See Matt 10:23, 16:27-28, 12:38-41, 24:34, John 21:20-23, Jude 1:14-15, and many more proof texts … one should read these at a minimum )
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AND many early church fathers knew it had happened EXACTLY as Jesus predicted it would …. Surprised? That’s ok, so was I about 5 years ago when I took a serious look at it and began reading 5 hours a day, and have continued that practice since … but being surprised doesn’t change the facts of Jesus’ words or history …
You see, the persecution and beheading of Christians, the flogging of the disciples, the famines, the earthquakes, the disease, the death, the surrounding of Jerusalem by armies, the end of the sanctuary by war, the burning of the city by fire … a 1260 day (3.5 yrs, 42 months) campaign of terror from Galilee to Jeruslam, the 1600 stadia (~150 miles) of 1st century Judea covered by fighting … even the sign of the Son of man seen by the “tribes of the land,” (that’s the Greek, = Israel) … already happened …. In THAT generation (Matt 24:34) between AD 66 and AD 70! And here’s what many early church fathers said …
(One can hate me for stating facts, but they should go prove me wrong. John Darby isn’t Jesus Christ)
Just a few quotes:
“it is fitting to observe how it was prophesied that these things should happen, and how our Savior’s declaration was fulfilled in reality.”
– Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book III, Chapter 7
“For that this took place before the generation that then was did pass away, hear what He said, ‘Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.’”
– John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, Homily 76
“The abomination of desolation is the desolation of the Temple, which has taken place.”
– Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book VI, Chapter 6
“All these things, therefore, as it is clear, were fulfilled, and what follows is also true.”
– Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 24
“For it is written that the generation shall not pass away until all be fulfilled; and we see it was fulfilled… those predictions we read to be accomplished in the past.”
– Augustine, City of God, Book XX, Chapter 5
“Therefore when the disciples asked Him about the end of the age, it was of course with reference to what they had just seen: namely, that the stones of the temple had been thrown down.”
– Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews, Chapter 13
“For it was Jesus Himself who spoke of the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, and His words were fulfilled with precision in that generation. The city, which once was, is now in ruins.”
– Cyril of Jerusalem
“And the abomination of desolation is seen standing in the holy place… this prophecy was fulfilled in the very fact of the coming of the armies of Rome.”
– Epiphanius of Salamis
“The desolation of the Temple, the scattering of Israel, and the great tribulation that befell the city all came to pass as foretold. These things were not merely symbolic but were indeed fulfilled in the days of the Apostles.”
– John of Damascus
“The tribulation and end of Jerusalem happened as Christ declared, fulfilling what was written.”
– Gregory of Nyssa
“The Lord’s prophecies were fulfilled in the ruin of Jerusalem and the temple’s destruction.”
– Jerome
Even Irenaeus KNEW he was in the 4th kingdom of Daniel! Rome! That’s why the Revelation kingdom has 2 parts (sea = gentile = iron … and earth = Jewish = potter’s clay). ROME sat on 7 hills. ROME had blasphemous names (false gods) atop each hill. ROME followed the beasts of Lion (Babylon), Bear (Medo-Persia), and Leopard (Greece) … scholars AGREE on these 3 … well guess what kingdom came next? … folks should go read Revelation 13, and trust when the angel tells us the vision was given …