This Generation Shall Not Pass Until...

[Skywalker2B]

I must admit that I'm somewhat disappointed. I've been reading, listening, watching, etc. end times related things for about 10 years now (yes, I know that there are many more that have been doing so for many more years than that, but that's not the point). And I have held to the hope that the Church would very soon be taken home given the "re-birth" of Israel in May of 1948...and that, what I was convinced was a Biblical generation of 70 years. Now, it seems that was not the case. If it had, then "all these things" (which I believe included His 2nd Coming and the start of the Millennial Kingdom) would have been completed in 2018 (1948 + 70). Since we're now in 2012, it looks like either 1948 wasn't the actual return of the fig tree, or 70 years is no longer a biblical generation. Another possibility is that 70 years is more of a guideline than a hard number and a generation is actually something between 70 and 80 years. I don't know what to really think anymore. I see so many things falling into place, but yet the restrainer still seems to be holding things from reaching that breaking point.

I kind of feel like a prisoner in jail that is up for parole and really has been counting the days and looking forward to his freedom, only to find out that his parole hearing has been rescheduled, and he hasn't been told the new date so he doesn't even know how to go on with his count down. He knows that it'll happen sometime, but is disheartened that he realizes that his time in jail has been extended. (I'm not saying that I'm a rapture date believer, but that I thought it would happen sometime before 2012).

I don't know if this post makes sense. It's just something that's been sort of bringing me down. I even get to where I don't check the international news daily to see what is going on with Israel, or stay away from the news in general because it just seems like we're in some kind of holding pattern...which gets a little depressing, seeing the direction the world is heading and that they seemingly yern for it, everyday seeming more and more moral decay. I long for the Millennial Kingdom and the redemption of the creation.

[autumn8297]

Your post makes perfect sense. I can remember thinking in 2008 that we surely wouldn't be here in 2012 but yet, here we are. lol I can understand your sense of disappointment too but don't let it turn to doubt. Regardless of the reasons for why we are still here, the truth remains that the Lord will return for His church. We are all world-weary and looking forward to being gathered to Him in the clouds. But for now, we run the race of endurance that has been set before us, as Paul says. Be encouraged to keep running and to keep looking up.

[TheRedeemed]

Its a bit like Methuselah in the OT, God promised him he would see the destruction of the wicked [the flood] and he is the longest lived person ever at 969 years.

The waiting period for the Rapture is like the same thing, God will delay & delay until the times of the Gentiles is complete and all who want/can be saved will be.

For God does not wish any to perish, but all to come to salvation, so we wait until he has his full head count, which will I hope be tallied up soon, but like old Methuselah we all have to just keep waiting and watching.

[im4Jesus]

I must admit that I'm somewhat disappointed. I've been reading, listening, watching, etc. end times related things for about 10 years now (yes, I know that there are many more that have been doing so for many more years than that, but that's not the point). And I have held to the hope that the Church would very soon be taken home given the "re-birth" of Israel in May of 1948...and that, what I was convinced was a Biblical generation of 70 years. Now, it seems that was not the case. If it had, then "all these things" (which I believe included His 2nd Coming and the start of the Millennial Kingdom) would have been completed in 2018 (1948 + 70). Since we're now in 2012, it looks like either 1948 wasn't the actual return of the fig tree, or 70 years is no longer a biblical generation. Another possibility is that 70 years is more of a guideline than a hard number and a generation is actually something between 70 and 80 years. I don't know what to really think anymore. I see so many things falling into place, but yet the restrainer still seems to be holding things from reaching that breaking point.

I kind of feel like a prisoner in jail that is up for parole and really has been counting the days and looking forward to his freedom, only to find out that his parole hearing has been rescheduled, and he hasn't been told the new date so he doesn't even know how to go on with his count down. He knows that it'll happen sometime, but is disheartened that he realizes that his time in jail has been extended. (I'm not saying that I'm a rapture date believer, but that I thought it would happen sometime before 2012).

I don't know if this post makes sense. It's just something that's been sort of bringing me down. I even get to where I don't check the international news daily to see what is going on with Israel, or stay away from the news in general because it just seems like we're in some kind of holding pattern...which gets a little depressing, seeing the direction the world is heading and that they seemingly yern for it, everyday seeming more and more moral decay. I long for the Millennial Kingdom and the redemption of the creation.

I understand; I feel the same way. I have been thinking 70 years is more of a guideline, but then, who knows?

[sparks]

Here is something you won't find any where. I doubt it would be accepted here,but I shall give you my take on it. First there is no set time for generation as used in the Bible. The bible follows a family line up to Jesus. I have always found a problem with the way Mark 13:30 is interpreted.Its my opinion that when Jesus says this generation shall not pass, he is referring to the church age as his generation. I have probably just thrown a wrench into what you expected but lets see where it all goes. There is a commentary that calls the generation in Psalms 112 an age.

[Mommytoa3rdgradeboy]

I think a generation is 120 years. Just my opinion, though...

[Mommytoa3rdgradeboy]

I think a generation is 120 years. Just my opinion, though...

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." (NASB) Genesis 6:3

[kjlistrom]

I know the feelings that you have, but I see at like this. I believe the Bible teaches us that once the events of the end times begain that they will happen quickly. Got Questions also brings this to light.
Mat 24:22
"Unless those days had been cut short, no [fn]life would have been saved; but for the sake of the [fn]elect those days will be cut short.

Mar 13:20
"Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no [fn]life would have been saved; but for the sake of the [fn]elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Rev 3:11
'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Rev 22:7
"And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who [fn]heeds the words of the prophecy of this book."

Rev 22:12
"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man [fn]according to what he has done.

Rev 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.



Luk 17:26
"And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

One of the things I would think is that it took Noah 120 years to build the Ark, although I don't believe that a Gen. is 120 years, I tend to lean towards the fact that the Jews have been returning to Israel sense the late 1800s.

And one of the things also is that the Rapture will not happen till the Church is full, so we need to get out there and spread the Gospel Message.

[Tall Timbers]

Its my opinion that when Jesus says this generation shall not pass, he is referring to the church age as his generation. I have probably just thrown a wrench into what you expected but lets see where it all goes. There is a commentary that calls the generation in Psalms 112 an age.

I think that that's plausible. There are so many thoughts about what "this generation shall not pass" means... that it is kind of like a mystery.

[Florian9]

Oh boy your sentiments match mine very well! Great analogy btw! Are we wanting this to happen because of selfish reasons? Do we really realise how many of our dear friends/family/acquantances will be left behind to suffer through hell on earth when the curtain is finally pulled?

For the last 3 years I've been waiting & hoping & praying our Lord would come back. We all get frustrated and impatient I think (those who truly look to His coming). I think I need to come to the realisation that my parole has been revoked and the sentence has been extended permanently (using your analogy). That said, I'll be getting my hands very dirty for the Lord with much prayer & giving during the interim. We're all tired of this fallen world & we all want to go home. Obviously, the job isn't finished.

[grace-saved]

I also become weary and disappointed when the events seem to move along so quickly and then everything seems to come to a standstill over and over (and over.....). I am so encouraged by the others here and their faith. I am also encouraged by knowing that He is working all the unseen events to line up with His will. You see, His wish for "none to perish" is the essence of his patient and compassionate nature. Imagine, if you can, who would not be included if He had taken us just 5 years ago... I'm sure you all must know at least one loved-one who has recently come to faith! Who will be damned to the eternal lake of fire if He comes today rather than in a year?? Someone you love, perhaps? I am sooooo ready to go! BUT, I am grateful for each 24 hours He gives the un-saved to open their blind eyes. Perhaps He will come soon if the number who have hardened their hearts is more than the number who can be saved... Sorry to ramble on, but I believe that the ONLY thing the timing of the rapture is based on is the fullness of the Gentiles. Are you doing all you can to provide His word to others? I know I could certainly do more.


Florian9, I totally agree and was writing this as you posted. I think we are on the same page, so to speak.

[kjlistrom]

Here is something you won't find any where. I doubt it would be accepted here,but I shall give you my take on it. First there is no set time for generation as used in the Bible. The bible follows a family line up to Jesus. I have always found a problem with the way Mark 13:30 is interpreted.Its my opinion that when Jesus says this generation shall not pass, he is referring to the church age as his generation. I have probably just thrown a wrench into what you expected but lets see where it all goes. There is a commentary that calls the generation in Psalms 112 an age.

You are right about that it is unclear exactly what a Gen. is as far as # of years. In King Davids time it was 70 years, but before that it seems that it was much longer than that and it also seems to be shorter than that in Moses time and at Christ's time. One thing is clear, know one agrees to an exact time or at least I can't figure it out. JVImpe has it figured that the Gen. of Christ are 51.4 or 54.1 or something like that but who really knows, only Christ Himself knows as He is the one that said it. Even the Apostles were not exactly sure it seems.
As far it being the Church age as His generation, well to me that is just another interpretation that no one can prove. IMO

[Wally]

Job 42:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.

That would make a generation approx 20 - 25 years.


Perhaps we need to equate the birthing process with the generation that sees all these signs.


There will be plenty of warnings, false starts, hints....

but when the water breaks...... it happens fast.



So is anyone timing the contractions?

[jonshaff]

But the verse also says, if a person is healthy a life can be 80 years

Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

[Jesus's Girl]

When Jesus was telling the disciples "This generation will not pass until...", He wasn't putting a date on it. He was talking about the generation that sees the general signs and warnings that Jesus told us about. Christians always get stuck on date setting, which this is a form of. People automatically think Jesus meant 1948 + 70 or 120 or whatever. Jesus could come at any time for us, which means the general signs Jesus gave was not for us as His Bride, but for the nation of Israel, they were signs of Jesus's Second Coming. Jesus might come in 2012 or 2013 or 2015 or 2020 for His Bride. We don't know. But we are starting to see the signs that Jesus warned us about in His Word: wars, rumors of war, signs in the sun and the moon and the stars, and evil people waxing worse and worse, ect. And the only sign that will start the Tribulation is the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and the antichrist. Christians need to stop this nonsense of "date setting" or should I say "year setting", and look for the coming of our Lord with the trumpet. This year setting about putting a number on a generation does not prove a good witnessing tool and makes Christians look really silly. Why don't we just have faith that we don't have to know the day, or month of year because, first, because Jesus didn't tell us the "math" and when Jesus comes it's in His perfect timing. Another point, Jesus used the fig tree as a random example like he also said the fig tree and other trees. It was something simple that the disciples could understand. Jesus doesn't try to hide His motive or teaching to keep us guessing. When Jesus said "look at the fig tree" and "when its leaves become tender" He knew that the world would understand that, like a child, that the tender leaves point to summer: the signs of wars and rumors of wars, famine, evil waxing worse, earthquakes are "tender" signs that the Second Coming is near.

[In Christ]

When Jesus was telling the disciples "This generation will not pass until...", He wasn't putting a date on it. He was talking about the generation that sees the general signs and warnings that Jesus told us about. Christians always get stuck on date setting, which this is a form of. People automatically think Jesus meant 1948 + 70 or 120 or whatever. Jesus could come at any time for us, which means the general signs Jesus gave was not for us as His Bride, but for the nation of Israel, they were signs of Jesus's Second Coming. Jesus might come in 2012 or 2013 or 2015 or 2020 for His Bride. We don't know. But we are starting to see the signs that Jesus warned us about in His Word: wars, rumors of war, signs in the sun and the moon and the stars, and evil people waxing worse and worse, ect. And the only sign that will start the Tribulation is the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and the antichrist. Christians need to stop this nonsense of "date setting" or should I say "year setting", and look for the coming of our Lord with the trumpet. This year setting about putting a number on a generation does not prove a good witnessing tool and makes Christians look really silly. Why don't we just have faith that we don't have to know the day, or month of year because, first, because Jesus didn't tell us the "math" and when Jesus comes it's in His perfect timing. Another point, Jesus used the fig tree as a random example like he also said the fig tree and other trees. It was something simple that the disciples could understand. Jesus doesn't try to hide His motive or teaching to keep us guessing. When Jesus said "look at the fig tree" and "when its leaves become tender" He knew that the world would understand that, like a child, that the tender leaves point to summer: the signs of wars and rumors of wars, famine, evil waxing worse, earthquakes are "tender" signs that the Second Coming is near.

[RandallB]

Great posts on this thread!!

In agreement with Jack Kelly, I am persuaded that the term “this generation shall not pass away” is referring to the life span of between 70-80 years for this Fig Tree Generation that saw the rebirth of Israel in 1948. I feel that the 120 was for an earlier time and most probably meant “Years until the flood”.

I do feel that the Rapture can happen at any time and we should not be dismayed even if we count back from 80. There are probably gaps of time between the prophecy events. At least one is hinted at in Ez 28:25-26

Eze 28:25 ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
Eze 28:26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD their God.

We see that after Israel is rebirthed (1948) and after the Lord executes judgments on the neighbors that are hating on them (Ps 83 & Is 17) there will be a period of time (1 or more years??) in they will be dwelling safely and confidently while they are building houses and planting vineyards. This dwelling safely is a prerequisite condition for Ez 38-39.

So we can all be assured that the Lord has the timing well under control and that nothing is being delayed. Rapture can be imminent no matter if 70 or 80 or 186 years for a generation.

As to another point brought up about praying for the rapture to be delayed so that none will be subject to the judgments of the Tribulation time that might have joined the Bride. Another illustrious RR poster previously posted that the Rapture event itself may be the only thing that wakes people up so as to join the Trib-Saints. So praying for a soon rapture is appropriate so that they won’t die in their sins before the Rapture would have awakened them.

Now I am sure none of us are able to work through all those issues except that that situation has the ring of reality for several of the people that I have been witnessing to over the past few years. They say that “They are OK, I don’t have to worry about them, Thanks for the kind concern, they have everything under control.” The Rapture is about the only thing that would shake them enough to really consider that they need the Lord to deal with the what is going on.

[debi208]

Since everyone seems to think we will be here for the ps.83 war, I am not going to get too excited until that happens. But if I am here when it does I will get my hopes up for sure then.

[Skywalker2B]

Well, I'm comforted in the fact that I'm not alone.

grace-saved, I LOVE that emoticon: Pushing a rock, pushing a rock, pushing a rock. LOL!!!!

As for the possibility that "generation" means the "Church Age" (which, to my understanding, is aka "The Age of Grace"). From what I've read/studied of dispensations, the Church Age is an interruption in the Age of the Law. Essentially, the Church Age began at the resurrection of Jesus and will end at the rapture. After the rapture, the Age of the Law will continue until the 2nd Coming. The Millennial Kingdom will then be the last dispensation. So, if that is correct, and "all these things" (which include Daniel's 70th Week and the 2nd Coming) must be completed, then the Curch Age being the referenced "generation" wouldn't work.

[RandallB]

Since everyone seems to think we will be here for the ps.83 war, I am not going to get too excited until that happens. But if I am here when it does I will get my hopes up for sure then.

I feel that it is more like the Imminant Rapture in that there is nothing that has to take place before the rapture can occur.

Persecution is satan’s work against the Lord’s people and we are all subject to that. The Lord is able to use this for correction and for the greater good of the people involved.

The Lord’s Wrath or Fierce Anger is different. It is His “strange work”. It is not for correction. It is for destruction. At some point the people that are subject to the Lord’s Wrath have crossed a red line.

The Lord promised the Bride that we will not be subject to His Wrath.

I want to repost a previous answer to the question are we gonna be here for Ps 83/Is 17.

Originally Posted by WVBORN56
I think we are gone for both. It is only a gut feeling but I base it only these scriptural ideas. My worse case is we are here for Isaiah 17 war but gone for Ezekiel 38-39.

1) God is in the process of turning his attention to Israel in Isaiah 17 and fully to them in Ezekiel 38-39 and away from the church.
2) God comes back in a time of Noah (business as ususal) and as a thief in the night(big surprise). It is possible I suppose for both wars to occur and still make those two ideas work but not so much if one or both wars are completed.

I also think that we are Outta Here for both. I like your reasoning (especially #1).

I tend to also base it on the "No Wrath" promise.

Zeph 2:2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff,before the fierce* anger(aph)** of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger(aph)** come upon you.


Ez 25:14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger (aph)** and according to my fury (Chemah)*** and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.

**aph is also translated as wrath many times.

It looks like it is with Wrath that the Lord judges Edom et al. This includes the Ps 83 groups. Zeph 2 goes on to talk that His meek ones, those that "Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord's anger."

There is that word "hidden"... His meek ones/ righteous one are hidden before His wrath. (OT reference to a NT promise)

We Gotta Be Outta Here!