The Fullness of Time
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4, 5)
The clock ticks — time goes by — try as you will, you can not catch that second again. It is gone for ever. This moment is for ever past. Man will not remember what is in that last second of time; yet, God remembers not only our particular time, but our frame. God opens a new page of time, in fact, the fullness of time. Now, the world is marked by their sin, and the measure of their sin brings forth a Saviour. God does not declare His death, burial, and resurrection here, but His birth. This, His birth, brought forth the fullness of time. The fullness of time equates to the fullness of God’s mercy, the fullness of God’s truth, and the fullness of God’s love. The more we muse around the person of Christ, we grasp the fullness of His unsearchable riches. At the fullness of time, God the Father brought heaven down to man in the person of His Son, His only Son, the Son of His love. Earth had not known this fullness in the pristine condition of creation, nor in the creation of Adam. But now in the fullness of time, God concealed the glory in a babe in a manger, born of a woman, made under the law. Thus, Jesus Christ came to remove the curse under Adam, and to fulfill all righteousness. After thousands of years of man’s failure; the failure of man under Adam’s curse of sin, and man’s failure to keep the law — a new time, a new dispensation, would now be given to man in the glory of Jesus Christ. God does not give the fullness of time at the end of man’s history, but in his fullness of sin. God breaks time, and inserts the fullness of His grace in the fullness of time.
What is in this time? He gives His Son as an offering for sin; a Holy sacrifice, a pure sacrifice, so that man might be created anew in the image of His dear Son. When God, through the Holy Spirit, declares that the riches of Christ are unsearchable it is one of the great truths of our salvation. The deeper we search for these riches, the greater the Spirit of God magnifies Christ in us. As man was created with God’s glory, and lost that glory, so now, in the fullness of time, man receives God’s glory in the Person of Jesus Christ. Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3) As God spoke unto Jeremiah, in the fullness of time, He speaks unto us. The trespass offering (Leviticus 5), the sin offering (Leviticus 4), the peace offering (Leviticus 3), the meat or gift offering (Leviticus 2), and the burnt offering or ascending offering (Leviticus 1), are all met in Jesus Christ. [Note: these offerings are given in reverse order than what is given in scripture, because this is the order in which man approaches God. However, scripture begins with the burnt offering in Leviticus 1, as this is the order on how God looks upon man — God must see Christ first, and this is in the burnt offering. Prayerfully, I hope to do a study in the Levitical offerings soon, stay tuned for up-coming attractions.] We will spend all eternity searching out the riches in our Saviour. As God clothed man with His glory in the garden, so now we who love the Lord are covered with the glory of Christ. The fullness of time also brought forth a time of repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ; a new being conceived by the Spirit of God, a child to show forth God’s glory. As Christ, the fulfillment of God’s salvation came forth, so we are born of Him.
Adam sinned and lost the presence of the glory of God, now God was His judge. When Adam sinned, he took creation with him, and now Adam lived in a different dominion. This dominion was SIN. His being had become SIN, and in a moment of time — all was lost. Therefore, the creation moans and travails waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, and the restoration of all things.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8)
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11)
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. (Romans 8:12)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13)
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)
Though God’s mercy and love has been given in Christ Jesus, man still does not reckon his sin for what it is. Sin is a vicious master enslaving the heart and soul of men. When man was thrust out of the garden, he could never return to his former glory that he possessed, as the Cherubims and the flaming sword bared his way. Man was under the judgment of God; yet even Adam, under this judgment did not see the immensity of his sin. He had been virtually thrown out of paradise for his sin. In the garden — he had all, including the presence of God. Now, he was in a land that was parched, and under the convulsion of his sin, for it was cursed also. He must now, as a sinner, work by the sweat of his face. I have worked hard all my life, and many times the sweat has poured from my face. The body is at it’s greatest strain when the water of sweat and toil is released from the face; one feels the drops of sweat fall from the lips with the taste of salt in the mouth — oh, Adam — what have you done? And with Adam’s sin the trail of sin begins.
The next step on the trail is murder. Cain killed his brother Abel. Is there repentance? No. Only the reply, Am I my brother’s keeper? (Genesis 4:9 b) We see the progression with the two questions that God asked. In the garden, God asked Adam, “Where art thou?” The progression with Cain is “Where is Abel, thy brother.” The eyes of the Lord knew the whole tragic story of Cain’s sin, a disobedient father led to a son who was a murderer. This was his first generation, his first offspring, this is what sin had given him. And for this, Cain was driven out also, to be a vagabond and a wanderer because of his jealousy of his brother’s love for his Creator and God, he brought forth death and slew his brother in the field, or we could say, the world of corruption. Cain moved with envy, and killed his brother Abel. The trail of sin, and the price of sin is great. God was looking for a confession from Cain; yet, there was no confession. The next question from God was “what hast thou done?” It was not Cain’s words that spoke, but the blood of righteous Abel that cried out from the ground. And the very ground that Cain possessed was now cursed for him. He had brought the works of his hands to offer to God, now even those works were taken from him because of his idolatry. What a reminder to us that there is no value in our works before God. It is only His mercy that delivers us from dead works to serve the living God. Cain looks out on the horizon that has become his new home, he is a man without God, alone and no place to go. God sets a mark upon him for his sin, so that other men would know from a great distance that this was Cain — the murderer, and a man of idolatry, and a man who worshiped the works of his own hands. This trail continues on and on throughout man’s history, whether it be through the flood and the judgment of God upon the world, or whether it be the judgment of God falling in fire and brimstone on the cities of the plain for their wickedness and sin, or whether it be for the sins of Israel under the law. All because man had failed at every step, and had failed under every condition that God laid before him — this brought forth the fullness of time.
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Therefore, in the fullness of time, in a space marked in man’s history, and in a rip within the fabric of eternity, God has put forth His whole plan of redemption. God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might reconcile the world unto himself. God has given His mercy in the death of His Son, and we beseech you to be reconciled unto God.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
This article may be used, but not for gain. “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)