Gentiles: itÂ’s times, its riches and itÂ’s fullness
Lu 21:24 "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.
Ro 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Look at those words up there: a) times of the Gentiles b) riches for the Gentiles and c) fullness of the Gentiles. I would like to tackle this topic for it directly refers to us non-Israelites or Gentiles.
I. The times of the Gentiles
Lu 21:24 "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.
What does the term “the times of the Gentiles” mean? It refers to the period where Gentiles will have pre-eminence and supremacy over Israel.
When God and Israel forged a covenant there in Mt. Sinai, one of there agreements was that if Israel would obey and be faithful to God, God would bless Israel materially. With regards to their physical needs [like health, food, shelter and just about anything]: He would abundantly provide it. With regards to national prominence globally: God would make them the head and not the tail. BUT if they would disobey God and become unfaithful to Him, God would send horrific and horrible punishments and judgments against Israel.
Take a look at what was stipulated in their agreement with regards to national prominence if they would obey and national demise if they would disobey in Deuteronomy 28. Israel disobeyed and so Israel swallowed the bitter pill of GodÂ’s righteous wrath.
De 28:15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
De 28:25 "The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.
“……………..you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you.” Verse 29
[The Jews are the most persecuted people in the world. From the Babylonian empire to now. Just think of the Holocaust. if i am not mistaken 6 million Jews died under Hitler's hands]
De 28:37 "And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you.”
AND TAKE SPECIAL NOTICE OF THIS:
De 28:43 "The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower.
44 "………..he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.”
As a foretaste of the times of the Gentiles, the northern tribe first got sacked and taken captive to Assyria. The southern tribe should have learned a lesson from this but they did not. They disobeyed, as a result the full brunt of the curse was fulfilled some 70 years after. The southern tribe was sacked and taken captive to Babylon for 70 years. It was here the times of the Gentiles began. From that time till now, the Gentiles have dominated Israel. Yes, they were set ‘free’ 70 years after, but that ‘freedom’ was vassal freedom under the rulership of various Gentile emperors: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greecian and Roman.
Even now in our times where some of Israel are occupying their land [at least part of what was before owned by them], they still have not full ownership of it. The place where their sacred temple is situated is blasphemously replaced by the Dome of the Rock, a temple of the Gentile god Allah. The times of the Gentiles will culminate in the Great Tribulation when the Roman empire will be revived and Anti-Christ and the Roman Beast will have world wide sway. The times of the Gentiles will end when Christ like a Rock from heaven will crush the Roman Beast and the Antichrist to set up His Kingdom.
II. Riches for the Gentiles
Ro 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
This refers to GodÂ’s favor to Gentiles in this period or age. Israel was GodÂ’s chosen people [and still is though for now set aside]. When they rejected their Messiah, which was actually a culmination of centuries of defying their covenant with God, God set Israel aside temporarily [NATIONALLY, NOT INDIVIDUALLY FOR THERE ARE SAVED JEWS NOW IN THIS AGE LIKE PAUL AND ETC. BUT THEY BELONG TO THE CHURCH NOT ISRAEL AS GOD CONSIDERS THEM]. All the promises in the Old Testament about Israel being the top nation of the world is held in abeyance. GodÂ’s favor went out to the Gentiles [a shock to the Jews]. God is now building His Church.
Ac 15:14 "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name
This is riches for us Gentiles. May we take advantage of this opportunity. Like in NoahÂ’s day, while the ark was still open all can still go in. And so we can say as it were that the door for the Gentiles is still open right at this moment. Repent and Trust in Christ alone for salvation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
III. The fullness of the Gentiles
Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the number of Gentiles that will constitute the Church which God is building right now. Yes, there is a certain number of Gentiles that will constitute the Church. Once this has been completed, this would mean that the Church [the building of it] is completed. Who knows if that unbeliever there down the road is the last person to constitute the Church. Once he repents and trust in Christ alone for salvation. The fullness of the Gentiles has been reached.
What happens next? The Rapture will take place.
And then what?
You were reading Romans 11:25 right? About the fullness of the GentilesÂ….now notice verse 26.. Read verse 25 then 26 to get the full effect:
Ro 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
And then what?
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
The translation: “The Deliverer will come out OF Zion as i see it should be "To Zion."
The word 'ek' in Greek could mean either of this:
1) away from 2) by, 3) by means of, 4) by reason of, 5) because 6) for 7) on, 8] at, 9) of"
In keeping with Isaiah 29:20, it should read: The Deliverer will come FOR Zion... or AT Zion.
[Note: Some say that 'ek' is in the genitive case so it should read 'out of Zion'.
Actually there is no problem to that becuase how can the Deliverer come out from Israel if He did not came to Israel first. He's coming out does not mean abondonment or rejection. In the Mellinial reign the center of government of the world will be at Jerusalem. He will rule the entire universe. 'He comes out and goes in' so to speak.]
Here read Isa 59:20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the LORD.
This refers to His Second Coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He will then fulfill all the glorious promises made to Israel in the coming 1000 year reign of the King of kings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Message for you now dear friend:
Avail of God's riches offered by God in Christ for you.
Repent and Trust in Christ alone for salvation.
[note: in the Old Testament prophecies, Israel will return to their land in unbelief and then their Messiah will come the Second Time. Israel is now in their land IN UNBELIEF. What does that mean? The completion of the Church is near at hand].
