What marks the beginning and close of the generation referred to by our Lord? How can the generation that saw the falling of the stars see the coming of our Lord? S. A. P. and others. 1. The discourse of Jesus in Matthew 24 can be better understood by including in its study the thirteenth chapter of Mark and twenty-first of Luke. All are reports of the same address. 2. There is a threefold aspect to this discourse; namely, the answer to these three questions: (a) When shall these things be? or, When shall Jerusalem be destroyed? (b) When shall be the end of the age? (c) What shall be the sign of Christ's coming? The first and the second of these questions are answered in the first parts of these three chapters. One question is regarding the signs of Christ's coming. 3. The disciples asked for the sign, but Jesus gave them "signs." Read what He says in response in Luke 21: 25-27: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity . . . men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth. . . . Then shall they see the Son of man coming." We naturally get the idea from this that there will be many signs. The same thing is suggested by both Mark and Matthew,—that nation shall rise against nation; there shall be earthquakes, famines, and pestilences, etc. But Matthew and Mark single out three special signs,—the darkening of the sun, the darkening of the moon, and the falling of the stars; and yet we must, if we stop to think about it, know that our Lord had not only these in mind, but He had in mind all the other signs that should precede His second coming. He it was that gave all the other signs through all the apostles and the prophets. It is His Spirit in them (see 1 Peter 1: 11) that predicted the score or more of signs which should usher in the kingdom of God. Consequently in those words, "When ye shall see all these things," He must have had in mind more than the three special signs connected with the sun, the moon, and the stars. He "in whom dwelt the fulness of wisdom and knowledge" must have included all the others. 4. "Seeing" these signs may be understood in a twofold sense. Seeing with the natural eyes is what many did when the signs occurred; but to them these things were not signs at all of Christ's coming. Some wondered, some were alarmed, a few thought them evidences of the Judgment-day, but very few indeed saw them in their true light. And even this was of God's providence, because no one could see them in their true light until the last message for the last generation was developed. The other way of seeing things is evidently the sense of the prophecy,—that is, perceiving them in the light of prophecy. Jesus said, "Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad." John 8: 56. But he did not see it with the natural eye. The Jews did, and still would not believe. Abraham saw it by faith in the light of God's prophecies, and believed. The disciples saw it in the light of fulfilled prophecies, and they believed. And so the present generation of men upon the earth, beginning with the last threefold message in its fulness in 1844, will "see all these things" in the light of prophecy. The preaching of "all these things" is an essential part of that last message. It is given to the church to prophesy again (Rev. 10: 11); and in this will be included an explanation of all the mistakes and errors that have been made regarding prophecy in the past, and there will be brought out of the message the many signs which the Lord has given of His second coming. As before stated, that movement began in 1844. 5. When God has had any special work to give to the world, the generation which began that work finished it,—not all of that generation, but enough to bear witness to God's truth. Those who finish it, demonstrate in themselves that what the Lord promised is true. Take for instance the warning message which preceded the Deluge. That was given to Noah, and working with Noah in that message were Methuselah and Lamech. Both of these men died, but Noah preached through the entire generation to the other side, demonstrating in his own person the truth of God. So also with the generation that Moses led out of Egypt to the promised land. That generation gave that message, and led that movement to victory, and Joshua and Caleb were demonstrations of the truth of God. And so with the great 1844 message, there will be some that will live through it and will see the end,—the day of which or the hour of which we know not. But we know, in the words of the Master, that He is coming soon—in this generation.