Today we began the two part Epilogue of the parables we studied over the past three weeks. Understanding that our Bible is divided by a series of judgments can help us look at it in smaller sections than just the Old Testament and New Testament. Our key verse is 2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We did a quick overview of the major divisions in scripture by identifying the judgments and when they happened. We adhere to the PCSH (Plain Common Sense) Hermeneutic way of studying the Bible. “When plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.”
1 Corinthians 4:1-2: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Each of the judgments is preceded by a stewardship or dispensation of God's grace toward man:
1. Dispensation of Innocence: Steward: Adam Genesis 1-3; Failure to keep the garden and not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Judgment is death to all the human race and removed from the garden. Romans 5:12 God exercised his wonderful grace upon Adam allowing him to live. 2. Dispensation of Conscience: Steward is Adam and his descendants. Genesis 4-8; Faith is introduced by Abel into the equation of fellowship with God and the need for a blood sacrifice. Hebrews 11:4-7 gives us three testimonies of faith in this stewardship of time: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Failure of humanity to worship and glorify God brings the second judgment: the destruction of all the world's inhabitants, saving Noah and his family in the ark of safety. The Olivet Discourse deals with the 2nd Advent. Jesus uses Noah as an example to identify the end times. Matthew 24:36-42 illustrates the removal of the wicked at the 2nd Advent. God's grace was abundant toward Noah. 3. Dispensation of Human Government: Steward: Noah and his descendants. Genesis 9-11; God commanded Noah to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.” The problem is they stayed in one place, being led by Nimrod to attempt to ascend to heaven under their own terms. Their failure to obey God's commands brought on the third major judgment, the confusion of language and separation of the nations. God's grace saved the nations from utter destruction. 4. Dispensation of Promise: the times of the Patriarchs: Steward: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Genesis 12 - Exodus 12; There are other notable judgments during this time, most recognizable is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The greatest failure was the 12 tribes not leaving Goshen and returning to the promised land. God's judgment was 400 years of slavery in Egypt. God was gracious toward Israel by raising up a deliverer – Moses. Hebrews 11:8-22 records the testimonies of faith of the patriarchs. 5. Dispensation of Law: Steward: The Law of Moses administered by the judges, David, and the prophets. Exodus 13 – Matthew 27; This is the time of following and failure, rebellion and restoration. The nation failed to adhere to God's commands and was constantly judged on many occasions, culminating in the crucifixion of their Messiah. God's judgment on Israel was to remove her from her exalted position as the herald of the nations dispersing her throughout the known world. 6. Dispensation of the Grace of God: Steward: Paul and the New Testament Church There is a transition time, as in each new dispensation. The Jerusalem Church, Acts 1-7 reveals the time given to Peter, James, John, and the apostles to reach Israel with the kingdom gospel. When Stephen was martyred in Acts 7, everything began to transition to reaching the Gentiles. Phillip goes to Samaria, instructs the Ethiopian Eunuch and Paul / Saul gets saved. Peter visits Cornelius, and the church in Antioch becomes the center of Christian missions. The failure of our stewardship is coming. The rapture of the Church to be judged at the judgments seat of Christ is imminent.
Daniel's 70th week will ensue revealing the Antichrist. The second half of this seven-year period is known as the “time of Jacob's trouble.” It will be the worst time in human history. Much Old Testament prophecy and the book of Revelation describe events of this time. Once the dispensation of grace, the stewardship of Paul and the Church Age saints is over, the time of Mosaic Law will be the hope of Israel. Right now, God's prophetic program is in “time out.” Once the rapture occurs, the mystery program will come to a close, and the prophetic program will be back in play, and God's prophetic time clock will tick away till the 2nd Advent.
7. Dispensation of the Kingdom Age: Steward: Messiah King Jesus The everlasting kingdom will be ruled with a rod of iron by our Lord. The twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the nation of Israel. The Old Testament saints and tribulation saints will rule according to their reward. The Church Age saints will judge the world and angels (1 Corinthians 6:1-3), ruling and reigning with Christ based upon rewards received at the Bema judgment. 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Revelation 5:9-10
We will finish this epilogue of the judgments and rewards on July 27th.
