Time of the Gentiles

When is the end of the "time of the Gentiles"?

We need to go to Daniel to learn more about God's timetable for the Jews and the Gentiles. It is like there are two clocks, one for the Jews and another one for the Gentiles. The time of the Jews has been posponed for a little while to allow for salvation of the Gentiles.

Daniel 9:24, "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people(the Jews) and your holy city(Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place."
We have discussed the idea that in this chapter that the weeks mean "weeks of years". The seventy weeks of years would be 70 x 7 = 490 years. After the 490 years is complete sin will be no more.
Daniel 9:25, "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks."

You can see that there are 69 weeks of years until the messiah is cut off. At another blog I will show you how to find the true age of Jesus using this verse. But for now, you can see that there is 69 weeks of years and then there is a break. Jesus was crucified on the cross and salvation by grace through the blood of Christ became possible for all. The Gentiles now have a chance of salvation. I believe that this time will extend until the "time of the Gentiles" ends. Afterwards, there will be one more week of years or "seven years" that will be oriented toward turning the Jews back to God. That last seven years is known as the seven years of tribulation.

Revelation 11:1-2 give us an indication of when the time of the Gentiles will end.

"And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, 'Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it'. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months". This verse would indicate that the time of the Gentiles will end at least three and one-half years into the tribulation. (v.3) "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth".

Most scholars who study Revelation believe that there is a rapture or "taking away" of the Christians and that the rapture occurs before the beginning of the last seven years of tribulation. If the time of the Gentiles will last at least three and one-half years into the tribulation, could it be possible that the rapture doesn't occur at the beginning of the tribulation but rather at the end of the "time of the Gentiles"?

The "forty-two months" is also mentioned in Revelation 13:4. "And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given him". The person speaking arrogantly is the antichrist, he will put himself on the temple mount and proclaim himself to be god. This is called the abomination of desolation that Jesus warned the disciples about in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:15-18, "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house, and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak."
You can see that from the time that the antichrist takes over, the Jewish people will have to flee to the mountains to be protected from the antichrist and that they will stay in the mountains for three and one half years or "forty two months". This will be the end of the time of the gentiles.