the fullness of time

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son..." (Galatians 4:4a ESV)

"But for this purpose I have come to this hour." (John 12:27 ESV)

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6 ESV)

"...God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word..." (Titus 1:2-3 ESV)

"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14 ESV)

As we read the biblical record it becomes clear not only that God is the Lord of history, but that the unfolding of this history involves divine timing. God's timing is perfect! Notice above: "the fullness of time", "this hour", "at the right time", "at the proper time", and "for all time."

History is not meaningless as many atheists think, nor is it endlessly cyclical as many pantheists think. There is a beginning (creation) and an end (consummation), and at just the right time one Man upon the cross brings redemption, uniting past and future into one Story.

Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck writes,

"Christ could not come again and yet again to let himself be crucified; hence as the countless historical cycles of the Ancient World disappeared, there was no longer the old eternal recurrence of things. History ceased to be a uniform rhythmic repetition and became a comprehensive whole, a single drama."

~ Herman Bavinck, from Essays on Religion, Science, and Society.

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Howard Hendricks on OT books chronology

When I was in seminary, Howard Hendricks (aka "Prof") gave us a little card with the books of the OT chronologically arranged. The scanned copy I have was a bit blurry and I wanted to make something like this available for our church class in OT theology ("Story of Redemption"). A few minor edits and here it is...

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