| Question - Could you please show me how it was that Jesus came as lightning from the east to the west, and was seen by every eye and all the tribes of the earth, and all kindreds in 70 A.D.? |
The context to say that it is the QUICKNESS of His return that is implied.
Ezekiel 1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.When lightning appears, it is INSTANTANEOUS. Ezekiel says that the creatures "ran" and "returned" as the appearance of lightning. You cannot clarify one's "running" with the visible aspect of light. A light's visible intensity is not determined by how fast the light travels. Running is a term deoting speed, not intensity of light. So the issue is not visibility, but rather swiftness of Christ's return.
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."All the tribes of the earth" is translated from the Greek using terms "tribes" and "earth". Let us look at the definition of these terms in Greek.
Matthew 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
TRIBES -- PHULE {foo-lay'}
1) a tribe
1a) in the NT all the persons descending from one of the twelve sons
of the patriarch, Jacob
2) a race, nation, people
EARTH - GE {ghay}
Also translated in the AV as earth, land, ground, country, world, earthly
1) arable land
2) the ground, the earth as a standing place
3) the main land as opposed to the sea or water
4) the earth as a whole
4a) the earth as opposed to the heavens
4b) the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals
5) a country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of
land, territory, region
So we can translate the same words from the greek as follows: "All the tribes of the land,." considering the 12 tribes of Israel alone. It can be translated as nations of the earth as a whole, also. But it can just as much only refer to the tribes of Israel. In order to discover the proper interpretation and meaning of the statement by Jesus, we have to look to the context of the rest of the chapter. And since we see that the context involves the temple destruction when we read....
Matthew 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors....then we can conclude it is a local prophecy dealing with a local event... the destruction of Jerusalem.