Times of The Gentiles
Pastor Leslie Chua
“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near… They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Israel is a sovereign nation. Its military forces are one of the most sophisticated and strongest in the world. It is presently engaged in a series of wars with Iranian-backed terrorist organisations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria in recent years but nobody expects it to lose.
However, in one of the most poignant prophecies concerning the End Times in the entire Bible, Jesus says that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies and the holy city will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The “times of the Gentiles” is an important phrase in the study of eschatology.
Jesus is the only person in the Bible who uses the phrase, the times of the Gentiles. This phrase appears only once in the entire Bible. It cannot be found in the Old Testament Scripture though there are indirect references to it. None of the New Testament writers used it.
Interestingly, though Jesus’ Olivet Discourse is also recorded in Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels, both these Gospel writers did not use the phrase, the times of the Gentiles. It can only be found in the Olivet Discourse in the Gospel of Luke.
What does “the times of the Gentiles” mean? When did it begin and when will it end?
The Meaning
The times of the Gentiles refer to the period when Israel and its land, especially the city of Jerusalem, are under Gentile domination and rule.
Since Joshua led the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land 40 years after their liberation from the Egyptian slavery, it had been under their sovereign rule and control.
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The times of the Gentiles refer to the period when Israel and its land, especially the city of Jerusalem, are under Gentile domination and rule.
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But Israel repeatedly rebelled against God and broke its covenant with God. Despite repeated warnings, the Israelites persisted in their sins. In 722 B.C., God sent the Assyrians to destroy the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
But there was still the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Unfortunately, the Jews followed the wicked ways of their brethren from the north. Finally, God had enough. So, God sent the Babylonians to attack Judah. In the third wave of their assault in 586 B.C., the Babylonians completely overran Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and burned down God’s temple. King Nebuchadnezzar carried the Jews, who survived the Babylonian onslaught, into exile in Babylon.
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So, the times of the Gentiles began in 586 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar is the first Gentile ruler and Babylon is the first Gentile kingdom to have dominion over the Holy Land and Jerusalem.
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This event marks the end of the Jews’ sovereign rule and control over the Promised Land and the holy city, Jerusalem. It also marks the beginning of Gentile rule and domination of the Promised Land, and thus, the beginning of the times of the Gentiles.
So, the times of the Gentiles began in 586 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar is the first Gentile ruler and Babylon is the first Gentile kingdom to have dominion over the Holy Land and Jerusalem.
The Gentile Empires with Dominion Over Israel
Which are the Gentile empires that had control over the land of Israel and Jerusalem after the Babylonian Empire?
God revealed the succession of these empires to King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream (Daniel 2:31-45). That is probably because he is the first of these Gentile kings and his Babylonian Empire is the first of these empires.
In the dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a dazzling image with a head made of gold, chest and arms of silver, abdomen and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet and toes partly of iron and partly of clay.
The prophet, Daniel, interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Each of these body parts of the image represents a powerful empire in the Mediterranean region that has control over Israel and Jerusalem.
From the vantage point of historical hindsight, we know that these are the Babylonian Empire followed by the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. These empires had come and gone.
But there is still one last empire that has not come into the picture yet. It will emerge at the end of this present age, which I believe will be soon. This is the divided kingdom of the Antichrist as represented by the 2 feet and 10 toes of partly iron and partly clay.
God gave Daniel a vision of 4 beasts. These 4 beasts were also symbols of these empires that had or will have dominion over Israel and Jerusalem during the times of the Gentiles.
On the head of the terrifying and grotesque-looking fourth beast were 10 horns. Then, another horn – a little horn – emerged to displace 3 of the 10 horns. This little horn represents the Antichrist.
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Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision are a preview of the Gentile world history. It is a prophetic history of the times of the Gentiles.
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The fact that God revealed this succession of Gentile empires twice shows the importance of this prophecy.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision are a preview of the Gentile world history. It is a prophetic history of the times of the Gentiles.
The times of the Gentiles have a termination date as indicated by Jesus’ prophecy – “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
The Completion of The Times of The Gentiles
When will the times of the Gentiles be completed? When will it come to an end?
Daniel’s vision ends with the judgement and destruction of the Antichrist kingdom and the conferring of an everlasting kingdom to the Son of Man, Jesus Christ (Daniel 7:9-14).
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Both Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision indicate the specific timing when the times of the Gentiles will come to an end. This will occur when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to destroy the final empire of the Antichrist.
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Similarly, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream also ends on a triumphant note. A stone smashes the dazzling image to smithereens and it becomes a huge mountain. The symbolism is clear. The stone represents the kingdom of God. It will destroy and displace all the Gentile kingdoms and it will last forever and ever.
Both Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision indicate the specific timing when the times of the Gentiles will come to an end. This will occur when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to destroy the final empire of the Antichrist. After that, Jesus will establish the kingdom of God on earth where He will reign for 1,000 years from His capital city, Jerusalem.
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Given all that has been said, the times of the Gentiles began in 586 B.C. when Babylon conquered Judah and it will end when Jesus returns to destroy the last of the Gentile empires, the Antichrist empire, at the end of this present age.
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Here is another piece of biblical evidence that the times of the Gentiles will come to an end at the end of this present age. Look at Revelation 11:1-2 - Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
This is the companion passage of Luke 21:24. While Luke did not give the timing, John’s vision in Revelation reveals that Jerusalem will be trampled on for 42 months, which is three and a half years. These 42 months refer to the second half of the 7-year Tribulation period. This is the time when the Antichrist will mobilise his armies to invade Israel. At the end of these 42 months, Jesus will return to defend Israel and destroy Antichrist’s forces.
Given all that has been said, the times of the Gentiles began in 586 B.C. when Babylon conquered Judah and it will end when Jesus returns to destroy the last of the Gentile empires, the Antichrist empire, at the end of this present age.
Thus, the times of the Gentiles are God’s designated period when He allows Gentile kingdoms and nations to rule over all the earth, including the land of Israel. But in the end, God will subdue all human kingdoms and establish His own kingdom, which will last forever and ever.
Israel During The Times of The Gentiles
God is sovereign. He has decreed the times of the Gentiles. Everything happened and will continue to happen according to His sovereign will and plan.
Before all these things happened, God revealed them and had them recorded in the form of prophecies in the Bible. It serves as a testimony that God is who He says He is. He is the Creator and the God that is above all other gods. There is no one like Him. How amazing is that?
The times of the Gentiles are also the duration when the nation of Israel is punished for its disobedience to God. However, God’s plan for the Jews has not ended yet. He is not done with them yet. On the contrary, God will rescue His chosen people and bring all the remnants to salvation toward the end of this present age.
Meanwhile, God promised to watch over them and preserve them. Sandwiched between Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision of the 4 beasts are 2 stories with prophetic significance for the nation of Israel during the times of the Gentiles.
The first story is found in Daniel chapter 3. Daniel’s 3 Jewish friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar erected.
However, God intervened to protect them. It was a great miracle that stunned Nebuchadnezzar. The king saw a fourth man talking to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the burning furnace. These young men did not perish in the flames.
The second story is found in Daniel chapter 6. Daniel was thrown into a lions’ den for refusing to comply with the king’s edict not to pray to any god except the king.
Daniel survived the ordeal. God sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouth to protect him.
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These 2 powerful miracles experienced by Daniel and his 3 friends serve as a reminder to the Jews that God would always be watching over them. God would always intervene in their trials and tribulations to preserve them. As a people, they would never perish.
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Both these stories are fascinating and encouraging reads. But I believe they are prophetic promises for the nation of Israel.
The times of the Gentiles would last for a long time. It has been more than 2,600 since it began and it has not ended yet. During this period, the Jews suffered tremendously, unparalleled in intensity and scope.
These 2 powerful miracles experienced by Daniel and his 3 friends serve as a reminder to the Jews that God would always be watching over them. God would always intervene in their trials and tribulations to preserve them. As a people, they would never perish.
God has kept His word and He will continue to keep His word. The worst for Israel is yet to come. Jacob’s troubles in the second half of the Tribulation will be the worst ever. Israel will be left desolate (Luke 21:24) and the Antichrist will slaughter two-thirds of the Jewish population (Zechariah 13:8). But through this fiery trial, all the remnants of Israel will be saved (Zechariah 12:10, 13:9). Jesus will return and the times of the Gentiles will come to an end.