FULLNESS OF THE TIME
Sunday Morning:
December 22, 2002
Text: Galatians 4:1-5 "Now I say, That the heir,
as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord
of all; 2. But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the
father. 3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the
elements of the world: 4. But
when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them
that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
Daniel 9:23-26
"At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and
I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the
matter, and consider the vision.
24. Seventy weeks (70 x 7 =
490 years) are determined upon thy people and upon
thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make
an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to
bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal
up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most
Holy.
25. Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build
Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (7
x 7 = 49), and threescore and two weeks (60 + 2 = 62 x 7
= 434 + 49 = 483 total): the street shall be built again,
and the wall, even in troublous times.
Nehemiah 2:1
"And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth
year (445 BC) of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before
him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been
beforetime sad in his presence."
Ezra 7:21 "And I, even I
Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which
are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law
of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,"
26. And after threescore
and two weeks (62 x 7 = 434) shall Messiah be cut off,
but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."
During the Babylonian captivity, Israel once and for all forsook the idolatry.
Also during the Exile, Jews developed synagogues, which they used as places of worship, as schools, and as courts. The word synagogue is found 23 times in Acts.
Matthew 4:23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."
Acts 17:1-2 ". . . they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,"
SCRIPTURES IN COMMON LANGUAGE
Alexander the Great had thoroughly established Greek culture and language throughout the known world. The translation of the Old Testament into Greek known as the Septuagint.
Roman law, currency and roads made it easy to travel through out the know world.
UNDER THE LAW
Galatians 3:22-26 "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us (children) unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (the ceremonial Law).
26. For ye are [present active] all the children [sons] of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
UNDER THE LAW CHILDREN
Galatians 4:1-5 "Now I say, That the heir (part of the family), as long as he is a child (not a son), differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2. But is under tutors (teachers of the Law) and governors (restrictions of the ceremonial Law) until the time appointed of the father.
3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [principals] of the world (Israel and the law):
4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption [place] of sons."
Galatians 5:1-5 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."
Luke 1:70-75 "As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71. That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75. In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life."