The Times of the Gentiles

By David W. Breese, Ph.D.
Christian Destiny, Inc., Hillsboro, Kansas

Knowing the teaching of Holy Scripture makes life understandable; knowing the content of history can give us a growing appreciation of the Word of God. To aid our understanding, God divides history into eras. One such era is “the times of the Gentiles,” Luke 21.24, a period of time in which the leadership of the nations has no longer been in the hands of Israel, but rather Gentile empires. This period began with the captivity of Judah under the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar: 2 Chronicles 36.21. Since that time, the world has been “trodden down of the Gentiles,” Luke 21.24 and will continue to be until Christ returns for the Church.

This Gentile era has been characterized by many developments:

the emergence of Gentile world power and control: Luke 21.24
the disappearance of Israel as a world power: Matthew 21.18-20
the emergence of the Church: Ephesians 1.20-23
the renewal of Israel: Matthew 24.39
the pronouncement of the futility of temple worship: Matthew 24.2
the Jews being called “lost sheep” by Christ Himself: Matthew 15.24
attempted domination by Gentile power over the entire world under the leadership of the antiChrist.

The Bible then indicates the massive force of Gentile world power will be destroyed. The commercial world, centered in the city of Babylon will be in control for a limited time. The Scriptures announce the devastation of the world’s commerce and currency; see Revelation 18.2,3,9.

When we consider the conditions characterizing the times of the Gentiles, we come to the conclusion people without God, whatever their abilities may be, cannot succeed. The result of merely human activity, however impressive, will be failure, loss and final devastation.

The world has long boasted it has no need of God. It has insisted on its own ability to govern by making mere human wisdom its guide. During the times of the Gentiles, the world will believe many religions, philosophies and set many goals. These may be temporarily impressive, but in the last analysis, they will amount to nothing.

We do well, therefore, to conclude the culture can be improved only by divine intervention. Only Christ, returning in power and great glory, can bring to pass a beneficial society. Such a society, as the Scripture teaches, can only exist by altering human nature itself. The world is sinful and during the times of the Gentiles is controlled by a fallen human race, who having steeped itself in sin, has lost its spiritual status. It has “come short of the glory of God,” Romans 3.23. People cannot therefore trust in “humanity.” We must build our lives on the one foundation: faith in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.

The final condition of the wealth, the values of the world is summed up in the Word of God in Revelation 18.14,15. In the Revelation picture, the times of the Gentiles are temporarily magnificent, but morally blind. What unbelievers can do in the world may be momentarily attractive, but ultimately and totally consumed with devastating fire from Heaven. We are to learn neither Jew nor Gentile without God can produce anything but devastation. We are invited to be aware of, but not in cooperation with that worldly program, the times of the Gentiles.