THE EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION (MATTHEW 1:28-39)

The one charge a child of God must uphold is to tell the truth and uphold it before all men at all cost. Jesus is a perfect example of this fact. He told men the truth concerning their lives and time even to their faces without compromising it. Paul encouraged Timothy to do the same even with a serious charge -2 Tim. 4:1-8. This is a generation that need to be confronted with the truth about their lives and character.

Character Of This Generation

It is an evil generation: The word ''evil'' here describes their sinfulness, disorder and wickedness. Evil means being morally bad,  harmful and unpleasant- it refers to anything that causes disorder in God's creation. It shows their willful failure, as rational beings, to conform, in character and conduct, to the will and purpose of God (Gen. 6:5-7, Ps. 34:11-16, Lk. 6:43-45). This makes them evil and wicked ( Matt. 12:45, 16:4). The wicked is a lawless human being.

It is an adulterous generation: This means that their minds and hearts and activities are full of sexual lust. They have gone to every length to device and manufacture things to gratify this lust in their hearts and practice. They feed their eyes and minds on practices of sexual immorality. Their music, films adverts dresses and pictures portray inner character which is polluted with the sin of immoral lust. It is a generation that trades on sex at all levels and age (2 Pet. 2:10, 14; Jude 7; Rom. 1:26-27).

·       They seek and ask for Signs and wonders instead of Salvation from sin and bondage. The reason they follow a man of God is to see signs and wonders. They come to church all because of this; and when they do not see it, they murmur and criticize the man of God. They seek signs and wonders, but never seek the God of signs and wonders. They seek miracles but refuse to fear and obey the God of miracles. The Lord Jesus Christ abhors such character and declares that such generation shall not be given what they are looking for. They shall be given a sign of judgment instead of miracles (Matt. 12:38-39, 16:1-4).

·       The End Of This Generation: Their end shall be like that of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who ended in the destruction of fire and brimstone (Gen. 65-7; 2 Pet. 2:4-14; Jude 7). They shall not see the promised land for the time of decision and desolation shall come upon them one day (Deut. 1:34-36). The  time of their re probation  and retribution is inevitable (Rom. 1:28-32).

·       The Warning Of Jesus Christ: He warned the people of the danger of being ashamed of Him in this evil and adulterous generation (Matt. 8:38). He also warned of the danger of leaving your life open to demons after Salvation and separation from this generation (Matt. 12:43-45). We must come out from among this generation and be separate (2 Cor. 6:14-18). We must be free from its filthiness to perfect holiness in our lives in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1).

·       You can bring the horse to the water but you cannot force the horse to drink the water. If you have seen yourself to be among this generation, escape and run for your dear life. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him by faith and obedience (Heb. 7:25)

LIFE AND IMMORTALITY

Those who dwell in God's sanctuary exhibits life, immortality and incorruptibility; while those in the mortuary exhibits death, mortality and corruptibility, 2 Tim. 1:8-10.

Before the death of Jesus on the cross, every man was dwelling in the mortuary of the dead but through faith , we passed from death to life, John 5:24. This spiritual translation came  through the gospel of Christ, the gospel of atonement by his blood whereby those dwelling in darkness, death and evil can now be translated into the kingdom of God,  Rom.1:16-17  through holy living, Rom. 6:11-23.

The problem of today is that many  have refused to accept this truth, thereby remaining in the mortuary; these people are spiritually dead  while many others who are supposed to be in the sanctuary have returned to their vomit, 2Pet. 2:19-22

THE SANCTUARY OR THE MORTUARY

There are two choices set before every man by God himself; Life or death; Salvation or damnation; Heaven or hell; Good or evil; Light or darkness, etc. Whichever is chosen determines the person's destiny, whether positively or negatively.

A sanctuary is a sacred or holy place; a place of safety and protection. It is a place where God's presence is revealed and manifested; a place used for worship, a sanctified place, Ps. 27:1-6.

The word Mortuary on the other hand is a place of the dead, a place where dead bodies are kept before they are buried. The line of separation between the Sanctuary and the Mortuary is 'the living and the dead'. The Sanctuary is used by the living while the Mortuary is used by the dead. God is a living God Matt.22:31-32, Lk. 21:1-8 , hence those found in his presence (Sanctuary) are the living and those not found there are in the mortuary of the dead. It is either one is living or dead, if one is not found in the land of the living, the person is dead and the dead are kept in the mortuary.

The Generation of vipers (Matthew 3: 7-10)

This generation of human beings are such a dangerous one that it is given a name which appropriately describes their character. What is a viper? What danger does a viper poses to human beings? Why was it used in reference to human beings? Let us treat these questions one after the other.

What is a Viper? Other names of a Viper are asp and adder. A viper is a very poisonous snake and it is different from ordinary snakes. It is about four inches in length and is no ticker than a wire. It lives under stones and in the sand of the dessert or in cracks of old wall.

What danger does viper pose to human beings? It is very deadly when it bites its victim and very aggressive in attack.

Why was it used in reference to human Beings? It was used by John the Baptizer and the Lord Jesus Christ to describe and rebuke the Pharisees and Sadducees, including the scribes as well as the multitude who came with religious pretence. (Matt. 3:7-10; Lk. 3:7-9; Matt. 23: 13-36). Generation of vipers refers to their numerous numbers among men.

The Pharisees - they were a group of self-religious and religious zealous Jews. They held strongly to the letters of their interpretation of the Law and tradition, regardless of whether thy contradicted God's word or not. They were the most bitter enemies Christ during is earthly Ministry.

The Sadducees - These are radical and rationalistic sect who deny the supernatural, angels, demons, and resurrection. They believed that such things do not exist. They were political minded, secular minded and bitter enemies of Christ.

The Scribes- They are the penmen or skillful public recorders among the Jews. They were also .self-righteous as the Pharisees; and they seemed to have worked closely with the Pharisees that Jesus always mentioned them together (Matt. 5:20, 23:13-36). They were public secretaries who loved to sit in Moses' seat with the Pharisees. They and the Pharisees told the people what to do, but never did what they said. They laid heavy burdens on men and would not touch them with their fingers. They did their works only to be seen of men, and moved about in long garments. They loved the uppermost places and to be addressed as mastersby the people (Matt.23:1-12).

The Multitudes- They were great number of men and women who followed Jesus not to hear the word  and live for God but because of the miracles and material benefits they got from him (John 6.22-30)

Lesson Application: From the above explanations, we can see clearly that the generation of vipers are those who put on the garment of religion and self-righteousness, but are bitter enemies of the gospel, the truth, the cross and Jesus Christ himself(2 Cor.11:10-15, Phil. 3:17-19, Matt.7:15-23). They are those in the church who always look for faults against serious minded believers and preachers and the truth they uphold. They are in the church to seek for blessings but are not willing to hear the truth and live by it (1 Tim. 4:1-2, 2 Tim 4:1-5). This is the generation that want to serve God and do is work , but run from him and the truth that sets free from bondage.

This is the generation deep into deception yet are afraid of being deceived. Those who are afraid of deception easily fall victim to it. It is a generation who so much believe and affirm their faith in the bible, yet hardly believe what God is saying to them, live and direct., through his messengers. They hardly believe that the same God still speaks today in the same old way He spoke in bible times. This generation is so unstable in what God is saying to them, and are afraid to stand out of majority to obey and live by what He is saying in the present that appears strange and odd to many; forgetting that God's ways are always like that (Isa. 55: 8-9; Cor. 1:18-2:16). The generation of vipers are found mainly in the church not in the world. Examine yourself to be sure you are not among them.

Barr. Victor Chigozie Ezekiel

+2348034997413

THE GENERATIONS OF HIS WRATH REVEALED

              

This generation is identified by many names in the bible. They are:

1. The generation that curse their parents(Prov.30:11)

Generation means offspring or the children of a parent or group of parents. It also refers to the period of time those offspring lived;

Curse means to cause a misfortune , punishment, ruin or destruction to another person.

The gift of children is the glory of every marriage. Children are God's  gifts to marriages to glorify the parents and the children have their parents as their pride. The major duties of the children is to honour and  obey their parents. God instituted the law for parent-children relationship and there are blessings attached to this law, Ex.20:12. The parents have their duties to perform towards their children and vice-versa. To honour one's parents means to hold them with great respect, high regard, reputation, loyalty and faithfulness. The reasons are so that one's life would be long upon the land and  it might be well with the children, Eph. 6:1-3

  The generation that curse their parents would therefore receive the wrath of death and darkness from God and even the civil government, no wonder so many youthful deaths are  occurring these days.

One's parents are his Biological father and mother; Spiritual father and mother in the churches, pastors and leaders; and the Elders in the society.

Any child/children that curse these classes of people will bring judgment upon himself.

Go for restitution and forgiveness if you have cursed your parents so as to be free from the curse of the law.