Here is something most Christians don't know:
Jesus promised no less than FOUR times in the gospels that he would return to earth and his apostles would live to see it, yet he never showed up.
Paul believed fervently that Jesus would return in his lifetime:
"For 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: Then WE who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." 1 Thessolonians 4:16-17
Now Paul may have put this idea into the heads of the gospel writers when they started writing the gospels. They had Jesus make these four prophesies that he would return before the apostles died:
“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.“ (Matthew 16: 27, 28)
For me, this is the one that cannot be excused away with rationalizations like "Jesus was referring to the future generation", or "Jesus was referring to God's time which could be thousands of years in the future". We have Jesus referring directly to the people listening to him when he made that failed prophecy
"some of you standing here will not taste death until you see me return"
...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.“ (Matthew 24: 25-34)
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place…“ (Mark 13:26-30)
Here in Chap 10 Jesus is giving his apostles instructions on how they should conduct themselves when he sends them out to do God's work
Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 10:23)
Naturally Jesus never showed up. Why? Because we can assume he never said he would return--this was all invention by the gospel writers probably based on Paul's belief Jesus would return and Paul would live to see it. There are five rationalizations Christians have come up with for Jesus' no-show. All are patently ridiculous but you can read them in the link below:
Jesus’ Failed Prophecy About His Return
Jesus speaks of One to come after Him. After the Sun of His religion becomes darkened with superstition and fails to give spiritual light anymore, the stars of the heaven of His faith will fall upon the earth, that is, the leaders of His faith will become primarily materialistic involving themselves in worldly affairs, conflicts and desires.
After all these things have happened, a Great Spiritual One, with a New Name will appear bringing a new faith. (New heaven, new earth, new song, new name - see Book of Revelation.) The Bhagavad-Gita, the Holy Book of many Hindus means ‘Song of God) so a new song is a New Holy Book and a new heaven is a new religion.
But warnings of Jesus are that only spiritual eyes will see Him and that otherwise He will appear as if a thief without the owner knowing. Otherwise if He is to descend from the physical sky there is no need to ‘watch’ as it will be obvious.
These things, I believe occurred with the appearance of Muhammad, the Bab and Baha’u’llah but as religious leaders have opposed Them, the followers have been slow to recognise that These are the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth Christ spoke of.
The Bible is replete with magnificent symbolical language regarding the appearance of all Three Prophets but Christians fail to recognise the truth because they are too attached to what their leaders teach them and so fail to comprehend the many spiritual truths and mysteries hidden within their Book.
This generation shall not pass?..... you left this very crucial point out which makes me question the credibility of your post.
Which generation shall not pass? -
verses 37/38
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Clearly, Christ is saying that the
ungodly and wicked generations as in Noah, will not pass until the Son of Man has returned and changed the world. Wicked and ungodly generations have continued for well beyond the time Christ uttered those Words.
Which death?
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.
Death in the Holy Scriptures often refers to disbelieving in God or the death of unbelief.
Christ here is foretelling that many who followed His first coming will be spiritually dead when He returns and disbelieve in Him. And as we have so clearly seen, the entire Christian population rejected Muhammad, the Bab and Baha’u’llah.
So the point Jesus makes is that His followers then who accepted His first return will reject Him when He comes again and taste spiritual death then by rejecting His second coming.
So, so profound.
No promises whatsoever broken. Jesus kept His promise to return but His followers ears, itchy for smooth talkers were led astray and now, according to Jesus are spiritually dead as He has returned (Baha’u’llah) but they reject Him even though He Himself in Revelation states clearly that He will return with a ‘New Name’.