The world, the tribulation, the mark of the beast, the abomination, and the rapture

Many details in these four chapters make it clear, that Jesus’ words go far beyond the events of 70 AD to describe the events at the end of the age. 

Based on the points I made in the previous blog on 'language', I don't see how. But I'll wait for you to unpack that. For example, your email says:

For example, Jesus describes the time of the Great Tribulation as the worst time in history (Mt. 24:21).

'Worst time in history'? It's based on:

Matthew 24:21

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

But by this logic, we'd have to say the same thing about:

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

But Daniel is talking about the crisis of Antiochus (Dan. 11). Is that crisis really - literally - 'a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.'? There were probably worse crises in the history of Israel, or other nations generally. So, it's got to be hyperbole. It's the same with Joel and Ezekiel.

In his book "Last Days Madness", Gary DeMar makes the same point: that the language is "proverbial and hyperbolic".

It's the same with this point:

God shortens this time frame to three and a half years in order to keep the entire human race from being physically killed (Mt. 24:22).

This is based on Matthew 24:22:

If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

But look at Jeremiah 22:22, which Matthew is alluding to -

The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

But Jeremiah is talking about the Chaldeon army wiping out 'Judah only'. Thus, the Olivet Discourse is talking about 'Judah only'.

And who are 'the elect'? The elect are the Christian Jews/Gentiles during the 'present age'.

But your email uses Luke 21:35 to prove it's not 'Judah only', but the 'whole world'.

For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.

The 'whole earth'? No: 'oikoumene' is used again, meaning the 'Roman Empire'. So, so far, I don't see a good reason to think the Jewish War wasn't all that was intended in the Olivet Discourse.

I addressed this part of the email in the last couple of blogs:

Jesus said this time of tribulation would not happen until after we see the abomination of desolation (Mt. 24:15), which includes a worldwide Antichrist worship system centered upon the image of the Antichrist, and the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:13-18).

* The abomination of desolation: consider what Luke says here:

Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Based on this, the 'abomination' has something to do with Jerusalem being 'compassed with armies'. The Jewish War fits the bill here. Consider this:

it happened when the Jewish Zealots, those ancient terrorists, occupied the Temple and committed various acts of sacrilege, including using sacred materials for war and crowning a "high priest" in a farcical ceremony. The retired priest Ananus himself used the word "abominations" to describe what happened. They committed bloodshed in the temple sanctuary, thereby profaning it by killing the innocent [Keener, ibid. -- and it was exactly three and a half years after this "desecration" that the Temple was destroyed

Also, Josephus thought the 'abomination' was 'the shedding of priestly blood' in the sanctuary/temple, which caused the 'desolation', which was the destruction of the sanctuary/temple in 70 AD.

*'Worldwide anti-Christ worship'? Well, that's based on 'world' being 'kosmos', and not 'oikoumene', the Roman Empire.
*The mark of the beast: 666 is just the numerical value of the name 'Nero' in Hebrew (in terms of the Roman practice of gematria).

It then gives a description of Jesus judging the nations immediately following the Second Coming (Mt. 25:31-46).

This is the Final Judgment, something I agree still needs to be fulfilled 'after' the Millennial Kingdom.

Finally in verses 50-55, Paul speaks of the mystery pertaining to the generation of believers that will not die, but instead, will be conveyed from mortality to immortality, instantaneously at the return of Christ.

And this is the 'other' thing that still needs to be fulfilled: The Final Resurrection of the Saints.

1 Thessalonians 4-5: Paul describes the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming (1 Thes. 4:15-18).

I see these events as essentially the same thing. The 'rapture' is just those who are called 'up into the clouds' who are still 'alive' at the same time the dead are raised. But all of this includes the resurrection of 'a body'; when we're 'caught up in the clouds', those who were still alive aren't going to have the same body they had prior to being 'caught up'.

I'll stop here.