The fullness of the Gentiles is the completion of the Body of Christ — the full number of Gentiles God is calling out for His name.
Paul reveals this as a mystery in Romans 11:25, where Israel's blindness continues until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. Les Feldick explains that when that Body is full, God will remove it and resume His program with Israel, which had been set aside.
Romans 11:25 — This is the verse that uses the phrase 'fulness of the Gentiles' and connects it to Israel's temporary blindness.
Acts 15:14 — This verse describes God taking out a people for His name from the Gentiles, which Les ties to the fullness of the Gentiles.
Romans 11:12 — It shows that Israel's future fullness will bring even greater blessing than the riches the Gentile world received through Israel's fall.
In Romans 11:25, Paul tells Gentile believers not to be ignorant of a mystery: Israel experienced a partial spiritual blindness, but it will last only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. The Book of Acts shows God visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name (Acts 15:14). Romans 11:12 adds that although Israel's fall brought riches to the Gentile world, Israel's fullness will bring even more.
Les defines the fullness of the Gentiles as the Body of Christ — the people God is calling out for His name from among the Gentiles. As Gentiles are saved, they are placed into the Body, and when that Body is full, God will remove it and begin dealing again with Israel (Clips 1, 2, and 4). He also teaches that this filling runs concurrently with the filling up of Gentile iniquity during the times of the Gentiles (Clips 1, 3, and 5). This is why the Tribulation, which follows the removal of the Body, is primarily Jewish (Clip 4).
Paul identifies the fullness of the Gentiles as the point when Israel's partial blindness is lifted. Les explains that this is the Body of Christ — God taking out a people for His name from among the Gentile nations (Acts 15:14; Romans 11:25).
Les teaches that the times of the Gentiles are a period when Gentiles rule over Jerusalem and the cup of Gentile iniquity is being filled (Luke 21:24). Running side by side with that is the fullness of the Gentiles — the bringing in of the Body of Christ. Both fillings are moving toward their appointed end.
When the Body of Christ is full, God will remove it out of the way and will again direct His primary attention to Israel. Israel's blindness will end, and the Tribulation, a period primarily aimed at Israel, can begin.
Yes. Les notes that even during the Tribulation, God prepares Gentiles to enter the Kingdom in ordinary flesh-and-blood bodies. The Kingdom will experience a population explosion before Satan is released at the end of the thousand years.
Is the Church the Bride of Christ? 2 Corinthians 11:2 Explained
comes back to the physical analogy of the husband and the wife. Now I have another one that I'd like to bring back, and I know the connection may not be quite as clear cut, but on the other hand I have to feel that the Holy Spirit gave Paul this particular picture again for our own doctrinal understanding, and that is in Romans chapter 7 verse 4.
Fullness = Body of Christ
Les defines the fullness of the Gentiles as the calling out of a people for God's name — the Body of Christ — and says when it is full, God removes it and resumes dealing with Israel.
Mystery of Israel's blindness
Les explains that Romans 11:25 reveals a previously-unknown mystery: Israel's blindness lasts until the full number of Gentiles is saved into the Body of Christ.
Two concurrent fillings
Les shows the fullness of the Gentiles coming in while the cup of Gentile iniquity fills — two concurrent fillings during the times of the Gentiles.
Rapture of the Body
Les states plainly that when the Body is full, God will take believers out of the way and start dealing with Israel again; the Tribulation is primarily Jewish.
Times of the Gentiles contrasted
Les contrasts the times of the Gentiles (Gentiles ruling over Israel, filling up iniquity) with the opposite work: the fullness of the Gentiles.
Israel's future fullness
Les applies Romans 11:12 to show Israel's fall brought blessing to the world, but Israel's future fullness will bring even greater riches; God will come back to the Jew.
Gentiles in the Tribulation
Les explains that God is not finished with Gentiles — during the Tribulation He will prepare ordinary flesh-and-blood Gentiles for the Kingdom.
Romans 11:25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
This is the key verse that directly uses the phrase 'fulness of the Gentiles' and defines when Israel's blindness ends.
Acts 15:14: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
This verse describes the very activity that fills the fullness of the Gentiles — God taking a people for His name.
Romans 11:12: Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
It indicates that Israel's future fullness will bring even greater blessing than the riches the Gentiles received through Israel's fall.
Luke 21:24: 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.
This verse defines the 'times of the Gentiles,' which runs alongside the fullness of the Gentiles.
The fullness of the Gentiles is the completion of the Body of Christ. As God saves Gentiles, He places them into the Body, and when that Body is full, the period of Gentile blessing comes to an end.
It is happening now as Gentiles are being saved. Paul calls it a mystery and says Israel's blindness will remain until the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25).
God will remove the Body of Christ out of the way and turn again to Israel. The Tribulation is primarily Jewish, and God resumes His covenant program with Israel.
Watch the Teaching: Is the Church the Bride of Christ? 2 Corinthians 11:2 Explained