that the people being gathered from the fields are God's elect. as I was pointing out earlier. During the flood. the ones gathered were the wicked, they were gathered by being killed. the ones left on Earth were Noah and those on the ark with him. Think about it. if it meant the end of the world, in Revelation it talks about a time when ALL flesh was destroyed. When Jesus comes ALL flesh on Earth will be destroyed and people will be given their NEW bodies as Jesus demonstrated to Thomas after He rose from the grave.

The point I'm trying to make is that Mat 24: 40 is not about gathering God's elect, but taking away of the tares so the seed might grow.

From the very chapter you quote, who is gathered FIRST?

Mat 13

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

....39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

again it talks about the end of an AGE which is not the same as what Revelation 21 and 22 are referring to which is the end of the WORLD and the establishment of the NEW Heaven and Earth.

When God judged Jesus generation of Jews, many people who offended and ridiculed Christ while Jesus walked the Earth were destroyed.

WHO in these verses were TAKEN? who does THEY refer to: the wicked or the righteous? think about it honestly without preconceived notions. pray about it.

Mat 24

38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

I may not have all the answers, but I base my understanding on scripture and prayer. not what any man tells me. people tell me all the time that they THEY who is taken refer to God's elect, but it never made sense if you actually read the whole Bible or even the whole paragraph you find that verse in. I believe the ones taken are the wicked in verse 39-41 and the ones left behind are the elect so as to plant the seed and spread the gospel. Mainly because of Mat 13 you quoted earlier tells us God will order the wicked gathered and destroyed first before the harvest of the His people.

If the elect were gathered to Heaven with Jesus, why would the days of tribulation need to be shorten for their sake?

22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Again I do not believe that Mat 24 teaches of the end of the world as Revelation 21 and 22 speaks about, but of the judgment upon the EARTHLY temple of Jerusalem because that is what the disciples asked about.

No it is not an assumption my part, the angels gathers together his elect from the from the four winds,
One shall be taken and the other left.

Yes, first he gather together the tares and bind them in bundles, that’s the wicked people that take the mark of the beast and bow to his image , gathering them together and binding them into bundles. And then the angels gather the wheat into his barn.

And as it says in Matt24 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
One shall be taken and the other left.