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Bible Study Series-III
DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH OR AGES
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“God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us through his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who………..sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high...” (Heb 1:1-3)
“For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for manifestation.... Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty..... the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now....” (Rom. 8:19-22)
“That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.” (Heb.1:10)
Introduction
Triune everlasting God in His wisdom has divided all time and eternity into the mystery of successive ages or dispensations. In these ages He in diverse manners revealed himself, His plans and purposes of creation through the prophets. Bible scholars could understand and distinguish God’s plan of eight sundry times. (‘Sundry times’ also means dispensations or Ages.) ie.
- Dispensation of Innocence (Gen. 1:28-3:6)
- Dispensation of Conscience or Moral Responsibility (Gen. 3:7;4:1-8:14)
- Dispensation of Human Governance (Gen. 8:15-11:32)
- Dispensation of Promise (Gen. 12:1-Ex.18:27)
- Dispensation of Law (Ex.19:1-Acts 1:26)
- Dispensation of Church/ Ecclesiastical (Grace) (Acts 2:1)
- Dispensation of Kingdom of God (Rev.20:4) and
- Dispensation of New Heaven and Earth(Rev.21-22:21).
The above dispensations one through seven are distinguished, showing the progressive order of God’s dealings with or revelations for humanity that links together time-periods during which man is put into specific and varying tests as to his obedience to God. But, the last dispensation is totally different from all others. It is a dwelling age/place ‘New Heaven and Earth’ that is the being prepared for the saints of all previous ages to live throughout eternity. A dispensation- without time-period and tests.
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DISPENSATION OF INNOCENCE
(The First Dispensation)
PERIOD:
Extends from Creation of Adam and Eve to Expulsion of them from Garden of Eden.
PLAN AND PURPOSE:
God created man as male and female in His image after own likeness. He blessed them to be fruitful, to fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over all creation, to till it and keep it (Gen. 1). This was Edenic covenant. The divine intention was that man may have fellowship with God in Obedience. But he was subjected to a simple test, and was warned of the consequences of disobedience.
We also understand from the Holy Scripture that the Earth was restored and so Garden of Eden to its earlier glory. God said “behold it was good.” The earth was a perfect place with all its fullness and presence of the Lord. The condition was ideal for Human race to live in. At the cool of the day Lord God himself visited man, spoke and had fellowship with him in the Garden of Eden. And when Adam had no companion, God said man should not live alone (Gen 2:18). God himself first used anaesthetic on Adam and surgically removed a rib from his side and created Eve. Lady Eve as a companion and helpmate for Adam to live with! What a wonderful time it was!
In the Garden of Eden God planted two trees. “The Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.” (Gen 1:16). But of the ‘Tree of knowledge of good and evil’ if you will eat will surely die. He also planted the ‘Tree of Life’. I believe eating the fruit of which would have made the man immortal.
Adam and Eve were created INNOCENT. An innocent is free from moral wrong. Man feels himself not guilty, guiles and harmless. We can appreciate what INNOCENCE is when we look at an innocent young child. Innocence is not righteousness until tested. A step from INNOCENCE lead man to Holiness and a step from INNOCENCE lead to Sin.
MAN SINNED
Adam and Eve used to roam in the garden and talk to God in the cool of day. But, once the cunning Satan saw Eve all alone and approached her in the form of serpent. Satan asked Eve, “Has God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (By reading the scripture, it seems that Satan too was not a stranger to Eve.) Fearlessly without any hitch she said that God has permitted to eat the fruit of all trees but not the fruit of tree planted in the midst of garden nor touch it lest we die (Gen 3:2-3). (I also believe that Serpent then was a beautiful creature that used to walk like any other animal.) The Satan created ‘seed of doubt’ or a ‘microbe of unbelief’ in the woman. She looked at the fruit of the tree planted at the centre of garden and found it is:
- · Good for food – the lust of flesh.
- · Pleasant to the eyes – the lust of eyes
- · Desirable to make one wise- the pride of life.
Her sins of the lust of flesh, lust of eyes and the pride of life tempted her to eat it. Eve plucked the fruit ate and also gave it to Adam. Adam too ate it because his beloved wife had given it. The woman was deceived and the Adam trespassed (1 Tim. 2:14).
In the test the first man and women chooses to disobey God’s commandment and ate the forbidden fruit. The Adam and Eve first step from innocence was sin. Thus sin came in the world and every one born in Adams race is born in sin.
SELF CONSCIOUSNESS
Self Consciousness (AtmaGyan): Before, Innocence made Adam and Eve not ashamed. But latter after falling in sin, the lost man became self conscious, saw himself naked, felt guilty, ashamed, and coward. Self consciousness made them nervous and shy.
When, Adam and Eve saw that they were naked, hid themselves and sewed fig tree leaves to cover themselves. Before also they were naked, but they were innocent and perhaps clothed with glory that hid their nakedness. This innocence/glory they lost in the fall. Conscious of their shame, they resorted for clothing of fig tree leaves.
Clothes are covering of guilt. Cloth hid shame from one’s own eyes and from others but not from God.
As usual Lord God walked in the garden in the cool of day as daily visitor but man that day feared to face Him. The sin made man coward. Adam blamed his fall on Eve and Eve blamed her fall on serpent. God patiently listened to them and gave them an opportunity to justify their conduct. Finally God passed the judgement. The sunset that day witnessed the downfall of human race. A dark and fearful night was that.
Alas! Being in the presence of God would have made their life absence from sin.
JUDGEMENT OF GOD
God with grief pronounced his judgment on woman, man, earth again and also on Satan who came in the form of ‘Serpent’. He did not give opportunity to Satan to justify himself. God knew his conduct from long. Gods’ verdict was Adamic Covenant about giving a seed ‘Jesus Christ’ of a woman ‘Mary’ to bruise the head of Satan/death on the cross of Calvary and finally punishing him by throwing into the lake of fire for ever. To Woman He said ....I’ll greatly multiply your sorrow, and in sorrow you shall bring forth children..... and that the Man shall rule over you. Woman lost her position equal to man and became subject to him.
To Man He said cursed is the ground for your sake, in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. In the sweat of your face you shall eat the bread. The earth shall bring forth thorns and thistles. (Gen 3:16-19).
The judgement was tough. God expelled Adam and Eve and drove them out from the beautiful Garden of Eden, lest they take the fruit of the tree of life and eat and live forever. God placed cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way of the tree of life and till today it is protected.
GODS PROVISION
Now the sinful man could not approach Holy God. Lord God made a provision for it. He killed a lamp, blood was shed, made coats of its skins and clothed them. It proclaimed a great truth that “sin can only be put away by the shedding of blood” (Heb. 9:22). Abel could approach God by sacrificing first begotten of goat. This proclamation was finally fulfilled during the dispensation of Church through the seed of the woman (Jesus Christ) the ‘Lamb of God’ who shed his precious blood to save you and me from sin.
Blessed are those who believe on the precious and the most holy blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary of the Lamb of God –Jesus Christ. Do you believe in this great redemptive plan of God for the fallen man that was prophesized in the first dispensation and fulfilled during the dispensation of Church. Believe in Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Salvation is yours and eternal life is yours.
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(Dr.K.James Mathai, Bhopal)
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" [John 3:16] 
