Did the times of the Gentiles come to an end when, in 1967, the Jews took control of all of Jerusalem?

What are the "times of the gentiles" to which Jesus referred in Luke 21:24? When did they begin and when did they end? Or are they still to end? What took place - or will take place - at their conclusion?

Let us notice first the Biblical passage in which this expression occurs: "And they (that is, `this people,' the Jews, v. 23) 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." Lk. 21:24.

Luke 21 is a discourse on the signs of Christ's coming. It parallels Matthew 24 and Mark 13, but neither Matthew nor Mark mentions the "times of the Gentiles," though both mention most of the other signs listed by Luke.

Review of Adventist Interpretation

Few comments on Luke 21:24 are found in Adventist literature. Furthermore, Ellen White nowhere discusses the "times of the Gentiles." In commenting on Jesus's sermon on the signs in the chapter "On the Mount of Olives" in The Desire of Ages (pp. 627-636), she nowhere quotes Luke 21:24, though several times in the chapter she quotes from Luke's Gospel. Nor does she elsewhere in her published writings give an interpretation of the "times of the Gentiles." Her absence of comment on this passage is relatively unimportant, but it is hard to escape the suggestion that her silence means that, at least for us today, this sign is of lesser importance than the others she specifically relates to our day.[50]

At any rate, in the absence of any definite statement from Ellen White, Adventists have had only general guidance from her as they sought for a meaning of the passage.

In the Index to the R&H, which is housed in the R&H editorial library and which goes back to the beginning of the Review's pulication, I found only one entry to the "times of the Gentiles." [60] This entry refers to a brief article by G.C. Tenney, appearing in the November 13, 1894, `Review'. [65] Tenney, a college-educated minister, ordained in the late 1870's, had been editor of the Bible Echo in Australia, and of the Medical Missionary Magazine in Battle Creek, Michigan, before he joined the `Review' staff as assistant editor May 8, 1894. Later, from 1895 to 1897, he was coeditor of the paper with Uriah Smith.

In this brief article Tenney answered "several requests" for an explanation of the words "And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled," which had appeared in the Sabbath school lessons a short time before.

He said, "The work of carrying the gospel to the world was offered to the Jews, but they rejected it, not only for the world, before themselves as well. Having done so, they were rejected of God, and he chose his own instrumentalities for carrying forward his work. (See Romans 11).

When the Jews were rejected - broken off - the work of the gospel went to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6), and has since been carried forward independently of the Jewish people. Hence this dispensation has been named `The times of the Gentiles.'"

Referring to Romans 11 where Paul speaks of "the fullness of the Gentiles" he says, `The fullness of the Gentiles,' and `the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,' are equivalent, and undoubtedly identical expressions. Jerusalem is to be `trodden down of the Gentiles' until then."

Then he turns to Daniel for his proof that the "times of the Gentiles," were to extend to the close of probation: "And for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.' Daniel 9:26,27. The marginal readings throw light on this passage; one reads, "They shall be no more his people."

Some of the details of this passage may be obscure to casual readers, but the main idea is apparent. After Messiah was cut off, a people would come and destroy the city and sanctuary; and the desolations thus caused would continue `until the consummation'; until that which is `determined shall be poured upon the desolator' (margin). The desolator was Rome; and that which is to be poured upon Rome, is, as shown in Daniel 7:11 and in Revelation 16, the last plagues and the final destruction." (Italics in the original.)

Then he adds, "There is, then, no room for the `return of the Jews,' the rebuilding and rehabilitation of Jerusalem, and the peaceful sway of the gospel, with the Jews in the ascendancy, for one thousand years."

The Commentary makes the following observation with regard to the status of Jerusalem at the time the comments were written, "Never since that time [the crushing of Bar Cochba's revolt in A.D. 135] has Jerusalem been a truly Jewish city. The Temple was never rebuilt after A.D. 70. Among others, Romans, Saracens, Norsemen, Turks, Crusaders, and Arabs have controlled the city and the former Temple area. Though recently the new state of Israel has secured control of a portion of the city, Old Jerusalem is still not a Jewish city, and the former Temple area remains in non-Jewish hands." [100]

Tenney's explanation apparently satisfied Adventists until the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, when the Jews took jurisdictional control over the section of Jerusalem formerly in Arab hands and thus came into control of the entire city. Since that event some Adventists have wondered as to whether the church should take a new look at Luke 21:24 to see if perchance in 1967, when Gentile control of Jerusalem ended, the "times of the Gentiles" also came to an end.

Certain Adventist evangelists have taken the position that the 1967 incident fulfilled the prophecy. Speaking of such a fulfillment, one evangelist remarked recently (ca. 1976), "Jerusalem is entirely a Jewish city and governed by Hebrew-speaking Jews. Jerusalem is no longer trodden underfoot of the Gentiles. Surely it cannot be long before the cloud will open and we shall see the Son of man coming, with power and glory." [130]

Novel as this view appears, it must not be confused with that of the dispensationalists, who see in this event the beginning of a work they expect God to do for the Jews in their mass conversion to Christ. Adventists have consistently denied a future return of the Jews to Jersualem so as to fulfill the destiny God anciently promised the Israelites, and this the evangelist too would deny. He agrees with other Adventists that the prophecies the dispensationalists quote as predicting such events are conditional. Because the conditions were not met, the Jews lost the privilege of being God's chosen people for the evangelizing force. He would also agree that, on the basis of Romans 11, many individual Jews will accept Jesus as the Messiah. But these Jews will simply join the Christian church, in which there is "neither Jew nor Greek." He simply takes the 1967 conflict and the resultant Israeli control of the entire city of Jerusalem as being one fulfillment among many that show that the coming of Jesus is near. To him the event is not a prelude to the conversion of the Jews and a rebuilding of the Temple.

Interpretation of the Passage

Now let us take a closer look at Luke 21:24 to see precisely what it does say and what it does not say.

The first part of Luke 21:24 clearly refers to the slaughter of the Jews at the time of the fall of Jerusalem to Titus in A.D. 70. According to Josephus more than a million Jews perished.[150] The scattering of the remnant to the various nations on earth is also a well-known fact of history.

"Trodden down of the Gentiles," "Trodden down" is the translation of the Greek `pateo', which means "to trample," "to tread." It is the word used in Revelation 14:20 and 19:15 for the treading of the winepress. The Jews would consider any foreign domination of Jerusalem as a trampling of the city they considered holy. As a matter of history, and, as pointed out above, among those trampling the city were the Romans, Saracens, Norsemen, Turks, Crusaders, and Arabs.

"Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." This is the difficult phrase in this passage. When these times began seems clear: they began when the Romans destroyed the city in 70 AD. "Times" is from the Greek kairos, which looks at time qualitatively rather than chronologically. The Greek word that looks at time chronologically is chronos. The word Kairos is variously translated as "season" [160], "opportunity." [165]

Jesus is speaking of a particular kind of time. The kind of time has been interpreted in two ways:

1. As G.C. Tenney above, the time for the conversion of the non-Jews, and
   
2. the period when God would use the Gentiles to punish His people Israel.

This latter view would be in harmony with verse 22, which says,

"For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." Luke 21:22.

For Tenney's point Romans 11:25 has been cited, where the expression "fullness of the Gentiles" appears, an expression that in its context refers to the conversion of the Gentiles, which would take place during a time in which "blindness in part is [sic] happened to Israel."

There is remarkably parallel language to Luke 21:24 in Revelation 11:2. Since both are prophetic passages the two ought to be compared.

Adventists have interpreted the 42 months of Revelation 11:2 as parallel to the "time and times and the dividing of times" of Daniel 7:25, namely the period of persecution extending from 538 to 1798. They interprete the holy city to represent the people of God, that is, the Christian church. Interestingly, where Luke speaks of "great vengeance" and of Jerusalem being "trodden down of the Gentiles" (v. 24), Matthew and Mark speak of a great "tribulation" {See the synoptic harmony published with this article.}

Adventists have interpreted this tribulation also as the period of persecution of the Christians from 538 to 1798. Therefore, if Luke 21:24 were interpreted to describe the same events as the parallel passages of Matthew and Mark describe, complete harmony exists not only among the Gospels but also with the Revelation passage.

Equated with Period of Persecution - Abominations

The "times of the Gentiles" would then be parallel with the period of persecution running from 538 to 1798. When 1798 suddenly arrived (actually a little before, Mk. 13:24) the "times" of persecution came to an end. But this interpretation works only if Uriah Smith's identity of "the holy city" and "people of God" is accepted. Since Jesus' discourse on the signs is a blended prophecy, such an identity is not necessarily far-fetched.

Returning to Luke 21:24, let us note what Jesus says will happen when the "times of the Gentiles" come to an end. It seems that one has to conclude as to what will happen almost wholly by implication. The next event Jesus mentions is the sign in the sun, an event Adventists assign to the darkening of the sun on May 19, 1780. If the interpretation that parallels Luke 21:24 and Revelation 11:2 described above is accepted, the events of verse 25 chronologically follow those of verse 24, making this entire section of the sermon on the signs consistent so far as listing the signs sequentially is concerned.

If the other interpretation is adopted, that the treading down refers to Gentile control of Jerusalem, which control came to an end in 1967, then the treading down sign extends beyond the celestial signs mentioned in verse 25. In that event, about the only comment those who hold it can make as to the significance of the sign is that one more sign of those mentioned in Jesus' sermon on signs has been fulfilled.

Apparently one reason Adventists have not made such an application to modern-day Jerusalem, and are still reluctant to do so, is their understanding of the book of Daniel. In their interpretation of this book they have made a transition from the literal sanctuary in a literal Jerusalem to the heavenly sanctuary. Because of such a shift they feel there is no longer any prophetic significance in modern Jerusalem's political fate. In fact, where Jerusalem's and the sanctuary's destruction is mentioned in Daniel 9:26, 27 there is no indication whatever of Jerusalem's situation being relieved:

"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Daniel 9:26,27.

It is as G.C. Tenney said, "the desolations thus caused would continue `until the consummation.'"

It is always precarious to present some political or international event of recent occurrence as a fulfillment of prophecy. The reason is that a political or international scene can change quickly. As a result an event that, when it occurred seemed bright with promise as a significant fulfillment of prophecy, may turn out to be a minor, ephemeral incident when viewed in the later perspective of history.

Interpretations that permit the Bible to explain itself are to be preferred. In other words, interpretations in which the Lukan passage is understood in the light of the parallel passages in the other synoptic Gospels and of parallel prophecies in Daniel and Revelation have the greater likelihood of standing the test of time, as are interpretations that take into account the blended nature of Jesus' discourse on the signs.

As we conclude this five-part series on the role of Israel in Bible prophecy we reiterate once more that throughout their history SdAs have been opposed to the futurist, literalist, dispensationalist view that the Jews as a nation will one day again play a special role in God's program of salvation. They lost this privilege when they rejected the Messiah. Nevertheless they stand on a par with all other people so far as opportunities for personal salvation are concerned.

Politically they stand on a par with other self-governing nations, with no special blessing resting on them on the basis of certain promises made to their forefathers, nor with any curse resting on them because of moral failure on their part. What was taken away from them was "the kingdom of God" (Mt. 21:43), the role of being God's special evangelizing agency in the world, not their right to self-government or political independence. The 1948 formation of the state of Israel was neither a fulfillment nor a breaking of the prophecies.

What remains to be fulfilled so far as the Jews are concerned is what Ellen White refers to in The Acts of the Apostles. [In the closing proclamation of the gospel] . . . many will by faith receive Christ as their Saviour." p. 381. This will come about "as His servants labor in faith for those who have long been neglected and despised." [Ibid.]

Toward fulfilling this prediction, Adventists should bend their efforts.

For convenience of study, we reproduce here a harmony of the Gospels of the contextual passage in which the expression "times of the Gentiles" occurs. The parallels should be carefully noted.

Luke mentions the signs in the following sequence:

1. Jerusalem compassed with armies;
   
2. flight to the mountains with woe on pregnant and nursing women;
   
3. days of vengeance;
   
4. signs in the sun, moon, and stars;
   
5. powers of heaven shaken; and
   
6. coming of Christ.

It is in connection with (4) that Luke mentions that Jerusalem would be trodden under foot by the Gentiles for a time.

Adventists have interpreted the six points mentioned above, at least those of Matthew and Mark, as follows:

1. the Roman armies under Titus besieging Jerusalem;
   
2. the Christians' flight to the mountains during a brief lifting of the siege;
   
3. the great papal persecution;
   
4. darkening of the sun on May 19, 1780, and of the moon the same night; the stars falling from heaven on November 13, 1833;
   
5. the sun, moon, and stars shaken out of their courses immediately prior to the coming of Jesus; and
   
6. the advent of Jesus.

The question is, Should the Lukan passage dealing with the times of the Gentiles be interpreted in the light of the sequences in Matthew and Mark, that is, should it be fitted into the same time slot, or is Luke dealing with special events not mentioned by Matthew and Mark?

In the accompanying article these questions are considered.

[50] Ellen White's writings have 150 references under "of the gentiles" in a search on the EGW CD. One is "conversion of the gentiles" in AA 190.3; other quotes include, "riches ...", "apostles ...", "Jews ... also of ...", "fullness ...", "into the hands ...", "teacher ...", "princes ...", "speaks ...", "light ...", "Galilee ...", "way ...", "city ...", "ingathering ...", "rulers ...", "force ..." quote Isa. 60:3-5, "lands ...", "glory ...", "hope ...", "buildings ...", "dissipated ...", "court ...", "representatives ...", "position ...", "churches ...", "forces ...", "practices ..." and "calling ...". - - Many of these turns of speech are Bible quotes you can look up in a Concordance. We see that she has a lot to say about the gentiles in various connections. In the days before CD's, however, it would be difficult to come up with a list as quickly as I could do it. - A further word search (for gentile, heathen, pagan) brought up the following entries we used, but more or less applicable.
(1) Jethro Singled Out.--Jethro was singled out from the darkness of the Gentile world to reveal the principles of heaven. God has ever had appointed agencies, and has ever given abundant evidences that these agencies were heaven-appointed and heaven-sent (Letter 190, 1905). {1BC 1099.2}
(2) The alliances made by the Israelites with their heathen neighbors resulted in the loss of their identity as God's peculiar people. They became leavened by the evil practises of those with whom they formed forbidden alliances. Affiliation with worldlings caused them to lose their first love, and their zeal for God's service. The advantages they sold themselves to gain, brought only disappointment, and caused the loss of many souls. {4BC 1155.8}
(3) Jews' Prosperity Was to Reveal God's Glory.--[Malachi 1:11 quoted.] The prophetic words of Malachi have been meeting their fulfillment in the proclamation of the Lord's truth to the Gentiles. God, in His infinite wisdom, chose Israel as the depositary of priceless treasures of truth for all nations. He gave them His law as the standard of the character they were to develop before the world, before angels, and before the unfallen worlds. They were to reveal to the world the laws of the government of heaven. By precept and example they were to bear a decided testimony for the truth. The glory of God, His majesty and power, were to be revealed in all their prosperity. They were to be a kingdom of priests and princes. God furnished them with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth. {4BC 1180.8}
(4) (Psalm 85:10; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). An Arranged Superscription.--Look at the superscription written above the cross. The Lord arranged it. Written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, it is a call for all, Jew and Gentile, barbarian and Scythian, bond and free, hopeless, helpless, and perishing, to come. Christ has made of none effect the power of Satan. He laid hold of the pillars of Satan's kingdom, and passed through the conflict, destroying him that had the power of death. A way was now opened whereby mercy and truth could meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other (MS 111, 1897). {5BC 1107.7}
(5) (2 Peter 1:14, 15). Paul and Peter Martyred in Rome.--The apostles Paul and Peter were for many years widely separated in their labors, it being the work of Paul to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, while Peter labored especially for the Jews. But in the providence of God, both were to bear witness for Christ in the world's metropolis, and upon its soil both were to shed their blood as the seed of a vast harvest of saints and martyrs. {6BC 1056.12}; {6BC 1067.4}; {6BC 1089.2};{6BC 1089.3}; {6BC 1107.3}; {6BC 1110.13};
(6) {7BC 905.16};
(7) But while God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his preexistence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father. From everlasting he was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted him, were to be blessed. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.--The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906. {7ABC 441.2}
(8) When Christ died upon the cross of Calvary, a new and living way was opened to both Jew and Gentile. The Saviour was henceforth to officiate as priest and advocate in the heaven of heavens. Henceforth the blood of beasts offered for sins was valueless, for the Lamb of God had died for the sins of the world.--Und. Manuscript 127. {7ABC 487.1}
(9) In the end, what does "the fullness of the gentiles" (Rom. 11:25) mean? It ought to mean that when the gospel has been preached everywhere the faith of spiritual Israel in Christ will be universalized. The gospel message gas been preached in all the world. The coming again of Jesus is near. At this point, as earth's darkest hours are approaching, we pray and the Bible teaches, many Jews will start coming to believe in Jesus as the Saviour of the world.
(10) Will in the end of history "all Israel be saved" literally, Rom 11:26? This must not be construed to mean every Jew will by some divine decree have salvation at the end of the world. The Bible does not teach universalism of salvation, either of the human race of for a particular segment. Paul was hoping to save "some of them", Rom. 11:14, some of the Jewish faith from around the world. In Paul's days, some accepted the Messiah, some rejected Him, as it is with all people groups on earth, so it is today. [See AA, 381] There are Jews everywhere and to them the light of truth is to be brought. There are many among them who will come around to accept the gospel of Christ and who will then proclaim the immutability of the law of God with wonderful power.{Ev. 578} So, in the closng proclamation of the Thora's saving messages Sabbath keeping Christians everywhere are to turn their attention to the long neglected Jewish people. `As the Thora's sayings, the Old Testament, are blended with the New in an explanation of Jehovah's eternal purpose, this will be to many of the Hewish people as the dawn of a new creation, the resurrection of the soul. As they see the Christ of the good new messages portrayed in the pages of the Old Testament Scriptures, and as they perceive how clearly the New Testament explains the Old, their slumbering faculties will be aroused, and they will recognize Christ as the Saviour of the world. Then it is when many will by faith receive Christ as their Redeemer.' {After AA, 381} - In the last days, as God's law and especially the Sabbath come into sharp focus, we can expect many of the honest hearted Jews who are serious about the Ten Commandments as Seventh day Adventists are, will have a role in helping to clarify some of the issues before the world. - What may trigger this turn about among the tribes of the earth? Perhaps it will be triggered by looking at the dire chaos in the world today. The nation of Israel, mostly atheists, is threatened with extinction; the oceans are being polluted that all fish are dying; the mounting weapons problems; the rising power of those who persecute other human beings for their divergent faiths, etc. These problems may cause them to come to terms with their faith in relation to the gospel and light will shine and help clarify the issues - after all we are all sinners in need of forgiveness which only God's chosen Saviour can give to all who seek Him who is merciful, believe in Him and follow Him. Dear Jewish people, remember, the Christian nations are not God's representatives on earth, these are only individual believers who live the life God wants us all to live. Please study both, the Old and the New Testament.

[60] Amazingly, my CD does not seem to show that quote in the `R&H' and `Signs of the Times',when searched with quotation marks, only without it shows a few references, but that must be because only EGW R&H articles are included. The earliest R&H copies are: April 19, 1892 and in the Signs, May 28, 1894.

[65] G. C. Tenney, Review, November 13, 1894, p. 715.

[100] To be added later.

[130] The Israel-Arab Conflict, unpublished mimeographed pamphlet.

[150] Josephus, `Wars of the Jews', Bk VI, Sec. 9, 3.

[160] Mark 12:2; Luke 20:10; 1.Thess. 5:1; etc.

[165] Gal. 6:10; Hebr. 11:15, etc.