PS News-696

#696:
FULLNESS AND TIMES OF
GENTILES
DETERMINING THE TIMING OF
RAPTURE?
A Greek Word Study for Possible Context

by Luis B. Vega
for PostScripts News (PSN) | www.PostScripts.org
EMAIL: vegapost@hotmail.com

Fullness of the Gentiles
‘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’. -Romans 11:25

Times of the Gentiles
‘And they [Israel] 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’. -Luke 21:24

The purpose of this study is to Compare, and Contrast the Words and Phrases used in the Original Greek concerning what is the ‘Time of the Gentile’. And if there is a Difference in Context as opposed to the ‘Fullness of the Gentiles’. One will demonstrate from the Greek that there is a Difference in Context and Prophetic Inference. And why the Translations into English ‘Blur’ this Line to suggest the Time and Fullness of the Gentiles are the same.

This study is a reply to a Question posed about what one’s was, ‘View about the Fullness of the Gentiles...And precisely when one believes this Moment in Time will happen’. Thus, one will rely only on based on one’s Bible Study and not having read what is the Prevailing Thought or other’s Teaching. One is only led to reply in the following manner, if that will help answer the Question, but only based on where one is at on this specific topic and Learning Curve about it.

The 1st verse in the New Testament that one will break down in the Greek is Romans 11:25. This is the Famous Passage in which the Fullness of the Gentiles is taken from. The Question is what does this Mean? Why is it Important? One’s Eschatology will be based on this Definition and Interpretation. The Traditional Interpretation has been used and is being used to justify a Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath, Post-Tribulation Rapture Timing. The Prophetic Inference will lead to 2 Conclusions.

It is that when the Fullness of the Gentiles is completed it is the Time when either the Rapture will occur that concludes the Church Age. Or it will be the Time that Jesus Returns One argues that for a Proper Interpretation of Romans 11:25, the Verses before and after have to be considered in this Letter to the Romans. It is believed that Paul is the Writer to the Newly established Gatherings of Christians in Rome. The Apostle Paul uses this Letter to expound on, perhaps some of the most profound and Pertinent/Core Doctrines of the Christian Faith.

It is about a Mystery Revealed
It is predicated on the Failure of Israel and its Judgment for not being Faithful to their Calling and Commission. It is also a Sober Warning that one can lose or ‘Fall from Grace’, not lose or ‘Fall’ from one’s Salvation. The purpose of the Apostle Paul’s Letter was to reveal a Mystery, or Musterion in the Greek. Meaning that this ‘New Prophetic Intel’ was not known before to the Prophets or divulged. And what was this ‘Mystery’? That the Gentiles would be, put in as to Fill-Up, not replace that which Israel failed to Fill-Up.

Fullness of the Gentiles
‘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’. -Romans 11:25

MustErion G3466
Hidden Thing, Secret, Mystery. Religious Secrets, Confided only to the Initiated and not to Ordinary Mortals.
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GREEK STONGS TENSE ENGLISH

oti                    G3754             Conj                that

porosis            G4457             n                      CALLOUSness
porosis. [ pŏ-ro´sis] Formation of the CALLUS. Repair of a Fractured Bone. Cavity Formation.

apo                  G575               Prep                FROM

merous            G3313             n                      PART

tO                    G3588             t                       to-THE

israEl               G2474             ni proper          ISRAEL

gegonen          G1096             vi                     HAS-BECOME

achris              G891               Prep                UNTIL

hou                  G3739             pr Gen             WHICH

to                     G3588             t                       THE

plErOma         G4138             n                      FILLing
ple·ro·ma [pləˈrōmə] A Complement or as in the totality or fullness of the God-Head in Jesus.

tOn                  G3588             t                       OF-THE

ethnOn            G1484             n                     NATIONS
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It is about a Spiritual Leukemia
In the Greek, this Concept is really Poignant. Consider that the Apostle Paul used the Greek Word, ‘Porosis’ to describe what happened to Israel, Prophetically when it came to this Charge. Realize also that this was 1 of the many Reasons that the Jew, in general, not just the Religious Ruling Priesthood, abhorred the Idea of sharing with the Gentiles the Mercy, Blessings or Salvation of YHVH bestowed upon Israel. This Divine Desire of YHVH was iterated in the Law and Prophets, yet Israel eventually rejected this Premise also. And as the Greek Word Porosis signifies, it is what occurs when Bones become Brittle, they Fracture.

Or in continuing with the Bone Metaphor, it is when a Bone’s Marrow becomes Diseased and has to have a ‘Bone Marrow Transplant’ because it is from there that the Genetic Material construes the Blood Cells. And as one knows, the Blood Cells is where the Vitality of one’s Physical Life Force resides, according to the Old Testament, the ‘Life is in the Blood’, etc. So, which this Bone Marrow Metaphor in Mind, consider now how the Apostle Paul place the Gentiles into this ‘Hollowed-Out’ Marrow of Israel, as the Proverbial Bone. Due to Israel’s, ‘Porosis’ or ‘Spiritual Leukemia’, YHVH saw it fit to place the Gentiles into this Place or ‘Hollow’, to fill-it up.

But notice, the Greek Word does not imply a ‘Replacement’, as in Replacement Theology in that the Church replaces Israel. No. It is an imaging of ‘Filling-Up’ as in Compliment. This is implied by the other Greek Word used by the Apostle Paul, ‘Pleroma’. This is an Amazing Word. Why? It is because it is the same Word used in the New Testament to denote the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ and when the ‘Times’ of the Gentiles concludes. How so? In this Context, the Word is used to explain Jesus’ Essence and Being. In that the Pleroma of the GOD-Head was ‘Complete’ or Full in Him. This cannot be said of any other Human Being. Meaning that Jesus was Special pertaining to what is called Theologically, the Hypostatic Union.

This is where one can easily cross-over into the subject of Jesus being the ‘Only Begotten’ or of His Kind. This is True and for another study. Thus, one argues that the ‘Fullness of the Gentiles’ speaks of a continued Process, wherein Christ Jesus, through the Work of the Holy Spirit and using the Body of Christ on Earth, has Commissioned His Church to ‘Fill-Up’ and Complete that which the Nation of Israel lacked or failed to do, that is Fill-Up and Complete the Number of Gentiles to be ‘Saved’ or have inter into the Mercy and ‘Life’ of a Body, i.e., as in a Bone Marrow that give the Body its Life, etc.

Now as to how this Context can be then applied to when, perhaps the Time will be that the ‘Fullness of the Gentiles’ is to conclude? That is up to one’s Interpretation and overall Eschatology or the Study of the End Times. The prevailing Thoughts is that this Specific Time would correspond to the Church Age. One would agree with this Interpretation over the other. And the other Thought would be that the Time would conclude when Jesus returns at His 2nd Coming. Now why would there be an Issue of Contention about this? Well, because there is. If one believes that the Fullness of the Gentiles concludes with what the Church was Commissioned to accomplish, then this Time will be realized at the Time of the Rapture Event. Why?

It is about Dispensations or ‘Seasons’ of Times
It is because thereafter, the Prophetic ‘Economy’ of YHVH shift thereafter to deal with Israel’s ‘Spiritual Sickness’ or ‘Porosis’. There will be a Prophetic ‘Reset’. Israel needs a Bone Marrow Transplant. And only the Last Week of Daniel, or the 70th Week will ‘Cure’ Israel of this ‘Cancer’, once and for all. It is tied to the Prophecy given to Daniel that concerns ‘His People, Israel, his City, Jerusalem, and the Temple’, etc. These 3 Divine Factors are not pertaining and do not pertain to the Body of Christ. They never have, they do not and will not pertain to the Church. The Bride of Christ has a ‘Better’ Land Inheritance, and Better City, that is not made by Human Hands.

And the Bride of Christ will get to abide within the Temple or Throne Room of YHVH as Co-Regent in the New Jerusalem to come, imagine that. Now to be fair to those that will argue that during the Tribulation Period, ‘Gentiles’ will still be ‘Saved’, it is indicative that the Rapture will not occur until then, sometime. One is not dogmatic about one’s Preferred Interpretation. However, one finds this Logic a bit constrained in that ‘Filling-Up’ and Completing the ‘Marrow’, pertaining to the Gentiles is always depicted as a Harvest. The Great Commission is pictured as Jesus sending-out Workers to the Wheat Fields and how a Day of Harvest is coming at the ‘End of the Age’- for the Gentiles.

Thus, one further argues that this ‘End of the Age’ will conclude with the Rapture Event that concludes the Church Age. That is one’s Interpretation of how Jesus stated that He would be with the Church until the End of the Age. What comes thereafter? The 7-Year Tribulation Period, wherein, Jesus is with the Bride in that Isaiah 26:20 Sukkah Chamber in Heaven. It is thereafter that GOD the Father will seek after His Wayward Wife, Israel to Repent and win her back, etc. And this will be the case, but not before Israel, not the Bride of Christ suffering greatly.

To further elaborate on one’s Interpretation that the Fullness of the Gentiles is different from the Times of the Gentiles as predicted by Jesus in Luke 21:24, one will compare and contrast the ‘Times of the Gentiles’ from the Original Greek also to get a more accurate Rendering of its Context and Meaning. This Endeavor will perhaps add to the Understanding of each Thought and either Reset or Confirm one’s Eschatology. In the Passage in Luke, Jesus is Warning Israel of its pending Diaspora, for the Last Time, mind you. But Jesus is specifically tying this Timeframe to the Gentiles. How so?

Consider the following Context. In this Passage, out of the 3 Factors that would be and have been Destroyed, only one is specifically pegged to the Gentiles. Realize that this was also the Prophetic Outline given to the Disciples by Jesus. This ‘Olivet Discourse’ came about when the Disciples pointed out the ‘Finer Elements’ of the Temple of YHVH that stood on the Temple Mount, across the Mount of Olives as depicted in the Gospels. The Temple was not below, linked to the City of David, etc.

1. Israel as a Nation
2. Jerusalem as its Capital
3. Temple as Center of Worship

It is About a Heavenly and Earthly Jerusalem
It was Jerusalem that Jesus specifically pegged to the Times of the Gentiles, not the Fullness of the Gentiles. And the Difference? The Greek Word, ‘Poioumena’ is the Key. This Word means to ‘Trodden Down’ or Tread as ‘Walk all over it’. And? Here is one’s Interpretation. This Timeframe does not necessarily pertain to when the Church Age is to Conclude. Why not. It is because Jerusalem is still being ‘Walked Over’ by Gentiles as one speaks, even though it is the Capital of Israel.

This ‘Walking Over’ will continue even after the Rapture Event. That is the Point. And the Context of the Passage is that Jerusalem will be ‘Walked’ all over by Gentiles for certain amount of ‘Seasons’ or Times. One thus argues that with this Context, the Gentiles will be doing so, even during the Tribulation Period, as that will be the Case. In the Book of Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation, one sees this occur.

One sees that the AntiChrist comes from the Revived Roman Empire 2.0. This is the Rendition that will culminate in the 10 Nation or Kings Confederation that gives the AntiChrist his Political and Global Power. One would even suspect it would be more like a G7 type of World Leaders. Or much like how, the now King Charles of England would Pledge his Allegiance to ‘Him’, with Trillions that will be far above the Respect and Power of just Ordinary World Economic Forum Stooges appointed as World Leaders.

Times of the Gentiles
‘And they [Israel] 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’. -Luke 21:24

GREEK           STONGS         TENSE            ENGLISH

kai                   G2532             Conj                 AND

ierousalEm      G2419             ni proper          JERUSALEM

estai                G2071             vi Fut               SHALL-BE

patoumenE      G3961             vp Pres Pas    beING-TRODDEN

hupo                G5259             Prep                by

ethnOn            G1484             n Gen Pl          NATIONS

achri                G891               Prep                UNTIL

plErOthOsin   G4137             vs Aor Pas     MAY-BE-BEING-FILLED
may-be-being-fulfilled

kairoi               G2540             n_ Nom Pl       SEASONS

ethnOn            G1484             n_ Gen Pl n     OF-NATIONS

It is about the Rapture Event that Determines a Time Completed
Then there are the Armies of the East, of the Kings of the East or as some Translations put it, from the Land of the Rising Sun. There are some that believe that this 200 Million Man Army is Metaphorical and/or depict Demons and the like. There could be that, for sure as there are the 3 Frog Demons that do Energize these Armies. But one’s Question is this. If this 200 Army are not Humans, why give a Global Inference Point, Geographically, ‘From the Lands of the Rising Sun’? And why would Demons need for the Euphrates River to ‘Dry-Up’ if Demons can float or transpose over such Physical Objects on Earth? No.

The 200 Million Army will be of Men and most likely led by China that will also seek to Plunder Israel and Challenge the AntiChrist, etc. All this, for Context is to provide Evidence that the Times of the Gentiles carries over beyond the ‘Fullness of the Gentiles’. And the Key is that Jerusalem will still be ‘Walked-Over’ by the Gentiles even after the Rapture Event. And notice that the Greek Word for this Process is also derived from the Word to ‘Fill-Up’ or Complete, ‘Plerothosin’. And it is in the Present Tense, meaning that Jerusalem will be ‘Trodden Down’ and is in the continuous Motion of being Trodden Down.

Until when? In this case, not just when the Rapture Event occurs that concludes the Church Age but at the Return of Jesus at the End of Daniel’s 70 Week of Years, i.e., Armageddon that will end-up at Jerusalem. This is why one believes and is convinced that Jesus specified Jerusalem to be tied to the ‘Times of the Gentiles’. It is because that ‘Time’ concludes when Jesus Returns. And to save the Gentiles? No, not necessarily. But it is to Save Israel. Lastly, notice that in the Greek, there is an Inference that in terms of the Timing of the Gentiles, these are ‘Season’ that have to be fulfilled.

In contemplating the Greek Word for ‘Season’, one has a better grasp of how that plays into the Timing. How so? Realize that the ‘Time of the Gentiles’ is pegged to ‘Seasons’ unto themselves. Meaning that there is a set ‘Time’ for the Times of the Gentiles. And? This Time of the Gentiles is thus pegged to when Jerusalem will finally be free of the Gentile’s ‘Treading’. And when will that be? When Jesus puts an end to it as stated. Thus, this is one’s Rationale for strongly suggesting that the Fullness of the Gentiles is different from the Times of the Gentiles. And how each are Mutually Exclusive and pertain to the 2 Dispensations, the Church Age and then the Tribulation Period thereafter as iterated in the Greek Word Study.

So, when does the ‘Fullness of the Gentiles’ occur in ones’ Interpretation? At the Rapture Event that concludes the Church Age. When is the ‘Times of the Gentile’ fulfilled? At the 2nd Coming of Jesus, i.e., at Armageddon, in Jerusalem. Hopefully, this has been a Fresh Perspective as it has given one a Higher Degree of Scriptural Confidence about it. For sure, one does not claim to have the Final Say or ‘Right’ Interpretation as the Topic is vague enough to have Room for a Spectrum of possible Prophetic Fulfillments, etc. Bottom Line, is that regardless of the Discrepancy of the Definitions, the Difference in terms of Time, is just 7 Years, or that Last Sabbath Week leading-up to Jesus’ Return – anyway.
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