This Generation Will Not Pass Away

The irresistible conclusion therefore is that Jesus referred to the new creation when he said: "This generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled."

Jesus indicated that the true followers of Christ who would compose the remnant on earth at the end of the world would observe these things, and that if continuing faithful to the end, they would see the kingdom of God established in complete glory.

Then to the generation witnessing these Kingdom signs he issued the warning against becoming weighted down and preoccupied by the things of this world, saying: "This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."—Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21.

Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of "this generation" nearly 70 years old today.

Think about those persons who, in 1914, were old enough to see with understanding the beginning of the fulfillment of the "sign."

He pointedly said: "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." —Matt. 24:34. The '1914 generation' has nearly run out, with most of the people who were alive then having already died. The remainder are of advanced age. Thus there is full reason for confidence that God's time is indeed at hand to bring true relief from earth's present pressures and afflictions.

This means that some of the people who were alive when World War I began in 1914 would still be alive to witness the end of this present system of things.

It shows that within this very generation the whole human race will face God's war of Armageddon, in which the wicked will be destroyed.

If Jesus used "generation" in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older.

The start of this time period would mark the beginning of the end for Satan's world, against which God's newly established Kingdom in heaven would execute divine judgment. Bible chronology and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy provide ample proof that this time period began in 1914.* Thus before the 1914 generation completely dies out, God's judgment must be executed. This generation still exists in goodly numbers.

Yes, as this magazine has drawn to the attention of its readers over the years, the evidence points to the 1914 generation as the generation spoken of by Jesus.*

This became true by the year 70 C.E. when Jerusalem was destroyed. Likewise today, most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it. And although their numbers are dwindling, Jesus’ words will come true, “this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”

In fact, the end will occur within the lifetime of the people who see the fulfillment of all the things Jesus foretells!

So some of the generation living in 1914 will live to see the end of the present world system.—Matthew 24:33, 34.

Eager to see the end of this evil system, Jehovah's people have at times speculated about the time when the "great tribulation" would break out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a generation since 1914.

Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term "generation" as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics.*

Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy today, "this generation" apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to mend their ways.

Jesus said that the present wicked generation would not pass away until "all these things occur." (Matthew 24:34) Does our updated understanding of his words mean that our preaching activity is not so pressing?* The facts show that just the opposite is the case! Our contemporary generation is plunging into a state of wickedness and corruption unparalleled in all previous history.

In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.—Matthew 24:3-14, 34. It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus' words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"—Acts 1:6.

For decades now, Jehovah’s Witnesses have taught that the current fulfillment of the sign proves that a “great tribulation” is yet to come. The present wicked “generation” will see that tribulation.

It may be difficult at times to understand such updated explanations, but the reasons for them become clear in due course.

As a class, these anointed ones make up the modern-day “generation” of contemporaries that will not pass away “until all these things occur.”

So it seems that Jesus was referring to his anointed followers, both in the first century and in the modern application of his words.