Posted by Bibleman [Bibleman] on November 17, 1999 at 16:55:18 {xx2d.1sWpQf9UnUPxURUslyACFuF8c}:
In Reply to: The Gentile Times Ended?? posted by DaJahVeu on November 17, 1999 at 14:44:56:
You make a good point, but you can't make too much of this phrase since it is sort of misleading.
Luke 21:24 calls it the "appointed times of the nations" and it is just the time when there will be no representative heir on the throne.
King David's throne used to represent Jehovah's sovereignty in the earth while the kings were ruling. But even then there were gentiles ruling.
So you should think in terms of the gentiles ruling over the Israelites in Jerusalem.
Specifically, Jehovah would remove the Judean kings for a while: "A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make until he who comes who has the legal right." In the meantime, the gentiles would rule over Palestine and Jerusalem and there would be no king until that king appeared.
But when that king did appear, there still would be a time when he would rule for a while "in the midst of his enemies". Remember, after Jesus takes up full power in the kingdom in Heaven, Satan is kicked out of Heaven and down to the earth for a short while.
So we are in that transitional period. But in a spiritual sense, the one who has the legal right has begun to rule again and so that ended the "appointed times of the nations" to rule in the absence of any designated divine ruler on the earth representing Jehovah's kingdom. The period of 2520 years is designated as the "appointed times of the nations" but it doesn't end when they are finally destroyed, but when the 2520 years ends.
The 2520 years began at the fall of Jerusalem which was in 529BCE so it ended in 1992. This is the transition period where the Messiah is now "ruling" in the midst of his enemies. But soon the Messianic kingdom will become the kingdom of the entire world.
So while somewhat misleading, the "appointed times of the nations" or the "gentile times" does have a specific Biblical meaning and a specific Biblical time frame.
So think of the "gentile times" as an appointed times for the nations to rule in the absence of a Judean king on the earth. That is no longer the case since Jesus' appearance in late 1992 in kingdom power at which time Satan was also kicked out of heaven.
Cheers,
Bibleman