Question about the last days
 

I was reading Matthew 24, and I came across a question.
In Matthew 24, Jesus describes about the last days and the tribulation.
The in verse 34, Jesus says

"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."

There are some churches in this world that believe that the second coming of Jesus has already passed. What do I need to answer to the people that say that the last days and the second coming of Jesus have already passed?
Also, could you explain what this verse means?

If you do a study of the word "generation" you will find that its use in scripture often refers to a type of person or people that have certain characteristics such as liars, false prophets etc, and is not a word that is just applied to a group of people who are born and live within a certain time span.
Read the whole chapter and you will see that Jesus is refering to a generation of a type of person.

Does this type of person still exist today?...yes they do, so Jesus was simply saying that decievers, false prophets etc would always exist, right up until the end of the world.

Fundy

Well two things we know

1) Paul said don't let anyone fool you by saying the second coming is already past. for where would our hope be then.

2) Jesus was talking to Jews not a type of people for men have always been hypocrates and liars since the fall. Their Generation end saw the destruction of the Temple 70AD and the scattering of the Jews. so the end did not come to that Generations.

Generation is a time between a father and son Generally considered to be seventy years (some say 30, and some say 100) But the general belief is 70 years.

Israel returned to the land in 1948, seventy years would be 2018 minus 7 years for the tribulation and 2011 COULD BE the rapture?- THIS IS NOT A THUS SAITH THE LORD- for no man knoweth the hour or the Day(but what of the year) I am neither a prophet or a son of a prophet. but the ways things look it sure does look like a good time placement.

whose to say God has not allowed all things to work together for his purpose.

Psalm 12 is an example of the term "generation" being used to describe people that display certain characteristics, and not just a group living within a specific time span.

I agree Chette, all men are liars and hypocrites,still are and always have been. So, since men still exist on the Earth, then "this generation " still has not passed.

It follows that since Jesus has not yet returned, the application of the word generation exclusively to those people living at the time of of this statement cannot be made.

The answer to the original question posed by wwjd.usa is, in my opinion, Jesus has not yet returned, the Bible does not tell us when he will, just that we should be ready and that the restiction of the term "generation" to a specific life/time span in Mathew 24 is mistaken.

fundy

The Mayan calendar ends,2012.

Men will exist on the earth in the Millenial Kingdom. the verse in Matt referes to an event at the end of Jacobs trouble where the sun will be darkened and the moon turns red. the reference is to the last days of Jacobs trouble. Jesus was not talking to Gentiles but to his Jewish disciples who had asked when shall these things be. Jesus answer is specifically to a generation. and that days generation was postponed.

so there is one in the future that it makes it's application. it would have to be Jewish Generation and 70AD was the end of Jesus' Generation. so it fits well that it would be applied to Israel today.

Bummer if you happen to be a Mayan:)

Thanks Chette, but it looks like we have differing opinions about the application of this difficult scripture....no big deal.

fundy

I agree. The things in the Bible were always to the Jew first. Reason for the sun darkened and moon turns to blood, to prolong life,during this time. From what i recall,correct me if i am wrong.
Thanks Chette777

That's because the ones who made the first calendar ran out of government funding. :D