Smith was mistaken on the meaning of "generation"
I think it actually has multiple meanings
a very simple one being when first son is born (ie. the times of so and so, then the times of so and so, etc.)
it can also be all the people of Israel alive at a certain time (ie. the curse Jesus put on that existing generation of Israel)
A few years ago I heard a curious study about the Greek word- genea.
According to Strong's concordance, it has 4 meanings.
Mat 24:34 WEB Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.
Strong's Definition: From (a presumed derivative of) G1085; a generation ; by implication an age (the period or the persons): - age, generation, nation, time.
Total KJV Occurrences: 42
Thayer has
Thayer Definition:
fathered, birth, nativity
that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family
the several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy
metaphorically a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character
especially in a bad sense, a perverse nation
the whole multitude of men living at the same time
an age (i.e. the time ordinarily occupied be each successive generation), a space of 30 - 33 years
The study said that it's more likely that it's the stock or lineage of a people.
I.e., the entire Jewish people.
The entire Italian people.
The entire Chinese people....
The Jewish people will not pass away until all these things are fulfilled.
I don't think that became the new accepted norm.
But I do agree that it should be considered.
The only thing that I find myself wondering with this is that it opens the timing of the fulfillment to any point in history.
Perhaps that's the point because we're always trying to pinpoint the occurrence of the second most important event in the history of the human race.
Smith thought it was 40 years or whatever when he wrote a book
he was wrong, and I'd bet admitted so
we are not to set dates like that on the Rapture, as it is eminent
that doesn't mean it has to happen today, tomorrow, or in the next 40 years
Yes, actually he did. He was constantly giving qualifying his ideas (at Bible study, Church services).
The books pigeonholed the idea, and locked it in.
Well, it's 38 years later.
We who follow Jesus are still following Jesus.
Personally, I'm grateful he waited.
My wife got saved, a year later. 1989.
I have plenty of brothers and sisters in Christ who are now following Jesus, who weren't back then.
Make no mistake, I'd absolutely love to be with Jesus right now.
1981 was purportedly the rapture. 1988, the end of the tribulation period.
1989 would have been the beginning of the millennium. We'd be 38 years into a 1000 years of paradise on earth.
Ironically, the technology described in Revelation didn't exist back then.
It just got started in the time since.
AI is almost brand new and too young to be what is described in Revelation.
It may not take long to grow up, but what Chuck and others were thinking at the time was awfully immature.
There's a much more advanced level of globalization on the rise.
There's a global consortium who has prepared a new idea referred to as "The Great Reset."
The World Economic Forum is behind it.
And this too may be too early a version.
A lot of us today are convinced that some catastrophic event will be required before the Reset can succeed.
We're presently thinking that it's the rapture that is the catalyst.
But...
There's so much we don't know.
And in all honesty... those of us who have been around for a long time and have lived through the past 40+ years.... We're OK with it.
Jesus will come when the Father says he'll come.
One thing is absolutely certain....
We're even more excited about his coming than we were 40+ years ago. Probably because we're older now, and would prefer the rapture to our bodies growing older and breaking down on us.
Brothers in Christ who were part of the original 1960's and early 70's Jesus movement are starting to get promoted to go be with Jesus.
But, the present joke we have is-
Rapture or rupture.
Back when, it was-
Here, there or in the air!
All that said... We're still saying
Maranatha Lord Jesus!