-
LECTURE XI THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE LAST CAESAR 13:1-18
"THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES"
It is impossible for us to grasp fully the meaning of the thirteenth chapter of Revelation without reference to the book of Daniel. These two books dovetail. having th~ same theme -the character, course, and consummation of the times_ of the Gentiles." By this expression we mean that period durmg which Gentile nations exercise lordship over the earth. But that is not an interminable period. Jesus said, "Jerusalem .shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gen tiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21 :24). In other words, "the times of the Gentiles," which began with Nebuchadnezzar, the first monarch of the kingdom of Babylon, will come to a close with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth, when the Lord Himself shall rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The period prior to "the times of the Gentiles" might prop erly be called "the times of the Jews." Then the children of Israel were in the land of Palestine; they had a temple; and Jehovah communed with them there as God of heaven and earth. It has ever been God's plan that through this nation the whole earth should share in divine blessing. This will be gloriously consummated when the Jews are legally constituted as a nation, obedient to their King, the Lord Jesus Christ. . Let. us consider for a moment God's wonderful dealing with this people. In the days of Judah's apostasy under Jeho iakim, God, in mercy and faithfulness, raised up prophets to tell the Israelites that, if they continued in their evil way, they would be taken captive by a great Gentile king. But they stubbornly refused to accept the warning. Therefore, Neb uchadnez~ar was allowed to enter Palestine, to destroy Jeru sale~•. with its magnificent temple, and to set up his own dommion there. From that day until now, Palestine has been crushed un~er th~ heel of the Gentile nations, and-just as Godh has sa1d-th1s oppression will continue until "the times of t e Gentiles" are fulfilled.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker