Will We See Christ's Return?

During this Good Friday as we contemplate the gravity of what Christ did for us on the cross...we look forward to Resurrection Sunday and the promise that Christ conquered death and that He is the example of what ALL OF US WHO TRUST IN HIM for salvation will become!!

So will we be the generation that Paul spoke of who NEVER SEE DEATH?  Could we be the ones who are alive to hear the trumpet call and get changed from our mortal bodies directly into immortal bodies capable of living in eternity with Christ??

The excitement of such a thought is awesome to ponder!!

With that as a backdrop, there has been much chatter in prophetic circles of what exactly the word "generation" actually means.  Is it 40 years?  70-80 years?  Or something else?

Remember, Jesus said that the generation that sees the return of Israel to its land will also see the end of all these things that he spoke of...meaning the Rapture, the Tribulation and the 2nd coming of Christ.  At least that's how many prophecy watchers view it...because the fig tree is Israel.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 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.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.   -Matthew 24:30-36

One of the most perplexing and sought-after answers among students of Bible prophecy is the length of a generation.  There is much disagreement among both secular and religious writers concerning the length of a generation.  Is the length of a generation 40 years?  When Israel became a nation in 1948, some believed that Israel's birth date marked the beginning of the generation that would see all the events leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. This theory was based upon the generation alluded to in the parable of the fig tree, in which the fig tree was symbolic of the nation Israel. (For a more detailed study of the fig tree in Biblical history, see Judg 9:8-15; Jer 24:1-10; Lk 13:6-9; Mt 21:17-21; Mk 11:11-14, 20-21; Lk 19:41-44; Rom 11:1,2,25-27; Isa 66:8; Mt 24:32-51; Mk 13:28-37; Lk 21:29-36; and Rev 6:13.)

When 40 years passed in 1988 without fulfillment of any of the events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ, the 40-year generation theory fell into disrepute.  Either 1948 was not the starting date for the generation described in the fig tree parable, or a generation must be longer than 40 years, according to the theory.  Additional arguments put forth claimed that 1967, the year Jerusalem was captured, or some other future date could be the birth of the generation that would see the return of Christ.  

Some proponents of the "end times" generation theory questioned whether 40 years was actually the length of a generation today.  Is there any evidence to suggest that the length of a generation is longer than 40 years?  A few sources hold that a generation is now 20 to 30 years in length (but this better represents a generation "gap").  Other opinions range from 40 to 100 years.  Just how long is a generation today?  Is there an answer to the generation question?  

Disregarding untimely or unnatural deaths due to epidemics, famine, and war, there is evidence in the Scriptures and in recent history to support a 70 to 80 year life span for the past 3000 years.  The evidence for a 70 to 80 year life span was present during the 10th century B.C., during the reign of King David (c.1010-970). As David approached the end of his life, he was considered to be an old man by those living at that time. The Scriptures reveal that David served his generation and was seventy years old when he died (1 Chr 23:1; 2 Sam 5:4; 1 Kgs 2:10; Act 13:36). Perhaps the most significant declaration in the Bible for the life span of man is given in Psalm 90. The Psalmist states that the life span of man is seventy years, with eighty years being the upper range of normal life expectancy.

Here;  http://www.khouse.org/articles/2002/438/print/

Read the entire article.  It is an interesting and exciting thing to ponder and study.

Remember, NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR of when the Rapture will happen...but the Bible is clear that we should certainly understand the season that we are in...and as you look around at all the signs that are lining up for the FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY....you have to stand back and say, "Wow!!  Maybe any day now the trumpet will blow and we will get to see our Lord!!"

Be encouraged by these words.  Also please remember, IF WE REALLY BELIEVE THESE THINGS we should be spreading the Gospel and telling everyone we know that Jesus is the ONLY way to be with The Father in eternity.

Hat tip to Adam G.