LATE IN TIME . . .

“Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb . . .”

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing sheds light upon Galatians 4:4 and Christ’s entrance into this world at just the right time in order to fulfill all of God’s perfect designs!

The arrival of Christ was in late in the eras of world dominance by empires sanctioned as stated by God in the book of Daniel. Twice in Daniels prophetic utterances we find the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman rules clearly represented (Daniel chapter 2 by the image and chapter 7 by the beasts)! The Roman empire being the las and greatest rule as it pertained to the expansiveness of the kingdoms in ancient times. During the time period of Roman occupation, Daniel records the coming of Messiah and the sacrifice this very one would make in being “cut-off” (Daniel 9:25, 26). Thus, the timing was significant for Christ’s mission as Savior and the furtherance of Christ’s message to all the world.

The laws of the Roman government, under which the Jews were subjected at the time of Christ, restricted the Sanhedrin from meting out their normal course of executing what they deemed a blasphemous heretic like Jesus by means of stoning (John 18:31). This paved the way for our Lord to die the death of the worst criminals of the day on the cruelest form of execution, crucifixion, for the Jewish rulers would bring further charges of a treasonous plot by Christ to overthrow the government. It was this very death that David referred to in Psalm 22:16 as they would pierce the Lord’s hands and feet upon the cross. Even in the law of Moses the foresight of Christ becoming a curse for us was spoken of in terms of the “tree” or cross (Galatians 3:13). No other time in history would have sufficed for the coming of Christ.

Then the propagation of the gospel message (Christ’s death and resurrection) would be carried to the all the known world with rapidity due to the perfect place in history. Peace prevailed in the empire and by the empire’s influence upon the nations of the time. The infrastructure of roads made for easy and safe travel throughout the known world (“all roads lead to Rome”). Especially the trade routes and wonderful port cities would make for a  connection with every possible nationality. Finally, the pervasiveness of a common language (Greek) would make the communication of the gospel transmittible. Thus, the carrying out of the Great Commission was very possible (Matthew 28:18-20).