Meaning of This Generation Will Not Pass Away Until All These Things Take Place

[jamesdalbright]

Well I believe it is you who is in error

Matthew 24 and 25 are the Olivet discourse and constitutes one th9ought, though it was later divided intro two chapters. Let us remember that the originals were not divided by chapters and verses.

In 24:29 we see the gathering of the elect. Who can this be? Most people think this is the church or all believers, but cannot be.

In chapter 25:31-40 is another gathering. this is all the peoples ( keeping this in its historic context that would refer to gentiles)

In this gathering is both saved and lost, so the elect is not a gathering of all believers! And given all the promises of God in both the old and new that God would save all of Israel in the end times and that they are Gods covenanted people, they are the elect that are first gathered at jesus return, and the rest of the peoples (nations) are gathered after. and the saved are separated from the lost.

Matt 24:29 still contains the statement that uncovers that you are wrong.
Matt. 24:29 “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.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Matt 24:29 still contains the statement that uncovers that you are wrong.
Matt. 24:29 “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.

And what part of my statement does verse 29:
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:
says is wrong?

 

[covenantee]

Well I believe it is you who is in error

Matthew 24 and 25 are the Olivet discourse and constitutes one th9ought, though it was later divided intro two chapters. Let us remember that the originals were not divided by chapters and verses.

In 24:29 we see the gathering of the elect. Who can this be? Most people think this is the church or all believers, but cannot be.

In chapter 25:31-40 is another gathering. this is all the peoples ( keeping this in its historic context that would refer to gentiles)

In this gathering is both saved and lost, so the elect is not a gathering of all believers! And given all the promises of God in both the old and new that God would save all of Israel in the end times and that they are Gods covenanted people, they are the elect that are first gathered at jesus return, and the rest of the peoples (nations) are gathered after. and the saved are separated from the lost.

In Scripture the elect are exclusively and always those who are faithful and obedient to God and His Son. In the NT, they are His Church. They are comprised of both Jews and Gentiles.

In Matthew 25:31-40, the elect are the sheep. It is they, i.e. faithful and obedient Jews and Gentiles, who are God's Covenant People. It is they who will be saved, and they alone. Unfaithful disobedient Jews and Gentiles will be lost.

 

[ScottA]

The fact that Babylon the great, which is the USA, didn't exist at that time reveals you are wrong.
The Antichrist and False Prophet have been thrown into the lake of Fire yet, which reveals you are wrong.
Rev. 19:20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

I wasn't speaking in terms of discussion, that I might be "wrong." I was stating the facts.

But you are thinking too small. Babylon was just the namesake of Babylon the great, which being "great" means all...not when Babylon was great, or when the spirit of Babylon would be great again at other times in other nations. But it refers rather to the overall spirit of Babylon ("confusion") that has plagued every nation and people since Babel.

So, unless you mean to assert that there has been no great confusion since Babel...you will do better to examine your own eye.

 

[Arthur81]

Just like most others, I have my understanding of this key verse, but am I correct? Can I test my view with objectivity seeking the truth, and avoiding the fleshly desire to make debate points? I'll use the KJV with the NRSV and I'll also use the parallel record as found in Mark 13 and Luke 21, starting as they departed the temple. I am concerned about knowing the truth.

The disciples spoke of the temple in Luke 21:5 "how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts".
Jesus replied Lk 21:6 "these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Then Peter, James, John & Andrew (Mk 13:2) ask:

Mt. 24:3 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mk 13:4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Lk 21:7 Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign [will there be] when these things shall come to pass?

Jesus has specifically spoken of the destruction of the temple alone, but in the question of the disciples, Matthew adds the words "and of the end of the world (NRSV age)." Why could that be?

Easton's Dict. on Matthew "The cast of thought and the forms of expression employed by the writer show that this Gospel was written for Jewish Christians of Palestine."
Easton's on Luke "Luke's Gospel has been called 'the Gospel of the nations, full of mercy and hope, assured to the world by the love of a suffering Saviour..the Gospel for the Greeks...'"
Easton's on Mark "It was intended primarily for Romans. This appears probable when it is considered that it makes no reference to the Jewish law, and that the writer takes care to interpret words which a Gentile would be likely to misunderstand..."

"Temple of Jerusalem, either of two temples that were the centre of worship and national identity in ancient Israel." Temple of Jerusalem | Description, History, & Significance

It is clear that the destruction of the temple, which was the Jew's center of worship and national identity, would be to them "the end of the world or age". Matthew being written from a Jewish perspective would reflect this where in the gospels to Gentiles, there was no reason to record this.

Jesus then gives the signs concerning that to which the disciples asked. That covers Mt. 24:4-33 and then the verse in question:

Matt 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

All the preceding signs must be done or fulfilled "till all these things be done".

What is the meaning of "this generation"? Both the KJV and NRSV read the same. In English, "generation" according to Merriam-Webster means "1 a: a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor b: a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously". That is English, what about the Greek of "generation" in particular contexts? That requires using a Greek-English Lexicon and I'll give three on the Greek genea -

AMGL - "(b) of all the people of a given period: Mat 24:34, Mar 13:30, Luk 21:32, Php 2:15; pl., Luk 1:48;"

Thayer - "the whole multitude of men living at the same time: Mat 24:34; Mar 13:30; Luk 1:48 (πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί); 21:32; Php 2:15;"

BDAG - "the sum total of those born at the same time, expanded to include all those living at a given time and freq. defined in terms of specific characteristics, generation, contemporaries...Jesus looks upon the whole contemp. generation of Israel as a uniform mass confronting him ἡ γ. αὕτη (cp. Gen 7:1; Ps 11:8) Mt 11:16; 12:41f; 23:36; 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 7:31; 11:29–32, 50f; 17:25; 21:32"

After doing a word study on the Greek and the English of "generation", I see no reason to disagree with the Greek-English Lexicons I have quoted. But an interesting phrase did pop up, found 3 times in the KJV "that generation"; Ex. 1:6; Judg 2:10; Heb 3:10; and the phrase "that generation" is found twice in the NRSV Ps 95:10; Heb 3:10. When "that" is used it means a generation further away in time, centuries distant; and the references I've quoted show this; "this" is used to mean that near by, close or at hand. All three gospels use "this generation" in Mt. 24:34 and "this means that which is near by, at hand"; where in the Bible when "that" is used it means a generation far away in time. This is standard English usage -

"This and that are two of the most commonly used words in the English language. Both these words can be used as demonstrative adjectives and pronouns. In addition, the word that can also be used as a relative pronoun, which can connect two clauses or phrases together. However, the main difference between this and that is the fact that the word this is generally used to refer to something that is close by whereas the word that is used to refer to something that farther away in time and space. Therefore, this and that convey two different meanings although both have similar functions."

Difference Between This and That | Learn English Grammar Online

What is the difference between This and That? This is used with things closer to the speaker while That is used with things farther away from the speaker.

pediaa.com

At this point I am forced to conclude that the entire passage refers to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. But this leaves me with a couple passages that may be difficult to understand -

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt 24:14 KJV) *This had been completed in Paul's time, Rm 1:8; Col. 1:23.

The apocalyptic language in Mt 24:29-31 can seen as figurative usage since Jews were familiar with this sort of phrasing: Isa. 13:1, 10, 19-20; Eze 32:2, 7-8; Isa 19:1; Nah 1:3; Psa 104:3 and numerous other texts of the OT.

The gathering of the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, I find coincides with the preaching of the gospel prior to 70 AD throughout the then known world, Mt. 24:14; Rm 1:8 & Col. 1:23. The gathering by the gospel into the body of Christ.

To literalize vs29-31 would introduce a contradiction with v34 and the OT gives us the meanings or usage of the figurative language found here. Reading the apocalyptic language found here literally, is uncalled for, and incorrect.

 

[ewq1938]

Reading the apocalyptic language found here literally, is uncalled for, and incorrect.

And this entire post is Full-Preterism, that teaches the second coming and rapture and resurrection are past events. Pure heresy.

 

[Arthur81]

And this entire post is Full-Preterism, that teaches the second coming and rapture and resurrection are past events. Pure heresy.

You did not attempt to refute my exposition, you merely wrote a falsehood that I am a "Full Preterist"! I said absolutely nothing about the second coming of Christ on the last day. Since you chose to exhibit your ignorance, I'll post statements from men of God out of the past, as far back as John Calvin himself showing that I am inline with historic church belief, based squarely on the Bible. Dear readers, try to find in church history prior to Darby and Scofield that this passage is about some 7-year tribulation in our future.

Joseph Benson (1749-1821) Methodist Bible scholar on Mt 24:34
"For he adds, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled, Hereby evidently showing that he had been speaking all this while only of the calamities coming on the Jews, and the destruction of Jerusalem. “It is to me a wonder,” says Bishop Newton, “how any man can refer part of the foregoing discourse to the destruction of Jerusalem, and part to the end of the world, or any other distant event, when it is said so positively here in the conclusion, All these things shall be fulfilled in this generation."

Matthew 24 - Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Matthew 24, Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, Joseph Benson's commentary is renowned for its clear and practical exposition of the Scriptures. As an English Methodist preacher and biblical scholar, his work is a valuable resource for Christians seeking to deepen their...

www.studylight.org

John Calvin (1509-1564) on Mt. 24:34
"This generation shall not pass away. Though Christ employs a general expression, yet he does not extend the discourses to all the miseries which would befall the Church, but merely informs them, that before a single generation shall have been completed, they will learn by experience the truth of what he has said. For within fifty years the city was destroyed and the temple was razed, the whole country was reduced to a hideous desert, and the obstinacy of the world rose up against God. Nay more, their rage was inflamed to exterminate the doctrine of salvation, false teachers arose to corrupt the pure gospel by their impostures, religion sustained amazing shocks, and the whole company of the godly was miserably distressed...The meaning therefore is: 'This prophecy does not relate to evils that are distant, and which posterity will see after the lapse of many centuries, but which are now hanging over you, and ready to fall in one mass, so that there is no part of it which the present generation will not experience.'"

Matthew 24 - Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Matthew 24, Calvin's Commentary on the Bible, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by John Calvin, helps you experience his lasting impact on Christian theology and thought

www.studylight.org

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary published 1871, on Mk 13:30
"Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass until all these things be done - or "fulfilled;; (Matthew 24:34; Luke 21:32). See introductory remarks on this second half of the prophecy. Whether we take this to mean that the whole would be fulfilled within the limits of the generation then current, or, according to a usual way of speaking, that the generation then existing would not pass away without seeing a begun fulfillment of this prediction, the facts entirely correspond. For either the whole was fulfilled in the destruction accomplished by Titus, as many think; or if we stretch it out, according to others, until the thorough dispersion of the Jews a little later, under Adrian, every requirement of our Lord's words seems to be met." *Adrian/Hadrian began Romanizing Jerusalem in 132 AD

Mark 13 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Mark 13, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is the unabridged version prepared by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown

www.studylight.org

John Gill (1697-1771) Baptist on Mt 24:34
"...as Dr. Lightfoot observes, many of the Jewish doctors now living, when Christ spoke these words, lived until the city was destroyed; as Rabban Simeon, who perished with it, R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, who outlived it, R. Zadoch, R. Ishmael, and others: this is a full and clear proof, that not anything that is said before, relates to the second coming of Christ, the day of judgment, and end of the world; but that all belong to the coming of the son of man, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and to the end of the Jewish state."

Matthew 24 - Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Matthew 24, Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this verse-by-verse commentary contain gems of information found nowhere outside the ancient Jewish writings

www.studylight.org

Robert Hawker (1753-1827) Anglican Vicar
"The darkening of the sun and moon, and falling of the stars, are certainly meant in a figurative way; and were intended to imply, that on the dispersion of the Jews, those awful events should follow which the Prophet foretold, when the Lord would cause the sun to go down at noon. See the whole prophecy, Amos 8:8 to the end. Neither when the Lord speaks of the Son of Man coming to judgment, could be meant, that immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem, would be the day of final judgment; but rather the judgment on the Jews, for rejecting the Lord of life and glory, and the sending of his Angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and gathering his elect, implies, his ministers going forth to preach the Gospel, which with the effect, is spoken of both by the Prophet and the Apostle. Isaiah 27:13 ; Revelation 14:6 . And the limitation of those events, to the then generation, in which Christ predicted them, is a plain proof to what they referred. For it was not full forty years after, when Jerusalem wan destroyed; so that consequently many lived to see the accomplishment."

Matthew 24 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Matthew 24, Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary by Robert Hawker, contains 9,600 comments on the Old and New Testaments

www.studylight.org

Check out this commentary by a Roman Catholic on Mt. 24:34
"This generation; i.e. the nation of the Jews shall not cease to exist, until all these things shall be accomplished: thus we see the nation of the Jews still continue, and will certainly continue to the end of the world. (Tirinus) --- Then the cross, which as been a scandal to the Jew, and a stumbling-block to the Gentile, shall appear in the heavens, for the consolation of the good Christian. Hoc signum crucis erit in cœlo, cum Dominus ad judicandum venerit. --- If it be to be understood of the destruction of Jerusalem, the sense may be, this race of men now living; if of the last day of judgment, this generation of the faithful, saith Theophylactus,[4] shall be continued: i.e. the Church of Christ, to the end of the world. (Witham) --- This race, I tell you in very truth, shall not pass away till all this be finally accomplished in the ruin of Jerusalem, the most express figure of the destruction and end of the world. (Bible de Vence) --- By generation, our Saviour does not mean the people that were in existence at that time, but the faithful of his Church; thus says the psalmist: this is the generation of them that seek the Lord. (Psalm xxiii, ver. 6.) (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lxxvii.)"

Matthew 24 - Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org

Matthew 24, Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary was originally compiled by priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock.

www.studylight.org

 

[ewq1938]

You did not attempt to refute my exposition, you merely wrote a falsehood that I am a "Full Preterist"! I said absolutely nothing about the second coming of Christ on the last day.

You claim the gathering of the saints already happened but that happens the day of the second coming so you did express Full Preterism.

 

[Arthur81]

You claim the gathering of the saints already happened but that happens the day of the second coming so you did express Full Preterism.

Claiming that the gathering of the saints into the church by the preaching of the gospel makes one a Full Preterist is only true if you insist Matt. 24:31 refers to the second coming at the last day. John Gill wrote before there even existed a word 'preterist" in theology and he was NOT a Full Preterist -

John Gill (1697-1771) Baptist on Matt. 24:31
"and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other; that is, by the ministration of the Gospel; the Spirit of God accompanying it with his power, and grace, the ministers of the word should gather out of the world unto Christ, and to his churches, such persons as God had, before the foundation of the world, chosen in Christ, unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth; wherever they are under the whole heavens, from one end to another; or in any part of the earth, though at the greatest distance; for in Mark 13:27 it is said, 'from the uttermost part of the earth, to the uttermost part of the heaven'".

But John Gill, thinking v36 also applied to 70 AD wrote as well -
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man,.... Which is to be understood, not of the second coming of Christ, the end of the world, and the last judgment; but of the coming of the son of man, to take vengeance on the Jews, and of their destruction"

 

[WalterandDebbie]

For a long time I wondered how the phrase, "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place", found in Mat 24:32 fits into the picture of the end times. I have heard the unsaved scoff at the Bible, claiming that the Bible is not true because the generation that Jesus was speaking to did not see all of the things He was describing take place. However, I heard from the Holy Spirit through a fellow believer, that Jesus was telling the disciples that the generation that recognizes the things Jesus described in Mat 24 are taking place would be the generation that sees all of the things Jesus told them will take place and be the generation that sees the coming of Jesus. Thank you Jesus. For example, everyone now sees and reports that the earthquakes are occurring more frequently and greater in intensity like birth pangs. We are that generation that will see the second coming of Jesus. With this in mind we can also see that all of the things Jesus spoke about will occur very rapidly.
Matt. 24:32 “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.

As is described in Mat 24:7-9 earthquakes and famines have become noticeably more frequent and intense like birth pangs during child birth. It is also obvious that Christians are becoming more hated by all.
Matt. 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

The Palestinian, Israeli conflict and the international cry for peace beckons for the Antichrist to emerge on the scene and make a peace treaty between many nations and Israel and put a false end to this conflict. With this in view we can see that the time the Antichrist will break the peace treaty and he and the False Prophet will set up the abomination of desolation, as described in Mat 24:15 is close.
Matt. 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

Hello jamesdalbright, and how are you all? Interesting, and a great post.
Matthew 24

The Temple To Be Destroyed

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

The Disciples' Two Question

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

The Tribulation

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand

16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

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.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you before.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

The Second Coming

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.

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

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:

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.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Parable Of The Fig Tree

32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Illustration Of The Days Of Noah

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Illustration Of The Two Servants

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Love, Walter And Debbie

 

[rwb]

For a long time I wondered how the phrase, "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place", found in Mat 24:32 fits into the picture of the end times. I have heard the unsaved scoff at the Bible, claiming that the Bible is not true because the generation that Jesus was speaking to did not see all of the things He was describing take place. However, I heard from the Holy Spirit through a fellow believer, that Jesus was telling the disciples that the generation that recognizes the things Jesus described in Mat 24 are taking place would be the generation that sees all of the things Jesus told them will take place and be the generation that sees the coming of Jesus. Thank you Jesus. For example, everyone now sees and reports that the earthquakes are occurring more frequently and greater in intensity like birth pangs. We are that generation that will see the second coming of Jesus. With this in mind we can also see that all of the things Jesus spoke about will occur very rapidly.
Matt. 24:32 “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.

What is the purpose for Christ speaking in parables? If the parable of the fig tree was given for the same purpose for which He spoke all the other parables, then Christ would have told the parable to His disciples so they might understand the spiritual Kingdom of God has come, and they will be able to discern the Gospel of the Kingdom of God they are sent out with, is spiritually growing as the Gospel is proclaimed unto all the nations of the earth to be a witness unto all nations. Is this parable like all His other parables or is this a parable of only what shall come when the spiritual Kingdom of God is complete and Christ returns again?

Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truths about God's Kingdom and the way that man might be saved. If this is true of all His other parables, why would we think the parable of the fig tree is not about the same subject matter, but instead focuses on the last day with the coming of Christ?

If we know the purpose for which Christ spoke the parable to His disciples, then we should be able to discover what He meant when He said, "this generation shall not pass away till all these things take place."

I have come to believe that Christ was speaking of the "chosen generation" for which His first to His last disciples shall all understand and belong to when they know and believe that entrance into spiritual Kingdom of God is through the Gospel of Christ proclaimed through the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:10 (KJV) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

The first disciples had been with Christ, hearing Him curse the fig tree, and observing it wither and die. They heard Christ say, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever ". What must they have been thinking when Christ tells them they would know the Kingdom of God was here, and even at the door when the fig tree begins to have life again? These first disciples were witnesses of the elect remnant being made alive again as they entered the spiritual Kingdom of God as they heard the Gospel proclaimed in the power of the Holy Spirit. The fig tree that began to show life was not Israel in unbelief, but Israel of God. The spiritual Kingdom of God began with twelve Jewish discples and spread throughout first the Jewish nation, and from there the fig tree has blossomed throughout all the nations of the world.

The chosen generation to which generation every faithful saint belongs to, is the generation that shall not pass away until all things shall be fulfilled as the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is preached unto the ends of the earth, and then the end shall come.

 

[rwb]

I was of the mindset that "this generation" Christ said would not pass away until the end was the "evil generation" that belonged to their father, the devil. I still believe evil will always be with the saints on this earth until Christ comes again. But what I failed to consider in this thinking was that Christ had cursed the fig tree, and said it would never again produce life. That made me re-think the meaning of the fig tree.

In the Old Covenant the nation was often compared to being ruled over by trees. Consider Judges 9:7-21 where Jotham used trees to symbolize a king reigning over them. When the nation was ruled they were under the care provided by especially the fig tree (king, judge). That's why when Christ came He said before calling Nathnael He saw him under the fig tree.

John 1:48 (KJV) Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Understanding that Christ cursing the fig tree was cursing the Old Covenant nation that had become apostate and an abomination unto God, we can understand how it would have been important for these first Jewish disciples to see Jewish converts from the Old Covenant Law turn to Christ upon hearing the Gospel of the spiritual Kingdom of God preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, and know the spiritual Kingdom of God had begun to grow first within the Jewish nation, and spread throughout the world.

The chosen generation, the holy people of God will not pass away until the spiritual Kingdom of God is complete and that will be when Christ shall be seen coming in the clouds of heaven.