Last Day Tokens

PARABLE OF THE FIG-TREE

Coming down in this line of prophecy past the fulfilment of the third sign, our Saviour says: “Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [margin, “He”] is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” ¹² LDT 54.2

This language does not apply to the generation who were living when Christ gave this discourse, but to the generation who see these things fulfilled-not who see them fulfilling, but fulfilled. The things they see fulfilled as tokens that Christ is at the door, do not include the shaking of the heavens when He will be seen actually coming. These signs of His near coming include this third sign, the one in the stars. As surely as we know that summer is coming when the leaves are putting forth, so surely we may know by the signs that are past that Christ’s coming is near, even at the door, and may know also that the generation witnessing the falling stars will not pass away until His actual coming shall take place. This statement Christ declares to be more certain than the continuance of the heavens and the earth. They will pass away, but His words respecting His coming in this generation shall not fail. LDT 54.3

With these points clearly established, do not the events, with their fulfillments, designate the last generation? The last of these events-the falling of the stars-was fulfilled in 1833. Since that date we have entered upon the last generation, the generation that shall not pass away until Christ shall come. LDT 55.1