But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law… Galatians 4:4
God’s plan was established before time began—in eternity past, in the Covenant of Redemption established between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. RC Sproul explains the Covenant of Redemption:
The covenant of redemption is the agreement made between the members of the Trinity in order to bring us salvation. We find allusions to it in several biblical texts. Under this covenant, the Father plans redemption and sends the Son in order to save His people. The Son agrees to be sent and to do the work necessary to save the elect (John 10:17–18), and the Spirit agrees to apply the work of Christ to us by sealing us unto salvation (Eph. 1:13–14). (emphasis added) ~RC Sproul
How long ago was eternity past? It is impossible to imagine. The history of man is a history of waiting for the unfolding of God’s promises to be fulfilled in time and space. Though the wait seems painfully long at times, what God has promised, He will deliver in the fullness of His good timing.
God created the heavens and the earth—including man, in the image of God. Then man sinned, rejecting God’s rule. Then God promised that the Seed of the woman would come and deliver fallen Adam and Eve. Then Adam and Eve waited.
Maybe Eve thought Cain was the Deliverer. He was not. He was a murderer. And Eve waited.
Maybe Eve thought Seth—the son God gave after her son, Abel, who was murdered—was the Deliverer. He was not bad like Cain, but he was not the Deliverer. And Eve waited.
In Genesis 5, though the people reproduced generation after generation, death reigned as each generation passed. And everyone waited.
Sin became so rampant that God decided to destroy all of mankind—except for Noah and his family. Maybe Noah was the Deliverer? God delivered Noah and his family, but Noah was not the Deliverer. More waiting.
Then God promised to make a great nation from Abraham—and Abraham waited. No children. And Abraham waited.
God gave Isaac, who was not the Deliverer, and Jacob, who was not the Deliverer, and Joseph who was a type of the Deliverer, but Joseph was not the Deliverer either. Meanwhile, the people waited.
400 years passed. God’s people are in bondage in Egypt. “Where is the Deliverer?” And the people waited.
God raised up Moses. Moses was a type of the Deliverer, but he was not the Deliverer. And the people waited.
Neither was Joshua. And the people waited.
Neither were any of the judges. And the people waited.
The people were tired of waiting so they demanded a king just like the kings of the godless people around them. God gave them a king. Truly, Saul was not the Deliverer. And the people waited.
David sure looked like the Deliverer. He was an arch-type of the Deliverer, but he was not the Deliverer. Neither was David’s son, Solomon. And the people waited.
And as they waited, the nation of Israel was divided and fell down a rabbit hole into sin. God gave Israel (north) into the hands of their enemies, the Assyrians. Judah (south) likewise sinned and was given over to their godless enemies, the Babylonians. In captivity, the people waited.
The wait continues next time…