“The Times of the Gentiles,” mentioned in Luke 21v24 (with Rev 11v1,2), take a long time to be fulfilled. They are the periods of time during which God has allowed many different nations to have empires, and to exercise authority and power over a period of many years. This has been a long-term purpose of God and has already lasted several millenniums. These “Times of the Gentiles,” probably started at the Babylonian captivity, when God's purposes for Israel had been frustrated by their sin; and Christ said that these Gentile times will continue right up to His second coming (Dan 2v31-45). During all this time, Jerusalem has only known temporary periods of freedom from foreign rule, like the one she is at present enjoying, and even now her sacred Temple area has the Mosque upon it, which was built by Caliph Omar in the 7th century, and so it is being “trodden down of the Gentiles,” (“pateo” (Strong NT:3961), to trample underfoot, and treat with contempt) and it appears will continue to be so trodden under, “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” These Gentile times are designed to expose the hearts of men and break their pride. On judgement day “every mouth will be stopped, and all the world will become guilty before God,” not only by the exposure of personal sin, but also by the exposure of national sin. The wickedness and misuse of power of every nation, and their failure to rule justly, righteously and in love, will be exposed and revealed to all. Rom 3v19. Luke probably had “The Times of the Gentiles” explained to him by his companion Paul, who had these things revealed to him by our Lord. Gal 1v11,12, Eph 3v1-8.