Age of the Gentiles-Gap Theory

 By Randy J. Harvey, PhD., JD, MA

The Intervening Age of the Gentiles Between Daniel’s 69th and 70th Week

Conservative evangelical premillennial scholars argue for an intervening period between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks of Daniel 9:24–27. This age, often called the 'Church Age' or the 'Age of the Gentiles,' is understood as the divinely ordained era in which God calls out a people from the nations before resuming His covenant program with Israel in the seventieth week. The following sections summarize the exegetical, theological, and prophetic bases for this view, with scriptural support and representative scholarly commentary.

1. Exegetical Observation: Daniel’s 70 Weeks

• Daniel 9:24–27 — Seventy weeks decreed upon Israel and Jerusalem; the Messiah was cut off after the 69th week.
• Luke 19:41–44 — Jesus weeps over Jerusalem for not recognizing the time of visitation.
• John 1:11 — Christ came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
• Matthew 23:37–39 — Jesus laments over Jerusalem, declaring their house desolate until His return.

Interpretation: Since the Messiah is cut off after the 69th week but before the 70th week, a gap must exist. The prophecy pauses until God resumes His program with Israel in the 70th week.

2. Theological Necessity: The Church as Mystery

• Romans 11:25–27 — A partial hardening of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
• Luke 21:24 — Jerusalem trampled by the Gentiles until their times are fulfilled.
• Ephesians 3:3–6 — The mystery of the Gentiles as fellow heirs in the body of Christ.
• Acts 15:14–18 — God takes from the Gentiles a people for His name before restoring David’s tent.

Interpretation: The current Church Age was not revealed to Daniel but disclosed in the New Testament as the mystery of Jew and Gentile united in Christ. This requires a theological gap in Daniel’s prophecy.

3. Prophetic Harmony: Israel’s Future and the Gap

• Jeremiah 30:7 — The time of Jacob’s trouble, from which Israel will be saved.
• Zechariah 12:10 — Israel will one day look on the One they pierced.
• Romans 11:1–2 — God has not rejected His people Israel.
• Romans 11:28–29 — Israel remains beloved for the sake of the patriarchs.
• Hosea 3:4–5 — Israel will remain many days without king or sacrifice, then return to seek the LORD.

Interpretation: The 70th week is specifically for Israel ('your people and your holy city,' Dan 9:24). Since the present age focuses on the Church, the prophetic clock is paused until God resumes His dealings with Israel during the 70th week.

4. Representative Scholarly Commentary

• John F. Walvoord: 'The gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week is required by the fact that the events described after the sixty-ninth week and before the seventieth are events of the present age, which were not included in God’s plan for the seventy weeks. This present age is not reckoned in God’s prophetic program for Israel.' (Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, Chicago: Moody, 1971, 229)

• J. Dwight Pentecost: 'There is no way to make all the events fit within the seventy weeks if there is no gap. The seventy weeks are a time measure of God’s dealing with Israel, and this present age is not included in those weeks.' (Things to Come, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1958, 249–250)

• Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum: 'The seventy weeks were decreed upon Israel and Jerusalem. Since the present age concerns the Church, the prophetic clock for Israel stopped at the end of the sixty-ninth week and will not resume until the rapture ends the Church Age.' (Footsteps of the Messiah, San Antonio: Ariel Ministries, 1982, 136)

5. Summary

Conservative evangelical scholars understand the 'Age of the Gentiles' or 'Church Age' as a divinely ordained interlude between Daniel’s 69th and 70th week. The gap is supported by: (1) exegetical necessity, since the Messiah was cut off after the 69th week; (2) theological revelation, since the Church as the Body of Christ was a mystery not revealed to Daniel; and (3) prophetic harmony, since the 70th week concerns Israel’s future restoration. Thus, the intervening age provides for the present Gentile mission before God resumes His covenant dealings with Israel in the Tribulation.