Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

This rain is hassling my progress on this mural frame project. I need to be creative with some alternative strategies. It’s certainly not very intelligent to get mad at God for His allowing things to disrupt MY plans. But I’m quite aware that many people out there are quite comfortable with that kind of approach to life…which is like a cul-de-sac approach to intended points beyond.

If you happened to read my journal entry from June 18, 1994 I’m sure it would raise a lot of questions for those not in our immediate family that are not answered in the account. Perhaps I will only clarify here that the condition afflicting Katherine at that time was a serious case of cerebral malaria.

Becki just called me to breakfast…and Andy just called me to say he was going to do some investigating of a dive spot on the coast…making me wish I could go along. He said the conditions appear to be near perfect.

Please have a good day. Keep looking up.

Love, Dad/Ray

While I make no dogmatic claims as to how to interpret and apply everything we hear in Jesus words (along with other prophetic writings), I still think it is appropriate to consider and formulate some general ideas relative to meaning and fulfillment. So I’ll carry on here with some of my current leanings.

When Jesus says THIS GENERATION, which generation does He mean? At first it would seem that He means the one He’s speaking to. But verse 24 could offer a key toward resolving the question more accurately. “Jerusalem will be trampled on…until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” So the focus moves to a period of time in the future which we assume began about 70 a.d. with the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews to all parts of the world. Then Jesus goes on to describe some general events that will characterize the period following the “times of the Gentiles.” Of particular significance to me is the phrasing that says, “Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world…” The fact that man now has at his disposal the incredible technology to absolutely destroy this planet generates the highest level of global apprehension ever known. Then Jesus adds to His description this comment in verse 27: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” He says something similar in verse 31. I believe that one way to understand all this is to recognize that Jesus is announcing the coming of a generation that will see these end-time prophecies begin to take place. And that generation is the one that witnesses such beginnings meant by THIS GENERATION. Therefore, it is very likely that THIS GENERATION is THIS generation—the one we’re in right now. How so? Because we are seeing things begin to come together socially, politically, internationally, technologically, and spiritually like no generation has ever witnessed before!

Does this make sense? Does this passage have any influence on your desire to be alert and ready? (Read again verses 8-9.) I don’t know about you, but I have a strong sense that we are fast approaching the finish line of the “times of the Gentiles” which could also be called “The Church Age.” I have a hunch that the count-down for THIS GENERATION has already begun—and possibly near completion. Think about it.