Were you taught that "generation" in the bible really means "race"? I was too. But no longer believe it. I believe the bible clearly teaches that "generation" is a 40-42 year time period. I will show from scripture that "generation" (genea) does not mean "race" (genos). Some teachers twist the meaning of "generation" to make Jesus say He would return thousands of years in the future.
Matthew 1:17 (NASB)
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from
David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the
deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:17 tells us that from the captivity in Babylon until Christ, are fourteen generations. The reign of Zedekiah was 586 B.C. So, from 586 B.C. until the birth of Christ is 589 years. Nobody can deny this. 589/14=42. This makes a generation about 42 years. Most commentators see a generation as about a forty year time span. That's fine but the above verse does not say "all the races from Abraham to David are fourteen races".
For those that have not heard of C. S. Lewis, he was one of the most influential writers of his day. He was one of the most famous Christian writers of all time. He lived from 1898 to1963. In 1929 he Abandons atheism and converts to theism. In 1931 he Converts to Christianity. He went on to write more than thirty books. His books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures. Christians believed what he had wrote and it added to tradition. In his book "The World's Last Night" He's Talking about Matthew 24:34. One of the things he said was:
"The apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, 'This generation shall not pass till all these things be done.' And He was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else."
He goes on to say " This is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side. (Page 385)
C. S. Lewis wrote that when Jesus talked about "this generation", Lewis calls it embarrassing. He said it was an error. So was Jesus wrong? C. S. Lewis says He was. I will never accept that Jesus was wrong. In fact, I believe Jesus kept His promise and came in the first century GENERATION. The bible tells us His second Coming would occurred spiritually just the way He intended it in 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. People miss the whole point. Sin had been atoned forever, allowing Christians from generation to generation to live on the eternal earth and in heaven without the separation from God.
C. S. Lewis saw the nature of the Second coming as physical. That's why he felt it hadn't happened yet and believed Jesus was wrong. Jesus could not have been wrong or we would not have everlasting life. It was C. S. Lewis that was wrong!
Another person that was so wrong was C.I. Scofield in His bible he changed "generation" to "race". Scofield INTENTIONALLY used the wrong Greek word with his definition. He did this because he saw the Second Coming as physical. And since it did not happen physically he had to change the meaning of the word genea with the definition for the Greek word "genos." (race) But genos is not the word used in Matthew 24:34.
Jesus clearly meant that all those things happening in that generation including the parousia of Christ (second coming) would happen while some of people to whom He preached were still alive. This happened just like He said it would in Matthew 16:27-28 and Matthew 24:34
"Generation" does not mean "Race" and Jesus was not wrong. Jesus did not say that the Jewish race would not die out until all these things took place. To prove this look at the following verses and see if you can get "race" from any of them.
Matthew 1:17; 11:16; 12:39, 41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:34; Mark 8:12, 38; 9:19; 13:30; Luke 1:48, 50; 7:31; 9:41; 11:29, 30, 31, 32, 50, 51;18:8; 17:25; 21:32.
Not one of these verses is speaking of the entire Jewish race over thousands of years! It always refers to contemporaries and those living at the same time in the first century. If you still think that "generation" means "race" then you acknowledge the fact that man has done this for you. And that's why you give "generation" another meaning in Matthew 16:27-28 and Matthew 24:34
So, it comes down to did Jesus talk about two comings (the destruction of Jerusalem Matthew 24:1-35) AND (the end of the world Matthew 24:36)
OR
Just one coming (the destruction of Jerusalem at the end of the Jewish age).
Hebrews tells us He will return only a second time not a third.
Hebrews 9:28 (NASB)
so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a
second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await
Him.
But doesn't history repeat itself and that's why there will be a return of Christ? NO that is taught by man not by God.
If you try to get two comings out of Matthew 24
one at the destruction of Jerusalem and one at the end of the world then you are
trying to find verses that speak of a future coming of Christ. Ya see
there is none. The only place in the entire bible that says Jesus will
return a second time is in the above verse And we know that happened in
the lifetime of Jesus' disciples. You cannot get two comings out of
Matthew 24. Jesus only spoke of one coming and that happened in AD 70.
Jesus said in Luke 21:20-22 (NASB)
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her
desolation is near. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains,
and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the
country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that
all things which are written will be fulfilled.
Now were you there when Jerusalem was surrounded by armies? No! Were you in Judea? are you in Judea now? It doesn't matter because it's not for you. Those that lived in Judea could escape the vengeance by fleeing to the mountains. Jesus told them living in the first century not you and I, of today Notice most important part of the verse "all things which are written will be fulfilled." Heaven and earth have passed away what are you waiting for?
Jesus said that in the destruction of Jerusalem "all things written would be fulfilled." All prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD. There is no future coming or any other prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
In Matthew 24:34 and other places talking about "generation", If Jesus didn't mean His current generation then why didn't He say that generation of a future generation. "This generation" means the generation He lived in. Some futurist make up there own idea of what "this generation" means. Some of them are even funny. Look at this one. They say, It means "those alive when these events start to happen." That is like saying "When these events take place it will be the generation that is alive when it takes place." How naive! Futurist have to make up their own theology to accommodate what they have been told or the way they were taught. People are starting to see this in the churches today, and are demanding answers. I know! I was one of them.
When Jesus says "this generation" He doesn't mean "that generation" in some far future generation. He doesn't mean "that race" What He is talking about is the tribulation period that the disciples were about to face.
Mark 13:30 (NASB)
Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things
take place.
Let me ask you this does "this generation" mean the last generation alive before the world comes to an end? If you believe "this generation" means future you are calling Jesus a liar. The people standing right in front of Him were "this generation" and you were not there! And the bible tells us the world will never come to an end.
Most Christians were not and in most cases still are not taught about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Their taught that the destruction of Jerusalem doesn't have anything to do with the important stuff, the end of the world. As a young Christian, I never really studied the destruction of Jerusalem, one of the biggest events in world history, never mind prophecy. Everything in the bible points to the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus being first. The destruction of Jerusalem it is not only discounted, but deliberately ignored. This is why futurists say Matthew 24 has nothing to do with the Second Coming of Christ. And in fact we are told it is about His coming. Do you know that in most bibles the bold title is called "Signs of Christ's Return" and in verse 3 is clearly says its about His coming?
Let me ask you this very important question. "Do you know why it sounds like Jesus was talking about His own generation?" Because He was.
Conclusion:
Matthew 10:23 - This generation will not pass
away before all these things are fulfilled
Matthew 16:27-28 - This clearly shows that Jesus would return before some of
them died. Jesus said He is coming within the lives of his audience. It's not
hard to see, that Jesus would return before some of them died.
Matthew 24:33-34 - Jesus said "This generation will not pass away before all
these things are fulfilled"
Matthew 26:63-64 - This high priest Jesus was answering, died during the AD 70
destruction of Jerusalem. If he did not see the coming of Christ in the events
that took place at that time, Jesus was mistaken.
Luke 21:22,32,36 - Jesus said all prophecy would be fulfilled in there life
time. It was about to happen it was near. These are not future events. Jesus
tells the disciples how to avoid it by going to the mountain. Jesus says
desolation is near. Jesus tells us this is the time of punishment (judgment)
Jesus was telling them they were in the days of Vengeance and We are told all
things written will be fulfilled Jesus is talking about the Destruction of
Jerusalem, where all prophecy is fulfilled. See also Matthew. 24:15-21; Mark
13:14-19
Luke 21:24 - They were to die in the last day by the sword. A literal sword.
This is not Jesus. If this was not true and was to take place in the 21st
century, are you telling me we're going to have a sword fight?
1 Peter 1:3-5 - salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:20 - shows they were living in the "last times"
1 Peter 4:7 - the end of all things is at hand. Soon! Not some 2000 years into
the future.
It's time to follow truth, not tradition read the bible for yourself. Don't take the word of others. Jesus is the only One who can teach you. The bible tells us it was ONE GENERATION from the CROSS to HIS COMING. Don't let anyone else, teach you anything different.
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