What are the times of the Gentiles? Why should I care? (Luke 21:20-24)

You should care because we are living in the times of the Gentiles.  So we should get an answer to the first question to understand our times, something you won’t get in the daily news or the latest bestselling explanation of current events.

First, Gentiles means nations.  Gentiles are all non-Jews or non-Israelites.  God chose one nation, Israel, to be His treasured possession.  All the other nations are the Gentiles.  It’s not a disparaging term; just descriptive.  Thus it is the times of the Nations,  a time when Israel is not the focus of attention.  Or more accurately, it is the time when Israel is subject to the Nations.  It is a specific period, from the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem until the establishment of Messiah’s earthly reign at His second coming.  The time is characterized by the following.

·        Jerusalem will, to one degree or another, be trampled under foot by the Gentiles.  Specifically it happened at the beginning by the Babylonians, then by the Romans (Luke 21:24) and then under the antichrist (Rev. 11:1).  In another sense Jerusalem is subject to the Nations throughout the entire period.

·        There will be 5 world empires during this time, no more, no less.  This is predicted precisely in Daniel 2 and 7.  (We’ll consider this in a future study.)

·        Israel will be a burdensome stone to the Nations, i.e. a royal pain in the neck (Zech. 12:2-3).  The Roman frustration finally led them to destroy Jerusalem.  Today’s Middle East frustrations will also lead to more trampling under foot.

·        The Jews will live in constant fear during this time (Deut. 28:64-68).  Having been scattered to the nations Jews will have no rest from her antagonists.  Even today, as they are gathering in the land, there are certain levels of daily fear which will only increase in the latter days.

·        There will be a special emphasis on evangelistic outreach to Gentiles during this time (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20; Rom. 11:25).  A partially blinded Israel will be temporarily set aside for this.

·        Finally, God will use the harassment of the Gentiles in this time to bring about the cleansing and salvation of Israel (Zech. 13:7-9).  The ever faithful God will keep His word, that Israel will be judged severely but not utterly destroyed (Jer. 30:11; Amos 9:8).

These are the times in which we live today.  The nations would deny this but the time is coming when they will understand what God was and is doing.  The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore (Ezek. 37:28).  The Gentiles will know that God was the one who gave Israel into the hands of the Gentiles, sent them into captivity, and then brought them back and poured out His Spirit upon them (Ezek. 39:21-29).

Let us use this time of Gentile-evangelism well.  And let us have God’s perspective about our time.  That is the only true perspective!