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QUESTION 10
Could you please explain what is meant in Luke 21:24, "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled"

ANSWER:
The "times of the Gentiles" is not to be confused with the "fullness of the Gentiles" as mentioned in Romans 11:25.

The times of the Gentiles had their beginning with King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. He had a dream and saw a great image in which he interpreted it as four great Gentile world powers would rule (i.e., Babylon-Persia-Greece and Rome). The king saw this great image cut down to the ground by a Stone cut out of the mountain. Daniel explains that the Lord would come and set up a kingdom that would crush these and fill the whole earth. This kingdom would be forever. This crushing of Gentile powers will take place in Revelation 19 when The Lord Jesus Christ comes back to earth and overthrows all Gentile powers. Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until then. Since Israel is in the land, the time of the Gentiles is nearing it's end.

The times of the Gentiles means a period of time from the rule of Babylon until the Lord comes to set up a kingdom. The fullness of the Gentiles is God taking out from among them a people for His name sake. Acts 15:14. This began in Acts 10, where Peter opened the door of salvation to the Gentile world. It will end at the rapture when Christ comes for His own. The fullness of the Gentiles has to do with the Church only. Since the "fullness" will end before the "times," the coming of the Lord for His people, surely is near.

How important it is to be ready. Only those who are saved by the blood of Christ will go. Have you been saved? Are you born-again? If you would realize you are a sinner and trust in the sacrifice of Christ, you too would be saved. Acts 16:31.

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen