I’ve been a believer for a while, and always assumed scripture that talked about Jesus coming soon was intended to be “someday.” But lately I’ve learned that most NT writers (Paul, John, James) were expecting Jesus to come back in like a generation or 2. And most wirings seem to incorporate Jesus’s return as an answer to ancient Rome’s brutality.
So in the 21st century, how can we reconcile this? Did Jesus say he was coming soon and the NT writers like Paul were basically assigning their own timeline? If Jesus returned to overthrow Rome today I think the most he’d have to do is have a coffee chat with the Pope on ways he can lead the Roman Catholics back to him. So what’s with all the imagery of Jesus coming back to annihilate the Roman emporor?
I’m so conused. 😅
2 Peter 3:8-9 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
I think these verses directly answer your question, though I realize that might be an unsatisfying answer to you.