This Generation: The Wicked and Rebellious People of the Last Days

Based on Bible Lesson This Generation – God’s Warning to a Wicked and Adulterous People

The Character of This Generation

Scripture reveals that this generation is not confined to one era but describes a recurring pattern of rebellion among those who reject God and His Son. Psalm 12 laments, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Each verse in that psalm portrays a society steeped in deceit, boasting, and arrogance—traits that mark every generation that turns away from the truth.

From the days before the Flood to the present age, God has dealt with mankind’s defiance. In Genesis 6:5 we read, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth.” The earth was filled with violence, and corruption spread through every imagination of man’s heart. Yet Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, demonstrating that even in a perverse world, God preserves a remnant.

Today’s world reflects that same corruption. Pride has replaced humility, and man believes himself to be secure in his rebellion. But the Lord sees, and judgment is certain. The musicians are indeed warming up—another tune is about to play.

Biblical Portraits of the Wicked Generation

The Generation of Noah

The first great example of this generation appears in the days of Noah. God declared that man’s heart was continually evil, and violence filled the earth (Genesis 6:11–13). Only those within the ark were spared the flood of judgment. The rest perished because they refused to heed God’s warning. That same spirit of unbelief continues today—mocking the truth, ignoring repentance, and trusting in their own strength.

The Generation of Israel in the Wilderness

Deuteronomy 1:34–36 records another defiant people: the Israelites who refused to enter the Promised Land. Psalm 95:10–11 echoes God’s lament: “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation.” They saw God’s miracles but hardened their hearts. Their rebellion cost them the promise of rest, serving as a solemn warning for those who doubt His Word.

The Generation of Christ’s Day

When Jesus walked among men, He condemned the unbelieving nation as a “wicked and adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:39). They witnessed the works of the Messiah yet called Him a blasphemer. In Matthew 23:33–36, Christ exposed their hypocrisy, calling them “serpents” and a “generation of vipers.” Their rejection of the Son of God sealed their judgment, fulfilling the same pattern seen throughout history.

The Spirit of This Generation Today

Psalm 10 describes the arrogance of the wicked who say in their hearts, “God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” Such confidence in sin defines our modern world. The proud boast of progress, power, and self-determination while scorning the authority of Scripture. Proverbs 30:11–14 paints this generation vividly—those who curse their fathers, justify their own filth, and devour the poor.

But the Lord is not blind to their ways. Psalm 10:17–18 declares that God will judge the oppressor and deliver the humble. Though the rulers of darkness imagine themselves untouchable, their time is short.

God’s Patience and the Final Call to Repentance

Peter reminds us, “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). God’s long-suffering is not weakness but mercy. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Even now, God desires that the leaders of this world—the very ones influenced by satanic power—turn to Him and be saved.

There is, however, only one Mediator between God and men: the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Those who reject Him remain part of this untoward generation spoken of in Acts 2:40. The fig tree is budding, and summer is near (Luke 21:29–33). Christ is returning soon, and this is mankind’s final opportunity to be saved by grace through faith.

Save Yourselves from This Untoward Generation

The message is as clear now as it was when Peter spoke it. Every person must choose whom they will serve. God has provided a way of escape through His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who repent and believe are no longer part of the condemned generation but are made new in Christ.

The world may mock, the wicked may prosper for a time, but their end is destruction. Judgment is coming swiftly, and the sound of approaching justice grows louder. The door of the ark is still open—but not for long.

Save yourselves from this untoward generation.