What are the times of the Gentiles?

"The times of the Gentiles" is the time during which, from the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar till the beast is destroyed, Jerusalem, and the throne of God in it, has been set aside and the Gentiles have been in power. The "fulness of time" in Galatians is when the responsibility of man having been fully tried the due time has arrived for Christ to come and accomplish redemption. The "dispensation of the fulness of times," is when all ages having rolled round, and all being ready, all things in heaven and in earth are put under the authority of the second Man as Head.

This history of the four great Gentile empires, which are set before us here as four great beasts, is the history of the times of the Gentiles. The times of the Gentiles transpire during an interruption of, or interval as to, the times of the Jews. That interval began with Nebuchadnezzar, the first monarch of the kingdom of Babylon, and it will terminate with the last monarch of the empire of Rome. The times of the Jews closed, or were interrupted, by their being carried away captive into Babylon; they will recommence when Jerusalem shall cease to be trodden down of the Gentiles, and when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. Thus the expression, "times of the Gentiles," denotes the times of Gentile dominion over the Jews. This Gentile lordship is exercised during the whole period of the existence in power of the four great beasts, which Daniel saw in his vision.

This illuminating expression from the lips of our Lord is found in Luke 21:24. It refers to the time when, Israel being set aside because of idolatry, God ordained that the Gentile should hold the government of the world. It ends with that power being set aside because of its wickedness, and God in sovereignty bringing in the Jew for blessing under the reign of Christ in His millennial kingdom.

When God in His Word speaks of judgement upon Israel He invariably limits it with an "until." Thus in Romans 11:25 we are told that "blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." In Luke 21:24 we read: "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." "The fullness of the Gentiles" means the present Christian company; "the times of the Gentiles" means the period of Gentile supremacy, which commenced with Nebuchadnezzar some six centuries before Christ. When the Christian company is completed, and removed to Heavenly glory, and when the appointed period of Gentile supremacy is ended, God will turn His attention once more to the whole house of Israel.

Now the Book of Daniel treats of the period of the world's history between these two events — the breakdown and setting aside of Israel in government, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom from Zion in the midst of restored Israel. During this time the government of the world passes from Israel to the Gentiles, and the nation of Israel, ceasing to be the head of the nations, is brought into subjection to the Gentiles. For this reason this period is called "the times of the Gentiles." It is obvious that Israel, as a nation, is still scattered and in subjection to the Gentiles, and that the reign of Christ is not yet come, so that the times in which we live are still "the times of the Gentiles."

A brief reference to God's ways in government on the earth will very much simplify and facilitate our understanding of this subject. We learn from the prophet Daniel that, on the utter failure of Israel as the depositary of God's power in the earth, the dominion was transferred to the Gentiles. Thus, in the interpretation of the great image which Nebuchadnezzar had seen in his dream, Daniel says: "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven, hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold." (Daniel 2:37-38.) Three empires would follow — the Medo‑Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman; and the last of these, disappearing for a time, would finally revive, but be divided into ten kingdoms, as symbolized by the ten toes of the image, all of which however would be united in a common federation under one supreme head. (Dan. 2:31‑43; Dan. 7; Rev. 13 and 17.) These empires reach down to the end, but the last is superseded, and indeed destroyed, by the kingdom of Christ; for "in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up. a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Dan. 2:44; see also Rev. 19:11‑21, and Rev. 20.) Now the period which embraces the whole of these monarchies is termed "the times of the Gentiles," during which, according to the words of our Lord, Jerusalem is to be "trodden down of the Gentiles." (Luke 21:24.) The absence of the Jews therefore from their own land will coincide, or nearly so, with this period. But God's purposes concerning His ancient people will yet be accomplished, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." (Rom. 11:29.) And hence, together with the completion and rapture of the church, God will commence to deal again with that nation.

God had taken up the Jews and made a nation of them. He declared, "Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation." Gen. 18:18. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth." They were to be a witness for God on the earth, and it is added, "therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." Amos 3:2. After long patience of God with Israel the house of David was set aside and carried into captivity, the power of government for God was transferred to the Gentile, and the times of the Gentiles commenced in the person of Nebuchadnezzar. To him it was said, "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory." The beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven were also given into his hand. Dan. 2:37-38. God held him responsible; and because he dishonoured God, and took the glory of the kingdom to himself, he was punished. Three other empires succeeded that of Babylon, and the times of the Gentiles still continue, under various phases of government. They will run on until God in His own time restores supremacy in the earth to His ancient people. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21:24.

The Times of the Gentiles. — A word on the times of the Gentiles, of which the Lord had made mention. Apparently the disciples quite understood what He meant, for none of them asked for an explanation. But does every reader of the gospels understand what that phrase means, and from whence those times date? With Jerusalem's fortunes, and with those of the land of Canaan very much of God's purposes about earth is bound up. The throne once established at Jerusalem will be restored to her in a coming day. Meanwhile sovereign power over her is in the hands of Gentiles. This state of things commenced in the days of Nebuchadnezzar with the Babylonish captivity, and dates from the fourth year of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, when power over men, and beasts, and birds, was put into Nebuchadnezzar's hands as the head of gold (Jer. 25:9-11; 27:6-7; Dan. 2:37-38). And those times will run on in accordance with Nebuchadnezzar's dream given in that chapter of Daniel just referred to, till the stone cut out without hands shall break in pieces the image, and put an end to the four monarchies, and fill the whole earth. Then kingly power will again be exercised at Jerusalem, and the times of the Gentiles will have terminated. Till that comes to pass Jerusalem is to be, as she is still, trodden down of the Gentiles.

We must distinguish, however, between "THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES," and "THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES;" for they are very distinct in Scripture. It is clearly the former which is referred to here. Our Lord said that "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24.) We may say that the times of the Gentiles began with Nebuchadnezzar, from which time, more or less, Israel and the holy city have been trodden down by them, and Gentilism has had the ascendancy. It ran through its four successive monarchies, and since then has been hastening on to its completion in the ten kingdoms, and final destruction. (Dan. 2:31-45.) The times of the Gentiles are thus running on, and Jerusalem is trodden down. After the Church is removed, the Gentiles will still tread it down, as we here see; and even when the Lord comes in glory with His saints, He will find Jerusalem compassed with armies, and then the end of "the times of the Gentiles" will have come. The Lord Himself shall fight against those nations. (Zech. 14:1-2.) He is the stone cut out without hands that shall fall upon the Gentile image, break it in pieces, and scatter it as the chaff of the summer threshing-floors.

"THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES" is a very different thing. Israel, as a people, are now set aside, though a remnant is saved by the gospel, according to the election of grace. God is filling up the intended number of Gentiles to be saved (the word fulness might be rendered "complement"), and thus calling out of the Gentiles a people for His name. (Acts 15:14.) When God shall have fully gathered out of every nation, kindred, people, and tongue, the allotted number unto Himself, then shall the fulness of the Gentiles be come in — come in to God; and Israel, now as a nation altogether under judicial blindness, except those to whom Christ is revealed, will then be the object of God's peculiar care and blessing. Paul calls this a mystery, and he would not have saints be ignorant of it. He says "that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so [that is, in this order] all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Rom. 11:25-27.) The Deliverer, Christ, must come to effect this. Thus we see that "the times of the Gentiles" and "the fulness of the Gentiles" are two very different things.

Our Lord prophesied the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, and the dispersal of the Jews among the Gentile nations (Luke 21:24). All this has happened, and is happening, as far as the scattering of the Jews is concerned, before our very eyes today. But now a remarkable change has taken place. The Jews finding themselves without a mandate, and in sufficient numbers, felt competent to set up a Jewish Republic. Our Lord prophesied, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). No longer is Jerusalem fully under the power of the Gentiles. The Jews have asserted their independence, as far as a large part of the land is concerned, and refuse to share it with the Arabs, and none can say them nay. The Gentiles, which have dominated Israel ever since the time of Nebudchadnezzar, King of Babylon, to this present time, are releasing their grasp. It looks as if the times of the Gentiles are nearly over.