Of the three divisions of humanity which are given by the Apostle Paul, namely, the Jews, the Gentles and the Church of God (1Co 10:32), the first and third represent the two major purposes of God—the earthly purpose centered in the Jews (Jews who believe in God but not the Lord Jesus - Jn 14:1—NC) and the heavenly purpose centered in the Church.
Though they are in evidence from the beginning of human history, and though privileged as individuals to respond to the message of saving grace and be included in the Church, and though some of them are to share with Israel the unending kingdom glory (Rom 15:9-12—NC), the Gentiles represent no specific and independent divine purpose; yet their distinctive identity as Gentile (Christians—NC) is preserved and their future may be traced into eternity.
These numerous predictions respecting the Gentiles are scattered throughout the Bible; but to Daniel is given the complete preview of the history of the Gentiles, beginning with the Jews’ captivity and running on into the kingdom dispensation. The period between the captivity and the second advent of Christ is named by him “the times of the Gentiles” (when the last Gentile will be saved, i.e. the fullness of the Gentiles—NC), and its peculiar identification is the fact that, throughout its duration, Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles.
The passage reads, “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” (Luk 21:24). No mere fortuitous selection of Jerusalem as the location of this prophetic sign is made by Christ (not a coincidence—NC)—such as might fall upon any city. The significance is to be seen in the particular character of Jerusalem, which is singled out above all the cities of the earth. It is the national center of the chosen, eternal people.
It is “the city of the great King” (Psa 48:2; Mat 5:35), the theme of marvelous predictions, the location of David’s eternal throne (2Sa 7:16), and the center of divine government in the coming millennial kingdom. From Jerusalem shall the whole world be governed (Isa 2:3, 4; Eze 48:35). The disclosure is made by Christ that as long as God’s purpose with Israel is in abeyance, Jerusalem will be permitted to be “trodden down of the Gentiles” (“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”); but when Jehovah again claims Jerusalem, the Gentiles are not only to be driven from that city, but the whole Gentile period will come to its end (Rev 11:2).
Gentiles have never contemplated Jerusalem as the center of their world-governments. That city means no more to them than any other city of the past. World empires have centered in Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome; Rome will yet be a restored world-dominion, the continuation of that which was in existence when this present dispensation was thrust in. Strictly speaking, this Church age is not a part or development of the Gentile times.
Though the times of the Gentiles had actually begun, Daniel was, in his long lifetime, given to experience three far-reaching visions of those times. Apart from certain warnings which had been given, the future to the instructed Jew consisted in the continued progress of events leading to the realization of all his earthly glory as anticipated in his covenants and promises. Therefore, apart from a distinct divine revelation, the intrusion of a Gentile period could create only perplexity.
In Gentile times the question must be answered as to what has become of the revealed divine program respecting Israel and the whole world through that people. The question is not answered by the implication that God has changed His mind respecting Israel. His covenants, being unconditional and everlasting, are immutable (“irrevocable” Rom 11:29—NC). However, divine right to delay their fulfillment in the interests of chastisement was reserved (2 Sam 7:14; Psa 89:20, 30-37).
Daniel, who was by the providence of God pressed into a high place in Gentile dominion, which he held for more than seventy years, was especially fitted to receive and transmit the Word of God respecting the course and end of those Gentile times which began with his captivity in Babylon. To him it was given to see from his own day to the cutting off the Messiah and on to the time when the Messiah would take His everlasting throne (Dan 2:44, 45; 7:13, 14), and every covenant would be fulfilled.
Thus Daniel accounts for Gentile times that were being inserted as an intercalation in the predicted program for Israel. When, later on and following the death of Christ, a Church intercalation is added to these Gentile times, the announcement of it is intimated by Christ but is committed in its full revelation by the Apostle Paul. However, neither the first setting aside of Israel’s program for Gentile times, nor the second setting aside of Gentiles for the dispensation of the Church, has cast so much as a shadow over the certainty that God will yet in His own faithfulness fulfill every covenant promise to His chosen people Israel.
By three major visions, which are amplified by lesser visions, Daniel foresaw the times of the Gentiles, which had already begun and which, apart from revelation, must perplex the Jew who had before his eyes the covenants and promises of Israel. Naturally the question arises, in view of the setting aside of Israel’s program and the intrusion of Gentile dominion, what has become of that unchangeable, eternal and divine favor upon Israel?
In all three major visions, Daniel saw the Gentile times through to the consummation and the final realization of Messiah’s kingdom and the fulfillment of every promise to Israel. However, it cannot be emphasized too strongly that Daniel did not see the intercalation period of the Church which would intervene between the two advents of Christ—a period which, as has been indicated, is an intrusion into Gentile times, is not the end of Gentile times; rather it is seen to be an added delay in the realization of the major divine purpose for Israel.
Thus when the Church dispensation with its unprecedented features is later introduced it is explained by the church council in Jerusalem, as a delay in Israel’s program. Here it should be pointed out that the Church age, though unrelated to the times of the Gentiles, is not the end of Gentile times. Those times extend six hundred before the Church dispensation and must be renewed and taken up again for a period of seven years after that dispensation.
It cannot be made too emphatic that God’s earthly purpose centers in the Jew, and that, apart from the interruption of a Gentile period which is itself interrupted by the Church dispensation, there would be only the direct outworking and development to fulfillment of every Israeli covenant.
Daniel is chosen of God to explain the intrusion of Gentile times into Israel’s calendar, and Christ and Paul explain the intrusion of the dispensation of the Church into the Gentile and Jewish times. Paul’s explanation is found in Romans 9-11; and the first church council was convened at Jerusalem to determine this same fact in Acts 15:13-18. These interruptions, or intercalations, in no way jeopardize the primary earthly purpose of Israel (the God-believing Jews inherit the New Earth; and the Christians, the New Heaven—NC).
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
MJS daily devotional excerpt
“There are earnest Christians who are jealous for a free Gospel, with acceptance of Christ, and justification by faith alone. But after this they think everything depends on their diligence and faithfulness. While they firmly grasp the truth, ‘justified by faith,’ they have hardly noticed the larger truth, ‘the just shall live by faith.’ They have not yet understood what a perfect Savior the Lord Jesus is, and how He will each day do for the sinner just as much as He did the first day when they came to Him.
“They know not that the life of grace is always and only a life of faith, and that in the relationship to the Lord Jesus the one daily and unceasing duty of the disciple is to believe, because believing is the one channel through which Divine grace and strength can flow into the heart of man. The old nature of the believer remains evil and sinful to the last; it is only as he daily comes, all empty and helpless, to his Savior to receive of His life and strength, that he can bring forth the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God.” -A.M.
Though they are in evidence from the beginning of human history, and though privileged as individuals to respond to the message of saving grace and be included in the Church, and though some of them are to share with Israel the unending kingdom glory (Rom 15:9-12—NC), the Gentiles represent no specific and independent divine purpose; yet their distinctive identity as Gentile (Christians—NC) is preserved and their future may be traced into eternity.
These numerous predictions respecting the Gentiles are scattered throughout the Bible; but to Daniel is given the complete preview of the history of the Gentiles, beginning with the Jews’ captivity and running on into the kingdom dispensation. The period between the captivity and the second advent of Christ is named by him “the times of the Gentiles” (when the last Gentile will be saved, i.e. the fullness of the Gentiles—NC), and its peculiar identification is the fact that, throughout its duration, Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles.
The passage reads, “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” (Luk 21:24). No mere fortuitous selection of Jerusalem as the location of this prophetic sign is made by Christ (not a coincidence—NC)—such as might fall upon any city. The significance is to be seen in the particular character of Jerusalem, which is singled out above all the cities of the earth. It is the national center of the chosen, eternal people.
It is “the city of the great King” (Psa 48:2; Mat 5:35), the theme of marvelous predictions, the location of David’s eternal throne (2Sa 7:16), and the center of divine government in the coming millennial kingdom. From Jerusalem shall the whole world be governed (Isa 2:3, 4; Eze 48:35). The disclosure is made by Christ that as long as God’s purpose with Israel is in abeyance, Jerusalem will be permitted to be “trodden down of the Gentiles” (“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”); but when Jehovah again claims Jerusalem, the Gentiles are not only to be driven from that city, but the whole Gentile period will come to its end (Rev 11:2).
Gentiles have never contemplated Jerusalem as the center of their world-governments. That city means no more to them than any other city of the past. World empires have centered in Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome; Rome will yet be a restored world-dominion, the continuation of that which was in existence when this present dispensation was thrust in. Strictly speaking, this Church age is not a part or development of the Gentile times.
Though the times of the Gentiles had actually begun, Daniel was, in his long lifetime, given to experience three far-reaching visions of those times. Apart from certain warnings which had been given, the future to the instructed Jew consisted in the continued progress of events leading to the realization of all his earthly glory as anticipated in his covenants and promises. Therefore, apart from a distinct divine revelation, the intrusion of a Gentile period could create only perplexity.
In Gentile times the question must be answered as to what has become of the revealed divine program respecting Israel and the whole world through that people. The question is not answered by the implication that God has changed His mind respecting Israel. His covenants, being unconditional and everlasting, are immutable (“irrevocable” Rom 11:29—NC). However, divine right to delay their fulfillment in the interests of chastisement was reserved (2 Sam 7:14; Psa 89:20, 30-37).
Daniel, who was by the providence of God pressed into a high place in Gentile dominion, which he held for more than seventy years, was especially fitted to receive and transmit the Word of God respecting the course and end of those Gentile times which began with his captivity in Babylon. To him it was given to see from his own day to the cutting off the Messiah and on to the time when the Messiah would take His everlasting throne (Dan 2:44, 45; 7:13, 14), and every covenant would be fulfilled.
Thus Daniel accounts for Gentile times that were being inserted as an intercalation in the predicted program for Israel. When, later on and following the death of Christ, a Church intercalation is added to these Gentile times, the announcement of it is intimated by Christ but is committed in its full revelation by the Apostle Paul. However, neither the first setting aside of Israel’s program for Gentile times, nor the second setting aside of Gentiles for the dispensation of the Church, has cast so much as a shadow over the certainty that God will yet in His own faithfulness fulfill every covenant promise to His chosen people Israel.
By three major visions, which are amplified by lesser visions, Daniel foresaw the times of the Gentiles, which had already begun and which, apart from revelation, must perplex the Jew who had before his eyes the covenants and promises of Israel. Naturally the question arises, in view of the setting aside of Israel’s program and the intrusion of Gentile dominion, what has become of that unchangeable, eternal and divine favor upon Israel?
In all three major visions, Daniel saw the Gentile times through to the consummation and the final realization of Messiah’s kingdom and the fulfillment of every promise to Israel. However, it cannot be emphasized too strongly that Daniel did not see the intercalation period of the Church which would intervene between the two advents of Christ—a period which, as has been indicated, is an intrusion into Gentile times, is not the end of Gentile times; rather it is seen to be an added delay in the realization of the major divine purpose for Israel.
Thus when the Church dispensation with its unprecedented features is later introduced it is explained by the church council in Jerusalem, as a delay in Israel’s program. Here it should be pointed out that the Church age, though unrelated to the times of the Gentiles, is not the end of Gentile times. Those times extend six hundred before the Church dispensation and must be renewed and taken up again for a period of seven years after that dispensation.
It cannot be made too emphatic that God’s earthly purpose centers in the Jew, and that, apart from the interruption of a Gentile period which is itself interrupted by the Church dispensation, there would be only the direct outworking and development to fulfillment of every Israeli covenant.
Daniel is chosen of God to explain the intrusion of Gentile times into Israel’s calendar, and Christ and Paul explain the intrusion of the dispensation of the Church into the Gentile and Jewish times. Paul’s explanation is found in Romans 9-11; and the first church council was convened at Jerusalem to determine this same fact in Acts 15:13-18. These interruptions, or intercalations, in no way jeopardize the primary earthly purpose of Israel (the God-believing Jews inherit the New Earth; and the Christians, the New Heaven—NC).
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
MJS daily devotional excerpt
“There are earnest Christians who are jealous for a free Gospel, with acceptance of Christ, and justification by faith alone. But after this they think everything depends on their diligence and faithfulness. While they firmly grasp the truth, ‘justified by faith,’ they have hardly noticed the larger truth, ‘the just shall live by faith.’ They have not yet understood what a perfect Savior the Lord Jesus is, and how He will each day do for the sinner just as much as He did the first day when they came to Him.
“They know not that the life of grace is always and only a life of faith, and that in the relationship to the Lord Jesus the one daily and unceasing duty of the disciple is to believe, because believing is the one channel through which Divine grace and strength can flow into the heart of man. The old nature of the believer remains evil and sinful to the last; it is only as he daily comes, all empty and helpless, to his Savior to receive of His life and strength, that he can bring forth the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God.” -A.M.