(Disclaimer: this is all very end-Acts dispensational, but maybe it will help..)
1. 'Soon' did mean soon, but it doesn't anymore.
All the NT writers, and Jesus himself in the gospels, state that his return is not very far off. This was a very real and very possible expectation, but it was dependent on the Jews and the Jewish leadership accepting Jesus as THEIR messiah.
Matthew
3.2 (John the Baptist) 'repent for the kingdom of heaven is near'
4.17 '..Jesus began to teach 'repent for the kingdom of heaven is near''
16.28 - '..some standing here which shall not taste death till they (*may) see the son of man coming in his kingdom'.
24.34 - '..this generation shall not pass, till all these things (*may) be fulfilled'.
*Note: those last two statements contain the conditional '
an' in the Greek, which is mostly not translated into the English. It basically means, 'definitely maybe'. Some translations do include it, eg. YLT.
Acts:
2.17 'in THE LAST DAYS I will pour out my spirit..' (Peter quotes Joel here to explain the miracles seen at Pentecost - ie. implying they were in 'the last days')
This next one is the kicker..
3:19 "REPENT then and turn to God,..
- SO THAT your sins may be wiped out,..
- THAT times of refreshing may come from the Lord,..
- AND THAT HE MAY SEND THE CHRIST who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.
He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as HE PROMISED LONG AGO through his holy prophets".
Note: This is why, in Acts 1, Jesus does not give a direct answer to the disciples' question, 'Will you
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' - it was conditional.
And all these Acts-period epistles plainly show Christ's return was very imminent:
Romans:
13.11-12 "..the hour has come.. the night is nearly over, the day is almost here".
1 Corinthians:
7.29 "What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none.."
ie. don't have children, it won't be easy, "..because of the present crisis" (v26).
compare with Matt 24.19 'how dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers'.
10.11 "..for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come".
15.51-52 'we will not all sleep.. and we will be changed'
1 Thessalonians:
4.15 'we who are still alive and are left to the coming of the lord'
4.17 'we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together..'
Hebrews:
1.2 "..but in these last days"
8.13 'the old covenant will soon disappear'
- also suggesting the new covenant had not yet come in.
9.36 'now he has appeared once for all, at the end of the ages'
10.37 'for in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay'
James:
(to 'the rich' for being selfish)
5.3 "..you have hoarded wealth in the last days"
5.5 "..you have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter".
(to the 'brothers and sisters')
5.8 "..be patient and stand firm, for the Lord's coming is near".
5.9 "..the judge is standing at the door"
1 Peter:
1.20 - '..He (Jesus) was revealed in these last times for you..'
4.7 'the end of all things is near
2 Peter:
3.3-4 'in the last days scoffers will say 'where is this coming he promised''
1 John:
2.18 "..it is the last hour, as you have heard the Antichrist is coming, and even now many antichrists have come, this is how we know it is the last hour"
Jude:
17,18 'in the last times'
Revelation:
1.1 "..what must soon take place".
1.3 "..because the time is near".
3.11 "I am coming soon"
22.7 "I am coming soon"
22.12 "I am coming soon"
22.20 "yes, I am coming soon"
These are all Acts-period epistles (yes, even Revelation), and very much Jewish in focus.
The Jewish leadership rejected Jesus in the gospel period, and they were forgiven ('they know not what they do'). So the Acts period was their (Israel's) second chance to receive him. During that time many believed, but the leadership did not. From Jerusalem, to Antioch, and finally to Rome, they all rejected the message - and so finally, at end-Acts, Israel was put aside (for a time), with:
Acts 28:25-28:
"..And when they AGREED NOT among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, 'well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. BE IT KNOWN THEREFORE unto you, THAT THE SALVATION OF GOD IS SENT UNTO THE GENTILES, and that they will hear it'".
The first time this was stated (Isaiah) the result was Israel losing their kingdom and being sent into exile - same result here. The first time, the temple was destroyed and the people were removed from the land by the Babylonians. The last time, the temple was destroyed and the people were driven from the land by the Romans. It is a significant moment!
So, on with the story..
At some unknown point in time, this current period (dispensation) will come to a close, and the focus will again be on Israel as God's chosen people. The prophetic clock of Daniel, the seventy sevens, will resume, and it will all be over in a short time. Some say that clock has only seven years to run (the last 7yrs of the tribulation), others 14yrs or so. Either way, it is not long.
2. Christ will return AFTER the tribulation
- it cannot be before that, his return is what ENDS the tribulation.
3. The tribulation begins 3.5yrs into the peace deal with the anti-christ.
- there is no peace deal yet, so that clock hasn't started yet.
4. There needs to be a temple.
- the tribulation begins with the anti-christ profaning the temple and putting an end to the 'daily sacrifice', so there needs to be a temple - but clearly there is none currently. Some think the temple needs to exist before the 7yrs agreement starts, but I think it more likely the temple will only be allowed to be built as part of the 7yr agreement, not before. It will probably take a year or three to finish that, and at some point something (possibly the temple existing, or perhaps the daily sacrifices taking place) will tick off the anti-christ and his followers (muslims?) and there will be a total melt-down. Then I believe it will be a full 3.5yrs of troubles before Christ returns to put a stop to it.
Sorry for it being so long. I do get carried away.
