Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
What exactly did the Jesus mean in the above statement of verse 34 ? Is this another controversial statement credited to Him? How many generations have passed since more than 2000 years ago when the statement was made?
A dictionary meaning of "generation" can be: age, age group, peer group, cohort, stage of life
To understand this statement in the Matthew 24:34 let us focus on "generation" as "age" or "stage of life".
Human civilization according to historians, has passed through ages or stages. Prominent among these are: stone age, agrarian age, industrial revolution age, information age and now Artificial Intelligence age.
Stone age is characterized by man in culture of making use of stone as weapon and equipment.
Agrarian age is marked by men using simple machine as farm implement and weapon. It's man's major preoccupation was agriculture. This was the stage at time of Jesus Christ.
Industrial age is defined industrial revolution, when man started using energy driven complex machines for agriculture and production.
Information age came with man started using extremely fast machines.
Now artificial intelligence age means man started using intelligent or smart machines.
So back to the statement of Mathew 24:34 we need to understand that up till today all the features of all past ages are still present in the world today despite the stage of civilization as at now
We still have stone, agrarian, Industrial ages culture among some people in many regions of the world that are regarded as modern civilization till now.
High level of illetracy, farmine, food scarcity, malnutrition, poverty, pandemic and disaster which were all attendant features of past ages are still with us till today.
So in effect what the Holy Spirit want us to know in the statement is that, the iminience of the end of the world shall be so soon that many parts of the world would still exhibit characteristics of agrarian age which was when Jesus was making that statement in Matthew 24:34 .
May we be found worthy to meet Him when He returns.
