That’s exactly why I take issue with people who keep proclaiming that Jesus is coming back—specifically to our generation today.
They seem to overlook the fact that in those verses, Jesus was speaking to actual, living people of that time. It’s like they forget, or choose to dismiss, the historical context and the audience who were right there hearing his words firsthand.
Take John the Baptist, for example, when he said, “the axe is laid at the root of the trees.” That wasn’t a vague warning—it meant Israel was facing judgment, about to be cut off. And then there’s the symbolism of the “fig tree.” These pieces all fit together in a meaningful way when you read Scripture as a whole.
The real issue arises when people isolate verses, chop up chapters, and even slice apart the letters. They erase the connection to the people of that era and instead shout:
“LOOK—THIS IS ABOUT US TODAY! BE READY! BE MINDFUL!”
I understand the importance of being ready, especially in the face of mortality. But I don’t buy into the idea that Jesus is coming to rescue us now in the same way he did back then. I believe, in faith, that he already fulfilled that promise for those people in their time.