Times of the Gentiles (1) - Jesus Warning

Jesus named the season when that would follow the Last Days, when he prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem.

There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 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 (Luke 21:23-24)

Jesus called this season the “Times of the Gentiles”, because its defining feature is Jerusalem being trampled by the nations.

In the previous verses, Jesus clearly described the epochal event that would begin the Times of the Gentiles.

There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations (Luke 21:23-24).

The Roman armies invaded Israel and destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70. The Jewish people were taken prisoner and scattered among the nations. This event marked the beginning of the Times of the Gentiles.

The epochal event that ends this season has not yet occurred, so we are still living in the season called the Times of the Gentiles.

Paul explains the reason for season in his letter to the Romans.

Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the fullness of the nations has come in (Rom 11:25).

During the Times of the Gentiles, most Jews are hardened to the gospel, the church is dominated by gentile Christians and Jerusalem is ruled by gentile armies. Only a few Jews have found peace through Jesus, and Jerusalem has no peace.

Paul describes Israel as a disobedient nation (Rom 10:21). Although a few have been saved, the nation as a whole is shut off from God. They are enemies of the gospel (Rom 11:28) committed to disobedience (Rom 11:31) and broken out of the vine (Rom 11:17).

During the Times of the Gentiles, the majority of Jews are absent from the Kingdom, because their nation has rejected the Messiah and is under judgment. The Kingdom cannot come to fulfilment until the judgment of Israel is complete.