The Fullness of Time

“In the fullness of time,” the Messianic Son was born, says Paul in Galatians 4:4. Christ’s coming was at the perfect moment in time. Not only would Mary naturally be relieved that her birth pangs had now ended with the joy of beholding Jesus, but Israel’s birth pangs were also coming to their completion. The weight of the Law that had oppressed Israel with bondage for its failure to keep it had led to the pains of punishment and exile again and again repeatedly from the age of the Judges to their present subjection under Roman occupation.

Israel in the Old Testament had been called God’s Son (Hosea 11:1), but here in Jesus the man was the true Israelite, the true Son of God and pleasure of the Father (Matthew 3:17), born not of a human father, but miraculously by a virgin woman. Mary’s was the seed promised long ago in ancient times to the first mother of all, Eve (Genesis 3:15).

The Messianic Son would release people from bondage to sin since the ancient serpent Satan had deceived mankind into sacrificing Eden for a lie, a bondage of weakness and guilt which could never be removed by the revealed Law or by the remnant of moral conscience.

Jesus shared our humanity as a son born of a simple woman, but He was much more than that: the eternal, perfect son of God sent from heaven. Jesus did not come to rebuke or scorn the Law, but to fulfill it for us through perfect, sinless, and suffering obedience—even to the point of death on a cruel cross (Philippians 2: 6-11)—that in the Son we might all become sons and daughters of God and even, by faith, the sons and daughters of Abraham, of Moses, of Mary, and all the saints before us who have believed in the words and works of the one true God.

Together we will share one day in the fullness of God’s blessings as His beloved children when our Lord returns and we enjoy perfect union with Him in the new heavens and the new earth.

Prayer

Father, I praise You for the gift of Your Son, who shared in my humanity as a son born from your chosen servant Mary but Who was infinitely more by His eternal and perfect nature as true God.

Lord Jesus, you are the true Son of God and the true Man. I give thanks for Your unfathomable compassion toward me that I was not left in my bondage to sin and my weakness before Your holy law, but in the perfect time, Jesus, You came to do for me what I could not. Humble me by this knowledge of Your divine humility. You sympathized with me and became like me in all things, except my sin, so that as a son or daughter I can look upon the Father as my very own Abba. I am adopted into His forever family and promised the fullness of eternal blessings with You, Jesus, and all the saints by faith.

Amen.