Interpreting Prophecy

Lesson 4The "Times of the Gentiles"

Last week, we reviewed the covenants that God has made with us starting with the Abrahamic Covenant, we looked at the Old Testament and the New Testament. How the law was written in stone for the Old Testament, but written in the hearts of man in the New, how regular animal sacrifice was required for the Old, but Christ’s sacrifice was the only sacrifice ever required for the New, and finally how that in the New Covenant we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as He lives in each of us and not just the Temple and the Tabernacle of the Old Testament. We also saw that during the tribulation period, with the calling home of the Holy Spirit and the rapture of the church, the saved will require great faith as they endure the severe persecution that will be prevalent during that time. Our study this week looks at the role of the Gentile nations in history and in end time prophecy.

The Bible tells us of seven world empires, six that have already existed and the seventh being the Millennial reign of Christ. Examining these six empires, and the prophecy surrounding them, will shed great light on future unfilled prophecies, particularly when we study the book of Revelation. This week’s study will add significantly to your symbols list as we look at Old Testament prophecy, fulfilled and unfulfilled surrounding “the time of the Gentiles.”

Bible

In Luke 21:24 Christ tells us that Jerusalem will be trampled in the last days until the “times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” As we examine world history this week we’ll see that, as we discussed in class earlier, while there appears to be much confusion or activity around us God is always in control, always has a plan, and will always see His will accomplished. This week is no exception. In the times of the Gentiles, from the first great empire – Egypt on through Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek and finally the Roman empire we see God’s judgments on each of these resulting from their persecution of God’s chosen people. We also see that God foretold everything that would happen to each of them, and in the case of the last four empires has given us a great deal of information on unfulfilled prophecy. Let’s take a closer look at these six empires, with particular emphasis on the final four and in particular Daniel’s prophesies about the empire that will be in existence when Christ returns to defeat Satan, the Anti-Christ, and the False Prophet.

Questions For Our Fourth Week

  1. Read Isaiah Chapter 19. What does this chapter tells us about the kingdoms of Egypt and Assyria during the time of Christ’s reign? Specifically, what will be placed in Egypt? What will the relationship be like between Egypt and Assyria, and what will Israel’s role be in this relationship?
  2. In world history the Egyptian Empire fell to Assyrian domination followed by Babylon defeating the Assyrians. The Egyptian Empire saw Moses lead God’s chosen people out of captivity, the forty years of wilderness wanderings and the years which followed leading up to the occupation and establishment of the Nation of Israel in 1040BC. The fall of that nation occurred when the twelve tribes split into two nations, Israel (10 tribes) and Judah (2 nations, headquartered in Jerusalem). Then God brought judgment on Israel and in approximately 722 BC the Assyrians defeated Israel and dispersed the ten tribes throughout the kingdom. By 585 BC Babylon had come into power as the world kingdom, it took Judah and carried it off into Babylonian captivity including a man of God called Daniel. His prophecy about the coming tribulation period and return of Christ is contained within the book of Daniel and is referred to as Daniel’s seventy weeks. In addition to this prophecy God spoke through him to prophesy about the next four kingdoms (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Roman). From Daniel’s writings we learn much about some of the symbols used in end time prophecy and about the kingdoms of the world. Read Daniel chapter 2 and answer the following questions:
    1. Obviously each of the parts of the image, the head, chest and arms, belly and thighs, legs and feet, represent the four final kingdoms leading up to Christ’s return (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Roman). But can you discern what the entire image represents?
    2. What is the mountain being referred to in the dream?
    3. Read Daniel chapter 7. Can you tell what the word “beast” symbolizes? Since these four kingdoms are the same four referred to in Chapter 2 it appears that most of the chapter is devoted to the fourth kingdom. List all of the things this chapter tells us about that kingdom.
    4. What do the 10 horns represent? How does the 11th one take power?
    5. Can you determine what “a time, times and a half time” represents? (hint, the answer can be calculated from information in chapter 12.)

God bless you as we continue our study next week.

Yours in Christ,

Wes