“Now bear in mind the date already found for the beginning of the Gentile Times–viz., B.C. 606–while we proceed to examine the evidence proving their length to be 2520 years, ending A.D. 1914.

We must not expect to find this information stated in so many words. Had it been so stated, it would have been known before it was due. It is given in such a way as to conceal it until “the time of the end.” Dan. 12:4, 10

Our Lord’s 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 the thought that though spiritual as well as fleshly Israel has been subject to these Gentile powers, yet these “times” are somehow connected with and measured upon the earthly city, Jerusalem, and the fleshly house of Israel. And the thought occurs–Can it be that God foretold concerning Israel’s history something which will give us the exact measure of these “times” to which our Lord refers? It is even so.

Turning to Leviticus we find recorded blessings and cursing’s of an earthly and temporal character. If Israel would obey God faithfully, they would be blessed above other nations; if not, certain evils would befall them. The conclusion is stated thus: “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 ye shall sow your seed in vain; for your enemies shall eat it.” “And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, THEN I WILL PUNISH YOU SEVEN TIMES more [further] for your sins.” Lev. 26:17, 18, 24, 28

This threat of “seven times” of punishment is mentioned three times. The various punishments mentioned before the “seven times” refer to the several captivities to the Assyrians, Moabites, Midianites, Philistines, etc., etc., during all of which God’s care continued over them. His dealings were to them “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little“; yet he kept hold of them, and when they repented and cried unto him, he heard them and answered, and delivered them from their enemies. (Judges 3:9, 15) But these chastisements having failed, he applied the threatened seven times: the crown was permanently removed, and Israel, as well as the whole world, was subject to the beastly powers for seven times. Thus it befell them according to God’s warning–“If ye will not yet for all this [previous chastisements] hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times.”

The connection in which the “seven times” (more, further, or additional) are threatened indicates that they include a final and conclusive punishment upon that people after the other chastisements had repeatedly failed to reform them permanently. The punishment of these “seven times” will have the designed effect of thoroughly humbling them before the Lord, and thus preparing them to receive his blessings. These seven times therefore refer to the length of time during which the Gentiles should rule over them, and to this period of “seven times” our Lord undoubtedly referred when speaking of “the Times of the Gentiles.”

The time when the lesser captivities and chastisements gave place to this final great national chastisement of “seven times” was, as already shown, when their last king Zedekiah was removed–since which there has been one long period of chastisement–the predicted “seven times” or 2520 years.

In the Bible a “time” is used in the sense of a year, whether the year is literal or symbolic; but at the time of the utterance of any prophecy, it could not be known whether the time referred to was which. The prophets searched diligently, but in vain, to learn what time, or manner of time (literal or symbolic), the Spirit did signify. (1 Pet. 1:11)

A symbolic year as used in prophecy is reckoned on the basis of a lunar year–twelve months of thirty days each, or three hundred and sixty days–each day representing a year. Consequently, a “time” or year, if symbolic, signifies three hundred and sixty (360) symbolic days, and “seven times” represent twenty-five hundred and twenty (7 x 360 = 2520) symbolic days, or 2520 literal years.

The question here presenting itself is, Were these “seven times” literal or symbolic?

Did they refer to seven years, or twenty-five hundred and twenty years?

We answer; they were symbolic times, 2520 years. They cannot be understood as seven literal years; for Israel had many captivities of longer duration–for instance, they served the king of Mesopotamia eight years (Judges 3:8), the king of Moab eighteen years (Judges 3:14), King Jabin twenty years (Judges 4:2, 3), the Philistines one period of forty years and another of eighteen years (Judges 10:7, 8; 13:1), besides their seventy years in Babylon. All these periods being far longer than “seven times” or years literal, yet the “seven times” being mentioned as the last, greatest and final punishment, proves that symbolic, not literal time is meant, though the Hebrew word translated “seven times” in Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28, is the same word so translated in Dan 4:16, 23, 25, 32, except that in Daniel the word iddan is added, whereas in Leviticus it is left to be understood. And, peculiarly, too, it is repeated four times in each case. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case they were literal years, but, as we shall yet see, both Nebuchadnezzar and his “seven times” were typical.

The “seven times” of Nebuchadnezzar’s degradation (Dan 4:16, 23-26) proved to be seven literal years, when actually so fulfilled; and so the humiliation of Israel and the world under the “powers that be” has proved to be seven symbolic times–twenty-five hundred and twenty literal years.” (B87-90)

Continued with next post.