The Tabernacle Today

The Age of Conscience:

Scriptures covered:

Genesis 4-8

Synopsis:

The Age of Conscience was from the Fall of Man until the Flood, which happened around 2400 BC (Gen. 4-8). Man’s sin nature affected everything (Rom. 8:22), causing great difficulty in human relationships and work. People tried to justify their sinful actions, but their conscience bore witness to their ________________. Some called on the name of the Lord and walked with God. The evil age ended with a global flood. But God graciously provided a means of salvation via Noah’s ark.

Time Period covered:

4000 BC to 2400 BC

The Flood happened _________________1656 years after Adam was created.

Privileges/ characteristics:

Long life ______________________

Man’s sin nature affected everything

People tried to ________________________ their sinful actions

New Responsibilities:

Bring _______________________ sacrifices

Call on the name of the Lord

Walk with God

Failure:

First ___________________

Polygamy

Great wickedness

Judgment:

The Worldwide Flood of Noah’s day

Some demons confined to Tartarus

What ended when that age ended:

No more incredibly long life spans before death

All people and animals being ________________________

Carry-over to next age(s):

The rainbow as a sign of God’s mercy (no more universal floods)

The _______________________ will remain in continuous cycle

The Ark as a symbol of hope for mankind – “In Christ”

Man:   Year Born: Dad at Age: Earth Year: Death Age: Year:

Adam (man)  0 130 130 930 930

Seth (appointed)  130 105 235 912 1042

Enosh (mortal)  235 90 325 905 1140

Cainan (sorrow)  325 70 395 910 1235

Mahalalel (the blessed God) 395 65 460 895 1290

Jarod (shall come down) 460 162 622 962 1422

Enoch (teaching) 622 65 687 365*  987*

Meth. (his death shall bring) 687  187 874 969 1656

Lamech** (the despairing) 874 182 1056 777 1651

Noah (comfort) 1056 950 2006

* = See Genesis 5:24!

** = First Lamech through Cain’s line; this Lamech through Seth’s line

Interesting look at the names of the first 10 generations of men:

Man appointed mortal (with) sorrow, (but) the Blessed God shall come down, teaching; His death shall bring the despairing comfort.

The God of our spiritual gifts

Read 1 Corinthians 12-13 God of our Spiritual Gifts Let’s Pray!

Every person on earth has natural abilities given to them by God to bless the world with, but only Christians (those born of the Spirit) are given spiritual gifts to bless the world with.    

Main Points from 1 Peter 4:10-11

1. Every Christian has received a spiritual gift

2. Every Christian is to use their spiritual gift to serve one another 

3. Using your gift is a stewardship matter that magnifies God’s grace

4. The gifts fall under 2 broad categories: speaking gifts and serving gifts

5. Since God gives the ability to use the gift, God is to get the glory 

Main Points from Ephesians 4:11-16

1. God gives leaders to equip the saints for the work of ministry

2. God’s leaders are to edify (build up) the body of Christ

3. God’s purpose is that His people grow in Christ

4. Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, Christians are the “body” 

5. When Christians use their gift and do their part, the body grows 

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. -Ezekiel 22:30

Main points from Romans 12:3-8

1. We are not to brag about the gifts God graciously gave us! 

2. It is a good thing that different members have different gifts

3. We should develop and use our gifts diligently  

4. We should appreciate others as they develop and use their gifts

5. We should work together as God’s team as each uses their gift

From those 3 passages it occurs to me that members are placed in the church body like members of an orchestra. Each brings his or her different gift, and each doing their part helps the orchestra make beautiful music together.   

The main contribution 1 Corinthians 12 makes to the spiritual gift teaching  is that the Holy Spirit who saved us and fills us is our “Conductor” leading us make “beautiful music” with one another for the glory of God!  

Main points from 1 Corinthians 12-13:

1. Spiritual gifts are given to Christians only and to glorify God 

The Corinthian Christians were in danger of making idols of their spiritual gifts. God gave them the gifts, but they were exalting their gifts and judging others who weren’t gifted in the same way they were. 

2. The Spirit distributes and directs the use of different gifts as He wills 

3. If miraculous gifts exist today, not all believers will get them and it is wrong to suggest they should

Normative gifts are gifts that are clearly still given today. They are things commanded of all believers but that individual believers are especially gifted at.   

Performing miraculous gifts is never commanded of all believers, and may have been limited to the days the apostles of Jesus were alive, to substantiate their role in writing the New Testament.

Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. -2 Cor. 12:12

4. The church body will be dysfunctional if you don’t use your gift  

5. If love for God and others doesn’t motivate the use of your gifts, you’re just making noise 

The God of our struggle

Affirmation:

The secret of victory in the Christian life is saying “Yes” to God the Holy Spirit, one decision at a time.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  -Matthew 16:18

Jesus’ words let us know that there is a spiritual battle going on in this world that He has equipped believers to victorious in!

Read Ephesians 6:10-20 The God of our struggle Let’s Pray!

The essence of our life’s battle is spiritual   V. 10-12

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. -1 Peter 5:8-9

Christians are in a battle, not WITH people, but FOR people!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to everyone who believes. -Romans 1:16a

The equipment for our spiritual battle V. 13-20

Put on the belt of truth   V. 14

The key here about the belt of truth is that God’s truth sustains and focuses the believer in their spiritual fight.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober… -1 Peter 1:13a

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  -Romans 12:2

Put on the breastplate of righteousness, faith and love V. 14

For He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. -2 Corinthians 5:21

The key about the breastplate of righteousness is that Christians have God’s protection as they serve Him.

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. -1 Thessalonians 5:8

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.   -Prov. 4:23

Put on the gospel boots V. 15

The key to putting on the gospel boots is our readiness to share the gospel, fulfilling the Great Commission purpose God has for every believer.

Do you have a firm belief that the number one thing you could do today is lead someone to Jesus?

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.  -1 Peter 3:15

Take up the shield of faith V. 16

The key to wielding the shield of faith is to deflect away Satan’s lies with confidence in God’s person, precepts, promises, and power.

Take up the helmet of salvation V. 16

The key here is us having assurance of salvation. If you know you are trusting Christ alone for salvation, you can enter a day without fear! You are eternally secure in Jesus!

Take up the sword of the Spirit (the Bible) V. 17

Take up prayer in the Spirit  V. 17-20

The Age of Innocence

For each dispensational age we will see:

The name of the age; Scriptures covered; Synopsis; Time Period covered; Privileges/ characteristics; New Responsibility; Failure; Judgment; What ended when that age ended; Carry-over to next age(s):

<><

Name of Age:

The Age of Innocence

Scriptures covered:

Genesis __________________

Synopsis:

The Age of innocence was from Creation to the Fall of Man (Gen. 1-3). Adam & Eve had the privilege of daily walks with God on a perfect earth. Their 1-man/ 1-woman marriage showed God’s pattern. Their descendants were to fill the earth. They were to work 6 days a week, responsibly governing the earth’s resources, and then rest 1 day. When they sinned, judgment came and the age ended. God covered their sin and gave the 1st prophecy of the coming _____________________________.

Time Period covered:

Creation to the Fall of man

Probably less time than it took for Eve to get ____________________________!

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. -Romans 5:12

Privileges/ characteristics:

Daily walks with God!

Life in a perfect __________________________!

New Responsibility:

Be fruitful and multiply in marriage and childrearing, filling the earth

Be ______________________________ of the earth’s resources

Don’t eat of 1 tree, the tree of the knowledge of evil

Failure:

They ate from the forbidden tree

Judgment:

Sin and death enter the world

Mankind now under _____________________________’s dominion (Ephesians 2)

What ended when that age ended:

Life on earth without sin’s consequences

Life with ________________________ bodies and minds

Carry-over to next age(s):

God’s blueprint for gender, marriage, and sexuality

The seventh day rest ________________________

Mankind is to responsibly steward the world’s ecological resources

The Messiah will eventually crush Satan

Look at specific verses:

This sermon was preached by Pastor Eddie McDonald on August 1, 2021 during our Sunday AM Service.

Turn to Philippians 3:1 as we join Pastor Eddie McDonald for this edition of Tabernacle Today.

The Brief Teaching on Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism is God’s creative management of the ages in keeping with His own eternal plan, incorporating the good and bad choices of humans.   -Danny Campbell

3 Key Features of Dispensationalism:

The overall theme of the Bible is the glory of God. Takes Bible texts at their plain meaning. Therefore Bible passages are read literally unless the context indicates otherwise. Maintains a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. Unfulfilled Promises made to Israel will be fulfilled. Dispensationalists reject the idea of the church replacing Israel.

Clarifying items about Dispensational teaching: Salvation is always by grace through faith! The call in every dispensation is to believe God and love Him. Then each dispensation has specific commands to obey.

There is both continuity and discontinuity between the dispensations:

Salvation is always a matter of believing in and loving God; some commands are reiterated, others non-applicable (Priestly Law, Civil Law)

Some things end at the end of a dispensation

Access to Garden; Civil Law of Israel

The Rites to observe may be different in different dispensations

7th Day Principle observed on the Sabbath by Israel, on Lord’s Day for the Church

Circumcision for Israel, Baptism for the Church

Passover sacrifice for Israel; Lord’s Supper for the Church

No need to “spiritualize” battles Israel fought, or to try and justify what God called them to do in that ‘dispensation’ as if they were the church

No need to speak of “the church in the OT” – the church wasn’t in the OT!

No need to insist that the church replaces Israel – God has a future plan for Israel that will fulfill all of His literal promises to Israel.

Verses to Consider:

Genesis 3:22-24 Genesis 6:1-8 Psalm 37:34 Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10; Dan.9:1-2 Daniel 9:24-27 Daniel 12:1-2 Matthew 5:17 John 1:17 John 7:37-39 Luke 11:24 Acts 1:5-9 Acts 3:21 Romans 11:1-7, 25-29 Galatians 3:13-29, v. 24 Ephesians 1:10 Revelation 3:10

Eternity Past

Being omniscient, or all-knowing, God was able to factor in all the free will choices that angels and humans would make ________________ He created everything.

2 big timing Questions about angels and demons:

When did God create angels?

When did some angels rebel with Satan and become demons?

Since the angels were singing and shouting as God was creating, they themselves must have been __________________ before Genesis 1:1. In other words, before the 6 days of creation!

Nowhere are we told the total number of angels and demons. But there is a place that tells us what percentage of angels became demons.

God of our Prayer Life

The same One who will MOVE you when you pray, who will RE-DIRECT you from one course of action to another, and who will IMPRESS upon you what to do as you go through a day – God the Holy Spirit, the God of our Prayer life. 

This is the 6th message in our series on the Spirit – Filled Life. 

And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… -Ephesians 6:17-18a  

Romans 8 is the chapter in the Bible that has the most references to the Holy Spirit, by far! There are 19 references to God the Holy Spirit in Romans 8! 

Romans 8 God of our prayer life

When the Spirit brings you into the presence of God, stay! V. 15-18 

And because you are His sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” -Galatians 4:6

“When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” -Matthew 6:6   

When the Spirit burdens you to pray for someone (or something), pray! V. 23-27

God will never give a true believer peace about disobeying a Biblical command.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.    -Psalm 139:23-24 

“Our prayers go where we cannot!” -Brother Andrew 

Pray regularly for the big burdens presented in the Bible. 

When the Spirit impresses on you a course of action, obey! V. 27-28

God will give His peace to those who say “Yes” to His call on their lives. But God will ‘disturb the peace’ of a believer who is not making the best choice for them. 

Practical ramification – never say “Yes” to something before praying about it and having the “green light” from God. 

2 Peter 3:10-18

Be diligent because of the coming ________________ V. 10-11

The Day of the Lord includes many things associated with the end times that will come after the rapture (called the Day of Christ in Philippians 1:6).

Rev. 6:14  Rev. 20:11

Total destruction awaits _______________ that is useless and godless.

The key word here is ___________________

Be diligent because of what you can look __________ to V. 12-14

The Day of God refers to the time ___________ the Day of the Lord – the New Heavens and the New Earth!

Isaiah 65:17-25

Isaiah 66:22

Psalm 102:25-28

Rev 21-22

The key word here is ___________________

Can we do things to hasten the coming of the Day of God?

Acts 1:6-8 Matthew 24:14 Acts 3:19-20

Be diligent because of God’s patience and kindness V. 15-16

Romans 2:4 I John 1:9

The key word here is __________________.

God of our Illumination

Affirmation:

When the child of God

looks into the word of God

and sees the Son of God,

they are transformed by the Spirit of God

into the image of God

for the glory of God!

-Warren Wiersbe

The Holy Spirit is always working within believers to illuminate the Bible. He worked through the human authors who wrote it. He was working around you when you were first exposed to biblical truth, drawing you to salvation in Christ. He is working within you now to apply the Bible in your life!

Read 2 Peter 1:19-21

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. -2 Peter 1:19-21

“The Holy Spirit’s basic job is to make God’s truth come alive inside of us!” -Tony Evans, One Church Under God, page 90

The Holy Spirit is the ultimate Author of the Bible

All Scripture is given by inspiration OF God (Literally, ‘God-breathed’), and is profitable for doctrine (what you should believe), for reproof (what you should not believe), for correction (how you should not behave), for instruction in righteousness (how you should behave), that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. -2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Holy Spirit is the believer’s constant Helper in applying the Bible.

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever – the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.   -John 14:15-17

These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.  -John 14:25-26

Or do you think the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? -James 4:5

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. -John 16:13-14

For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.  -Hebrews 4:12-13

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. -Ephesians 3:14-16

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (a waste), but be filled with the Spirit. -Ephesians 5:18

Not wanting any to perish 2 Peter 3:1-9

Peter has written about our sufficient Savior, our sufficient salvation, and the sufficient scriptures that help us keep growing and bearing fruit no matter what we are facing.

Remember to ___________ on God’s Word V. 1-2

False teachers say, “Trust us about what is REALLY true.” True teachers say, “You know that is not what the Bible teaches – check it out!”

Acts 17:10-13

Don’t _______________ the word of scoffers  V. 3-4

Matthew 24  Jesus said, “the love of many will grow cold.”

2 Peter 2:12-16

Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked, For whatever a man sows he will also reap. -Galatians 6:7

The _______________ Judgment of the unrepentant is as certain as the past judgment of the unrepentant V. 5-7

The reason God delays Jesus’ coming  V. 8-9

God is not willing that any should perish, but he wants all to come to repentance!  Ezekiel 18:30-32