Perfect Timing

Timing can be critical. Take the Earth’s rotation, for instance, which, at the equator, measures 1,037 miles per hour. Amazingly, just a 10 percent increase in speed would cause us to lose about two hours per day— which would wreak havoc with our circadian rhythm, triggering health problems in humans and other creatures.

Due to greater centrifugal force, we would weigh less, which could result in weaker bones. And the faster rotation would mean less sunlight each day, initiating climate changes with negative impacts on both animals and plants—including food crops.

In the spiritual realm, timing is just as crucial. Jesus arrived on our planet at just the right moment and in perfect sync with the Old Testament prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. According to Daniel’s 70- week prophecy, the Messiah would appear 69 weeks after “the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” (Daniel 9:25) in 457 bc.

Since a day in prophecy equals a literal year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34), the 69 weeks represent 483 literal years—which ended in ad 27, the very year Jesus was baptized and began His earthly ministry.

Jesus acknowledged this time prophecy at the start of His ministry when He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15, emphasis added).

From there, the prophecy goes into even more astonishing detail, specifying the exact year of Christ’s death. “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (Daniel 9:27). Halfway through the 70th week—the last seven years of the prophecy—as predicted, Jesus died on the cross, ending the sacrifices and offerings of the sanctuary service that had all pointed forward to this momentous event.

The perfect timing and coordination of this divine rescue operation should exponentially boost our faith in God’s Word and in the identity of Jesus as our Savior.

Apply It:

List three ways in which God’s timing has brought blessings to your life.

Dig Deeper:

Romans 5:6; Romans 13:11; Ephesians 1:10

Key Bible Texts

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4 KJV)