When the fullness of time had come (Galatians 4:4-5)

‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.’ (Galatians 4:4,5)

World history had unfolded from the Garden of Eden to the point where the next stage of the Divine Plan had to be enacted.  The time was right, and that first Christmas just over two thousand years ago saw the launch of God’s rescue mission.    

‘When the fullness of time had come…

…God sent forth His Son‘

The earthly problem of sin was as old as humanity.  Adam and Eve’s ancient rebellion loomed large over human history.  Their shame was a problem which was deep and far-reaching.  Their sin, which passed from generation to generation, was insidious and ingrained.  The relationship between the Creator and His creation was fractured and broken.  There was seemingly no possible solution.

Down through history individuals had been raised up as saviours of God’s people – Joseph, Moses, David, Esther – to name just a few.  The salvation they were instrumental in enabling brought temporary relief and freedom but none had been able to deal with the underlying problem.  Instead, these saviours pointed to the need for something – Someone – greater. 

It was clear that the only possible solution was for God Himself to intervene.  The earthly problem needed a heavenly solution.

And so ‘when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son…

…born of woman‘

Humanity could only be rescued by God Himself.  But at the same time, the rescuer needed to be able to identify with and represent mankind.  The only way for the rescue to work was for God’s Son to become human: God made man.  The ‘Word became flesh’ as the evangelist John phrased it (see John 1:14). 

This identification with humanity meant that God sent forth His Son from the bosom of the Father, issued with heaven’s mission, and born of woman.  The Son emptied Himself, took the form of a servant, and was born in human likeness (Philippians 2:7).  Fully God and fully man.  ‘Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man.’ ¹  

What a glorious mystery!

So ‘God sent forth His Son, born of woman…

…born under the law’

Given that the problem was mankind’s rebellion and sinfulness the only way to solve it was to be subject to the law and fully obey it.  The consequences of disobedience were that instead of walking in fellowship with God humanity hid away in shame, enduring a lifestyle spent running, hoping not to be caught out, and living as enemies of their Creator.

The rescue mission needed God Himself to come and live the perfect life.  His Son needed to live in fellowship with God, to abide with the Father, to know His heart and to follow His laws.

The Son arrived in ‘the fullness of time’ when Judea was under Roman rule.  He was born in a town where His parents had been required to go due to a Roman law of census.  He submitted Himself to God’s laws and fulfilled all the requirements placed on God’s people: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’  and ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12:30,31).

The perfect Son of God, who needed no law, subjected Himself to the law in order to enact the rescue plan.

‘God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law…

…to redeem… and… adopt‘

The purpose of this rescue mission was ‘to redeem those under the law’  He needed to become the perfect example of living God’s way in order to become the perfect sacrifice.  We needed rescue.  Centuries had proven that we could not do it on our own.  We were trapped in the slavery of sin and shame.  We needed redemption. 

The goal of this rescue mission was that ‘we might receive adoption as sons.’  The relationship which had been seemingly irreversibly broken by man’s rebellion was reparable; it could be fixed.  There was a chance that if God Himself could take on humanness by being born of a woman and live perfectly under God’s law then redemption could be purchased. 

What a glorious thing could result!  If it worked then mankind could at last emerge from the bondage of slavery and into the freedom of adoption as sons.  We could finally be restored and cry out, ‘Abba, Father,’ to our Heavenly Father.

The timing had to be right.  And so God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, knew exactly when and He launched His rescue plan at that first Christmas-time.

‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son….’

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¹ ‘Let earth and heaven combine’ (Charles Wesley, 1707-88)