The Question & Answer are NOT an Either/Or
The Question & Answer are NOT an Either/Or
Commenting on the battle, its too early to see who will prevail with the viewers. It matters little, though I am sure the combatants feel differently.
As I see it, Matthew 24 covers BOTH events that HAVE happened AND events YET to occur. So, in this sense, if I understand correctly now the terms "preterists" and "futurists" in this context, both are right AND both are wrong. Mostly, if they take one view or the other exclusively, they are wrong. For the prophecies Christ made are plural--NOT just regarding the different things that would happen, but actually and also WHEN they would happen. The first part of Matthew 24 deals with the first "abomination of desolations".
First, each different prophecy starts out with "false Christs" (verse 5)-- (meaning NOT only PERSONS unauthoritatively representing or feigning to represent Christ, but ALSO organizationally or, if you will, 'organizational false Christs'). Hence, the many factions and splits in the early church, which was ALREADY occurring BEFORE the death of the apostles AND continued to occur afterwards was fulfillment of this portion of the prophecy made by Jesus.
However, you will note that verse 23 starts the whole thing over again--
23 THEN if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. (Emphasis added)
Again, this is speaking, I believe, more of "false christs" organizationally than as individuals, though there are certainly individuals who have, are, and will proclaim themselves as "saviors" of one sort or another (without divine direction or authority--hence, this is why they are 'false').
I would assert that for there to be "false christs" AGAIN, there had to have been a "true Christ" (again, speaking organizationally). Verse 23 and on is largely speaking of OUR day (some correction of the order of verses in that chapter can be found here
http://scriptures.lds.org/js_m/1 . And the final return of Christ is yet to occur, and this IN PERSON, as he comes to save the Jews, as they expected He would the first time he came. But great devastation will have befallen the majority of them, as there will be but a remnant left to be saved, for most, or at least many, will have already perished (the bombings occuring in Israel now, are only part of the means of the destruction of this embattled people)--
Isaiah 4: 3
3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:...
And then He will reveal himself. Zechariah gives the account. The Lord speaking through Joseph Smith expounded upon (or restored all of? or the rest of?) Zechariah's prophecy--
Zechariah 13: 6
6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
(COMPARE WITH)--
Doctrine & Covenants 45: 52
52 Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them: These wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God.
53 And then shall they (the Jews) weep because of their iniquities; then shall they lament because they persecuted their king.
54 And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them.
55 And Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men.
Things tend to repeat themselves. On the very same day of the year that Nebechednezzar laid siege to Jerusalem in 587 B.C. was the very same day of the year that Titus laid siege to that same city in 67 A.D., I believe it was).
The temple there (in Jerusalem) will yet be rebuilt. And the Jews will rebuild it.
What is coming is what has already happened, though there are differences.
--KING DAVID
