The Times of the Gentiles

Plainer Words since 1968
 
November 13, 2013
 
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE …THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES
 
Most of today’s preachers, teachers, and commentators of the Bible ignore the context of “The Times of the Gentiles.”  It is only found one time in the entire Bible. Notice its only occurrence:
 
“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).
 
Most evangelicals believe that the Stage in the Middle East is being set for the Tribulation. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).
 
Many, also, teach that Daniel’s Seventieth Week is fast approaching, and the Anti-Christ is in the wings and is about to walk onto the world stage. His entrance onto “the world’s stage” initiates the CONSUMMATION OF THE KINGDOM—to wit, the seven-year Tribulation Period.
 
The phrase the Lord Jesus used in this prophecy, in Luke 21:24, is taken completely out of Context. The use of “The Times of the Gentiles,” when closely examined under the Divine Principle of Bible Study as revealed in 2 Timothy 2:15, is found to be inaccurate and careless interpretations of Bible Prophecy. I would call this popular dogma the END TIMES DOCTRINE, as modern-day preachers delight in. Do not be misled, fooled, nor deceived into believing that we are living during “the Times of the Gentiles.” According to my reckoning, if the Grace Dispensation ended today, “the times of the Gentiles” would still be about 700 years into the future.
 
END TIMES
 
The most popular contemporary Teachers of Prophecy refer to this as the “End Times.” The Times of the Gentiles are declared to be a current Era which began in 605 B.C. with Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest and total destruction of Jerusalem. In plainer words, they teach that different Gentile Nations have ruled over the City of Jerusalem for over twenty-five-hundred years.
 
A popular theme in prophetic teaching, today, is centered on events that are to take place in the hypothetical “End Times.” The “End Times” theme is a trendy subject. It sells books and makes many authors and preachers rich. It excites audiences. The series of books called—“The Left Behind Series”—is a classic example of “END TIMES THEOLOGY.” The first such popular book, as I recall, was by Hal Lindsey--“The Late Great Planet Earth.” The New York Times wrote about Lindsey’s book, saying, “It is the Number One non-fiction Best Seller of the decade” (the decade of the 1970’s). The “End Times” hypothesis makes “good” novels and “good” preaching, but when weighed in the balances of Truth, rightly divided, they are found wanting.
 
Incorrect interpretation of “The Times of the Gentiles” is a case in point. The prevalent consensus is that we are currently living during “The Times of the Gentiles.” Many of those who hold to this, as truth, believe “The Times of the Gentiles” began in B.C. 605 with the Babylonian Period. This is to say, “The Times of the Gentiles” began with Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Judah. Jerusalem was overwhelmed, and the first wave of Jews were carried into captivity. Daniel was among them. End Timers reckon Jerusalem “will be trodden down of the Gentiles” as “The Times of the Gentiles” runs its course between the Babylonian captivity and the end of the Great Tribulation Period.
 
C. I. Scofield’s Reference Bible states that “The Times of the Gentiles” began with the captivity of Judah under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chron. 36:1-21) From 610 B. C., Jerusalem has been under Gentile overlordship.” The Companion Bible even makes reference to this in its “Note” on Daniel 2:40.
 
This was said just to point out that there are a number of “heavy hitters” among Bible Expositors who subscribe to this theory of the long duration of Gentile domination of Jerusalem which culminates in the horrors of the Great Tribulation.
 
However, the “End Timers” provide an unscriptural way of escape for the Christian just prior to the ushering in of the War against Israel—the Secret Rapture of the Christian Church. A search of Scripture shows, unquestionably, that there is no such thing as a Secret Rapture of the Christian Church prior to the Tribulation.
In light of this verse and the predictions of the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 21, Mark 13, and Matthew 24, there will be great distress in the land of Israel, at this time, and wrath upon the people of Israel. The Lord warned in His Olivet Discourse that if they (the Jews of His day) were alive when the “signs of the times” come to pass, they should flee to the mountains before the Anti-Christ takes over. Many of these Jews will have been raised- out from among the dead and will be living when the abomination of desolation takes place. They will have to recall their Scriptures to heed the warning. They were fore-warned to flee to the mountains and hide in the caves of Petra when they see the abomination take place.

But, in this future time, many Jews will ignore the High Command given by the Lord Jesus for their own personal reasons. The majority of Jerusalem’s population will have apostatized and stay behind and will suffer the consequences of satanic men who lead Anti-Christian armies against Israel.

This could be like a strong enemy nation invading the United States. All of our leaders might flee to secret bunkers somewhere in West Virginia and be safe, but that would leave the rest of Washington D.C. to face the brunt of the attack.

In the same way, the majority of Jews will still be around to face the wrath of their enemies. Their enemies will be the forces of the Gentiles led by the Anti-Christ during the Great Tribulation. This wrath will result in many of them (Israelites) falling by the edge of the sword. Others are led away into captivity into all nations. Yes, there will be, yet, another captivity of Israelites after they are gathered back to their land at the Appearing of Christ’s Government (2 Tim. 4:1). This captivity takes place during the revolt against the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God, i.e., “The Day of Jesus Christ.” Although, the revolt will be short-lived in comparison to modern-day warfare. During the revolt, Jerusalem will be heavily trampled by the Gentiles [the nations in revolt] “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Today’s Christians, who are indoctrinated in the “End Times” hypothesis, know nothing of the Dispensation of the Day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). They are ignorant of the THEME OF THE BIBLE—the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God. This magnificent dispensation reveals the full measure of the GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST.

The Dispensation of the Grace of God ends, and the Dispensation of the manifestation of the Glory of God becomes a reality. This Dispensation is hidden from most Christians. A believer’s eyes of understanding must be spiritually enlightened in order for them to “see” this Truth (Eph. 1:19-20).

A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF LUKE 21:24

“And they [Jews] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).

It should be noted that the word, “times,” is “karios” (NT. 2540) which means “a fixed and definite time.” If “the Times of the Gentiles” started with Nebuchadnezzar and is still in effect, then, it certainly isn’t a set period of time, or a definite time. There is to be a set time, or a definite period of time in which the Nations will complete a prophecy of the desolation of Jerusalem and the slaughter, and captivity of hundreds-of-thousands of Jews. The Gentiles (Nations) will have fulfilled their mission of desolation after three-and a-half years of the Great Tribulation.

The greatest error of all, in this interpretation, is the solemn fact that the current Israel IS NOT THE ISRAEL OF GOD. It is the Israel of the Zionist Movement which includes the collaboration with Zionist Christians. Beloved friends, there can be no “END TIMES” until the “Israel of God” is in the Land of Promise. I wrote a Plainer Words on   September 9, 2005 about the Israel of God. The title of the issue was THE GRAND HOAX.  I pointed out that the End-Timers believe that the present State of Israel is a direct result of God gathering the Jews back to their ancient Home Land; the fulfillment of His promise. The End-Timers like to proclaim that God has fulfilled His Promise “right before our eyes.”

Because of their spiritual blindness, they are unable to discern that during the Dispensation of Grace, there is NO FULFILLMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES. The tiny little nation of Israel is the work and contrivance of man.

In my issue of “The Grand Hoax,” I wrote:

The present Israeli state was the result and work of the Zionist Movement. If you are not aware of the fact that the foundation of the state rests upon mass expulsions, mass murder, and mass looting, you haven’t done your homework. There is abundant information on how Israel became a nation-state, and it “ain’t pretty.”
 
The Israeli government, today, is made up of unbelieving Jews administering a socialistic government which depends mostly upon the U.S.A. for its sustenance. When the true descendents of the three Patriarchs occupy the Land, they will depend on the LORD their God, and in no-one else will they trust. They will be totally dependent upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And, He will meet every need of His re-gathered people.
 
Evangelical Christians, for the most part, know nothing of right division of the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Even in the year of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 2005, they believe the “end times” are being played out, or at least as some say, “the stage is being set for the ‘“end times.”
 
We are not living in the so-called “END TIMES.” Fundamentalists, pre-millennial dispensationalists, teachers of prophecy, and the vast majority of Christians believe the modern-day Israelis are the people of God in the Land of Palestine awaiting conversion. This is the Grand Hoax! Let’s not confuse them with the Israel who God prophesied about when He declared He would bring them out from among the nations wherein He scattered them. The Bible teaches that the Lord scattered them, and that He will be the One Who brings about their restoration and conversion. Christian Zionists will not convert the nation of Israel.
 
We are living during Man’s Day (1 Cor. 4:3) [Young’s Literal Translation], which includes the Dispensation of the Grace of God. The next Dispensation will be the Day of Christ (Phil. 2:16) which will be followed by the Day of the LORD (Rev. 1:10) (Lord’s Day),
In Ezekiel 30:3, we have another reference to these times of the Gentiles.

 “For the day is near, even the Day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles [Ethnos]” (Ezek. 30:3) NKJV.

This verse proclaims that the time of the Gentiles takes place in the Day of the LORD, not in the current Day of Man, or even in the coming Day of Christ. To locate this day in the Day of Man, in which we live, is to misapply this verse. Moreover, this period does not last for a thousand years, as we learn from Revelation 11:2.

“But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months” (Rev. 11:2).

Since forty-two months is three-and-one-half years, we can know that the “time of the Gentiles” lasts for just that length of time. The word, “Gentiles,” is the Greek word ethnos, which means “nations.” The Nations in view revolt against the Authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as He sits upon God’s Throne in Heaven. “The times of the Gentiles” is a definite TIME in which the marauding nations are to punish Israel.

The revolt against the world-wide-Government of Jesus Christ will be brought to an abrupt end when the Lord descends from Heaven with a shout and the voice of the Archangel (1 Thess. 4:16). The Epiphaneia [brightness of the Appearing] of Christ’s Parousia [Coming] will destroy the Anti-Christ (2 Thess. 2:8).

Therefore, we can see from these passages, taken together, that they all apply to the future invasion of Jerusalem by an army of men from other nations. To support the idea that “the times of the Gentiles” have extended from the Babylonian captivity until today is to take the words of Scripture far beyond their context.

~~THE END~~
 
I would like suggest you click the following Link and read the full study—THE GRAND HOAX—and get a more complete picture of the so-called - END TIMES.
 
http://www.plainerwords.com/artman2/publish/2005/The_Grand_Hoax.shtml
 
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Tom Ballinger
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