This generation

[Hammster]

The "this generation" that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24:34 is different than the current generation which Jesus refers to in your myriad of scriptural references prior to that.

We all know to understand any passage you must as a minimum read what precedes and follows it. In this case, the generation of Matthew 24:34 is that generation that sees the second coming (based upon surrounding verses: Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, and Matthew 24:44). Jesus's second coming has not taken place - He has not yet judged the earth and set up His millennial kingdom yet.

I did read what came before and after. That’s how I know how Jesus uses “this generation”.

Since Matthew 24 isn’t about His second coming, your point is moot.

 

[John Mullally]

The "this generation" that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24:34 is different than the current generation which Jesus refers to in your myriad of scriptural references prior to that.

We all know to understand any passage you must as a minimum read what precedes and follows it. In this case, the generation of Matthew 24:34 is that generation that sees the second coming (based upon surrounding verses: Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, and Matthew 24:44). Jesus's second coming has not taken place - He has not yet judged the earth and set up His millennial kingdom yet.

I did read what came before and after. That’s how I know how Jesus uses “this generation”.

Since Matthew 24 isn’t about His second coming, your point is moot.

I am left to conclude that you are saying the in bold passages below I referenced surrounding Matthew 24:34 in Post 58 are not about His second coming.

How can you say that the "coming of the Son of Man" spoken about in this chapter cannot be His second coming? As you are the OP, I expect that you have thought this out thoroughly and should be able to elaborate.

Matthew 24:26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.​

 

[keras]

Matthew 24:32-34 – Christ tells us to learn from the fig tree, when it breaks into leaf, we can know that the end is near and this present generation will live to see it all.

Obviously, it was not that generation who heard His prophecy, but He means the last generation before these things take place. They ‘will live to see it all’, means within a persons lifetime. The prophecy in:

Ezekiel 12:25-28 ....it will be put off no longer, you rebellious people [the Jewish people, symbolized by the fig tree] in your lifetime, I will do what I have planned......these prophecies are for a time far off.....the Lord says: there will be no more delays, it will be done.

This tells us that within ‘your lifetime’, when the fig tree ‘breaks into leaf’, that is when Judah again has control of the Land, the Lord will act once more in His creation. Therefore within a lifetime of a person born on or after May 1948, or even a little before; we can expect the commencement of the many prophecies about the end times.

 

[Eloy Craft]

I’m not sure what your point is.

That this generation also means descendants of Adam. Expressed by Jesus when he said" born of woman"

 

[Jamdoc]

Why only 3 possibilities? I maintain there is a 4th possibility that reconciles all the differences between the different parties.

Because Jesus described His second coming taking place in this series of events and that has not happened yet.

 

[Hammster]

I am left to conclude that you are saying the in bold passages below I referenced surrounding Matthew 24:34 in Post 58 are not about His second coming.

How can you say that the "coming of the Son of Man" spoken about in this chapter cannot be His second coming? As you are the OP, I expect that you have thought this out thoroughly and should be able to elaborate.

Matthew 24:26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.​

The coming on the clouds (don’t forget the clouds part) could mean one of two things, and perhaps both. In Daniel, we have this:


“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
— Daniel 7:13

Where was He coming to? To the throne of God.

Also, we have Isaiah 19:


The oracle concerning Egypt.
Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence,
And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.
— Isaiah 19:1

That’s judgment language, and since Jerusalem and the Temple are in view here, it could be applicable. But neither reference has anything to do with a second coming.

 

[Hammster]

Matthew 24:32-34 – Christ tells us to learn from the fig tree, when it breaks into leaf, we can know that the end is near and this present generation will live to see it all.

Obviously, it was not that generation who heard His prophecy, but He means the last generation before these things take place. They ‘will live to see it all’, means within a persons lifetime. The prophecy in:

Ezekiel 12:25-28 ....it will be put off no longer, you rebellious people [the Jewish people, symbolized by the fig tree] in your lifetime, I will do what I have planned......these prophecies are for a time far off.....the Lord says: there will be no more delays, it will be done.

This tells us that within ‘your lifetime’, when the fig tree ‘breaks into leaf’, that is when Judah again has control of the Land, the Lord will act once more in His creation. Therefore within a lifetime of a person born on or after May 1948, or even a little before; we can expect the commencement of the many prophecies about the end times.

No, He was preparing His followers for the judgement on Jerusalem. Their house had been left desolate. So when they saw the signs He gave, they were to flee Jerusalem.

 

[Hammster]

That this generation also means descendants of Adam. Expressed by Jesus when he said" born of woman"

I don’t see how we can get that from the context.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Because Jesus described His second coming taking place in this series of events and that has not happened yet.

Do you mean this particular second coming in Luke 21:27?

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Which Jesus included here in Luke 21:36 in the whole list of events He had just given the disciples?

"Watch therefore at every season praying, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things which are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

 

[John Mullally]

The "this generation" that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24:34 is different than the current generation which Jesus refers to in your myriad of scriptural references prior to that.

We all know to understand any passage you must as a minimum read what precedes and follows it. In this case, the generation of Matthew 24:34 is that generation that sees the second coming (based upon surrounding verses: Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, and Matthew 24:44). Jesus's second coming has not taken place - He has not yet judged the earth and set up His millennial kingdom yet.

I did read what came before and after. That’s how I know how Jesus uses “this generation”.

Since Matthew 24 isn’t about His second coming, your point is moot.

How can you say that the "coming of the Son of Man" spoken about in Matthew 24 cannot be His second coming?

The coming on the clouds (don’t forget the clouds part) could mean one of two things, and perhaps both. In Daniel, we have this:


“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
— Daniel 7:13

Where was He coming to? To the throne of God.

Also, we have Isaiah 19:


The oracle concerning Egypt.
Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence,
And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.
— Isaiah 19:1

That’s judgment language, and since Jerusalem and the Temple are in view here, it could be applicable. But neither reference has anything to do with a second coming.

I don't know how this an answer to my question (which I highlighted in red above). How many second comings are there?

Again, the generation referenced in Matthew 24:34 will see His second coming - which is still in the future per Rev 1:7.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.​

 

[Jamdoc]

Do you mean this particular second coming in Luke 21:27?

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Which Jesus included here in Luke 21:36 in the whole list of events He had just given the disciples?

"Watch therefore at every season praying, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things which are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

So there again.
either it happened but God exaggerated the effects of it to a point of being meaningless because afterward the world just carried on as normal.
or He is a liar
or it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Hammster]

I don't know how this an answer to my question (which I highlighted in red above). How many second comings are there?

Again, the generation referenced in Matthew 24:34 will see His second coming - which is still in the future per Rev 1:7.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.​

I guess you ignored the OT references I posted to explain my answer.

 

[John Mullally]

I guess you ignored the OT references I posted to explain my answer.

I did not ignore your Post 66. The post references OT scriptures that depict the Lord (or Son of Man) riding in the clouds going to the throne and Egypt. There are observations, but no chain of reasoning in the post, and I cannot guess how that is supposed to be answer to my question:

How can you say that the "coming of the Son of Man" spoken about in Matthew 24 cannot be His second coming?​

Matthew 24:34 follows Matthew 24:30 - which is a very popular reference to His future second coming. Hence that locates the generation referenced in the Matthew 24:34 to date or in the future.

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.​

 

[Hammster]

I did not ignore your Post 66. The post references OT scriptures that depict the Lord (or Son of Man) riding in the clouds going to the throne and Egypt. There are observations, but no chain of reasoning in the post, and I cannot guess how that is supposed to be answer to my question:

How can you say that the "coming of the Son of Man" spoken about in Matthew 24 cannot be His second coming?​

Matthew 24:34 follows Matthew 24:30 - which is a very popular reference to His future second coming:

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.​

It answers it this way. I’m not going to assume your view that it’s the second advent when, going by the verse He quotes from the OT has nothing to do with advent.

 

[John Mullally]

Matthew 24:34 follows Matthew 24:30 - which is a very popular reference to His future second coming.

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.​

It answers it this way. I’m not going to assume your view that it’s the second advent when, going by the verse He quotes from the OT has nothing to do with advent.

The red text is taken from a portion of the post you quoted from me. Since Matthew 24:30 is talking about the second advent which is yet to take place, and the Matthew 24:34 generation observes the Matthew 24:30 event, then the Matthew 24:34 generation is the current or a future generation.

 

[Hammster]

The red text is taken from a portion of the post you quoted from me. Since Matthew 24:30 is talking about the second advent which is yet to take place, and the Matthew 24:34 generation observes the Matthew 24:30 event, then the Matthew 24:34 generation is the current or a future generation.

Mathew 24:30 is not talking about the second advent which is yet to take place. Here’s the potion of Daniel which Jesus is quoting.


“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
— Daniel 7:13

Nothing about the second advent.

 

[3 Resurrections]

So there again.
either it happened but God exaggerated the effects of it to a point of being meaningless because afterward the world just carried on as normal.
or He is a liar
or it hasn't happened yet.

How about the 4th choice?

It happened the way Jesus said, and the world is different now than it used to be when that was written.

 

[John Mullally]

Matthew 24:34 concerns the current or future generation

If Matthew 24:30 had taken place, there would be a huge number of historical accounts of it - so we know it has not taken place. The generation referred to in Matthew 24:34 cannot pass away until Matthew 24:30 takes place.

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ​

 

[Eloy Craft]

Jesus taught two generations . An Old one before Him. A New one that begins with Him.

The former extends back to Adam.
That latter extends back to Jesus.

Pentecost unscrambled language (New)
Tower of Babel scrambled language (Old)

Jesus wasn't teaching something strictly chronological.

 

[Hammster]

Matthew 24:34 concerns the current or future generation

If Matthew 24:30 had taken place, there would be a huge number of historical accounts of it - so we know it has not taken place. The generation referred to in Matthew 24:34 cannot pass away until Matthew 24:30 takes place.

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ​

Not future. It took place in the first century during “this generation”.