What Is The Generation Jesus Will Return?

The word “generation” (Gk: ‘genea’) can refer to the age or period of the members of a family as determined by the average span of life (Genesis 31:3; Matthew 1:17, 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41, 16:8; Acts 2:40), as well as all the people of a given period (Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, Luke 1:48, 21:32, Philippians 2:15), and the period covered by the lifetime of a generation (Acts 14:16; 15:21, Ephesians 3:5, Colossians 1:20). If the word is repeated twice or with another time word, it indicates an infinity of time. God was very intentional in not giving a direct answer regarding the length of a generation and the length of a biblical life span. The length of a generation varies depending on the historical period.

Some Scholars say the term “generation” means an average life span and refers either to the generations in which Jesus lived while on Earth or to the generation living when the end time signs begin to occur. Others say it is not a physical generation but a wicked one that continues today.

According to the Jewish calendar, the year 5780 is the year of creation. Abraham was born in 2167 BC. He was “ninety-nine years old” in 2068 BC (Genesis 17:1). David was crowned King in 1010 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah was deported to Babylon in 586 BC, From Jeconiah, born about 616 BC, to Jesus, born between 6 to 3 BC, 14 generations have passed. The numbers appear to be linked to the following verses, which state that seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, would pass between the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. Since generations were commonly placed at 35 years, this equates to 14 generations.

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” (Daniel 9:24-27 ESV)

Fourteen Generations

“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” (Matthew 1:17 ESV)

Matthew’s genealogy traces the ancestors of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. The structure of the genealogy descends from father to son, beginning with Abraham. Matthew divided the genealogy into three groups of fourteen generations, separated by important historical points. Abraham to David; Solomon to Jehoiakim; Jeconiah to Jesus. It is believed by some that names which appear in earlier records were omitted because he abridged them to aid in memorization as a literary structure, as did many of the teachers of Israel had done for centuries, including Jesus. Matthew was documenting the proof of ancestry from the line's origin to establish a point or simplify it.

Matthew showed God's sovereignty over all three phases of the Jewish nation's rise, fall, and salvation. The first set of “fourteen generations” covered 1,058 years (2068 BC to 1010 BC); God started with one man - Abraham - and blessed his descendants into a great nation. The second set of “fourteen generations” covered the fall of Israel over 424 years (1010 BC to 586 BC) into apostasy, turning its back on God and being destroyed. The third set of “fourteen generations” covered their salvation with the arrival of God to save them from their sin over 580 years (586 BC to 6 BC). Matthew appears to have shown the perfection of God’s plan to reveal Jesus as the true Jewish King - the son of David.

Various Generation Lengths in the Bible

40 Years

The number 40 is used interchangeably for days and years throughout the Bible.

“And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone.” (Numbers 32:13 ESV)