Hi Bob,
Don't be so quick to throw out all the modern conveniences, yet... yes these things are misused and in many ways to promote wrong doing now, but in the next age things will be a whole other story. All these things that are being developed is according to God will/plan and the rule of Christ would assure that they would be put to proper use. Since the world will still be physical when Christ rules it, maybe most of these technological advances would have a practical use for those serving physically... I think they would appreciate the comforts and advancements that we take for granted. God may be bringing about advancements now that could mainly be for its good use in the next age?
Hi largeli,
If you look at the passage in Matt 24 as Jesus giving His disciples a warning of what is to come to them in their lifetime as well as what would come at the end of the age, you get a better understanding of it. Taking one verse out is hard/impossible to gain an understanding of it as there is a couple of different things spoken of.
Jesus first had brought up the destruction of the temple and the disciples ask Him a couple of questions and He gave them answer in sequential order of what they ask. First they ask for Him to "tell us, when will these things be," the thing He had just spoke of, the destruction of the temple. Then they ask Him another question, what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Two distinct questions... maybe they didn't even realize it, thinking the end of the age was when the temple/Jerusalem would be destroyed, but that's the way I see Jesus answering with the two separate events. That to me is how to better understand what is being said, and not mixing the whole passage to be speaking of one thing, as the disciple thought it would be.
mercy, peace and love
Kat