The Climax of This Generation
By B. M. Heald
Messages to Past Generations — What Is the Word to the People To-Day? It is worthy of notice that God's special messages of warning sent to the human family in the past have invariably accomplished their mission in the same generation in which they were given. Whenever “the eyes of the Lord” “run to and fro through the whole earth” in the form of a world-wide work, the men that lay the foundation of such a work see the finishing of it. Zech. 4: 9, 10. SPECIAL MESSAGES IN PARTICULAR GENERATIONS
Noah's day was characterized by great wickedness. God's Spirit mightily strove with those people. It was designed that that generation should be fully warned by the preaching of Noah. That generation was to see the Flood. That generation was to see the saving of the righteous and the destruction of the wicked. Abraham's generation was ominous. “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,” therefore that generation was to be warned. Abraham was to see the separation of the righteous and the burning of the wicked; for when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham. Gen. 19: 29. Again, the Exodus movement was accomplished in the same generation in which it was started. “So Moses finished the work.” Ex. 40: 33. The building of Solomon's temple was a great work. Jehovah said of it, “Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.” But the significant feature of this great achievement was that “Solomon built the house, and finished it.” 1 Kings 6: 14. John's message fulfilled its mission, and he beheld the Lamb of God. When the scribes and the Pharisees sought for a sign from Jesus, He answered them by saying, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” That special generation had a definite message, and a definite sign. God's one-generation messages or movements characterized all the history from Noah's time to the cross. Having found it to be God's plan of action in the past, always to warn the inhabitants of the earth of an impending doom or crisis, can we not expect this plan to be carried out in our day? As it was true that “there hath not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses” (1 Kings 8: 56), need we fear lest any of His good promises concerning this generation fail? God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and as He has dealt with men in the past, so will He deal with us to-day. What more could He have done for those generations of the past? What more could He do for the present generation? Thousands of men and women concede to-day that never before since creation were there such significant and ominous times; never such a religious awakening, and world-wide concern about what the next great event will be. It is true that the struggle between capital and labor, the spiritual decline in the church, increase of knowledge, signs in the heavens, war and war preparation, immorality, crime, and bloodshed, have characterized this generation from its birth. After enumerating a long list of signs to precede His second coming, that would characterize this generation, Jesus said, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Matt. 24: 34. The greatest changes in the history of human events have taken place in the present generation. This generation shall see “the mystery of God” finished in the earth. Rev. 10: 7. Christ, in speaking of “the mystery of God,” or “the gospel of the kingdom,” said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” One of the greatest evidences we have, that this will be fulfilled in this generation, is the fact that as never before has the gospel of the kingdom gone forth “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” Rev. 14: 6, 7. God is dealing with this generation as He has dealt with all special generations of the past. If you hear the Holy Spirit pleading with you, harden not your heart, as others have done. God is doing a quick work in the earth. “He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” Rom. 9: 28. His Spirit will not always strive with men. Why not surrender now, and be found among the blood-washed throng, saved in this generation?