Both Daniel and Jesus described a final seven year period when “The Times of The Gentiles” will end, by the removal of Jesus’ church from earth.

Then the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” will begin. A world leader will emerge, whom the Jews will believe is their Messiah. He will make peace for the Jews, and make it possible for them to rebuild their Temple.

When the Rapture described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4, and 1 Corinthians 15, takes place, the Time of the Gentiles will come to an end, and the time of Jacob’s trouble will begin. Israel will continue in her blindness until the number of Jesus’ church is full, then the Lord will turn again to the Jews and save many during the seven-year Tribulation.

Romans 11:25-27: “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Isaiah 27:9).

The phrase “the time of Jacob’s Trouble” originates from Jeremiah 30:7, which states:

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”

This passage is part of a broader prophecy in Jeremiah 30–31, often referred to as the Book of Consolation, where God promises to restore Israel and Judah after a period of severe distress.

Definition and Meaning “A Period of Great Tribulation”

The phrase refers to a future time of unparalleled distress for the Jewish people, specifically the descendants of Jacob (Israel).  It is often associated with the Great Tribulation described in Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21, which speaks of a time of suffering unlike any before.

A Purification and Salvation of Israel

Though it is a time of trouble, the prophecy also promises deliverance: “but he shall be saved out of it.” This refers to God’s ultimate redemption of Israel, aligning with passages like Zechariah 13:8-9, where two-thirds of Israel will perish, but one-third will be refined and saved.

Biblical Context

• Jeremiah 30:1-11 details this period as one of judgment but also restoration, where God will chastise Israel yet ultimately bring them back to Himself.
• Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:1 describe a future seven-year tribulation, divided into two halves, with the latter half being the worst (Great Tribulation).
• Matthew 24:21-22 records Jesus’ warning about this coming tribulation, aligning it with Old Testament prophecies.
• Revelation 12:13-17 speaks of Satan’s persecution of Israel during the tribulation.

This period of history refers to the last 3.5 years of Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:27), coinciding with the Great Tribulation.

The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and bring severe persecution, but at the end, Israel will recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). Jesus returns at the end of this period to establish His Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:1-6)

The Connection to Messianic Prophecy

• This time of suffering ultimately leads Israel to recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10-14).
• Paul affirms in Romans 11:25-27 that Israel’s salvation will come after a period of hardship, which many link to the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.

“The time of Jacob’s Trouble” is a future period of tribulation for Israel, ultimately leading to their national repentance and deliverance by God. It is often equated with the Great Tribulation in eschatology and plays a key role in biblical prophecy regarding Israel’s redemption and the Second Coming of Christ.

We get 1,260 days from Daniel’s prophecy of the seventieth week in chapter 9. Daniel 9:24: “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city.”

70 weeks of years, times 360 days per year (the prophetic year), equals 490 years. The first 69 of these weeks of years are 483 years. There remains just one seven-year period of time which is Daniel’s seventieth week. If we calculate the number of days in seven years, using 360 days per year—the number of days that were in a year when Daniel wrote his prophecy in chapter 9—and multiply this by 3.5 years, we get 1,260 days.

The first sixty-nine weeks (483 years) were fulfilled at the arrival of Jesus at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, 32 A.D. The final seven-year period left to complete the prophecy of seventy weeks will be fulfilled during the seven-year Tribulation. Daniel 9:27: “Then he (Antichrist) shall confirm a covenant (Peace Plan) with many for one week (7 Years), But in the middle of the week (3 1/2 Years) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. (Temple Must be Rebuilt) And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate (See Matthew 24:15), Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Calculating 1,260 days from the day when the abomination of desolation takes place at the Temple, which will be built at the beginning of the Tribulation, Jesus will return on this exact day. Revelation 12 confirms this by the inclusion of scripture that describes Israel as the woman who is fleeing from the antichrist after he commits the abomination of desolation. Revelation 12:6: “Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

Jesus warned the Jews who were in Jerusalem that when this happens, to flee to the mountains. Matthew 24:15-16: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Jesus speaking of the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation, said in, Luke 21:22-24:

“For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. (Where they have been for the last 2,000 years) And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

When will the “Times of the Gentiles” be fulfilled?

Jesus said in Luke 21:24: ‘Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’ His parallel passage in Matthew 24:15–16 connects this with the ‘abomination of desolation’ at the end of the half-week in Daniel 9:27.

When John is told to measure the third Temple, built at the beginning of the Tribulation, he is told that the outer court has been given to the Gentiles, until the end of the 42 months; the last half of the Tribulation.

Revelation 11: 1: “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”

• The Times of the Gentiles are not complete until the end of the seven-year Tribulation.
• The Fullness of the Gentiles ends when the Rapture takes place. During this period of prophetic history, the Gentile world has been given the opportunity to hear about Jesus and respond to His offer of salvation. When the Rapture occurs and a billion believers are taken from the earth, the time God has allotted to the Gentile world to hear about Jesus, turn from their sins, and place their trust in the salvation He offers, will come to an end.

God will turn again to the Jews during the final seven years of the Tribulation, and save those who will turn to Jesus as their Messiah. The Jews on earth at that time will have the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah; the 144,000 Jewish evangelists; and an angel flying over the surface of the earth, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. When Jesus came to earth for the first time, in fulfillment of the 400 Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, these prophets predicted that the Jews would reject Him. Jesus told the leaders of Israel that because they did not recognize the time of their visitation by the Messiah, their Temple would be destroyed and left a desolation.

The prophet Zechariah described the Messiah upon His return to earth, standing on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the East, across from the East Gate. Zechariah 14:4: “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east.”