Review of the Dispensations
A Prophetic Journey Gen 3:15 KJV
The ages or eras of the Bible are key to framing scripture or rightly dividing the word of truth. Let's review these first.
1. The Era of GOD Alone in His Throne Room: "In the beginning, God" (Gen 1:1). There was a time, if "time" it could be called, when God, in the unity of His nature (though subsisting equally in three Divine Persons), dwelt all alone. "In the beginning, God." There was no heaven, where His glory is now particularly manifested. There was no earth to engage His attention. There were no angels to hymn His praises; no universe to be upheld by the word of His power. There was nothing, no one, but God; and that, not for a day, a year, or an age, but "from everlasting." During a past eternity, God was alone: self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied; in need of nothing. Had a universe, had angels, had human beings been necessary to Him in any way, they also had been called into existence from all eternity. The creation of them when He did, added nothing to God essentially. He changes not (Mal 3:6), therefore His essential glory can be neither augmented nor diminished. This is the time or era of the “Eternal Decree of God.” As explained by Arthur Pink……
THE DECREE OF GOD is His purpose or determination with respect to future things. We have used the singular number as Scripture does (Rom 8:28; Eph 3:11), because there was only one act of His infinite mind about future things. But we speak as if there had been many, because our minds are only capable of thinking of successive revolutions, as thoughts and occasions arise, or in reference to the various objects of His decree, which being many seem to us to require a distinct purpose for each one. But an infinite understanding does not proceed by steps, from one stage to another: “Known unto God are all His works, from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). God did not merely decree to make man, place him upon the earth, and then leave him to his own uncontrolled guidance; instead, He fixed all the circumstances in the lot of individuals, and all the particulars which will comprise the history of the human race from its commencement to its close. He did not merely decree that general laws should be established for the government of the world, but He settled the application of those laws to all particular cases. Our days are numbered, and so are the hairs of our heads. We may learn what is the extent of the Divine decrees from the dispensations of providence, in which they are executed. The care of Providence reaches to the most insignificant creatures, and the most minute events—the death of a sparrow, and the fall of a hair. Simply put, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit decreed within the GODHEAD to self glorify.
2. The Era of Creation of the Angles and Heaven: 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:4-7 KJV
3. The Creation of Man: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27
List and Explanation of Dispensations
Untested Nature (Age of Untested Nature): This dispensation extends from the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7 to the expulsion from Eden, but the responsibility of this command continues through all subsequent Dispensations, this is why access to the Tree was blocked. This continued responsibility of each person born of a woman is why Jesus had to be perfect in His humanity to free humanity. Adam, created without a conscience of good and evil, was placed in the garden of Eden with his wife on the newly created earth, and put under responsibility to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The dispensation of untested nature resulted in the first failure of man to yield to God's expressed will, and in its effects are eternal. It resulted in judgment, mentally, physically and spiritually as “mankind” was created in the image of God. "So he drove out the man.
Man under conscience and a sin nature (Age of Consciousness): By the fall (failure in the Garden), Adam and Eve acquired and transmitted to the human race the penalty and judgment of sin and the knowledge of good and evil (being conscious of good and evil). This gave consciousness of good and evil a basis for right moral judgment, and hence the race came under the responsibility-to do good and eschew evil, as is the default nature of God. The resulting response of man of the dispensation of conscience, from Eden to the flood (while there was no institution of government and of law), was that "all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth," that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," and God closed the second testing of the natural man with judgment: the flood. It is important to remember that even though the flood denotes the end of the Dispensation, the responsibility placed upon man continues and builds with each Dispensation.
Human Government (Age of Human Government): Out of the fearful judgment of the flood God saved eight persons, to whom, after the waters were assuaged, He gave the purified earth with the charge of governing it. The expectations associated with all previous commands such as “do not eat of the knowledge of good and evil and the consciousness of good and evil still remain to aid in success. Government of themselves and mankind, Noah and his descendants were responsible to do. The dispensation of human government resulted in the failure of Noah to govern himself as he made wine and passed out unconscious, resulting in his son who looked upon him naked.
Mankind under promise (Age of Promise): Out of the dispersed descendants of the builders of Babel, God called one man, Abram, with whom He entered into covenant. Some of the promises to Abram and his descendants were purely gracious and unconditional (The Land the seed and the Blessing). These either have been or will yet be literally fulfilled. Other promises were conditional upon the faithfulness and obedience of the Israelites. Every one of these conditions was violated, and the dispensation of promise resulted in the failure of Israel and resulted in the killing of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Mankind Under Grace Alone (Church Age):The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ introduced the dispensation of pure grace, which means undeserved favor, or God giving righteousness to an otherwise undeserving mankind. The requirement of righteousness is clearly established by the judgement of the Law and Jesus fulfills this requirement on behalf of those the Father gave Him to redeem. Salvation, perfect and eternal, is now freely offered to Jew and Gentile upon the free gift of faith in Christ. The first prophesied event in the closing of this dispensation will be the descent of the Lord from heaven, when sleeping saints will be raised and, together with believers then living, caught up (Rapture) "to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:16-17). Then follows the brief seven year period called "the great tribulation. After this the personal return of the Lord to the earth in power and great glory occurs, and the summation of the judgments which introduce the final dispensation.
Man under the personal reign of Christ ( Age of Millennial Kingdom): After the purifying judgments which attend the personal return of Christ to the earth, Jesus Christ will reign over restored, physically and spiritually elevated Jerusalem in Israel and over the earth for one thousand years. This is the period commonly called the millennium. The Old Testament Saints will enter into this Kingdom (resurrected bodies) along with those who were saved during the seven year Tribulation Period. Some will have normal bodies as they did not die during the Tribulation and will marry and procreate but live much longer lives in an environment unaffected by the curse of sin and Satan. The people with “resurrected glorified bodies” will live in unison with all under the banner of Jesus Christ rule. This final dispensation will end in judgment as Satan is released at the end of the 1000 years and gathers himself people to join in the final revolt against Jesus Christ.
The Eternal State: This is not a “dispensation” but the event that follows the final dispensation only placed here for continuity. Following the Millennial Kingdom, believers enter an eternal state characterized by a new heaven and new earth, where God dwells with them, and there is no more death, sorrow, or pain. This new creation is a state of ultimate fulfillment of God's promises, where believers experience His love and glory forever. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:5-7 KJV
