This Generation

I have prayed on these passages and the following has been revealed to me regarding “this generation.”

Matthew 11:16-17

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates,

‘We piped to you, and you did not dance;

We wailed, and you did not mourn.’

Then Jesus went on to speak about all of the troubles that will be seen on the Earth during the end times and then added;

Luke 21:32

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.

So, what is to be made about these two passages? Are they related to one another? I say they are. These passages have been debated over and over by many different religious factions. My training with the Jehovah’s Witnesses brought them to my attention as the Jehovah’s Witnesses once upon a time said that “this generation” was that generation who were around in 1914. I say “this generation” has not yet passed.

Is “this generation” a literal generation? A literal familial generation is about 25 years, but a generation is generally thought of as the life of an individual and their contemporaries. However, in this case, Jesus describes the generation not in terms of years, but in terms of who they are. He tells us how to identify a broader generation of mankind!

First, he describes them as children. Children are those who act up and must be taught right from wrong. Children play games. He goes on to describe their games. They pipe and others don’t dance. They wail and others do not mourn. In other words, the games of the present generation have to do with manipulating others with “games” and emotional pressure. Notice that piping and dancing is happy feeling while wailing and mourning are sad. In both cases, the person who is piping and wailing expects a reaction from someone else and is upset because they don’t get a reaction.

Sit and think about this, even in present day. Think about this sort of mentality since the time of Jesus here on Earth. How many arguments are had because we try to convince another person to think our way? Many times this leads to war! These actions are totally opposite of minding one’s own business and the ethos of “Live and let live.” No, I played the flute and you didn’t dance. I wailed and you didn’t cry. There is a built in assumption in this statement that the person feels snubbed and offended. What do humans do when they feel snubbed or offended? You know the answer. They cop an attitude at best, and punish by any means necessary at worst.

Then Jesus goes onto describe the end times and says that “this generation” shall not pass until the end times that he describes takes place. In other words, it’s not going to get better. We will be a generation of people playing the victim. We will be a generation of people trying to manipulate our fellow brothers and sisters. We will be a generation of those who will feel offended, snubbed, and generally, upset and angry because we’re not Gods ourselves!!! Only God has the right to expect people to react in such a manner! This is why it is important to heed’s God’s word and to try to be humble!