The seventy years here depicted are frequently referred to as the seventy years captivity, but the scriptures designate them the seventy years desolation of the land. A desolation which had been predicted by the prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah 25:11[And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.]
The completeness of the desolation is vividly described in Chronicles 36:14-21[Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. 17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.]
The only inhabitants left in Jerusalem were certain of the poor of the land who were allowed to remain and were given vineyards and fields, yet it was the Lords purpose that the land of Israel should be desolate seventy years, and so it was. In that same year the governor whom the king of Babylon had appointed over them was assassinated and the entire population speedily fled into Egypt for fear of the wrath of the king of Babylon.
The reason why the land must be desolate, and that for exactly seventy years is our study, and it is clearly stated in 2 Chronicles 36:21[To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.]
To some this exhibition of severity of Gods’ dealings with His covenant people is difficult to understand but it is to be remembered that despite the Lords’ warnings and chastisements, they willfully pursued a course in violation of their national vows. Israel unlike any other nation of the world, was brought into special relationship with God.
God chose them to be His people, and favored them above all other people by giving them His law, by raising up for them Judges and Prophets, and by specially guarding and directing them as long as they submitted to His will. Like bad children they were warned, they were counseled and chastised when they became willful and disobedient.
Israel as a nation had entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord when years before in the wilderness of Sinai the Lord spoke to them through His servant Moses. Exodus 19:5-8[Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.]
For the faithful keeping of this covenant God promised them all manner of earthly blessing, blessings in the city, blessings in the field, blessings of lots of children and of the increase of their cattle and their flocks, blessings of their baskets and store, and ample protection from all their natural enemies. But if they would disregard their covenant, corresponding curses were pronounced against them. If they walked contrary to Him the Lord declared His intention to walk contrary to them.
The seventy years desolation of Jerusalem is not merely a scrap of history and not just a moral lesson to encourage us to do good and not to do evil: rather this period of the desolation should be considered in its relationship to the great plan of God in which it was clearly marked and important step.
It marks the beginning of the great Jubilee cycle. Vol. 2:19:
It marks the close of Gods’ typical kingdom.
It marks the beginning of the Times of Gentiles.
The date of the end of the desolation is well marked in both Bible and Secular history. The 70 years was completed according to the *See editor’s note at the bottom of this page*2 Chronicles 36:22[Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,] in the 1st year of Cyrus the king of Persia in 536 B.C. Therefor 606 B.C. is the date that the desolation of Jerusalem began.
During the Jewish age God organized the people of Israel as His kingdom under Moses and the Judges. A sort of Republic, but it was typical only God had declared to Abraham His purpose to bring the needed help for the sinful, dying race through Abrahams posterity, by raising up from among them a deliverer, a ruler and teacher saying, “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed”
This was the earliest suggestion of a national universal dominion over earth. And this suggestion coming from God was the basis of Israels hope of not only attaining universal dominion but also implied a special ruler be raised up among them.
Beginning with Saul, David and Solomon Israel was given kings who would rule over them for 513 years and was in some respects typical of the kingdom promised when Messiah would reign. Unlike the surrounding nations Israel had Jehoval for their King and their rulers served under Him, never the less they proved themselves unfit to be the holy nation.
It is the Lord who declares through the prophet Isaiah Isaiah 1:2-4 [Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.] “I have nourished children and they have rebelled against me.”
Jeremiah 15:6 [Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.]
All familiar with the history of natural Israel can appreciate the truth of these statements. From the little obscure beginning the Lord brought that people forward to the most prominent place in the world history and gave them advantages in every way, chiefly in that He communicated to them His will through Moses, the prophets and their kings.
The period of the kings that ruled over Israel from Saul to Zedekiah was 513 years and if they and the people had been faithful they would have continued to be a special nation bringing blessings to the rest of the world, but they had proven themselves unfit for exaltation to universal dominion, having become corrupt, vain and idolatrous in the proportion as they had attained national distinction.
The close of Gods typical kingdom came in 606 B.C. and was well marked by the fall and the desolation of Jerusalem in which Zedekiah was the last king and concerning whom it was prophesied in the word of the prophet Ezekial 21:24-27 [Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand. 25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, 26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. 27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.]
“And thou death-deserving wicked one prince of Israel, whose day is come, Thus saith the Lord God Eternal, Remove the miter, and take off the crown: this shall not be so always; exalt him that is low, and make low him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him”]
In this way the typical kingdom of Israel came to a close.
The dominion of earth which had been given to the first man Adam failed
The administration in the hands of Angels failed.
After the flood mankind was given a fresh new start but they also failed.
Then Israel will much advantage in every way failed and the Gentiles already in power were to be given the opportunity to rule and bless the world of mankind.
The term “times of the Gentiles” was applied by our Lord Jesus to that interval of earths history between the removal of the typical King of God, the Kingdom of Israel and the introduction and establishment of its antitype, the true “Kingdom of God” when Christ, whose right it is, comes and receives his crown and scepter. Luke 21:24[And they 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.]
During this interval, the dominion of earth was to be exercised by Gentile governments: Israel, both fleshly and spiritual were to be subject to these powers until their time has expired. While God did not approve of nor commend these governments, recognized their dominion. In other words, he has for wise ends permitted their dominion for an appointed time.
Our Lords words, “until the times” of the Gentiles be fulfilled “imply that the times of the Gentiles must have a definitely appointed limit; because an unlimited, indefinite period could not be said to be fulfilled. So, then the Gentile rule had a beginning, will last for a fixed time, and will end in the time appointed.
The beginning of the Gentile Times is Clearly located by the Scriptures. THerefor if they furnish us the length also the fixed peOur Lords words, Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, not only suggest a limit and definite period of Gentile domination, but they also suggest that these times are somehow connected with and measured upon the eartly city Jerusalem, and the fleshly house of Israel
Recorded in the book of Leviticus is a record of Gods dealings with israel. If they would obey God Faithfully, they would be blessed above other nations: if not, certain evils would befall them Leviticus 26:12,14,17,18,24,28 “And I will walk among you and be your God, and ye shall be my people…but if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments… I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies; they that hate you shall reign over you.” “And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.” Leviticus 26:12,14,17,18,24,28[And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. 14But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.24Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.]
The threat of seven times of punishment is mentioned 3 times and was to be the final and conclusive punishment upon that people. It would have the designed effect of throughly humbling them before the Lord. These seven times therefore refer to the length of time during which the Gentiles should rule over them.
A symbolic year as used in prophecy is figured on the basis of a lunar year, 12 months of 30 days each or 360 symbolic days; each day representing a year. Consequently, a time or year, if symbolic, signifies 360 days and 7 times 360 represent 2520 days or 2520 literal years.
The evidence given to us in the Bible proves that the full end of the times of the Gentiles, the full end of their lease of dominion, was reached in A.D. 1914 and that at that date we would begin to see the breaking to pieces of these false kingdoms. W.W.I. in the fall of 1914 clearly marked this beginning.
From that time forward Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, but shall arise from the dust of Divine disfavor, to honor because the Times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled or completed. When Israel became a nation in 1948 Jerusalem was a divided city but today Jerusalem is the capital.
It is now possible for blindness to be turned away from Israel because their blindness in part was to continue only “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” Romans 11:25[For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.] In other words, until the full number of the body of Christ is selected.
He whose right it is take dominion is present as earths new Ruler and is overseeing the overthrow of the Gentile governments causing them to be dashed to pieces as a potters vessel Psalms 2:9[Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.] Revelations 2:27[And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.] and ish establishing their stead his own his own government.
Lastly the great time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation will prepare earths society for a new heavens and a new earth where in dwelth righteousness 2 Peter 3:13 [Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,]
The times of the Gentiles is history, the next universal world empire is the King of God.
Recognizing Gods lease of power to these worldly or gentile governments, we know, that not only will they fail, but they will be overthrown and will be succeeded by the King, of Christ when their times expire.
We also know that God will not take dominion from them and give it to His Anointed until that lease expires, “until the Times of the gentiles be fulfilled.”
Consequently it becomes increasingly clear that the teachings of the Catholic church that the King of God was set up at Pentecost, and more fully established when the Roman empire was converted to Christianity is a false claim.
We see that those nations when both Papacy and Protestantism designates Christian Nations, and whose dominions they call Christendom, Christs Kingdom, are not: They are really the kings of this world, and until their times are fulfilled Christs Kingdom will not be manifested to the world, through it will be organizing and preparing to do so while these kingdoms will be trembling and disintegrating into anarchy.
Nor can fleshly Israel come into their long promised inheritance until that time, until that time, until “the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
Brother Detzler
*I believe here Brother Deztler meant to reference reference 2 Chronicles 36:21 which reads [To fulfil the word of theFor I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.] As most of what is shared on this site is his talks were original spoken talks and I am transcribing what he had typed up before given the talks, I believe it is safe to assume 36:22 was a typo and he directed people to look up the correct scripture when giving the talk. I have manuelly decided to write in the scriptures anywhere a [] is placed in these writings.