The Hero Arrives” – Part 2
Posted by Pastor Pat on January 4, 2009
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4, 5).
In the story God wrote, He created a world in which His script would be played out. His story includes individuals whose wills can reject His and cause sin to exist. Their rebellion places them in a position of shame, fear, and guilt. All of their attempts at rectifying the problem end in failure. Failure begets failure. Something or someone must come to their rescue. Fortunately, God’s story not only includes a villain, but also provides a hero. The hero of God’s story was foretold as a deliverer who brings deliverance. This individual would be foretold and visualized in prophecy, promise, picture, type, shadow, and figure. The foretelling created hope and caused the true believers to live in expectancy and anticipation. They looked and longed for the hero’s arrival.
Nothing in the story of God is arbitrary or random. Everything contributes to the storyline. Everything and everyone moves the story forward. As is true in many stories since then, there are parts to the story that appear to make no sense or seem disconnected from the larger picture. It is not until the end of the story that the reader has their “aha” moment. This is equally true of God’s story. Because we do not understand the part, or the subplot appears dark and foreboding, we should not conclude that the story is poorly written or unnecessary to the whole. For true believers the ultimate “aha” moment will come when they shall meet the author of the story face-to-face (1 John 3:1-3; 1 Cor. 13:12).
It is perhaps ordinary but “History is His story.” His story is not simply what we read from Genesis through Revelation, but all history is His story. God did not simply work through a nation called Israel. He moved the Assyrians, Babylonians, and all the inhabitants of a land called Canaan. God was not simply writing a story that included only a select few people groups. His story includes the Mayans, Russians, Hispanics, Ethiopians, Africans, Europeans, Asians, and people groups whose names we do not even know and whose names have been erased from ever being known by us. Yet God knows each person in His story. Each one served and serves a purpose. God moves all of history to fulfill His story. Each past, present, and future moments move the story forward.
Our text tells us that there was a “full time,” a time that was right (NLT), a time that was set by the Father (The Message). The author of the story, the author of history, placed the various pieces in position in order that this moment, this time would exist for the arrival of His hero. Various world powers and rulers, nations and governments, cultures and religions would all exist to form the perfect setting in which the gem of His person and work would shine most.
There was no delay or forced appearance. The hero came at the exact moment determined by the author of the story. His arrival was so “perfect” that all who were looking for him would find him. All that was foretold and imaged would find their “perfect” match in His arrival.
He is the piece to the puzzle that cannot be forced. But the deliverer promised would not simply arrive. It is not his presence that creates the release, it will be his work. Therein lays the great fulfillment. It will be the person and work of the hero that brings the promise of deliverance from the rebel’s shame, fear, and guilt. It is now for us to note the hero’s work.
By Pastor Patrick J. Griffiths. For more information see the Waukesha Bible Church series The Storyline of the Bible.
