The Coming of Christ and the Sovereignty of God

(Galatians 4:4 ESV) 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

God’s sovereign control over all things is clearly seen in His orchestration of the timing and detail of the birth of the Messiah.

More than seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, God declared through the prophet Micah:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among
the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days. (Micah 5:2 ESV)

The fulfillment of this prophecy was no small thing. For the mother of the Messiah to be in Bethlehem Ephrathah at “the fullness of” her time, or when “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6 KJV) took nothing less than a decree from the Emperor of Rome.

(Luke 2:1-7 ESV) 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

How is it that Caesar Augustus would issue that decree just at the right moment in history; “when the fullness of time had come?” Further, how is it that Caesar Augustus came to be Emperor so as to be in a position to issue that decree?

(Daniel 4:17 ESV) 17 ...the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

Caesar Augustus was Emperor of Rome because the Most High made him Emperor of Rome.

(Proverbs 21:1 ESV) 1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Caesar Augustus issued his decree “that all the world should be registered” at that very moment in history because God decreed it. The Most High turned his heart as if it were a few drops of water in the palm of His hand.

Truly the coming of the Messiah was right on time. The Incarnation happened “when the fullness of time had come.” The coming of Christ perfectly fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, because our sovereign God rules in the affairs of men.

(Daniel 6 34-35 ESV) 34 ...blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Absolutely nothing occurs outside of His sovereign control. This means he will bring to pass all He has promised and all He has threatened. It also means that He has purpose in all the things believers experience in this life no matter how good or bad they are.

(Genesis 50:18-20 ESV) 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Now tell me, doth this offend you?