Guest Article: THE BIBLICAL DISPENSATIONS OF TIME
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Introduction
I put this piece together, by the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit, because I felt that it is something that most people (both believers & non-believers) are not very familiar with. I feel that it is very important because we get to understand God’s purpose through various generations and dispensations. The scripture says that “My people perish for lack of knowledge….” Hosea 4:6, therefore, my prayer is that all of us will get to understand the times and season we are living in and prepare for what is to come. 'And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. '1 Chronicles 12:32 (KJV)
As I was studying this topic, I went through a few biblical commentaries and expositions on the second coming of Christ and the tribulation, I learnt that there are two major views. While most Christians believe in the Pre-tribulation rapture (rapture taking place before the 7-year tribulation period begins), there are those that believe in a Post-tribulation rapture. The former believes that the second coming of Christ will be in two phases. First is when Christ comes for the righteous before the tribulation period where they will ascend and be with Christ in the sky and face the Judgement Seat of Christ (judgement of the righteous), partake the Lord’s marriage supper and receive rewards according to their works. Then the second phase is when Christ shall descend with the raptured saints to establish His kingdom here on earth after the 7 years of tribulation are over. The other category of believers holds the view that Christ will return only once, after the tribulation period.
Personally, I believe that Christ will come to take the church before the tribulation begins, and then return a second time to establish His Kingdom – as I have explained below in The Rapture and the Millennial Reign of Christ. But even as there is lack of agreement of every detail concerning what is to happen (simply because not everything has been plainly revealed in the scriptures), there is still a unanimous agreement on most other things. Of importance is the fact that ALL Christians believe that Christ will ultimately return to Reign together with His saints forever. The other details will be revealed to us in the proper time. I felt it would be important for me to make this clarification in the introduction.
When I got the inspiration to share on this topic, I started by posting it on my Facebook account and that is why you will see date references on each topic which is when I posted them. I thank God for the responses I got from some of the readers stating that they were indeed blessed, glory be to Him alone! After receiving requests from some of the people, I decided to put the pieces together in a format that is easily shareable.
My prayer is that as you read, the Holy Spirit will give you more revelations and that as you get equipped with the knowledge of the truth, you will not remain the same in Jesus Mighty Name.
Shalom
Yours in Christ,
Sophie C. Ndalo
God’s Purpose - Posted on 7th April (FB)
God's purpose for humanity has been demonstrated from the beginning and He will not stop until it is accomplished. If we read through the Bible, we can identify different dispensations/ages and how through them God's purpose is revealed. Which dispensation are we in today? By God's grace I will explain but first, let us see what they are:
1. The dispensation of Innocence.
2. The dispensation of Conscience.
3. The dispensation of Human Government.
4. The dispensation of Promise.
5. The dispensation of Law.
6. The dispensation of Grace (this is where we are).
7. The 7 years Period of Great Tribulation.
8. The Millennial Reign of Christ
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfil my purpose. What I have said that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” Isaiah 46:10-11 NIV
It begins from the creation of man (Adam & Eve) and ends at their expulsion from the garden of Eden. Man was created with absolute innocence, only knowing what is good, and he was to maintain his innocence by obeying God's command. However, the devil would deceive them to disobey in Genesis 3, and this disobedience brought serious consequences to the entire humanity, that of physical & spiritual death.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV
Nevertheless, God in His mercy reveals for the first time the coming of the Messiah in Gen 3:15, referring to Him as the Seed of the woman. He would come to crush Satan and destroy his authority.
“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15 NKJV
It begins from the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden until the Flood and lasts approximately 1,636 years. Man was expected to be guided by his conscience by choosing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. However, this was not so as mankind continually chose to do evil – the first one recorded was when Cain killed his brother Abel because of jealousy. Then God became displeased and decided to destroy the earth with everything in it because of man's wickedness.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Genesis 6:5-6 NKJV
Even after Noah pleaded with the people to enter the ark which God commanded him to build and save their lives, none took heed. The floods destroyed every living thing on earth apart from Noah's family who God saved. God once again demonstrated mercy by making a covenant with Noah. God will always have a remnant to fulfil His purpose.
“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1 NKJV
3. The dispensation of Human Government. - Posted on 12th April (FB)
It begins from the flood to the confusion of tongues at Babel and lasts approximately 429 years. The main stewards are Noah and his family. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah and all creation never to bring judgement upon the earth by water. He commanded them to increase and scatter on earth. A huge responsibility was on them, that of bringing forth a whole new generation that feared God, for they had witnessed the judgement of God upon the previous generation because of sin. “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1 NIV
He also let them govern themselves by making man rule over man. “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” Genesis 9:6 NIV
However, man once again failed in this dispensation by choosing to do what he pleased. They disregarded the command to scatter and fill the earth, instead they chose to stay in one place and exalt themselves.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4 NIV
God is sovereign and His purpose will always prevail. He came down and confused the language of man so that they spoke different tongues, this way their mission to live together was frustrated and the building of the tower ended so that they spread all over the earth through the descendants of Shem, Ham & Japheth who were the sons of Noah. This is how the third dispensation ends, and God's grace is once again demonstrated when He chooses Abraham to carry on His will, and the next dispensation is birthed.
4. The dispensation of Promise - Posted on 14th April (FB)
It starts at the confusion of languages in Babel until Mt. Sinai where the 10 commandments are given to Moses. Lasts more than 430 years. The main stewards are Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Israel). This dispensation begins with the call of Abraham (a descendant of Shem the son of Noah) where God makes several promises to Him. God's agenda is to bring forth a people from Abraham that would be separated unto Him and who would be His people. The promise had both physical and spiritual elements.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 NIV
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 NIV
Israel (formerly Jacob) moved to Egypt from Canaan with his children in search of food during a severe famine. But later, the Israelites forgot about their God and no longer kept fellowship with Him. They no longer held on to the promise of the land given to their forefathers and they became comfortable in Egypt. They were caught up in slavery just as the Lord had foretold Abraham. He is the God who knows the end from the beginning.
Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. Genesis 15:13 NIV
God's mercy was demonstrated when He sent a liberator – Moses. However, the children of Israel kept rebelling against God and Moses in the desert despite the great deeds that God had demonstrated to them – even splitting the red sea and delivering them from Pharaoh. Then God moved onto the fifth dispensation at Mt. Sinai, that of the Law.
5. The dispensation of Law - Posted on 15th April (FB)
It begins at Mount Sinai until the death of Christ Jesus and lasts approximately 1,500 years. Israelites were expected to keep the whole law, and atonement for sin was to be made through animal sacrifices. The law was not meant to save people, but it was given that the children of Israel may understand righteousness from sin.
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” Romans 3:20 NIV
However, with the law, Israelites tried to pursue their own righteousness which was by works. “But the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.” Romans 9:31-32 NIV
The Israelites failed to keep the law and it was time for a new dispensation according to the plan of God. The law was to point to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Just as all other dispensations, the dispensation of law served its purpose as it was to be fulfilled in the new covenant. The law was fulfilled in Jesus Matt 6:17. This fulfilment means that we, by putting our faith in Him, may also be justified by Him, and not through the Law as Paul puts it in the book of Galatians.
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” Galatians 2:15-16 NIV.
6. The dispensation of Grace - Posted on 17th April (FB)
It is also known as the Church Age. It begins on the day of Pentecost until today, that's about 2,000 years now and counting; it will end when rapture takes place. God in His love sent His son Jesus Christ to die for the world so that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life John 3:16. This grace is defined as unmerited favour, it is because we didn't work for it and we don't deserve it. Since man's ability to live righteously could not be achieved through Innocence, Conscience, Self-government, Promise and Law; God has given us salvation by simply believing in Christ Jesus. God made this salvation accessible to Gentiles too after the Jews, whom it was intended, denied and rejected Jesus even unto crucifixion.
God gave Him as the final Sacrifice, meaning we are no longer justified by observing the law, nor by making atonement for our sins through animal sacrifices, nor by living according to what we think is right. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 NIV.
And this grace is not obtained by anything we have done but based purely on God's mercy. "And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Romans 11:6 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
Now we overcome sin by the grace given to us by God through the Holy Spirit. As we have seen, the law only made the children of Israel to be conscious of sin, but Grace makes us to overcome sin. "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14 NIV
“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 KJV
My prayer is that we will take advantage of this dispensation to accept Jesus and be saved because a time is coming, and is very near, when this very grace will no longer be available.
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The Rapture - Posted on 24th April (FB)
This is a dispensation but a very important event that will soon take place. When I spoke of the dispensation of Grace, I mentioned that it would end when rapture takes place. I thought I should shed more light on it.
It simply means the taking up of believers to meet Christ in the sky and it will occur before the 7 years of tribulation begin. The following will be the features:
1) Christ will appear in the sky to take up His own at the sound of the trumpet.
2) The believers who slept shall be resurrected first and those living shall be transformed. The two shall be clothed in glorified bodies.
3) Both shall be caught up to meet with Christ in the sky
Scripture reference:
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NIV
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are
still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 NIV
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 NIV
7. The Great Tribulation - Posted on 2nd May (FB)
This is a 7-year period of great suffering, trouble and distress that cannot be equalled to any time in the past nor the future. Matthew 24:21 says "For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equalled again." However, God's elect will escape the tribulation period as they are rescued through the rapture.
There is a lot revealed in the Bible concerning this period which I cannot share all. It is a topic that is vast and deep which requires the help of the Holy Spirit for understanding. Several books in the bible have talked about it, the main ones being Daniel and Revelation, especially Daniel 7 and Revelation chapters 3-19 almost entirely.
The following are some of the features of the great tribulation:
1. The Great Tribulation will be ushered in by the appearance of a very powerful figure that the scripture calls the antichrist, the man of lawlessness or the beast. This personality is being held back at the moment, he will be revealed when his time has come, so fear not if you’re a believer. “And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” 1 Thessalonians 2:6; Daniel 7, 9:25-27, Revelation 13:11-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
2. The antichrist will be the ruler of the world government in this period and he will be in charge of everything and force people to worship him. Revelation13:12
3. A mark of the beast will be introduced and everyone who refuses it shall be martyred. Revelation 13:11-18
4. Salvation will no longer be by grace; the Holy Spirit will be withdrawn after rapture occurs. However, those who will refuse the mark of the beast and who will maintain their testimony of God shall be killed and be saved. Revelation 20:4-5
5. Many Jews will be saved during this time as some will now believe the Messiah. During this time, God will preserve144,000 out of all the twelve tribes of Israel. These people also referred to in the scriptures as servants of God, they shall be preachers in all Israel, and they will point them to Jesus Christ as the Messiah. 'Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. 'Revelation 7:2-4
Other Ref: Jeremiah 30:3-7, Micah 5:1-4
6. This period will end by a battle between Christ and Satan, also called the battle of Armageddon. Satan will be defeated and locked in the Abyss, and the 1000 years reign of Christ ushered in. Ref: Revelation 19:11-21
This should not cause us to fear because God already gave us a way of escape through Jesus Christ. Now is the day of salvation, anyone who accepts Christ shall be with Him forever, and not perish.
“For he says, “In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2
8. The Millennial Reign of Christ - Posted on 9th May (FB)
Millennium simply means a period of 1,000 years. Therefore, this is a dispensation of wonderful one thousand years reign of Christ here on earth. It will come immediately after the victory at Armageddon (discussed previously). Like the previous dispensation, this too is a very deep topic as there are several scriptures talking about it. These are recorded in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Psalms, Daniel, Micah, Revelation, among others.
The following are some of the features of this period.
1. It will be a theocratic form of government i.e. God reigning in the person of Jesus Christ. Ref: Isaiah 2:2-4, 24:23, Revelation 20:4.
2. After the defeat, the devil will be bound and locked up in the Abyss for the 1,000 years. Revelation 20:1-3. However, he will be released at the end and he will still manage to deceive people. Ref: Revelation 20:7-10.
3. All the resurrected and transformed saints, from the time of Adam to Millennium, shall reign with Christ and serve as priests during this time. Ref: Revelation 20:4-6.
4. The capital city for this government shall be Jerusalem from which Christ will reign. Ref: Joel 3:16-17, Isaiah 9:7.
5. It will be a time of restoration of Israel as a nation and a people. Ref: Jeremiah 23:5-6; 31:10, Isaiah 65:18-19, Amos 9:14-15
6. The Millennial Kingdom shall be a time characterized by Peace (Isaiah 11:6-7; Mic 4:3), Justice (Isaiah 11:3-4), Unity (Isaiah 11:10), Abundance (Isaiah 35:1-2), Healing (Isaiah 35:5-6), Righteousness (Isaiah 35:8) and Joy (Isaiah 55:12).
7. Mankind will be living in a perfect environment with Eden - like conditions (innocence) yet when the enemy is released after the 1000 years are over, they will still be deceived and rebel against the kingdom of Christ Revelation 20:7-10. This tells us that man cannot simply maintain the perfection that God requires by himself.
8. There shall be new heavens and a new earth which God will create. Ref: Isaiah 65:17
Note: The Millennial period will have 3 categories of people. First, the raptured saints (refer to the previous post on The Rapture). Second, those who will be saved during the 7 year tribulation period for refusing to take the mark of the beast Revelation 20:4.
Third, the natural man who will make it through the tribulation period alive and enter the Millennium; these are the once who will be living in natural state as recorded in Isaiah 65:19-24, and will be deceived by Satan after 1000 years because of their sinful nature. The glorified saints will be righteous because they will have heavenly bodies which are incorruptible.
Final Judgement - Posted on 15th May (FB)
In the last dispensation, we saw that the devil will be released for a little while after the 1000 years are over and he will go deceiving the nations against the Kingdom of Christ. But we know that he is a loser, he will be defeated and judged forever in eternal fire.
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10 NIV
"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15 NIV
Conclusion
Blessed is he who hears and receives the word of God into his heart. He will no longer be guilty of his past nor will he be consumed with fear of what is coming because such a person will have his share in the inheritance of God's kingdom.
Shalom
About the Author:
Sophie is a new creation in Christ whose life is rooted in her faith in Him. Married and blessed with two children. An accountant by profession. Believes that part of God's purpose for her life is to teach His word. Excited when people attain spiritual growth, moving away from false doctrines.
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