Times of the Gentiles fulfilled?

[ByTheSpirit]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

Not all..Israel does not have sovereignty over the Temple Mount. Yerushalayim was trodden down by the Romans.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Not all..Israel does not have sovereignty over the Temple Mount. Yerushalayim was trodden down by the Romans.

I see

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

If we read the entire passage, Jesus Christ of Nazareth is clearly talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Blessings.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

 

[lanceleo]

If we read the entire passage, Jesus Christ of Nazareth is clearly talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Blessings.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

How then do you reconcile your interpretation with verse 27?

Luke 21:27
King James Version
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.​

 

[lanceleo]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

Two things must precede the coming of Christ. Men will flee to the mountains and pregnant women will experience hardship. This is probably due to the atrocities of unborn babies being slashed and infant being crushed. We do not see or read of them right now just yet.

Luke 21:21-23
King James Version
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

How then do you reconcile your interpretation with verse 27?

Luke 21:27​

King James Version​

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.​

The Lord came in all power and glory just as Zechariah prophesied.

• Zechariah 14:1-2: "Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

 

[lanceleo]

The Lord came in all power and glory just as Zechariah prophesied.

• Zechariah 14:1-2: "Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

Luke 21 also describes events in the last days before the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Luke 21 also describes events in the last days before the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

I don't really believe in double fullfilment.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

If we read the entire passage, Jesus Christ of Nazareth is clearly talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Blessings.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

I don't read that the same way as you do, but that's fine. Atleast not in the sense of my OP, what the trampling of Jerusalem means. It was the beginning of that time I believe, but not the fullness of it. I think Paul alludes to this some in his letter to the Romans:

5 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:25

It's an interesting conversation to have that has quite a significant impact on what end times prophecy fulfillment looks like. There's likely to be any number of interpretations to it as well, but thank you for sharing.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

The Lord came in all power and glory just as Zechariah prophesied.

• Zechariah 14:1-2: "Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

This is where you are wrong though IMHO. Just as you asked me to read my OP passage in context, I'd ask you to do the same in Zechariah. That prophecy is clearly talking about the return of Jesus at the end of time.

3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one. Zechariah 14:3-9

None of that has been fulfilled yet, certainly not in 70AD. I'm not even sure how you can read your stance out of that text unless you are a full preterist?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

This is where you are wrong though IMHO. Just as you asked me to read my OP passage in context, I'd ask you to do the same in Zechariah. That prophecy is clearly talking about the return of Jesus at the end of time.

3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one. Zechariah 14:3-9

None of that has been fulfilled yet, certainly not in 70AD. I'm not even sure how you can read your stance out of that text unless you are a full preterist?

In full disclosure, I am a partial Preterist. I came out of Dispensationalism long ago.
Blessings

 

[RandyPNW]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

Well, it is certainly a sign that the "times of the Gentiles" are coming to an end! But it is not technically the end of this period of Gentile domination over Israel, since Israel continues to be oppressed by Palestinians, the Muslim world, and even the UN.

What really do the "times of the Gentiles" mean? In the Bible a major theme is the sustenance and ultimate restoration of Israel as a nation of God. They were the 1st nation to live in covenant relationship with God, but they were cast off from God's blessings when they fell into complete apostasy as a nation.

Since God promised that Israel would always recover and return to status with God and under covenant, the time in which they remain dormant and rejected is considered the "times of the Gentiles." Furthermore, this time features God giving opportunity to other nations--other than Israel--to be nations of God.

The Christian Gospel has afforded Gentile nations the opportunity to be "nations of God." While Israel lays dormant and outside of a covenant relationship with God, Christian nations are able to go through the same experience Israel formerly did as a nation of God. This means Christian nations rise and fall just as Israel did.

Even worse for Israel, Gentile nations contribute to keeping Israel in a place of cursing and unable to be restored as a nation. Whether Christian or not, Gentile nations have noted that Israel is no longer blessed by God and are, in fact, bad. And so, Jews have been persecuted or discarded during this period of "Gentile domination."

Jesus simply indicated that in accord with the Prophets, Israel's suppression will one day come to an end. Israel will be restored as a nation to covenant status with God.

 

[dfw69]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

Time of the gentiles kingdoms that rise up against Jerusalem will not end until the return of Jesus

You still have the 10 horn to come as well as the rise of the AC over them

Jesus returns after to make Jerusalem safe forever

 

[ViaCrucis]

Reading this morning through Luke, and in Luke 21:24 Jesus says that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Got me to thinking. Clearly the Jews now control all of Jerusalem for the first time since, well at least 130AD, if not 70AD. So are the times of the Gentiles fulfilled? If so, doesn't that mean that we are likely the last generation on Earth before Christ's return?

The earliest reference among the ancient writers of the Church I can find who comment on this passage is Tertullian, and he seems to be one of the only ones who attempts to give meaning to the expression. And for him the meaning was seen as obvious: that the time of the Gentiles shall last as long as there are Gentiles being added to Israel, i.e. the Church.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Berean Tim]

The Lord came in all power and glory just as Zechariah prophesied.

• Zechariah 14:1-2: "Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

Acts1:11 “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

Zechariah 14:4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

Jesus will be seen, he's not coming some other way