As noted in our last blog, the trodding of the holy city for forty-two months represents the profanation of the temple by the seditious Jews and zealots who were led by John of Gishala during the Roman siege. However, a different prophecy is given by Jesus in Luke 21:24. Here He says,
“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” (KJV).
This describes what happens after Rome takes the city, not the period of the siege. After the fall of Jerusalem, some were killed by the sword, while others were led away into captivity.
The interesting statement that has multiple interpretations is the one that explains Gentile rule until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. The city of God and the holy temple were taken by the Romans in 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed. Since that time, the Jewish state no longer existed. Jews had been dispersed in their past history from the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. Some Jews chose to remain in Babylon, while others moved to Egypt and Judea. Those who lived in Judea were under the power of the Roman empire but allowed an administrator/governor to regulate their trade, and maximize tax revenue. After 70 A.D., the Jews were driven out of Palestine and the city was trodden down by the Gentiles. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a Roman City in 135 CE. During the Byzantine Period (324-638 CE), the church of the Holy Sepulchre was built (335 CE) and the city was captured by the Persians in 614 and recaptured by the Byzantine “Christians” in 629. Eventually, the first Muslim Period began with Caliph Omar entering Jerusalem in 638, and Jerusalem is ruled under the Umayyad Dynasty from 661 to 750. During this time, the dome of the Rock was built on the temple site (691). Jerusalem was ruled by the Abbasid Dynasty (750-974) before the first Crusaders capture the city in 1099. During the Ayyabid Period (1187-1259 CE), Jerusalem is taken twice by the Crusaders who held Jerusalem for short periods. Then, in 1250, Muslim Caliph removed the walls and the population rapidly declines. In 1517, the city is captured by the Ottoman Empire and between 1538 and 1541, the walls were rebuilt by Suleiman the Magnificent.
In 1917, the British capture Jerusalem in World War I and it remained in their control until 1948 when the State of Israel was established. The length of time that the Gentiles would have dominion over the city is not given in the text. Jerusalem has been divided among the Gentiles since 1948, a period of 1,978 years. The land continues to be disputed even after Israel captured Jerusalem’s old city and occupied the eastern half around 1967. But, at least, they have a presence in the city and occupy the city to this day. The important thing to notice from Luke 21 is that after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D, the city would be occupied by many different non-Jewish people. The time of the Gentiles would end as it would be fulfilled. This period and its fulfillment may be an important time to mark in your mind to distinguish the millennial reign of Christ with his saints and the small period of Satan’s release to deceive the nations and congregate them for war.