The Times of the Nations

‘The Times of the Nations’

Note that Luke seems to mention a period that would come between the destruction of JeruSalem and the arrival of God’s Kingdom.

At Luke 21:24-31 we read: ‘They’ll be cut down with swords or carried to the nations as captives. For JeruSalem will be trampled by the gentiles until the times of the nations have been filled. Then there’ll be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth the nations will be distressed, for they’ll be confused by the roaring and the rolling surges of the seas.
Men’s hearts will become weak with fear in expectation of what will be coming upon man’s home, as the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

That’s when they’ll see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with great power and glory; and as these things start to happen, you should stand erect and raise your heads high, because your time of release is drawing near!

Then he gave them this illustration:

Consider the fig and all other trees; For, when they start putting out buds, You can see that summer is near. Thus, when you see all these things start to happen, You should know that the Kingdom of God has drawn near.’

As you can see, all of these signs didn’t start to happen ‘immediately after’ the destruction of JeruSalem. So, perhaps these ‘times of the nations’ have been a protracted period of domination and persecution by the ‘ethnics’ that has lasted until our day.

And if so, then perhaps ‘the Kingdom of God has drawn near.’ Joel: Captivity First However, let’s go back to the prophecy that Jesus was quoting when he spoke about the sun growing dark, the moon not putting out light, and the stars falling from the sky, to see what that prophecy (found at Joel 2:30-32) says: ‘Miracles, I’ll create in the skies, As I bring fire, smoke and blood to the land.

For the sun will then become dark And the moon [will be changed] into blood Before the great and apparent Arrival of the Day of the Lord. ‘Then, all who call on the name of the Lord Will be the ones that are saved, said Jehovah.

For, to Mount Zion and JeruSalem Will come a person who saves Announcing good news to all those Who have been called by the Lord.’ And notice what Joel further wrote (at 3:12-17): ‘Yes, awaken the gentiles and send them To the Valley of JehoShaphat; For there, I will separate nations (Those that live round-about you), And then I’ll send for the scythes… For the crops are now ready for harvest! Climb in and tread, for the wine vat is full… The vats overflow with their badness! ‘Throughout the valley, [you will hear] the cries Of those who’re about to be punished; For the Day of the Lord is at hand! ‘Then the sun and the moon will grow dark, And the stars will start to grow dim. And from Zion, the Lord will then shout… From JeruSalem, his voice will be heard. ‘Then the lands and skies will be shaken… But the Lord will spare all his people. For I’ll make the sons of IsraEl strong, And you’ll know that I am Jehovah your God!’

In fact, if you read the whole book of Joel (it is interesting reading), you will see that this prophecy is in fact talking about the destruction of JeruSalem, which is the same thing that Jesus was foretelling in Matthew 24.

And thereafter, it changes focus and goes on to tell of God’s rage against those nations that did the attacking and of an Armageddon-like destruction of them ‘in the day of the Lord (Jesus).’

However, notice that this occurs after his people have been taken captive by them.

So according to the prophecy in Joel which Jesus quoted, the coming of the Lord doesn’t happen ‘immediately after’ the destruction of JeruSalem, as the account in Matthew indicates, but rather, at some future time after his people have been carried off as captives.

And from this we must assume that at least the word ‘immediately’ in Matthew 24:29 is also spurious.

Conclusions Therefore, it is our (non-preterist) opinion that the accounts in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 all start off with Jesus discussing the signs that the Apostles had asked about… those which would lead up to the destruction of JeruSalem and its Temple.

And it appears as though all these signs were fulfilled back in the 1st Century. However, the signs that led up to that ancient destruction will likely have a second and greater fulfillment in ‘the Day of the Lord.’ So the point is: Jesus’ words (in the account at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) clearly show that he was referring to the prophecy in Joel.

And from the words of the prophecy of Joel, we must assume that Jesus didn’t arrive ‘immediately after’ the destruction of JeruSalem, nor was he ‘present’ before its destruction.

Rather, as the prophecy in Joel tells us; there is still to be a period of destruction, which will lead to the freeing of God’s people.

This will happen after Jesus’ arrival, during which there will be great signs in the skies… which is yet future.