Thousand Generations

To get a million billion people into his kingdom, life on earth will have to go on for a good many more generations yet. That could easily happen. Here is a well known promise.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands (Deut 7:9).

He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations (1 Chron 16:15).

He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations (Ps 105:8).

God recorded this promise at least five times in the scriptures. Some numbers in scriptures are used figuratively, but if any number deserves to be taken literally, surely it is the number in this promise. God has promised to keep his covenant for a thousand generations. This suggests that a thousand generations of people will live on earth subsequent to his promise?

A new generation is born on earth about every twenty years. That means that there have been less than 500 generations on earth since the time of Abraham when the promise was first made. That means we have could have another 500 generations to ensure God’s promise is totally fulfilled. That would be just about right to get the full number of people that God wants into the kingdom.

Ten thousand years is a short time for a generous and gracious God.

Prophetic Distractions (5) - This Generation

Another prophetic distraction has been the word "generation" in Matthew 24:35.

I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

The confusion about this statement is strange, because Jesus words are precise and clear. The events Jesus described in the previous verses were close and would take place with in the lifetimes of most of his listeners.

I have watched with amusement as the length of a generation has expanded from 25 years to 40 years, and now to 51 years, and the starting point shifted from 1948 to 1967. I can imagine that Christians will soon be quoting Psalm 90:10 to prove that a generation is 70 or 80 years, or perhaps they will choose another "prophetic marker" to extend the time frame into the future.

I cannot understand why Christians refuse accept the straightforward meaning of Jesus's words. Going through verbal gymnastics to squeeze out a different meaning is a distraction.