In the March-April Tidings, page 130, Sis. Jodee Webb asked about the 40-year generation and suggested the possibility of the 100-plus years of Genesis 15:13 16. Looking at some of the uses of “generation” in Scripture, it does many times refer to a time period. However, there are times when it may not be a time period, but rather a group of people, or a community, i.e., of the righteous or wicked. I suggest that Luke 21:32 is one of those times. See the following:
“Generation” is the Hebrew “dowr”:
- 14:5: “There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.”
- 22:30 (AV): “A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.”
- 24:6: “This [is] the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O [God of] Jacob.”
- 73:15: “If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.”
- 112:2: “His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.”
- 30:11-14: “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”
- 53:8: “He was 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.”
“Generation” is the Greek “genea”, “genos”, or “gennema”:
- 3:7: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation [‘gennema’] of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
- 11:16: “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows.”
- 12:34: “O generation [‘gennema’] of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
- 12:39: “But he answered and said unto them, 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.”
- 24:34: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (cp. Mark 13:30)
- Luke 16:8: “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
- 1 Pet. 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation [‘genos’], a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.”
Some of the above may not be convincing proof, but I lean toward this understanding especially since Jesus said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:7).
Perhaps this approach might be of interest to some in understanding Jesus’ words: “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (Luke 21:32).
May the Lord bless and keep you.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One