December 20, 2021

When the fullness of 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. Galatians 4:4-5

Before this Celtic people migrated to Asia Minor, they had lived in Gaul (now France, Belgium, northern Italy), hence the name Galatians. Paul addressed these churches who were displaying a strong tendency to drift toward a “works theology” and away from the righteousness by faith in Christ upon which they had been founded.

Our Redeemer did indeed come at exactly the right time, in the fullness of time; the time chosen by God and foretold by the prophets of old (more on this tomorrow). Jesus was born of a woman, both literally and symbolically. Symbols are thoroughly developed in God’s Word in order to express great truths that can be quickly understood in the end times, the times in which you and I live today. The prophetic significance of the word woman is understood by the Bible student who desires to understand prophecy (more on this later). This woman represents the people of God. Jesus was born of the Jews.

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. John 1:11

Their charge had been to share the Good News of the Redeemer with the world. They were in possession of the written truths of God, therefore they were under the law. At the time that Jesus was born, the vast majority of the leadership had become completely entangled in their own rules and traditions (hundreds of which were burdensome, man-made rules about Sabbath-keeping). Adherence to their own system of legalism actually meant disobedience to God’s law of love. This same pattern was beginning to be repeated in the New Testament church at Galatia (and other New Testament churches). It reveals our human tendency for self-reliance in “going through a motion” or “checking a box” rather than relying on the power and leadership of God’s Holy Spirit. Paul wrote this to the church in Rome:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16, 2:10

One of the beautifully profound ways our omniscient God expresses His available guidance to us is found in Psalm 32:8 which reads:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.