In the Question Chair

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 17, 1901

In the Question Chair.

[Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.]

843.—THIS GENERATION.

I wish a little information on the expression “this generation,” as found in Matt. 24:34, and other places. What is it, from the Bible standpoint? The Standard Dictionary makes it out to be a “natural lifetime;” that is, about the third of a century. Different articles in recent issues of the REVIEW express the view that the Third Angel’s Message, which has now been in progress fifty-seven years, will be carried to the world, and the work will be done, and Christ will come, in “this generation.” There are a number of generations living on the earth contemporaneously at the present time, as there have been at every other time. Which one is meant in the articles referred to? Does it begin with those who witnessed the occurrence of the latest event mentioned as one of the latter-day signs; namely, the falling of the stars in 1833? Shall we say that that is the generation, including all that had entered upon the plane of life at that time? Was that the one that shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled? Are we to expect that ere all these persons pass out of life, all the things mentioned shall be accomplished, the world be warned, that is the kingdom of God be established, and the overcomers be crowned with life in the kingdom of God? Please give us some light on this.

G. W., De Leon Springs, Fla.

Ans.—This is a very important question, and with any possible application, the question is rapidly narrowing down to a very limited area. But we imagine there may be a little leeway yet, though no time to lose.

Let us survey the ground again. Our Lord speaks of the great tribulation that was to follow the great falling away in the Church, and press so heavily upon His people that it was necessary that the time of its duration should be shortened, in order that any flesh might be saved. Matt. 24:22. Then false Christs and false prophets were to arise, and if possible, deceive the very elect. Then confusing views and voices were to break forth upon the world in reference to the coming of Christ. Then the Lord throws out a warning in regard to the manner of His return: as the lightning cometh out of the east, and flashes with a vivid light even over the whole heaven, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Then He alludes to the suddenness of His coming, and the separation that will take place in the midst of the closest associations. Two shall be in the field, two grinding together, and Luke (17:34) says two shall be in one bed,—one shall be seized and the other escape. Christ illustrates the agencies by which this shall be done, by eagles and carcasses. Matt. 24:28. The eagles are the plagues, which seize upon the wicked like vultures upon a dead body, when the day of vengeance comes. While those who have passed the examination of the investigative judgment, and been counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass (Luke 20:35), shall obtain the world to come and the resurrection from the dead, and escape the plagues by which the others are seized and destroyed. Then follows a mention of the unexplainable phenomena of the darkening of the sun and moon, and the great star shower, when all the luminaries above seemed to have unmoored from their position in the heavens, the shaking of the powers of the heaven, the wailing of the startled and unprepared tribes of the earth, and the coming of Christ in the clouds with power and great glory.

By the parable of the fig tree the whole subject is then clinched. “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [“he,” margin] is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Matt. 24:28-38. “Generation” cannot here be used in a general or indefinite sense; for it is restricted by the adjective “this.” By “passing” must be meant passing off the stage of action before all the events referred to shall be accomplished.

How much is included?—All that is given as a warning, and to prepare men for the event of Christ’s appearing. All that would be so near to that event that it would allow no time after it to prepare for Christ’s coming would be excluded from “these things,” the seeing of which would make us know that He was near, even unto the door. They would not therefore include the appearance of Christ himself, nor, probably, the shaking of the powers of heaven, but would take in the things referred to in Luke 21:28, even the beginning of which should lead us to look up and lift up our heads, knowing that our “redemption draweth nigh.” The “generation” would therefore take in all those whose life dated from the last sign, the falling of the stars in 1833, and cover the time between that and the coming of Christ. But the number of those whose life began as far back as that, is fast wearing away. In 1903 the number of all such will be dwindled down to those aged threescore and ten. But there are a few left still more aged than this. We have an Adventist brother in Memphis, Mich., Father Gifford, a recent photograph of whom we hope to give soon in the REVIEW, whose age is one hundred and three. There are many younger, still in good health. So the “generation” has not yet expired. Take the case of the writer of these words: born May 2, 1832, he would come within the “generation.” Yet

not till May 2, 1902, will he reach the Scriptural limit of life, threescore and ten. And he is not aware of any limitations which would prevent his living on, if time should continue thirty years more, till he completes a century. The point we wish to make is this: that we belong to “this generation;” and the generation has not passed so long as we abide in the flesh. How soon our life may be brought to a limit, of course we know not; but the generation has not passed so long as we are here, nor so long as any one is living whose birth was as early as Nov. 13, 1833. We have all confidence and expectation that the end will come before thirty years from next May shall end. Our correspondent expresses a doubt whether the generation has not already passed; but he will see, according to the calculation we have adopted, that it has not ended yet. Still, if the world is to be warned before this generation is gone, we can see that there must be rapid and efficient work. Whatever we are to do must be done at once. The prophecy will not fail, but we may fail, and the work go on without us.