This Generation

In his prophecy about the conclusion of this system of things, Jesus said this:

(Matthew 24:34) Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.

To whom was Jesus referring to by the term "this generation"? The surrounding verses do not specifically point to any particular group, but the sentence itself gives us a clue. It says that the generation will "pass away" once all the signs have occurred. (Mt 5:18; Mr 13:30; Lu 21:32)

Since Jesus was describing the events just prior to Armageddon, and since the sheep on his right hand (Mt 25:33) do not "pass away" , but will live through Armageddon, they cannot be who he is referring to as "this generation".

And since the remnant who are still alive on earth at that time will not see death, but will be changed in the blink of an eye into spirit form (1Co 15:51, 52), that also rules them out as the ones who he is referring to as "this generation".

So who does die at Armageddon? The wicked.

Does that harmonize with all of the other times that Jesus used the term "generation"? Here are all of the scriptures where Jesus used the term "generation" but was not talking about lineage:

(Matthew 11:16) “With whom will I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to their playmates,

(Matthew 12:39) In reply he said to them: “A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Joʹnah the prophet.

(Matthew 12:41) Men of Ninʹe·veh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at what Joʹnah preached. But look! something more than Joʹnah is here.

(Matthew 12:42) The queen of the south will be raised up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solʹo·mon. But look! something more than Solʹo·mon is here.

(Matthew 12:45) Then it goes and takes along with it seven different spirits more wicked than itself, and after getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that man become worse than the first. That is how it will be also with this wicked generation.”

(Matthew 16:4) A wicked and adulterous generation keeps seeking a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Joʹnah.” With that he went away, leaving them behind.

(Matthew 17:17) In reply Jesus said: “O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”

(Matthew 23:36) Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

(Matthew 24:34) Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.

(Mark 8:12) So he sighed deeply in his spirit and said: “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say, no sign will be given to this generation.”

(Mark 8:38) For whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

(Mark 9:19) In response he said to them: “O faithless generation, how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

(Mark 13:30) Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.

(Luke 7:31) “With whom, therefore, should I compare the men of this generation, and whom are they like?

(Luke 9:41) In response Jesus said: “O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you and put up with you? Bring your son over here.”

(Luke 11:29) When the crowds were massing together, he began to say: “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Joʹnah.

(Luke 11:30) For just as Joʹnah became a sign to the Ninʹe·vites, so will the Son of man be to this generation.

(Luke 11:31) The queen of the south will be raised up in the judgment with the men of this generation and will condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solʹo·mon. But look! something more than Solʹo·mon is here.

(Luke 11:32) The men of Ninʹe·veh will rise in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at what Joʹnah preached. But look! something more than Joʹnah is here.

(Luke 11:50) so that the blood of all the prophets spilled from the founding of the world may be charged against this generation,

(Luke 11:51) from the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah, who was killed between the altar and the house.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation.

(Luke 16:8) And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation than the sons of the light are.

(Luke 17:25) First, however, he must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation.

(Luke 21:32) Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all things happen.

What about the term "generation" used by others in the Greek scriptures? I found 3 instances where Paul also used the term "generation", and he too uses it to refer to wicked mankind.

(Acts 2:40) And with many other words he gave a thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: “Get saved from this crooked generation.”

(Philippians 2:15) so that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world,

(Hebrews 3:10) This is why I became disgusted with this generation and said: ‘They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not come to know my ways.’

So both Jesus and Paul always used the description "generation" to refer to wicked mankind.
If that is what it refers to that would also include wicked mankind all the way back to Adam. Do the Hebrew texts also apply "generation" to the wicked when not talking about lineage?

(Genesis 7:1) After that Jehovah said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, because you are the one I have found to be righteous before me among this generation.

(Numbers 32:13) So Jehovah’s anger blazed against Israel and he made them wander about in the wilderness for 40 years, until all the generation that was doing evil in the eyes of Jehovah came to its end.

(Deuteronomy 1:35) Not one of these men of this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers,

(Deuteronomy 2:14) The time it took us to walk from Kaʹdesh-barʹne·a until we crossed the Valley of Zeʹred was 38 years, until the entire generation of the men of war had perished from the camp, just as Jehovah had sworn to them.

(Deuteronomy 32:5) They are the ones who have acted corruptly. They are not his children, the defect is their own. They are a crooked and twisted generation!

(Deuteronomy 32:20) So he said, ‘I will hide my face from them; I will see what will become of them. For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom there is no faithfulness.

(Psalm 78:8) Then they would not be like their forefathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation whose heart was unsteady And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

(Jeremiah 2:31) O generation, consider for yourselves the word of Jehovah. Have I become like a wilderness to Israel Or a land of oppressive darkness? Why have these, my people, said, ‘We roam freely. We will come to you no more’?

Does "generation" always refer to the wicked in the Hebrew texts? I found this one that does not:

(Psalm 14:5) But they will be filled with great terror, For Jehovah is with the generation of the righteous.

There, the psalmist is referring to a righteous generation. But that verse still backs up the idea that the description "generation" is referring to mankind in general, and not a particular group alive at a particular time because here it is referring to "the sons of men." (Ps 14:2)

Throughout the entire Bible, when "generation" is not referring to lineage but is being used as a noun, that is to say, used to identify a class of people, it is, with only one exception, referring to wicked mankind.

The Bible is provided to us by Jehovah God, and he sees the big picture. 2 Peter 3:8 tells us that a day to God is a thousand years to man. Picture yourself a million years from now, and you are talking about the first 6,000 years of human history when the earth was filled with the wicked. Referring to all of wicked mankind from Adam till Armageddon you may say "That generation of mankind didn't last long. The last of them were wiped out at Armageddon".

(Matthew 24:34) Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.

Jesus was referring to those who would die at Armageddon, which was far in his future at the time. He didn't say that 'that generation will by no means pass away.' He said that "this generation will by no means pass away."

He was referring to the generation that was alive as he spoke those words, and that would also be alive at Armageddon.

So who is being spoken about at Mt 24:34? The answer seems clear to me.

What do you think?

:^)
Dave
da.getmyip@gmail.com http://da.getmyip.com/PDF/Ramblings      

Last edited 10-01-2023 (created 07-12-2022)