~
Two Critically Significant Times ~
The
Fullness of Time (the
incarnation) ~ “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a
child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is
under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in
bondage under the elements of the world.
But when the fullness of the time
had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to
redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as
sons. And because you are sons, God has
sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba,
Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a
slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians
4:1-7).
The
Fullness of Times (the
millennium) ~ “In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto
us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath
purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom
also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will: that we
should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In
whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:7-14).
Comment ~ The
first—the incarnation—is directly
connected with Christ’s humiliation. “Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be
equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became
obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross…” (Philippians
2:5-8).
The second—the
millennium—is directly related to Christ’s glorification. “…Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and
of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians
2:9-11).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW
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