It's much more than that. The Temple was the symbol of God's place with His people in Jerusalem to the whole world. For 2,000 years God was known as, "The God of the Jews." Sure, the falling of the temple made it impossible for surviving Jews to fully keep the Law but it was also a sign to the whole world that God was the God of ALL!!! The
falling of the temple was critically important for the Gentile world to gain acceptance and that through the new Church, and not Judaism, was the new way. Next to the Cross, the Falling of the Temple was likely the 2nd most important event in the past 2,000 years. The Law and Mosaic Age ended and the Church, or Messianic Age began.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW. Christ dwells with His church and is it's chief cornerstone and leader. He is the groom, we are His Bride. RIGHT NOW, not thousands of years later. His presence is with us today!!
We aren't waiting for some future kingdom in this physical age. The church exists in both our physical realm and in the spiritual realm (new heaven and earth) as many of its members have moved on into the spiritual. I am fine to agree to disagree but so long as you continue to quote and debate me, its on. Remember, I used to think as you did. All of your arguments and beliefs I once held, thus I know the inherent short comings of them
. Debating a futurist is like child's play for me and I don't mean that to sound condescending. What I am trying to say is, "been there, done that
." You have nothing new to teach me on this topic. I am actually trying to help you as the futurist view is so wrong, so negative, so retreating and escapist. It admits Christ was wrong about His return. It keeps saints in Hades for thousands of additional years or their disembodied souls waiting for their spiritual body like the Tin Man waiting for a new heart. It has our old corrupted flesh bodies making up part of our new spiritual body in clear violation of Paul's teaching.
The Preterist view declares that Jesus was correct in the timing of His return. Hades (DEATH) has been defeated. No longer are we separate from God when we die, rather, we are immediately in heaven whereby we get the Body (Reward) that we deserve. Absent from the body, COMPLETELY (not partially) present with the Lord. I am not looking for some rapture to spare me from death as I accept what the writer of Hebrews said,
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." I'm much happier on my side of the fence than when I was on your side. No more fears of some great tribulation, wondering if the rapture would be pre, mid or post. I used to plan stockpiling food in living out in the woods so that I could survive the boogeyman AntiChrist. Now I don't worry about a thing. It's all in God's hands and when I die, I will be with Him wholly, not split up into my three basic parts, body, soul, spirit. I'm passionate about this because when I see so much of the Church continue to believe the way they do forced to twist and distort and live in fear, it saddens me and I would like to help show the correct, and far better way. My way has been correct for nearly 2,000 years and counting. I don't set dates then look like the fool like many on your side. But, God bless you brother, we are all still God's children and citizens of heaven.