This Generation
Are you weary with waiting for His coming, or do you still feel a sense of expectancy?
A Future Hope
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Matthew 24:29-35 NASBS
[29] "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND the STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [30] And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. [31] And He will send forth His angels with a GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. [32] "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; [33] so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. [34] Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
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Until Christ Returns
Some understand this generation to mean true believers (v. 34), yet it is likely better to understand it to mean that until Christ returns the Jews will always remain a separate people.
The continued existence of the Jews as a distinct nation is undeniably a great miracle. It is one of those evidences of the truth of the Bible that the infidel can never overthrow.
For most of their history since A.D. 70 the Jews have been without a land, without a king, without a government, scattered and dispersed over the world. The Jews are never absorbed among the people of the countries where they live like people of other nations, but live alone. Nothing can account for this but the finger of God.
The Jewish nation stands before the world as a crushing answer to infidelity and a living book of evidence that the Bible is true.
But we ought not to regard the Jewish people only as a witness that the Bible is true. We should see in them a continual pledge that the Lord Jesus is coming again. Like the Lord's Supper, they witness to the reality of the second advent as well as of the first.
Our Lord's predictions will certainly be fulfilled (v. 35). Our Lord knew well the natural unbelief of human nature. He knew that scoffers would arise in the last days saying,
'Where is the promise of his coming?' (2 Peter 3:4). He knew that when he came faith would be rare on the earth.
He saw how many would contemptuously reject the solemn predictions he had just been delivering as improbable, unlikely and absurd. He warns us against all such sceptical thoughts with a serious and dignified caution. Our Lord Jesus tells us that, whatever man may say or think, his words shall be fulfilled in their season and shall not pass away unaccomplished.
Unbelieving Age
We must heed the warning offered by Jesus. We live in an unbelieving age. Few believed the report of our Lords first coming and few today believe the report of his second. Let us be ever mindful of this infection and believe to the saving of our souls.
As we dwell in Gods word, remember that we are not reading cunningly devised fables, but deep and momentous truths. May God give is a pure heart to believe and be guided by His word and to strive for the righteousness that can only be found in surrender to Him and in abiding in Him.
Amen!
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2 Peter 3:3-14 NASBS
[3] Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." [5] For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, [6] through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. [7] But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. [8] But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
[9] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
[11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
[13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
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FOR MEDITATION: Are you weary with waiting for his coming, or do you still feel a sense of expectancy?
Further Meditation and Prayer
In Matthew 24:34 “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place”. Several interpretations have been offered for this difficult passage and we can explore them here in total.
Some think “this generation” refers to the disciples who were alive when Jesus was speaking, and “all these things” refers to the beginning but not the completion of the sufferings described in vv. 4–25.
Others see in “all these things” a prediction with multiple fulfillments, so that Jesus’ disciples will be both “this generation” that sees the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and also those at the end of the age who see the events surrounding the “abomination of desolation” (v. 15).
Since “the generation of …” in the OT can mean people who have a certain quality (cf. Ps. 14:5; 24:6; cf. Gk. genea in Luke 16:8), others understand “this generation” to refer either
to “this generation of believers” throughout the entire present age
to “this evil generation” that will remain until Christ returns to establish his kingdom (cf. Matt. 12:45; Luke 11:29).
Others, particularly some dispensational interpreters, understand “generation” to mean “race” (this is another sense of Gk. genea) and think it refers to the Jewish people, who will not pass away until Christ returns.
Others understand “this generation” to mean the generation that sees “all these things” (Matt. 24:33), namely, the generation alive when the final period of great tribulation begins. According to this view, the illustration of the fig tree (v. 32) shows that when the final events begin, Christ will come soon. Just as “all these things” in v. 33 refers to events leading up to but not including Christ’s return, so in v. 34 “all these things” refers to the same events (that is, the events described in vv. 4–25).