Generational Cycles

John Ritenbaugh, in his keynote address of the 2017 Feast of Tabernacles, explains why President Trump dismissed on of his closest adviser, Stephen Bannon. Bannon embraced a "theo-political" vision of Christian fundamentalism, influenced by The Fourth Turning , a book which explains why many Americans no longer recognize the country they once knew and respected. Howe and Strauss, the authors of the book, posit a view of history based on a cycle of four generational characteristics which follow an 80 to 100-year period. The four turnings consist of: (1) a High, which is a generation characterized by great accomplishment, cooperation, and sharing of community workloads, as during the time following the Great Depression (2) an Awakening, a wealth-building generation, but one possessing less certitude about cultural values, as exampled in the generation called the Baby Boomers, (3) the Unravelling, illustrated by the social rebellion of the 1960's with its self-centered, anti-God mind-set, and (4) the Crisis, a frightening time of economic distress and war emerging because of the fiscal and moral irresponsibility of the prior generation(s). The deep state and the Globalist elitists, including the current pope, are attempting to mold President Trump into their evil plans. God's called-out ones must show caution in these dangerous times.

Martin Collins, reviewing the significance of Christ's final post-Resurrection sayings, "Feed My sheep" (appearing thrice) and "Follow me" (appearing twice), emphasizes that these words apply to all of God's called-out ones). We have a mandate to study the Bible comprehensively and responsibly, not becoming self-proclaimed 'experts' in prophecy or esoteric mysteries. When we pray and study, we should be conscious we are meeting with God, allowing us to be sensitive to God's purpose for our lives. Like the apostle Peter, we are admonished not to compare our spiritual lot with that of our brethren, riveting our attention on Christ rather than on ourselves or on our spiritual siblings. God has called individuals with different temperaments (impetuous activists, contemplative thinkers, etc.), giving them a variety of spiritual gifts to work interdependently. If we take our eyes off Christ, we run the risk of bumping into someone else and becoming unprofitable. Following Christ involves self-denial and taking responsibility for what God has crafted in us through the power of Christ living in us through His Holy Spirit. John's Gospel provides a comprehensive witness from Christ's contemporaries. As the recipients of this reliable testimony, we are obligated to add our testimony, feeding God's sheep and following Jesus Christ.

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on a recent report by Harry Enten on the logic of calling more tie games earlier in the baseball season, points out that, before the advent of electric spotlights, games often ended in a tie. Enten cautions that deference to 'tradition' is no reason to ban tie games in Major League Baseball. Solomon's observation that there is nothing new under the sun applies to fashion, politics, economic systems, religion, technology—whatever mankind has put his mind to. It is gullible and naïve to consider anything brand new, trendy, exclusive, and never tried before. Every idea that has ever been considered will be recycled and repurposed as something new and revolutionary, remembered as a retread idea only by old-timers who have already been scammed by it years before. Satan, the master deceiver, has been repackaging sin as exciting and new over-and-over again for 6,000 years. Sadly, people are not any smarter than they were in the past, and will be suckered into it as their ancestors from previous generations.

Ecclesiastes is perhaps the most practical, as well as profitable, book in the Old Testament, providing overviews of life-guiding advice, essentially a roadmap through the labyrinth, which constitutes the Christian's life journey. Ecclesiastes could be considered the core of biblical wisdom literature. The teacher's conclusions in Ecclesiastes are deliberately blunt. In the labyrinth journey, we are compelled to live by faith, not having all the facts at our disposal. Ecclesiastes is a practical guide in "right now" applications rather than anticipating the future. God knows where He is taking our lives; we do not have a clear picture where God is taking us. We need to develop a trust to submit to Him in order that He can prepare us for our destiny. Ecclesiastes was given to us to expose the world's false values and philosophies which have the tendency to throw God's people off balance. Thankfully, God does not leave our creation up to us or to chance. Godly wisdom accrues from practical experience (dodging obstacles and cul-de-sacs of the world) stemming from a relationship with God. Ecclesiastes gives practical advice for people living in a corrupt world trying to live a godly life, providing us helpful or useful cautions and warning as to what to avoid. Anything that is vanity is nothing compared to the permanence of God's Kingdom. God intends for His people that life should be profitable. In order to achieve that profitable life, we should be looking over the sun for a converted perspective. God is forcing us to make a choice between His profitable way (fearing Him and keeping His commandments) or the common way of mankind.

Among the Old Testament's books of wisdom, Ecclesiastes stands as one seemingly out of place: full of frustration, blunt, and even a little hopeless. However, since God is its ultimate Author, its themes are realistic and necessary for us to grasp. With this article, John Ritenbaugh begins an extended series on Ecclesiastes and its trove of deep understanding.

It is almost tangible--the feeling that a hammer-blow is about to fall. It is reinforced constantly--by news reports, images from the media, and direct personal experience--that the nation is coming apart at the seams and lurching wildly out of control. ...

A perfect storm is a natural phenomena in which several storm fronts collide in a small area, causing dangerous—even deadly—conditions. The societal cycles of America, Europe, and Russia, says David Grabbe, are also converging, and the result could prove to be even more devastating.

The history of America and Britain over the past four centuries has been shown to be cyclical in nature. Using these recurring patterns, David Grabbe analyzes the ongoing illegal immigration problems, suggesting that it may play a significant role in both the inauguration and the outcome of the looming Crisis.

Every society has multiple generations living at the same time, and the way they interact has a tremendous impact on culture and events. David Grabbe examines what forecasters see on the horizon from a generational perspective.

John Ritenbaugh explores the negative symbolism of wine (as representing intoxication and addiction) in Revelation17 and 18. The entire Babylonian system (highly appealing to carnal human nature) has an enslaving addicting, and inebriating quality, producing a pernicious unfaithfulness and Laodicean temperament. As in Solomon's time, each dramatic increase in technology and knowledge does not bring a corresponding improvement in inherently corrupt human nature or morality. In evaluating the influence or teaching skills of Babylon, we must evaluate (1) the character and conduct of the teacher (2) whether the teaching is true, and (3) the kind of fruit it produces. Poisonous weeds cannot produce good fruit. Babylon's (the Great Whore's) anti-God, anti-revelation, man-devised cultural and educational system(the cosmos) is poisoning the entire world. What was crooked from the very beginning cannot be made straight. In order to attain eternal life, we must consciously reject the Babylonian system and consciously conform to God's will.

John Ritenbaugh, focusing upon Paul's admonition about the night being far spent, warns us to make careful and judicious use of our time in anticipating the return of Jesus Christ. The death and destruction forecast by Christ would come from the hands of man, rather than from God. More pieces of this prophetic puzzle are available to us today than were given to our predecessors. Weapons of mass destruction and immediate worldwide communications have made the events of Matthew 24 and Luke 21 increasingly more believable, logical, and plausible. William Strauss and Neil Howe, in their book The Fourth Turning unwittingly describe four distinct generations of Jacob's offspring and their particular reactions to national crises such as war and other forms of disasters. The reactions stem from reactions against child rearing styles of the previous generations. Corresponding to the four seasons, four distinct types of generations emerge (designated as artist (fall) prophet (summer) nomad (fall) and hero (winter). Strauss and Howe predict a coming winter season, a crisis involving an acceleration toward unprecedented war and destruction. Only Christ's return will terminate this dead end destructive cycle

Richard T. Ritenbaugh:  Americans have a memory problem—and always have. ...

Richard Ritenbaugh, observing how the mood and attitude of a generation shapes society, focuses upon the ramifications of the Baby Boomers "Youth Culture," pampering, overprotecting, and worshipping its young people. It teaches a narcissistic, "look out for Number One" attitude, delaying responsibility and prolonging fun. In contrast, Solomon suggests that childhood and youth are vanity, and that having fun, without bringing God and His laws into the picture, may bring flawed character and permanent sorrow. Young people tend to run wild when they do not have a godly vision to work toward. Pleasing God and parents takes precedence over peer pressure. The only satisfying way of life is one lived under the guiding hand of God. The result is manifested in the way one lives.

What will the first decade of the new millennium bring? The outlook for 2000 and beyond hinges on how America handles its role as sole superpower.

In this lead-off sermon of the 1999 Feast of Tabernacles, John Ritenbaugh draws an instructive though disturbing parallel between the warning given to Belshazzar and the warning given to the greater church of God. A major contributory cause in the splitting of the church has been the wholesale rejection of the doctrines Herbert Armstrong, under God's inspiration, worked to restore. When the shepherd was smitten, false teachers systematically undermined the faith once delivered. We need to realize that if God were not with Herbert Armstrong in those formative years, then indeed the handwriting is on the wall for us. We desperately need to hold fast to those doctrines restored through Herbert Armstrong's ministry.

A main sign of the end may be the behaviors and attitudes of Generation X. Richard Ritenbaugh analyses his own generation in relation to Paul's description of the last days in II Timothy 3.

Richard Ritenbaugh asserts that the fulfillment of the Day of Trumpets has the biggest immediate impact on us of all the Holy Days. This day depicts the time immediately before and after Christ's return, a time that if God would not intervene, no flesh would survive (Matthew 24:22). The Baby Boomers enabled us to annihilate life in many different ways many time over. The characteristics of their offspring - the Thirteenth Generation (or Generation X) provide a perfect match to the characteristics of II Timothy 3:1-3. These attitudes provide positive substantiation that we are living in the last days. Realizing these signposts should give us the urgent incentive to repent and overcome, preparing for the time fulfilled in the Day of Trumpets- the Day of the Lord.

John Ritenbaugh stresses that God emphasizes the rather pessimistic theme of Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Tabernacles to show the consequences of doing whatever our human heart has led us to do. Without incorporating God's purpose (Ecclesiastes 12:14), our lives, even with all the creature comforts satisfied to the maximum, are absolutely meaningless. Solomon, by continuously evaluating the causes and effects of his calculated pleasure- or meaning-seeking experiment, records many shrewd, commonsense observations about the meaning of life. Even with vast materialistic, artistic, or academic accomplishments, life without the purpose of God is depressingly hollow, disappointing, meaningless, and vain. These disillusionments force God's called-out ones to live by faith. Consequently, God can turn something formerly disappointing and meaningless into something meaningful, purposeful, and profitable for those who fear and trust Him (Roman 8:28).

John Ritenbaugh, focusing upon a generally pessimistic treatise, read in the annual cyclical Jewish tradition, during the Feast of Tabernacles, illustrates the disillusionment that love for this world will inevitably bring (I John 2:17). Realizing that the world is passing away, our priorities should be on fearing God and keeping his commandments. The temporary booths (short lived and quickly deteriorating) at the Feast depicts our temporary and impermanent, often unpleasant and disappointing (Hebrews 2:10) earthly pilgrimage or sojourn, contrasted with the permanence of Christ's rule and our future eternal life. (Romans 8:17-18). Without living for God's purpose for us, this life is absolutely meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Hebrews 1:10-12)