Chapter 4. This Generation.
Scriptures reveal that there’s a generation that will not pass away (die) before the tribulation begins.
Two questions; how long is a generation? And, are we living in the generation scriptures speak of?
Concerning the length of a generation: first understand that this verse is speaking of an end time generation, not the generation Jesus and the apostles were living in.
There are three schools of thought concerning the length of a generation. They are, one hundred years; Seventy years, and forty years. Seventy appears to be the answer,
Ps.90:10, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten = (70).”
We also know there are teachings that a generation can be speaking of 100 Years, or 40 Year. We know the average generation is not 100 years; it’s too long! It may have stood up in Abraham’s day, but surely not today. Forty years would be to short, even in the poorest of nations today, their average age is higher than 40.
A little math here; if we take 100 + 70 + 40 we get 210 divided by three = 70 years.
Therefore, I have based my conclusions concerning this article on 70 years. I also tallied the average age of some 80 nations, from the poorest to the wealthiest, and came up with an average age of 71.5 years according to today’s world censes.
So, Christ appears to be speaking to us, today concerning the days before the tribulation, when a generation will have an average age of 70 years. Jesus said,
Matt.24:34, “Verily I say unto you (the disciples), this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
This discourse in Matthew 24 concerned the Jewish people, and not the church. Why? Because the discourse took place in April of 30 A.D. days before the cross, and the gentile church was still 7 years in the future when Paul would begin his ministry to the gentiles.
Christians do not look for signs, but we can be well aware of what Jesus did say. His words back then are today’s reality, especially in the Middle East and in Israel.
Let’s backtrack: Deuteronomy was written by Moses some 3500 years ago. In this book, God said he would in these last days draw the Jews back to the land of Israel, and in one literal day, Israel would once more become a nation. Following is one of many verses that describe the events of Israel’s past 1900 + Years of Jewish captivity by the Romans; their dispersion, suffering and return to the land in May of 1948.
Deut.29:25, Moses wrote, “They (the Jews) have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers”
26, “For they served other gods, and worshipped them,” 27, “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, (Israel) to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
28, “And the LORD rooted = (uprooted) them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.”
Deut.30:1-2-3, The LORD said, “All these things are come upon you, and you shall call them to mind among the nations, whither (from where) the LORD your God has driven you, and shall return (future) unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all your heart, and with all your soul;”
The last dispersion came at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.D. Over one million Jews were killed, Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed, and over 100,000 taken into captivity.
Now here’s the, “but then:”
Deut.30:4, “Then the LORD your God will turn (back) your captivity, ——- and will return and gather you (the Jews) from all the (Gentile) nations, from where the LORD your God had scattered you.”
Ver.5. “And the LORD thy God will bring thee (back) into the land (Israel) which your fathers possessed, and you shalt possess it; —-”
Verses 6-7, “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart (put away their old nature and give them a new nature, this is still in Israel’s future), and the heart of your seed (children), to love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.” —- I, “will put all these curses upon your enemies, and on them that hate you, which persecuted you.”
The Jewish people have come through 1900 + years of God’s curses having been put on them and their children for the murder of their prophesied Messiah. Yet to this day, 2018, they have maintained their Jewish roots and nationality; their religion; their Hebrew language; the shekel and the Holy city of Jerusalem is once again is in their hands. God’s promises are being kept!
Isa.55:7-8, “Before she (Israel) travailed (was in birth pains) she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered (brought forth) of a man child (Jesus Christ).
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day (a Savior)? Or shall a nation (Israel) be born at once? For as soon as Zion (Israel) travailed (suffered severe birth pains in World War 2), she brought forth her children.”
Isaiah was written 700 years before the birth of Christ, and 2600 years before Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948. And in the same day, America, the most powerful and wealthiest nation earth issued a statement recognizing Israel’s sovereignty.
Adolph Hitler, one of the most notorious butchers to ever take a breath, was used by God to fulfill the above prophesies concerning the return of the Jews to their land.
May 14, 1948 marked the first day of the first year, and on May 13th 2019, they will have been in the land a full 70 Years, one generation of 70 years, as prophesied by Jesus in Matt.24:34.
Matt.24:32-33, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So you (the generation being spoken of) in like manner, when you shall see these things come to pass, (they have now witnessed these things) know that it (meaning the ultimate return of Christ) is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” And they are still alive and well!
I understand that Israel’s rebirth in 1948 marks the beginning of the generation that will see all the events leading up to the second coming of Christ. This thinking is based upon the generation alluded to in the parable of the fig tree, in which the fig tree should be taken in a natural sense.
Let’s take a few moments and examine what events this generation of 1948 is to witness. Many shall come in Jesus name claiming to be Christ. I have counted about 32 people in recent years that have claimed to be Christ.
This generation shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: nations shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom (a kingdom refers to a people and territory under kingly rule) there will be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in many places.
In the Middle East, many of the Arab nations have been independent for a very short period of time. Example, Jordan 5/25/1946. Qatar 9/3/1971: United Arab Emirates 12/ 1971: Then we have Omar: Kuwait: Morocco: Saudi Arabia and Bahrain:
Middle East conflicts raging now:
Yemeni and Al Qaeda conflict:
Syrian civil war:
Yemeni crisis:
Iran and Saudi Arabia conflict:
Iraq war:
West Iran clashes:
Turkish coup d’état: Iraq,
Kurdish conflict and,
Bahraini uprising.
In verse 8, Jesus said, “These are the beginning of sorrows.” Another meaning for sorrows in “birth pains,” same word. They (the Jewish people) will be afflicted, murdered, hated for Jesus Christ’s sake. Many shall be offended, betrayed: there will be many false prophets; iniquity shall abound and the love of friends and families will grow cold.
The abomination of desolation, meaning the Dome of the Rock that is standing in God’s holy place on Mt. Moriah will one day be the place where the man of perdition, the antichrist will enter to pray and sacrifice, not worshipping the God of his fathers, but himself, claiming to be Jesus Christ, the High Priest of Israel.
And when any Jew sees these things, they are told to run, run as fast as they can into the mountains. This will be the ultimate abomination unto the true God of Israel. This false Christ, a Jew, or it may be a Muslim will claim to be the High Priest of Israel. He will enter into this Pagan Temple and claim to be the Messiah.
The reason it cannot be known if this person is a Jew or Arab, is because of Dan.11.27 where we read, this man, this antichrist “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers.” Both the Jews and Arabs trace their father to Abraham who worshipped Jehovah God. The Arabs through Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and the Jews through Isaac, also the son of Abraham.
Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.”
When Israel was declared a nation in May of 1948, this opened the door to the mysteries of God that remained hidden until now. And now it’s up to us to pray, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding.
None of the 12 apostles or Paul had any idea that 1900 + years would pass before the prophesy of Jesus’ return to the Jews would be fulfilled.
Before 1948, and before World War 2 was raging, the Jews in most of Asia, Europe and other parts of the world were being persecuted and slaughtered. And because of the slaughter of them in World War 2, some 6 million of them, the mystery of Israel’s return could never have been understood. Six million represented 1/2 of all the Jews in the world back then.
The return of the Jewish people to Israel is called (Aliyah, a Hebrew word meaning “to ascend,” or “to go up”.) This going up, began in 1881 when 70,000 Jews returned to Israel. The second Aliyah between 1904-1914; the third between 1919 1923; the 4th 1924 -31 when some 48,000 returned and settled cities like Tel Aviv; another Aliyah occurred, this one between 1931 -39 when 230,000 Jews, most fleeing Nazi Germany immigrated to Israel. Now, from 1881 to 1946, the Jewish population grew from 24,000 to 686,000.
The Jews purchased land (paid for in cash) from the Arabs who thought they were exploiting the poor Jews by selling them desolate, desert land that was for the most part considered worthless. But the returning Jews turned this wilderness into fertile farmland and citrus groves.
Cities sprang up, commerce and banking thrived and roads constructed. So, the Arabs who sold them the land, never realized their actions would help lay the foundations for the restoration of the Jewish state. “Isn’t God’s work a wonder?” He used the enemies of the gospel and of Christ, the Arabs, Nazi Germany, the League of Nations, and the U.N. to fulfill His prophesies.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com