The times of the Gentiles

“They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:24
Here in Luke 21 we have a description by Jesus of some of the events that will take place after He is taken up into heaven. Note that it is a different teaching from that in Matt. 24 and Mark 13, which deal with events leading up to and through the Tribulation period. Both have the prophecy of nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes, famines, and so forth. But then Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts go on to say ‘After these things’ while Luke says ‘But before all this’. Also the teaching recorded by Luke was given in the temple (Luke 21:5-8), while that recorded by Matthew was given on the Mount of Olives (Matt. 24:1-3).
‘The times of the Gentiles’ refers to the period in which Israel is subjugated by the Gentiles, beginning with the Babylonian captivity in 477 BC. It continues right up to the Tribulation period, which is its fulfilment (Rom. 11:25). Therefore we are still in this period today, and just as Jesus said, we do see Jerusalem trampled on by the Gentiles – the site of the Temple Mount being occupied by the Al Aksa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, being a continual reminder of this. But Jerusalem will once again be a holy city (Joel 3:17, Zech. 8:3), with Jesus ruling and reigning from His throne there as King over the entire world. These times of oppression were prophesied, but they will not last forever.