Which generation?

Kaatje

My soul waits for the Lord, and in His Word I hope
The generation of which Matt. 24:34 speaks, I always believed that to be the people, living in the times in which the the convergence of signs are happening (meaning us, our generation).

But someone brought to my attention that there could be a different explanation.
The word “generation” could also be translated with "nation", meaning that the Jews would not cease to be, until the end of time.

In that case, it wouldn't be about us (our contempories), who are seeing the end of the age nearing, but a promise to the Jews that God would not forsake them and keep them until the endtimes, eventhough Satan would try with all his might to destroy them.

What do you think, has this merit? And if not, how to refute it?
Could it even be both?


for reference:

Word: genea. Pronounce: ghen-eh-ah'. Strongs Number: G1074

Orig: from (a presumed derivative of) 1085; a generation; by implication, an age (the period or the persons):--age, generation, nation, time. G1085

Use: TDNT-1:662,114 Noun Feminine

Heb Strong: H410 H1755 H2233 H2567 H3117 H3211 H4940 H5971 H7256 H8029


1) fathered, birth, nativity
2) that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family
2a) the several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy
2b) metaph. a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character
2b1) esp. in a bad sense, a perverse nation
3) the whole multitude of men living at the same time
4) an age (i.e. the time ordinarily occupied by each successive generation), a space of 30-33 years
 

SonSeeker

Well-Known Member
Thank you to Jan51 and Celery7, both of those articles were very interesting and exciting. I am so glad to have read them, thank you for posting them. Thank you Kaatje for raising it to begin with. :)
Yes, thank you for posting them, Kaatje!
What I found most interesting wasn't so much what Jack Kelley said, but what he didn't say. What he said is, "That would put the 2nd coming somewhere between 2018 and 2028 and the rapture no less than 7 years earlier, within most of our lifetimes." Let's see now, assuming the Lord tarries until 2028 for His 2nd Coming, and the 7 year Tribulation takes um 7 years? Wouldn't that place the Rapture no later than 2021? Now, I'm not date-setting here! I'm just asking the question after doing some simple arithmetic.:)
I don't know about you, but I'm not buying any green bananas!:thumbup
 

lenraff

Well-Known Member
The generation of which Matt. 24:34 speaks, I always believed that to be the people, living in the times in which the the convergence of signs are happening (meaning us, our generation).

But someone brought to my attention that there could be a different explanation.
The word “generation” could also be translated with "nation", meaning that the Jews would not cease to be, until the end of time.

In that case, it wouldn't be about us (our contempories), who are seeing the end of the age nearing, but a promise to the Jews that God would not forsake them and keep them until the endtimes, eventhough Satan would try with all his might to destroy them.

What do you think, has this merit? And if not, how to refute it?
Could it even be both?


for reference:

Word: genea. Pronounce: ghen-eh-ah'. Strongs Number: G1074

Orig: from (a presumed derivative of) 1085; a generation; by implication, an age (the period or the persons):--age, generation, nation, time. G1085

Use: TDNT-1:662,114 Noun Feminine

Heb Strong: H410 H1755 H2233 H2567 H3117 H3211 H4940 H5971 H7256 H8029


1) fathered, birth, nativity
2) that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family
2a) the several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy
2b) metaph. a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character
2b1) esp. in a bad sense, a perverse nation
3) the whole multitude of men living at the same time
4) an age (i.e. the time ordinarily occupied by each successive generation), a space of 30-33 years
I've come to believe that our Lord was referring to the Nation of Israel. Jesus in Mathew 24:15 begins to describe the Abomination that maketh desolate, and this must happen when the temple is rebuilt and in the middle of the tribulation when Antichrist declares himself god. Therefore, my conclusion is that the generation He is describing are tribulation Jews.
 

Ahwatukee

Active Member
Hello Kaatje,

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened."

Though the word "genea" can mean race, family, generation, according to Strong's the meaning here in Matt.24:34 is "3. the whole multitude of men living at the same time."

In further support of this the Lord makes a comparison stating that, just as when the fig tree and all the trees begin to blossom, likewise when you see "all these things happening," then you can know that the His return is near, even at the door.

Regarding that last generation, Jesus said, "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." "All the tribes of the earth" would be referring to all people world-wide during that last generation when those signs begin to appear.

Hope this helps
 

Steve53

Well-Known Member
I've come to believe that our Lord was referring to the Nation of Israel. Jesus in Mathew 24:15 begins to describe the Abomination that maketh desolate, and this must happen when the temple is rebuilt and in the middle of the tribulation when Antichrist declares himself god. Therefore, my conclusion is that the generation He is describing are tribulation Jews.
Yes the Jewish people are very much in view! Specifically your Temple AOD mention, and fleeing on the Sabbath...And Gentiles too, by implication via repeated mentions of the world as a whole. It will not be a fun time on planet earth.
 

Saved and Waiting

Well-Known Member
I like Jack Kelley's answer to a question posed to him in 2015...I realize Jack was not perfect or infallible but I believe he is right in his answer. The question and answer are below:

Q



I have two questions. A) Why should the generation Jesus mentioned in Matt. 24:34 start with the rebirth of Israel, when Jesus didn’t mention this event when describing the end-time generation? B) In other words, is your position that Israel’s re-birth appears to be the earliest chronological sign even though Jesus didn’t mention it when describing the end-time generation?


A


Isaiah 11:10-11, Ezekiel 36-37, Amos 9:11-15
and others all tell of the end times regathering of Israel. Since Jesus was being asked about signs that said the End of the Age had come, and responded by warning those in Judea to flee into the mountains when they saw the abomination of desolation (which can only happen in the Temple), and since He spoke about the Great Tribulation, an End Times judgment for the Jews first mentioned in the Old Testament, most commentators believe that the End Times couldn’t begin until the Jews were officially back in their own land.

The Lord’s brother James also confirmed this in Acts 15 when He said in effect that after the Lord was finished building His Church he would then have the Temple rebuilt as Amos 9:11 promised.

Therefore the re-emergence of Israel in 1948 is viewed as the first of the End Times signs. So then according to Matt 24:34 the generation being born when that happened will still be alive when the Lord returns. (end of Jack's answer).



IF the generation born in 1948 is the year to start the 70-80 year "countdown" to the 2nd Coming, then at the latest, the 2nd Coming would be in 2028...the earliest would be 2018. If the Church is to be gone before the start of Daniel's 70th week, we would be with our Lord by 2021....not pointing to a day or hour here for the Rapture but if 1948 is the 1st of the signs then I believe this is the "season" Jesus said the Jews should look for and His Church could also know. I'm ready any time, Lord! :meet
 

Kaatje

My soul waits for the Lord, and in His Word I hope
Thank you all for posting, it helps a lot.

Bottom line is, I think, that we don’t know everything.
We are like little children standing before a table lavishly decked with all kinds of delectable foods.
While we can smell the food and see the rims of the plates and the pots and pans,
we can’t look into them, our point of view is literally not high enough.

Jesus knew exactly what he was talking about, but we can only make educated guesses.

Personally, I really had so much hope for the rapture to occur in the year 2018.
First in spring, when Israel celebrated its 70th birthday, highlighted the the move of the USA embassy.
And later whith the fall-feasts, I thought surely now everything will fall into place, and we will be gone.
But it was not so.
It taught me the humbling lesson, that while we may think to know Gods’ timetable, He knows best.

And whatever He decides, will be the best.
So I’ll keep praying and listening for the trumpet, for surely it will come.
Maranatha
 

Erin

Member
Me too Kaatja! It tears my heart out to see how bad things have gotten. All the innocence that is destroyed or ripped apart before it even begins. It all just makes me wonder, why Lord?! But he doesn't want any to perish! And though it may be difficult I just have to trust in him!
 
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Salluz

Aspiring Man of God
I wonder what it means for a generation to pass away. If you look up the average lifespan it is still in the 70 to 80 range like the bible says, but does a generation pass away when most people are dead from it, or would it be when the very last person dies from it? In that case the 70 to 80 years wouldn't need to be a hard and fast thing, provided one person who was born around then (or maybe a person old enough to witness it? 20 or so?). Anyways I think people put too much into 70-80 years. I personally know people that are over 80, and the bible mentions many, so we know that is a generalization and not a rule. God gave the people before the flood 120 years warning (iirc) so there's nothing preventing the same from being true now. Now I believe it could happen any day (not in the "oh maaaaybeee today" way that some people say when they don't actually believe it could be today) but I'm not going to let verses with a tenuous connection harm my faith if the rapture hasn't happened by 2022. The "window" is more open I think than what people make it out to be; although it's a pleasant thought to think it has to be soon, I dont think it HAS to be soon. Although I do think it will be soon (just not that it has to be)
 
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