What does 'the times of the Gentiles' mean?
The times of the Gentiles is the period of history when Gentiles exercise overlordship over the nation of Israel. Though Israel is a sovereign state, it remains basically under Gentile control and dependent on Gentile permission and financial aid. This period is also called the filling of the cup of iniquity of the Gentiles.
Les teaches that the times of the Gentiles is that period of history where Gentiles are overlording the nation of Israel, and he calls it the filling of the cup of iniquity of the Gentiles. He points out that although Israel is a sovereign state, it cannot act without Gentile permissive and financial aid and would not last overnight; it is still basically under Gentile control. In contrast, Romans 11 speaks of another group of Gentiles: Paul writes that Israel has a partial spiritual blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, which is the body of Christ, as Gentiles are saved and placed into the body of Christ.