“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” Galatians 4:4
“Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” Luke 21:24b
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is surely, a right time for everything. It is possible to do the right thing at the wrong time!
In the greater scheme of things, we may be able to work out the right time for certain actions, but for the bigger things, eternal things, only God knows the right time.
Israel went through a period of 400 years without hearing from God. They had seen mighty miracles in the past, but then HEAVEN went silent. Their leaders mostly fell into a state of APOSTASY, moving the emphasis away from God and onto themselves. So much so, that when finally IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME for God to act, and break into human affairs again, they didn't even notice THAT GOD HAD SPOKEN.
Malachi, the penultimate Old Testament prophet, foretold of the time that God would break this silence, and send a messenger to prepare the way for the promised MESSIAH.
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts” Malachi 3:1
Isaiah the Prophet had previously prophesied of the same messenger coming to prepare the way for the MESSIAH.
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” Isaiah 40:3
All this came to pass, exactly as God had foretold through His servants. John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet, did come, as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, just prior to our Lord commencing His earthly ministry. But the silent 400 years, was broken some 30 or more years before that happened. This is how it happened:
“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:9-11
Almost unnoticed, except for some shepherds on the hillside, and some Magi in an eastern country (Probably Babylon) the promised MESSIAH was born into this world. Israel mostly, didn't even know it had happened. They had grown tired of waiting, and in their backslidden state, had moved away from the TRUTH of God's Word. They were now looking for a mighty conqueror to free them from oppression, not a tiny baby, laid in a manger.
God had kept His word. God had told them through the prophets, that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a Son (Isaiah 9:6) He had also informed them of the place of His birth (Micah 5:2) But still they MOSTLY missed His entrance into this world.
The same thing is happening today, all over again. Even among 'Christians' few are really expecting Jesus to return in the clouds to collect His truly redeemed people. Are you? Most have grown tired of waiting. Most have left the TRUTH and have sort after false teachers that 'tickle' their ears with the things they want to hear, rather than with the TRUTH they need to hear.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Israel missed His first coming, and thousands of people in Churches throughout this world, will miss His second coming for His saints, because they are not looking for Him or expecting Him. But God's timing will, as usual, be perfect.
“Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” Luke 21:24b
The TIMES OF THE GENTILES are almost over, God is preparing to play out the last acts on this end time world stage, before HIS KINGDOM COME. It's time to prepare NOW!
Brotherly love....Keith
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