Brother Jimbone, since you have asked sincerely and I don’t perceive any malice in intent, I will attempt to humbly respond on a topic that has been the subject of much debate throught the centuries. To look at Luke 21, we gain some additional perspective to look at its partner corollary in Matthew 24. We have two different gospel writers recording what was said by Jesus to this question asked by the disciples. What you will notice in the Matthew 24 account is that during this period of time, Jesus says that the abomination that causes desolation standing in the holy place - this refers very clearly to the Antichrist as well as the image that the false prophet sets up (which speaks) in Jerusalem (many say in the temple). This has not happened as yet, as the Antichrist has not yet been revealed to the world. Certainly he is not yet in a controlling position as yet. So when Jesus places this period of time as coinciding with the appearance of the Antichrist, we know that it is a future period of time.
It is also clear that we cannot ascribe “another meaning” to the abomination that causes desolation, because the verses that follow therefrom clearly talk about end of days events as opposed to the historical destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. For example:
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the [c]elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
And
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His [d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
So we should not be deceived into believing that this has happened already. It is still to come.
Now the scriptures continue with the following:
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [e]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
It is common knowledge that Israel is known as the Fig Tree. They have been “born again” symbolically in that they were once again established as a nation in 1948 after almost 2000 years. Many prophecies have been fulfilled by this. So we know that we are potentially in the “zone” of these things appearing. The generation that sees the signs in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 will by no means pass away until all these things occur. Have the signs appeared. Certainly a number of them have started.
It is also clear that we cannot ascribe “another meaning” to the abomination that causes desolation, because the verses that follow therefrom clearly talk about end of days events as opposed to the historical destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. For example:
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the [c]elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
And
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His [d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
So we should not be deceived into believing that this has happened already. It is still to come.
Now the scriptures continue with the following:
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [e]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
It is common knowledge that Israel is known as the Fig Tree. They have been “born again” symbolically in that they were once again established as a nation in 1948 after almost 2000 years. Many prophecies have been fulfilled by this. So we know that we are potentially in the “zone” of these things appearing. The generation that sees the signs in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 will by no means pass away until all these things occur. Have the signs appeared. Certainly a number of them have started.