Now the date of the captivity, in the reign of Zedekiah, is said to be 586 BC. However, he then takes the last four parables to refer to a still future second advent. James used this same illustration of "standing at the door" to speak of the nearness of the Lord's return (James 5:7-9). This is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible." H.G. In Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, we can see that the "genea" means, "The whole multitude of men living at the same time." "Peh" meaning "mouth" - used in word, expression, vocalization, speech, and breath" had several significant Prophetic emphases for the year 5780. I don't know of any commentator who understands this as referring to any other than the existing generation. That generation also had a particular judgment, due to its rejection of Messiah. 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. 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. All these things will happen before the people now living have all died. There is no Jewish race. This is the 7th sermon in the "When Does It End?" He did so because of his view of the nature of the second coming. This is scientifically fallacious, from the standpoint of both physical and historical tradition. 2. I believe that Christ's reign from Pentecost to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, was also a forty year reign which Revelation 20 refers to as the millennial reign of Christ. Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33. James Stuart Russell said, "Words have no meaning if this language, uttered on so solemn an occasion, and so precise and express in its import, does not affirm the near approach of the great event which occupies the whole discourse of our Lord." Thus, Jerusalem was sacked in 70 A.D., in fulfillment of our Lord's words. When will all this happen? Now, he is the only one I know of who gives it that broad of a span. It is speaking about Israel's destruction, not its rebirth! Some have tried to twist the etymology of the word "generation" in Matthew 24:34 to make it mean "race," and try to make Jesus say that all these things would happen before the "race" of Jews had passed away. The promise is, therefore, that the generation-- nation, or family of Israel-- will be preserved unto 'these things'; a promise wonderfully fulfilled to this day.". The teaching they promote is that the generation of people who saw Israel shoot forth her leaves (become a nation in 1948) will be the generation who will see the second coming of Christ. “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. A number of Jews were already living there. So is the gospel preached to all the world twice? The New Jerome Commentary says "This is a troublesome verse." This had taken place by interbreeding and then by conversion to Judaism of a considerable number of communities. Now let me ask you, does Jesus say, "all these things will come upon this and that generation?" The literal meaning of His idiom and illustration is this; When Israel becomes a nation again and the land starts to flourish, know that the tribulation is near, even at the door. (vol. Where in Matthew 24 do you see anything remotely close to speaking about a rebirth of Israel? Summer lasts for only three months. If you are not familiar with the apocalyptic language of the Tanakh, you will not understand what Christ is saying here. When Jesus said "all these things" would occur before that generation was over, He was talking about everything that He had been discussing from verse 4 through verse 33. Matthew 24:32-34 (NKJV) "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. This is the Word of God, let's not twist it and distort it, let's simply submit to it. Where at the dawn of our modern civilization the largest concentration of Jews were found. In 970 Russia came in and dominated the situation, and the Khazars were scattered, many of them going down into Poland and Lithuania. There is also a sense in which much of what our Lord predicted would happen (e.g. It is a time when Christ will return at the second coming, and will establish His kingdom on earth. This question is cleared up in the parallel passage in Luke. Let's look and see. Denomination: Baptist. That the word is used in this sense here is sure because none of 'these things,' the world-wide preaching of the kingdom, the great tribulation, the return of the Lord in visible glory, and the regathering of the elect, occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, A.D. 70. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. David reigned for forty years. 3, p. 50). 33 "So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near; at the doors! This series is from Jesus' Olivet Discourse. A generation in the Bible is something like forty years. They will happen once, to that generation. The generation that sees the rebirth of the nation of Israel will be the generation in which all of the events of the Olivet Discourse will be fulfilled. When you see the leaves on the tree begin to come out, you know that summer is near. Read verse in New International Version Lewis said, "The apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. And they will be relevant to the saints of the last days as well. It was a sign for the Christians to flee from the city. This includes the gospel being preached in all the world, the abomination of desolation, the great tribulation, and the coming of the Son of man. Other verses Jesus used "generation" in is Mat.12:39,45; 16:4; 17:17, Mark 8:38; 9:19, Luke 1:48,50; 9:41; 11:29; 16:8. 53-54). (Mt 24:32, Mk 13:28, Mk 3:23, Lk 14:7). The simple fact is that there is no existing Jewish race. In fact, those who say it means "race" tend to acknowledge this fact, but explain that the word suddenly changes its meaning when Jesus uses it in Matthew 24!". Matthew 24:32-34 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. This is the sign of Christ's coming which the disciples had asked for in v3. Look at how some of the translations deal with this verse. How, then, do we square this with the fact that 'all these things' must come to pass, when we know that some will fall upon generations to come? is something which saints have experienced throughout the intervening centuries. These facts are devastating to Dispensationalism. 16, p. 71). Series. They maintain that the fig tree here is a metaphor representing Israel. Jesus said of the days of Jerusalem's fall in 70 AD: All prophecy was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened in the life time of the generation to which Jesus spoke. Matthew 24:34 —Did Jesus err by affirming that the signs of the end time would be fulfilled in His era?. How can Jesus say that 'this generation' would not pass away until all these things come to pass when 'all these things' occur over what we can now see to be nearly 2,000 years? Matthew 24:32-34 (NKJV) "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.So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near; at the doors! The following quote by David Chilton is very informative: "Some have sought to get around the force of this text by saying that the word generation here really means race, and that Jesus was simply saying that the Jewish race would not die out until all these things took place. 34 d Truly , I say to you , this generation will not pass away until all these things take place . 13, p. 573). Even so, when you see all these things, you know that itis near, right at the door. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. Jesus mistakenly thought the end-times were imminent, as scholars have acknowledged since the time of Albert Schweitzer. "The Jews As A Race: The findings of physical anthropology show that, contrary to the popular view, there is no Jewish race. When you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to come. An illustration (Mt 13:3). Along the same line, some say that the "generation" Jesus mentioned would be the generation following the event of Israel becoming a nation in 1948. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! It is just like someone standing at the door about to enter. When spring comes and the trees put out new leaves, we know that summer is not far off. For phases of vigorous proselytism alternated with phases of exclusive jealousy in Jewish history. "It is a common assumption, and one that sometimes seems ineradicable even in the face of evidence to the contrary, that the Jews of today constitute a race, a homogeneous entity easily recognizable. Before closing, I would like to expound a little on the idea of generation meaning race. In A.D. 740 King Bulan of Khazaria decided to adopt the Judaistic religion for his country. This doesn't conflict with many "generations"), Phil.2:15 (nation), Col.1:26 (generations), and Heb.3:10. Jesus does not mean that each and every Jew survives. And he was wrong. He also says that within forty years of 1948, all these things could take place. Today, being a Jew simply means that one is of the Judaistic religion or a convert to it, or else in a "brotherhood" of those who are. persecution, betrayal by family, etc.) My best answer is that 'all these things' really happen twice, not once. A parable is a story drawn from human experience that has a higher spiritual meaning. ... Had that been Daniel's meaning, he would have said sixty and nine weeks, and not seven weeks and sixty two weeks." Numerous verses identify Israel, in New Testament prophecy, in terms of their tribal associations; however, these associations do not extend beyond the first century. In Hebrews 9:9 the idea is of something (OT Tabernacle) that serves as a model … You can understand that, can't you? 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