His Time and His Terms

The incarnation is the moment when God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, took on flesh and stepped into time. Jesus split history in two and opened the doorway to Heaven. He tore down the barrier between humanity and eternity and paved the way to everlasting life.

In Galatians 4:4–5, Paul gives us anchor points for understanding Christmas. Galatians was written to correct distorted theology—because the world’s thinking always pushes against biblical truth. Paul confronts the self-centered, flesh-driven mindset that says your eternity rests on your performance. Instead, he makes it clear: salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. God brought about salvation at His time and on His terms.

First, we must believe that the Father is the keeper of the clock and that He moved heaven and earth to prepare for His Son’s arrival. When the set time had fully come, God sent His Son. This moment wasn’t accidental. The cross that began in the cradle was never Plan B.

All of the Old Testament points toward this moment. It begins with creation—where everything was good—followed by humanity’s rebellion and the problem of sin. God responded by becoming a covenant-making God. He chose Abraham, formed a nation, and promised they would bless the world. In Egypt, God gave the Mosaic Law to reveal His perfect holiness. Because no one could keep the law, God established the sacrificial system, showing He would accept a substitute for sin. The people entered the promised land, established kings, and received a promise: a Messiah would come from the line of David to rule righteously.

The Psalms record the worship of a covenant people clinging to God’s promises. Yet Israel turned away, so God sent prophets who warned of judgment and called for repentance. The nation split, went into captivity, and was later restored—not because of their obedience, but because of God’s steadfast love. He promised a New Covenant, one that would purify the heart. But when the Old Testament closes in 430 BC, there’s “silence”—though God was far from inactive. A modest temple stood with no visible presence of God. Worship was hollow, priests were corrupt, and injustice had spread. No Davidic king sat on the throne, and Israel was under foreign rule. The question lingered: how would God keep His promises?

Then history shifted. Alexander the Great conquered the region, establishing a common language, roads, and communication networks. God was quietly preparing the world for His Son. Rome rose to power, Herod ruled, and Jews were scattered across Asia Minor, forming synagogues everywhere. Gentiles influenced by these communities were called “God-fearers”—people disillusioned with the failing Greco-Roman system and drawn to the one true God. Through exile and judgment, God had spread witnesses of His name across the world. Kings and kingdoms moved, but all under God’s hand, preparing the way for Jesus.

Secondly, we must believe that Jesus is both the Promised One and the Promise Keeper. He moved from cradle to cross, splitting the veil and opening eternity. God sent His Son—fully God—and born of a woman—fully human. The mystery of the incarnation is that God became flesh. Jesus experienced hunger, growth, emotions, and decisions. Don’t keep Him distant by acknowledging only His divinity; He fully entered our humanity.

Salvation is not a process—it is the person of Jesus Christ. Born under the law, He redeemed those under the law. He fulfilled what we could not. Jesus didn’t just split history; He split the temple curtain from top to bottom, giving us direct access to God. And if we belong to Jesus—the true Promise Keeper—we are welcomed as sons and daughters of God.