This Generation by R. F. Cottrell

S. D. A. Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 7, 1882

FromThe Signs of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 34; Special Edition, No. 1

“This Generation.”

By R. F. Cottrell

BY ELD. R. F. COTTRELL.

Many of the prophecies of Scripture are given as if the writer or speaker saw the things of which he speaks already done, or as if he were present, as an eye-witness, beholding the fulfillment. Hence events which were to transpire many centuries after the predictions were written, are spoken of in the perfect tense, as already accomplished, or in the present, as actually transpiring before the eyes of the prophet. As an illustration of this, we give the following from Isaiah the prophet, written about seven hundred years before the fulfillment in the rejection of Christ, and his death on the cross:—

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,” etc.

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He is taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” Isa. 53:3, 7, 8.

In this chapter the present, perfect, indefinite, past, and future tenses are all used in describing the events of the rejection and suffering of Christ, then centuries in the future. And instances of this kind might be cited to almost any extent. The prophets seemed to be carried by the Spirit into the future, and, taking their stand there, describe events of the far future as really present.

Apply this principle to the predictions of the Saviour giving the signs of his second coming, and all is easy to be understood. After saying that the sun shall be darkened, etc., followed by the assertion, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven,” etc., he says, “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. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.” See Matt. 24:29–34.

The term generation simply signifies the people living upon the earth at one time. It cannot be defined as any definite number of years. The active, responsible inhabitants of the earth, at the time alluded to, are not all of them to die, and thus pass from the stage of action, until the promised event transpires. The demonstrative adjective this restricts it to a particular generation—those living upon the earth at the particular time specified. Where do the words apply? At a time when the predicted signs have appeared. “When ye shall see all these things.” “This generation shall not pass.” This is the only reasonable view of the passage.

But it is thought that the generation spoken of must be that one living at the time the prediction was uttered. But the signs were not fulfilled during the life-time of that generation. To solve this difficulty several inventions have been introduced. One says the generation means the Jews as a people, another that it is the generation of the Christians; and they find there are both Jews and Christians to the present day. But what kind of sign of the nearness of the second advent is the fact that there have been Jews and Christians on the earth for 1800 years? For aught there is in such a sign, it might be 1800, or 10,000 years more to the advent.

We are living at a time when the predicted signs in the sun, moon, and stars, are historic facts. Now which is most reasonable: to suppose that Jesus came down to the generation that should witness the signs, when he says, “this generation?” or that we should go back to that generation living when the prediction was given, and which passed away before even the predicted signs were fulfilled?

But it is claimed that all must have taken place then, because the Saviour said, “When ye shall see these things.” But Isaiah says in the chapter from which we have quoted, “When we shall see him [Christ], there is no beauty that we should desire him;” and, “We hid as it were our faces from him.” Was the prophet to live to see Christ? No; he died without the sight. Who were the we, then? Those that were living at the time of the first advent, and did see him. Again, the apostle Paul says, “We that are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord.” Was the apostle to live to the second advent? No. Who, then, was meant by “we”? Those who shall be alive at that time. So the “ye” to whom the language of the Saviour applies are the people of the last generation, this generation, the generation to whom the fulfillment of the predicted signs is matter of fact.

The advent messages of our day have proclaimed to the world the fulfillment of the signs. This generation have seen and heard; and this generation will not all pass from the stage of action; but some of them will “see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”