The Fullness Of Times Of The Gentiles Fulfilled

2023.11.05.Sermon.FULLNESS of the TIMES OF THE GENTILES FULFILLED

William Akehurst, HSWC

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Scriptures: Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:13-16, Hebrews 11:39-40, John 20:29, Luke 21:24, 2 Corinthians 3:14-18, Romans 11:25, Acts 13:46-48, Isaiah 17:7, Ephesians 2:11-18, Romans 11:11-27, Zechariah 12:10, Genesis 7:15-16, Genesis 7:17-23.

BIG IDEA. Scripture speaks of a the “Times of the Gentiles”. What does that mean? And if there is a time for the Gentiles in Scripture, was there a time for the Jews?

The Ancient Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament is the history of the world before Messiah, as GOD used the Hebrew Nation, the Jews, the Israelites to show the world WHO HE IS. From GOD’s Creation through the Fall, the Flood and the Nations of Israel and the “Covenant”. We could say that this was the “Time of the Jews”.

In the New Testament, the New Covenant, we read about the Jews being blinded to JESUS the MESSIAH and Salvation through HIM, and that this will be until the “Times of the Gentiles are Fulfilled.

And lastly, were people in the Old Testament “saved”? Will we see them in Heaven?

This thought began with a discussion with a pastor friend of mine regarding “Believing”, Faith, and the Jews and Salvation.

Hebrews 11 speaks of “their faith as counted unto righteousness”, which is filled with Old Testament Saints. And that they “all died in faith”. So those who had FAITH, BELIEVING, received “Righteousness”.

So we can see that FAITH is key in salvation. FAITH is believing in action. And Salvation is Righteousness through JESUS CHRIST the MESSIAH.

Hebrews 11:13-16 (NKJV)

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:39-40 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

They were waiting for the promises, the prophecies to be fulfilled, but didn’t receive those promises during their lifetime. But, they were not made perfect apart from us!

Salvation wasn’t only for those who knew JESUS, but for all who “BELIEVED”, HOPED, TRUSTED and took GOD at HIS WORD by FAITH.

SALVATION came through the JEWISH line. JESUS was a Jew.

John 4:22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

FAITH Believing…

John 20:29 (NKJV) 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Scripture speaks of “the blindness of the Jews until the time of the Gentiles is full, then they shall see be saved”.

So to understand this, we have to understand the times…

there was a time for the Jews,

and a time for the Gentiles.

In the OT, GOD chose the Jews to show the world who HE is. In the NT, the revelation of who the Messiah is began with the Jew first, but then was also to the Gentile.

We are living in New Testament times. So there’s a difference between the 2. But its based on GOD’s timetable for mankind.

Times of the Gentiles fulfilled

In Luke 21:24 JESUS speaks of Jerusalem’s trampling under Gentile authority until that time (of the Gentiles) is fulfilled. I think about what we saw at the Temple Mount. Muslims are also Gentiles. And that Temple Mount is a form of synagogue of satan, though that’s not what Revelation 2:9 or 3:9 is referring to.

Luke 21:24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.