THE GENERATION THAT WILL NOT PASS AWAY

"I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." - Matthew 24:34

Put another way...The generation that witnesses the things spoken of between Matthew 24:4-30 will not pass away before ALL those events transpire. All of the events foretold in verses 4-30 will occur within the time span of a generation, a certain generation.

The main timing mechanism for the start of "The Generation" that will see all these things is reunified and nationalized Israel. The people of Israel were scattered throughout the nations of the world until May of 1948. Since then, they have been harassed by their neighbors and even threatened to be wiped off the face of the planet, but still remain by the grace and many promises of God. 

Many believe the story of the Fig Tree to be a huge symbolic picture of Israel mentioned in Scripture. Matthew 21:18-22 speaks to Israel missing Christ's first visitation.

"Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." 

Luke 13:6-9 mentions Israel rejecting Jesus' three-year ministry, but receives one more year as a chance to accept Him as their Messiah. 

"Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' " 

Matthew 24:32 pictures Israel as a time-piece or stopwatch that must be observed closely, especially since the re-creation of Israel as a nation. 

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near." 

Now, the exciting question is - how long is a Generation? According to Psalm 90:10 - 

"The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away." 

I don't believe in specific date setting. However, I do believe we can know the Season of His Rapture of true believers. Let us do the seasonal configuring. If you go out the max of 80 years from 1948 you get 2028. Then subtract 7 years to account for the Tribulation and you get the year 2021. So, for those who believe in a Pre-Tribulational Rapture, like me, anytime for the next 9 years is the Season to be looking for your redemption to draw near, according to this calculation. [This post was originally written in 2012]

This special Generation was future for the generation Jesus was speaking to because of what we know Jesus said would happen and what has NOT happened yet in history paralleled to His words. Taken from a study by Daymond Duck  - 

“the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the Holy place” has not happened. 

"There’s no evidence of a seven-year covenant for peace in the Middle East when Jesus said these things." 

"Jesus talked about “great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, no nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). It’s a stretch to say that 70 A.D. was worse than the Flood, worse than WWI, worse than WW II, worse than the Holocaust, or worse than anything that will happen in the future." 

"Jesus said, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved” (Matthew 24:21). No one came close to destroying the Romans Empire or everyone on earth in 70 A.D. There’s no evidence that Jesus came back and prevented anything like this from happening." 

"For another thing, Jesus said, “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: 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. 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” (Matthew 24:29-31). There’s no evidence of a darkened sun and moon, falling stars, everyone seeing Jesus, everyone on earth mourning, trumpets sounding, and all the elect being gathered together in 70 A.D."

(http://www.raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd16.html)

However, there are events within Matthew 24:4-30 that have been occurring since Jesus prophesied them, but they happen like "birth pains/pangs" - greater intensity and greater frequency over time. 

"Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." - Matthew 24:4-8

Matthew 24:36 says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." 

When Christ said these words He had given up His Glory and clothed Himself with humanity. I believe when He said those words they WERE true. NOW, I believe He knows the Father's mind, because He is seated at the right hand of the Father and is one with Him. How can God, who knows all things and is now together in heaven with each other, withhold information from Himself? Get your brain around that one. The main point is that WE don't know when Jesus is going to Rapture true believers back home with Him. We are to be Working and Watching. Telling people about God's saving grace through Jesus Christ our Lord and being ready for His rapturing away of us by living a Spirit-led, Christ-like life with God's help.

From studying Scripture(s) the future national and world conditions are going to worsen in the near future. But there is hope. True believers could definitely be off this "rock" within 9 years. We could be in paradise in the next brea....("breath" for those that didn't get that). No matter when Jesus comes for us, just be ready. Buckle your seat belts this world is about to rock and roll and true believers are about to blast off.

(*Originally Posted on February 17, 2012)