The Terminal Generation
The LORD Jesus Christ, in His Olivet Discourse, said: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:34). To which generation was our LORD referring? What did He mean by "till all these things be fulfilled"? I believe that the LORD Jesus was referring to the Terminal Generation, and that "all these things" referred to the events prior to the Pre-Wrath Rapture.
Let me explain. Virtually identical transcriptions are made by Mark and Luke of Jesus' Matthew 24:34 statement. "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done" (Mark 13:30). "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled" (Luke 21:32).
The Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ does not occur during the Tribulation Week. Jesus' exact words were: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days" (Matthew 24:29). Mark confirms the timing: "after that tribulation" (Mark 13:24). All three synoptic gospels-- Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26, and Luke 21:27-- exactly agree in wording about the event that would take place after the Tribulation Week: "the Son of Man coming". The LORD Jesus will come the Second time after the Tribulation Week.
Illustrating one subject by another was a teaching device made famous by our LORD's earthly ministry. The parable of the fig tree was a notable example. Mentioned in Matthew 24:32, Mark 13:28, and Luke 21:29, the fig tree was intended to draw attention to the nation of Israel. "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it" (Micah 4:4). Micah's Millennial Age prophecy points to Israel resting securely in Jehovah.
Though modern prophetic teachers have labeled the May 14,1948 rebirth of the modern nation of Israel as the beginning of the Fig Tree Generation, the June 7,1967 date of the Six Day War seems more appropriate. Israel was 19 years old. That was mature enough to go to war-- and to have children. Israel sprouted forth into the Golan Heights, the Sinai, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh"(Matthew 24:32). I believe that June 7, 1967 was the beginning of the Fig Tree Generation, which is the Terminal Generation.
The Master called the Terminal Generation "this generation" (Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32). He promised that the Terminal Generation would "not pass away"or be finished "till all be fulfilled" (Luke 21:32). "All these things" (Matthew 24:34) must take place before the Terminal Generation is finished. Curiously, the LORD Jesus made a statement immediately before His promise about the completion of the Terminal Generation, that seems to unlock the meaning of the phrase "all these things".
"So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (Matthew 24:33). The phrase "all these things" occurs in both Matthew 24:33 and 24:34. Matthew's account of our LORD's words gives the following chronology: • 1-"Immediately after" the Tribulation Week (24:29), • 2- the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ (24:30), • 3- the parable of the fig tree to explain the Terminal Generation (24:32), • 4- the "all these things" before "it is near, even at the doors" (24:33), and • 5- the end of the Terminal Generation (24:34). The Doors of Matthew 24:33 seem to refer to the Two Raptures. The Pre-Tribulational Rapture would be Door 1 and the Pre-Wrath Rapture would be Door 2. The Philadelphian Church represents the concept of the Rapture. An "open door" (Revelation 3:8) and a promise to be kept "from the hour of temptation" (3:10) connect to point to the Rapture concept. "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it... Because thou hast kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Revelation 3:8-10).
The Laodicean Church contains a cloaked reference to the Pre-Wrath Rapture. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20). Since the Tribulation Week will be full of backsliders and never-were-saved-only-deceived professed Christians, opening the door represents repentance and faith on man's side. A Gracious Saviour and LORD opens the door at exactly the same time from the other side. "For by grace are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).
Unmistakably, the Pre-Tribulational Rapture is described in Revelation 4:1: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in Heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1). The Saints at the First "Come Up Hither" or Pre-Tribulational Rapture hear a trumpet just like the Saints of the Second "Come Up Hither" (Revelation 11:12,15) or Pre-Wrath Rapture. Both Raptures have a door opened to Heaven. Revelation 4:1 overtly states it for the 1st Rapture. For the 2nd Rapture, Revelation 11:19 implies the opening of the door of the temple of God in Heaven. "And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail" (Revelation 11:19).
Thus, the doors of Jesus' statement in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:33) refer to the Two Raptures. The "all these things" (Matthew 24:33,34) refers to the events preceding the Two Raptures, but more specifically to the 2nd and final Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Tribulation Saints. Therefore, the words of the LORD Jesus, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:34), tell us that the Terminal Generation ends at the Pre-Wrath Rapture (or, the Second "Come Up Hither"). Now, if we could only determine exactly how long a generation is...