There are certain givens that we must understand about the way God fulfills His promises, whether it be on a personal, or on an international level. God dwells in eternity, but created beings are subject to the constraints of time, and because of this, it may at times appear that His promises have faltered. But God is, and has always been an one-time God.
What may seem like the frustration of His purposes on the part of satan or men, is actually incorporated into the greater scheme of things, so that His will is fulfilled in the fullness of time. Several occurrences in the Bible demonstrate this, so that we should be confident that the promise of His soon return would also be fulfilled in the fullness of time.
What we often interpret as a delay, is in many cases a result of our own doing, or the result of unbelief, hesitation, or stubbornness, but even then God who knows the future, has already incorporated into His planning every variable which would certainly occur and the final product is the fulfillment of His will in a timely and exact manner.
This aspect of God’s methods and ways isn’t nearly understood as it ought to be, and as a direct result, some fall into the error of questioning God’s ability to bring to pass, that which He has promised. Some others resort to mocking God as if there is restraint upon Him. Others go still further, and erroneously conclude that His promises are subject to science as we know it, and thus they limit Him in their minds.
But a close study of His word and His ways reveal a God who fulfills His purposes to the nanosecond, in ways, and at times of which we have not a clue. All the freedom of choice we have, and every assertion that we have situations under our own control will be seen to be folly, in the bigger picture, for God’s will is fulfilled in the fullness of time, with or without our co-operation. Let’s read:
Exodus 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast.
Here, it seems as if God’s promise is being delayed by the stubbornness of pharaoh, but The Lord has already included stubbornness into His plan, and in the fullness of time, pharaoh’s stubbornness would translate into the fulfillment of prophecy, while no coercion on the part of God takes place. God works through the regular thought processes of man, and thus His will is done. Let’s read:
Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.
Again, prayer for guidance is offered in matters that will affect the life of the faithful. Isaac needs a wife, and God’s will is invoked, while on the human side of the equation, all the prerequisites for answered prayer are aligned. Thus, Eliezer prays confidently, and before he could say “amen” Rebekah appears, out of the blue, as it seems.
God orchestrated and planned the timing of Eliezer and Rebekah’s meeting with surgical precision. The time it would take for them to travel to the meeting place, the speed at which their donkeys trotted, and the length of Eliezer’s prayer have been calculated with uncanny precision, to the nanosecond and the result is perfect timing, in the fullness of time.
Yet none of them, including their animals have been coerced into doing, or saying anything. God worked through their natural thought processes, and their usual way of doing things to bring His purposes to pass, not in a sloppy, slip-shod manner, but with the exact timing that is characteristic of a God who does everything decently and in order. Indeed, it is a bit frightening. Let’s read:
Genesis 24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Again, when Jesus prophesied that the cock would crow two times before Peter would deny Him three times, the prophecy was fulfilled at the exact time that it should. No coercion of the rooster was done, and Peter’s will was left entirely unrestricted, but at the exact time, both the rooster and Peter fulfilled the prophecy without any “collusion” with intent.
Come with me then, as we revisit the rooster in his tree. He has eaten his corn for the day, and has now retired for the night, but the distance between the porch where Peter will deny Christ and the rooster’s perch is of such that in the fullness of time Peter will hear the crowing. The timing, the location, and the distance are all exact, without any coercion on the part of God. Let’s read:
Mark 14:29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
Again, that which happened to Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, and at Calvary was prophesied, and did not catch God off-guard because everyone from Judas to the disciples, from the priests to the soldier and even to the drink to be served up at the cross, all were prophesied, and catered for by God, and all individuals concerned would play their part without any coercion or coordination, in the fullness of time. Let’s read:
Psalms 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
Psalms 22: 17 They look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.
Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there.
Psalms 34:20 He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken.
John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.
36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
On the contrary, we find that in the case of Judas or Peter, Christ was actually warning them not to do that which was prophesied; but because God’s own knowledge of the future is 100% accurate, and since we all retain the freedom of choice, prophecies and freedom of choice often converge at the junction of fulfillment. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
The same issue of the fullness of time can be seen in the bigger picture which pertains to our salvation. After God made the announcement in Eden that the Deliverer would come and crush the serpent’s head, it was erroneously understood that the prophecy was to be fulfilled shortly. But it could only be at the time exact time and moment that the promise was to become reality.
Generation after generation of the righteous looked forward, and hoped, and the children of miraculous births raised the hopes of some that this one or that one would be the promised seed. But it was not the right time as yet, and God, whose prophecies know no haste or delay would fulfill His word at the time appointed.
In fact, up until the time when Daniel was given the specifics concerning the time of Christ’s incarnation, there was a certain amount of guessing on the part of satan, for even though he understood that Christ would one day break the yoke of bondage, yet he could not plan properly without a firm time-frame to work with, and as a result he resorted to firing scatter-shots, in the vain hope of hitting his target. Let’s read:
Exodus 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
There are times when we too may not have a firm time-frame from God to work with, just like Sarah, and Abraham, and we may be tempted to also fire scatter-shots, hoping that something would stick. It is by faith that we ought to walk, and not by sight, trusting God, that true to His promise and His track record, He will come through in the fullness of time. Let’s read:
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Thus, it was that Christ was born in the fullness of time, not one minute early, and not one minute too late. The “Fullness of time” therefore means that the right set of circumstances must converge at the right time, in order that everything, and everyone concerned would “Click”. Let’s read:
[The Desire Of Ages pp 32>33] The prophecy of Daniel revealed the time of His advent, but not all rightly interpreted the message. Century after century passed away; the voices of the prophets ceased. The hand of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel, and many were ready to exclaim, “The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth.” Ezekiel 12:22.
But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God's purposes know no haste and no delay. Providence had directed the movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was ripe for the coming of the Deliverer. The nations were united under one government. One language was widely spoken, and was everywhere recognized as the language of literature.
At this time the systems of heathenism were losing their hold upon the people. They longed for a religion that could satisfy the heart. While the light of truth seemed to have departed from among men, there were souls who were looking for light, and who were filled with perplexity and sorrow. They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God, for some assurance of a life beyond the grave.
To the masses of the people, death was a dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom. In “the region and shadow of death,” men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the coming of the Deliverer, when the darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain.
There is another prophecy in the scripture yet to be fulfilled, and true to the evidences of sacred history, it will be executed in the fulness of time for many of the very same conditions which were current when Christ first came to earth, have now obtained across the entire globe.
Multitudes have become weary of religion, for they have seen with their own two eyes, and have heard with their own two ears, that many of the clergy, in whom they had trusted and confided have betrayed sacred trusts. Religion has now become a thriving business in most instances, and luxury has replaced humility in many prominent mega-churches.
Again, there seems to be political impasse in Britain and the United States, and in many other countries across the globe where the conflicting parties can’t seem to agree on anything anymore. The eyes of once revered public servants have become blinded, and the masses of people have had it with the lies, fraud, favoritism, and unwarranted violence in places which were once thought safe.
Again, right on our doorstep, and in many countries in the western hemisphere there are problems with migration, where nations are being flooded with so many people fleeing violence and poverty, that the authorities have run out of ideas on how to stem the tide. The systems of earth are literally peaking on every known front.
Then there is the problem of addiction, where we have become prisoners of our own devices. Opioid crises are draining resources of governments and communities, and the cure for drugs has become more drugs. Thus, we are now fighting fire with fire, and all we’re getting is more fire.
Again, numerous violent hurricanes and tornadoes are scheduled to cause havoc as sea levels rise, and the waters of the flood, which were once congealed at the north pole in the form of icebergs are melting at unprecedented rates, causing flooding in coastal areas, from Miami to New Jersey.
Thus, because we are fast running out of options or answers, the fullness of time has almost come for Christ to intervene once more in human history. It is true that the Bible writers have stated He is coming soon, and to many, it may seem as if His promise is delayed, but just remember one thing, when all of the predicted conditions converge, when the earth is ripe for His appearing, Jesus will come.
Contrary to popular teachings of evolution the earth is only about six thousand years old; thus, whenever the great clock of time points towards midnight and the time comes for the seventh millennium, Jesus is going to come, because six plus one equals seven, if we were to ask any mathematician. Let’s read:
Exodus 23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof.
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still.
Leviticus 25:2 When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord.
3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
[The Great Controversy pp 659] For six thousand years, Satan's work of rebellion has “made the earth to tremble.” He has made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof. For six thousand years his prison house has received God's people, and he would have held them captive forever; but Christ has broken his bonds and set the prisoners free. For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since his fall his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection.
But he is now deprived of his power and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.
In the days of Noah God gave the antediluvians 120 years, and when that time expired, mercy and grace came to a screeching halt, and judgment against the nations was executed. It took place with precision to the very day, and thus it will be, when 6000 years will have expired, mercy and grace will again come to a screeching halt, and Jesus will come.
Let us therefore be wary of cute doctrines which put the 2nd coming of Christ far into the future, for the long-awaited event is very near, even at the doors. We therefore close with the certainty of the promise, with the hope that we will not take God’s grace for granted. Let’s read:
2nd Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
God Bless!