The Times of the Gentiles
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Dave L
Speaking of 70 AD and Jerusalem’s destruction, Jesus says; “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:24 (KJV 1900)
Many believe 1948 and the Jews moving into Palestine signaled an end to the times of the gentiles. But if we backtrack to the beginning of Israel and those traditionally called Jews, they began as gentiles. And became Abraham’s covenant seed through circumcision. In fact, none of Abraham’s covenant seed had his DNA, only Ishmael then.
So it was always circumcision the sign of the covenant and membership in the community that made one a “Jew”, not birth. If any born did not receive circumcision on their eighth day, they cut them off from the group and they remained a gentile. When Abraham excommunicated Ishmael, he became a gentile even though circumcised as his son.
So Jerusalem being trodden down by gentiles means everything you see today. Trodden down by the uncircumcised. When Jesus abolished circumcision on the cross, circumcision became obsolete and no longer made one a physical Jew or physical member of Israel. He excommunicated all unbelieving Jews. No longer were they Abraham’s covenant seed but gentiles with Jewish ethnicity.
And when Paul’s generation of before Calvary circumcised Jews died off, nothing remained to separate them from the gentiles. From then on they became gentiles by default.
Only the circumcised in heart, believers like Abraham and Paul remained biblical Israel into whom God grafted believing gentiles.
When do the times of the Gentiles end?
Jesus said: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations [gentiles], baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:19–20 (KJV 1900)
Meaning the times of the gentiles including ethnic Jews remain until the end of the world. And from all Paul says “God will save all Israel, defined as believers in Christ.
We do not wrestles against and norther are we supported by flesh and blood .The Kingdom of God does not come by observation. We walk by faith and all must learn how to hear what the Spirit is saying to us ..
It would seem like it ended when the time of reformation came .The "it is finished". . . the veil is rent. .The period of time used as a parable came to a end. Comparing the flesh of one nation to another as a teaching aid in understanding God not seen. That demonstration is finished. The Holy unseen Holy Place is open men are free to worship a God who longingly works in them with them . .our Emanuel .
That which stood in the holy place, the pagan
form (things the eyes see)of worship government , Kings in Israel defines the abomination of desolation. The reformation revealed its pagan nature this is when when the veil was tore from the top to the bottom (inspired from heaven) . A great tribulation like never before or ever again. The trouble of Jacob.
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