Before God sent ancient Israel into captivity by the Assyrians, He dealt with the Gentile nations surrounding her, as seen in the book of Amos where judgments are pronounced on Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab for their moral failings and cruelties. Despite not knowing the true God as Israel did, these nations were held accountable for their depravity and failure in moral responsibility toward their fellow man and consequently toward Him. Syria was condemned for total war, leaving nothing productive behind. The Philistines were guilty of selling a whole nation into slavery for profit. Tyre was judged for dishonest business practices, always prioritizing her own interest. Edom harbored bitter enmity against Israel, breaking out in aggression and slave trading. The Ammonites showed reckless cruelty against the helpless, especially expectant mothers and unborn children. Although God's judgments in Amos initially address these Gentile nations, His real focus remains on Israel's transgressions. In His mercy, God may begin with the Gentiles to give Israel more time to repent and turn back to Him. The calamities of the nations around her should have prompted ancient Israel to examine her own ways, yet she failed to do so, resulting in devastation and captivity. Though the most recent act of God directly affects the Gentile nations, it does not mean that He has forgotten about Israel; He has simply not yet decided to set things straight in her midst.

The Gentile nations play a significant role in the unfolding of prophecy, as their influence and dominance have shaped the world since the Axial Period. A new world, termed the times of the Gentiles, emerged during this era, with the Babylonian image stamping its character on every culture since the sixth century BC. Though Gentiles have not always dominated politically or culturally, their impact is evident in the syncretism of concepts that have permeated even Israelitish nations, which have risen to unprecedented global dominance. This Babylonian influence, embedded in the nations, persists as a fountain and yardstick of cultural and systemic ways, affecting the world down to the time of the end. God is actively manipulating the nations into the positions He desires for the end time, orchestrating economic, political, and military machinations that will culminate in the return of Christ. Despite the spiritual and moral depravity combined with commercial success that blinds many, the impending judgment looms as the Babylonian system faces its ultimate fragmentation and replacement by the Kingdom of God.

The rise and fall of nations during the Sixth Century BC marked a significant shift in history, ushering in the times of the Gentiles. Assyria emerged as the first great Gentile power, though not the most influential, as seen through the warnings of prophets like Isaiah to Israel and Judah. Babylon became the head of gold, the fountainhead influencing new civilizations, as noted by Daniel. This Babylonian image has shaped the world since that era, giving character to the times and establishing standards socially, politically, economically, philosophically, and theologically, as confirmed by the New Testament reference to MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT. Jeremiah, a key prophet during this tumultuous period, was appointed by God not only over Israel and Judah but also over Gentile nations and kingdoms to root out, pull down, destroy, throw down, build, and plant. God set Jeremiah over nations such as the Assyrians, Egyptians, Hittites, Elamites, Midianites, Phoenicians, Philistines, Ammonites, and Moabites to pronounce His judgments, leading to their disappearance. Meanwhile, new powers like Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, China, India, Europe, and Russia ascended to greatness. This period saw dramatic changes orchestrated by God's sovereign authority, reshaping the world into what exists now. The influence of Babylon persists, blinding many to impending judgment due to spiritual drunkenness, as described in Revelation 18, where people mourn the material loss of Babylon without recognizing its lack of spiritual vitality. God's purpose in these historical shifts prepares the world for the end times and the return of Jesus Christ, when the Babylonian image will be replaced by the Kingdom of God.