Due to a vast lack of study by modern man, the doctrine of the eternal generations of natural people is almost unheard of. Most believe that in all eternity future there will only be saved men with resurrected bodies. Even worse, they also believe that these people will spend eternity in heaven (but see Heaven Our Real Home?). We will see from the many Scriptures listed below that both glorified saints and natural man will exist on earth forever.
Revelation 1:6
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
If the glorified saints are the only people alive in eternity and are kings and priests who will they rule over? As a king you need a kingdom of people to rule over. Since all the glorified saints are kings they could not be ruled over by another glorified man. What kind of kingship is it to have no one to rule over? Is this the kingship of Christ seeing that we are joint-heirs with Him (Rom. 8:17)? Of course it is not!
Revelation 2:26-27
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
All born-again believers are overcomers and as such will have power over the nations. If the theory that the only people to exist in eternity are the glorified saints then how can there even be any nations to rule over?
Genesis 9:12
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
God states that His covenant with Noah and every living creature is "for perpetual generations." If the common theory that only glorified man will exist for all eternity was true then how can there be perpetual (eternal) generations when glorified men do not reproduce once glorified (Mt. 22:30)?
A THOUSAND GENERATIONS
Deuteronomy 7:9
9 Know therefore that the L
ORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
"A thousand generations" is simply another way of saying eternal generations as is seen by the next verses.
1 Chronicles 16:15-17
15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;
17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for and everlasting covenant,
Psalm 105:8
8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
God commanded the covenant "to a thousand generations," and the covenant is an "everlasting" (v.17) or eternal covenant. Thus the phrase "a thousand generations" is simply another way of saying "eternal generations."
ALL GENERATIONS
The 19 occurrences of the phrase "all generations" proves that there will be eternal generations of natural people on the earth. If we choose to believe that the phrase "all generations" does not refer to eternal generations of natural people then we would also have to believe the following foolishness:
- That the sun and the moon are not eternal (Ps. 72:5)
- That the Lord's truth is not eternal (Ps. 100:5)
- That God's remembrance is not eternal (Ps. 102:12)
- That the Lord's years are not eternal (Ps. 102:24)
- That God's faithfulness is not eternal (Ps. 119:90)
- The the Lord's memorial will not be eternal (Ps. 135:13)
- That the Lord's dominion is not eternal (Ps. 145:13)
- That the Lord will not reign eternally (Ps. 146:10)
All of these Scriptures along with Ex. 3:15; Ps. 33:11; 45:17; 49:11; 79:13; 89:1, 4; 90:1; 106:31; and Lk. 1:48 abundantly prove that the phrase "all generations" refers to eternal generations of natural people.
THERE WILL BE GENERATIONS OF NATURAL PEOPLE FOREVER
Psalm 12:6-7
6 The words of the L
ORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
As sure as the words of the Lord will be forever, so also will the generations of natural people.
ABRAHAM"S ETERNAL SEED
Genesis 13:14-15
14 And the L
ORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 17:7
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
For God to give Abraham and his seed the land forever and to make a everlasting covenant with Abraham and his seed, Abraham's seed would have to be eternal. (See also Lk.1:55.)
GENERATION TO GENERATION
Out of the 10 times the phrase "generation to generation" occurs only once (Ex. 17:16) does it not refer to eternal generations of natural people. In the other 9 occurrences (Is. 13:20; 34:10, 17; 51:8; Jer. 50:39; Lam. 5:19; Dan. 4:3, 34; Joel 3:20) it clearly refers to eternal generations of natural people.
EVEN A HEATHEN KING UNDERSTOOD THIS DOCTRINE!
Here is what the heathen king Nebuchadnezzar said,
Daniel 4:3
3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:34
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
Notice that in v.3 King Nebuchadnezzar says that the Lord's "kingdom is an everlasting kingdom," and His "dominion is from generation to generation." Then in v.34 he switches dominion and kingdom to say that the Lord's dominion is everlasting and His kingdom is from generation to generation. From this we can see that King Nebuchadnezzar uses the phrase "generation to generation" interchangeably with the word "everlasting" proving that they indicate the same thing, eternity. Thus, even the heathen King Nebuchadnezzar understood that there would be eternal generations of natural people on the earth.
JESUS' MOTHER BELIEVED IN ETERNAL GENERATIONS OF NATURAL PEOPLE!
Luke 1:46-48
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
ONE GENERATION AFTER ANOTHER
Psalm 145:4
4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Every generation born from now to all eternity will praise the works of the Lord and declare His mighty acts!
Ecclesiastes 1:4
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
After the curse is removed at the end of the Millennium the natural people, which are not to be confused with the glorified people, will not die (Rev. 21:4), but will multiply for all eternity as God had originally planned it (Gen. 1:28; Mt. 25:46; Rev. 21:3-6, 24-27; 22:2-5) and as is seen here.
THE SEED OF ISRAEL CONTINUES FOR EVER!
Numbers 10:8
8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
The use of the phrase "for ever" in connection with the seed of Israel proves eternal generations of natural people (See Ex. 27:21; Num. 10:8; 15:15; 18:23; Dt.5:29; 29:29; 2 Sam. 7:24-26; 1 Chr. 23:25; Ps. 45:17; 89:4; Is. 59:21; Jer. 31:35-36; 32:38-40; Ez. 37:24-28; 43:7; Lk. 1:33; etc.).
WHEN WILL NATURAL MEN BEGIN TO LIVE FOR ALL ETERNITY ON THE EARTH?
Matthew 24:40-42
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
During the battle of Armageddon at Jesus' second advent will some people be destroyed and others left to live into the Millennium under Christ and the glorified saints' reign. Isaiah prophesied of those who would live on the earth through the Millennium and all eternity when he said:
Isaiah 2:1-4
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the L
ORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah prophesied of the natural people living into the Millennium and throughout all eternity. If they do not commit a death-penalty sin during the Millennium (Is. 65:20) or rebel with Satan at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:7-9) they will continue living in the new earth and will replenish the earth throughout all eternity.
In Matthew 25:31-46 we see Jesus judging all nations alive at His second advent who were personally involved with Israel (v.32). The ones that did good unto Israel (feeding, housing, clothing, visiting when sick, visiting when in prison, etc.) will be given the earth to dwell in forever (Ps. 37:11; Mt. 5:5). They will go on to multiply and replenish the earth throughout eternity.
Those who were not personally involved with Israel do not partake of this judgment and some will be put to death in the Millennium because they commit a death-penalty sin (Is. 65:20), others will finally hear of Christ's ruling the earth from Jerusalem through the evangelism of the Jews (Is 2:2-4; 11:9; 52:7; 61:6; 66:19; Nah. 1:15; Zech. 8:23) and will desire to be taught His ways and walk in His paths (Is. 2:3). Those who choose to rebel with Satan when he is loosed from his bonds (Rev. 20:1-3, 7) will all be destroyed by fire that "came down from God out of heaven and devoured them" (Rev. 20:8-9).
Those natural people who will live throughout all eternity will be those who:
- Were not destroyed at the battle of Armageddon (Ez. 39:2; Zech. 14:16; Mt. 24:40-43; Lk. 17:26; 21:34; Rev. 19:21)
- If personally involved with Israel did good unto them, and were not those who did evil unto Israel and will be judged and cast into hell at the second advent of Christ (Mt. 25:31-46)
- If under the antichrist's kingdom did not worship the beast and his image or take the mark of the beast (Rev. 14:9-11)
- If not under the antichrist's kingdom, live throughout the Millennium without committing a death-penalty sin (Is. 65:20) or rebelling against God with Satan at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:7-9)
THE ETERNAL KINGDOM
Christ and the glorified saints will rule over the eternal generations of natural people for all eternity as is proved by Is. 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 18, 27; Zech. 14; Mt. 19:28; Lk. 1:32-33; Rom. 8:17-18; 1 Cor. 6:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 12:28; Jude 14; Rev. 1:6; 2:26-27; 5:20; 11:15; 20:4-6; 22:5; etc.
Above we have seen 100's of clear verses Scriptures proving the doctrine of eternal generations of natural people, and we must understand this doctrine to fully understand the glorified saints' role in eternity. All of the Scriptures given and referenced in this study should prove this doctrine clearly to any sane man. It is only when one refuses to believe the literal teachings of the Scriptures and holds to man's vain traditions that the doctrine of the eternal generations of natural people becomes confusing. Yet, if one will simply believe the above Scriptures then they will have no problem accepting the truth that there will be generations of natural people throughout all eternity and forevermore.
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