Correctly Handling the Word of God
I asked you to pray for me last week as I went about preparing for a new teaching series based on the prophecies found in the book of Daniel. And I thank you for your prayers and help. Next week we will actually start reading and studying and interpreting the prophecies of Daniel, and in preparation for that I encourage you to take the time this week to read Daniel chapter 2. Today, however, I wanted to give you a foundation upon which Biblical prophecy and indeed the entire Bible can be understood and interpreted correctly.
If you’ve ever done any studying or reading of Bible prophecy you know how confusing and difficult it can be to understand. And if you’ve read many works by scholars on the topic of Bible prophecy you’ve probably noticed that there are just about as many different interpretations of those prophecies as there are scholars.
I. Correctly Interpreting The Word of God
So, how then can we determine what is the correct way to interpret passages of Scripture which are difficult to understand? This is the topic I want to cover today in preparation for next week. And the Apostle Paul gives us an answer to this question in his second letter to his young protégé, Timothy. Read with me if you will 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV).
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” The KJV says who “rightly divides the word of truth.”
This passage tells us that the student of the Bible is a workman. A workman is someone, who in order to do his/her work, must follow a plan. He/she must have drawings, blueprints, specifications in order to do their work correctly. Therefore, a student of God’s Word must understand God’s Plan and purpose for the ages or there will be confusion when we try to correctly interpret the Scriptures.
We can correctly interpret Scripture when we understand God’s Plan. And we can understand God’s Plan when we correctly handle the word of truth or rightly divide the word of truth.
You see God’s Word is written for all people and for our learning. However, it is not addressed to all people in general. Part of the Bible is addressed to the Jews, part to the Gentiles, and part to the Church. These three classes make up the entire human race. You are either a Jew, a Gentile or a member of the church. Some of us are both Gentiles and members of the church. Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 10:32 when he tells the Corinthians, “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks [Gentiles] or the church of God -.”
So, while the whole Bible was written for the instruction of the Church, it is not all written about the Church. This is where a lot of prophecy scholars and Bible teachers get into trouble when interpreting Scripture. They take portions of Scripture, which were clearly written about and to the Jews, and spiritualize it by saying that it is really talking about the Church or believers.
For example, did you know the Church is not mentioned at all in the Old Testament. The Old Testament centers almost entirely around the Jewish race. The prophets of the Old Testament couldn’t see the church or the church age. The church was a mystery hidden to them until the Apostle Paul revealed it in the New Testament book of Ephesians. Another example is the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. Teachers have applied large portions of its prophecies to the Church. But if you read the very first verse of Isaiah it declares that it is a, “vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem…”
Then if you look in the New Testament you find that the books of Hebrews and James are Jewish as well. James 1:1 says that it is specifically addressed “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” Therefore, the prayer of faith found in James 5:13-16 for the sick is not primarily a promise to the Church but to Israel, though doubtless it will be answered for all whom comply with the conditions. In the book of Hebrews many Christians stumble at the words “fall away” (Hebrews 6:4-6), and “if we sin willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). But these words do not apply to Christians. They were spoken to apostate Jews who professed Christianity but who had never been born again.
All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, (2 Timothy 3:16), and what happened to Israel was written for our benefit as examples and warnings (1 Corinthians 10:11), but we must not apply to the Church what does not belong to it. When we misapply Scripture we are not handling the word of truth correctly, we are robbing the Jews of what are exclusively theirs, and confusion, error and false interpretations occur.
So, if we are to know what interpretation of prophecy is correct, then we need to know God’s plan or outline for humankind. We need to know who He is addressing in each passage. We need to know who wrote it and when it was written. We need to know where each passage falls in God’s plan or timeframe in order to determine the truth. And when we start looking at the prophecies of Daniel, we will do this. Because if we don’t, we could come up with a wide variety of possible interpretations, none of which would be true.
II. Dispensationalism
So, we need to know God’s plan or outline or timetable, and that seems like a rather daunting task. I mean, how can mere humans understand how God works? Right? Well, the only way we can understand is if God reveals it to us. And He has done just that. Look again at our main scripture passage for today 2 Timothy 2:15, only let’s read it in the KJV, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
That last phrase, rightly dividing the word of truth, is the key to understanding God’s plan and timetable. As we said earlier, this means dividing the Scriptures by knowing who God is speaking to in which passage. But it also refers to divisions of time. All throughout Scripture God uses terms that deal with time: “times of the Gentiles,” “times and seasons,” “day of the Lord,” “this present age,” “the fullness of time,” “the day of vengeance.” All these terms refer to different periods of time in which God deals with mankind. Understanding what time we are in and/or what time a certain passage of Scripture was written in or about, greatly enhances our understanding of what God is trying to say to us. This is especially true when you begin to read prophecy and try to understand when the events foretold will take place and who will be involved.
Today, I want to talk about one specific division of time called a dispensation. Some of you may have already studied dispensations, others of you may not have. But knowing the dispensations of God’s time help a great deal when interpreting prophecy that is why I want to cover them with you before we start the book of Daniel.
A. What is a Dispensation?
First, let me define a dispensation for you. A dispensation is a period of time in which God deals with mankind in a specific way. For example you probably already recognize that the way God dealt with mankind in the Old Testament with the law, is different than how He deals with mankind in the New Testament and today because after the coming of Jesus we are no longer under the law but under grace. We live in a different dispensation than the Jews of the Old Testament.
B. How many are there?
There are a total of seven dispensations or seven periods of time in which God deals with mankind in different ways. The seven dispensations 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, and (7) the Dispensation of the Kingdom. I’ve given you a chart that shows you chronologically where each of these dispensations occur. By looking at the chart you should be able to tell which dispensation we are currently in: the sixth one, Grace.
Now to help us understand the dispensations a little more there are four characteristics that can be applied to each dispensation. They are: (1) the state of mankind at the beginning of the dispensation, (2) what mankind’s responsibility is during the dispensation, (3) mankind’s failure in each dispensation, and finally (4) the judgment which mankind faces for its failure. You will also notice I’ve included a chart that covers these four characteristics.
C. Dispensations in detail
Using your handouts, then, let’s take a quick look at each dispensation in greater detail. As we go through these, the first few I will read the Scripture references for you. But then for the sake of time I won’t read all of them. I have included the references on the table of the dispensations however so that you can look them up on your own.
1. The Dispensation of Innocence
The first dispensation is the dispensation of Innocence. It started with the creation of mankind through Adam and lasted until Adam’s fall and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Mankind’s state at the beginning of Innocence can be found in Genesis 1:27-28, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [28] God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ Mankind’s state was that of innocence. He was created in the image of his Maker and given dominion over the earth and the creatures of it.
Mankind’s responsibility during the dispensation of Innocence can be found in Genesis 2:15-17, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; [17] but you must not eat from the tree of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’” Man’s responsibility was to take care of the Garden and obey God.
Mankind’s failure to uphold his responsibility is recorded in Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Man’s failure was disobeying God by eating of the tree of good and evil.
And finally, the judgment that came upon them because they failed in their responsibility was expulsion from the garden and the curse of death upon the human race. Genesis 3:23, “So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.” And Romans 5:18-19, “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, … [19] For just as through one man the many were made sinners…” And so God had to begin a new dispensation, a new way of dealing with mankind. And that was the dispensation of conscience.
2. Dispensation of Conscience
The dispensation of conscience lasted from the fall of man to the global flood of Noah’s day. Man’s state at the beginning of this dispensation is fallen. He is no longer innocent. He has knowledge of good and evil, so now he is governed by his own conscience. Genesis 3:22, “And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil…”
Man’s responsibility is to do that which is good and avoid evil. Genesis 4:7, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
You can probably guess what man’s failure was. He did what was right in his own eyes instead of what God said was right. Genesis 6:5, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”
And because of man’s failure to uphold his responsibility then God sent judgment in the form of a global flood which wiped out all of mankind except Noah and his family. Genesis 7:11-12; 23, “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month – on that day all the springs of the deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. [12] And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights…[23] Every living thing on the faith of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.”
3. Dispensation of Human Government
So God has to start over again with the dispensation of Human Government. Human Government lasted from the Flood to the Tower of Babel. At the beginning of this dispensation we find the earliest form of government when man now became responsible for others. Genesis 9: 5-6, “… And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Mankind’s responsibility is found in Genesis 9:1, “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”
They were to fill the earth and rule it for God. Of course they failed at this task too. Instead of filling the earth and subduing it for God they decided to stay in one place and make a name for themselves. Genesis 11:4, “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 and not be scattered over the face of the earth.’” And you know what the judgment for that disobedience was: the confusion of the languages at the Tower of Babel which then forced the people to scatter as God had commanded them to in the first place. (Genesis 11:5-8)
4. Dispensation of Promise
Then comes the dispensation of promise, which lasted from the call of Abraham to the slavery in Egypt. This was a period of 430 years, which is also called the dispensation of the family. At Babel the people had become idolaters. Even Abraham’s father worshipped idols and false gods. So this dispensation begins with God calling Abraham out of the world to establish a chosen people that were all His own, Israel. (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:5). Man’s responsibility during this time was to obey God, receive the blessings of God’s covenant with Abraham, (Genesis 26:2-3). But while Abraham was a mighty man of faith, each of his descendants were increasing less faithful and righteous. And then after they went into Egypt to survive the famine they remained there instead of returning to the land God had promised them (Exodus 1:6). The result then was God’s judgment in form of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-14).
5. Dispensation of Law
The fifth dispensation is that of law. The entire Old Testament was written down during this dispensation. It started at Mt. Sinai when Moses was given the law by God and it lasted until the Cross of Calvary. The dispensation of law starts with the children of Israel recently being redeemed from slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 19:1-4) Their responsibility was to obey God and keep the law that He gave them at Mt. Sinai. (Exodus 19:5-6 and Romans 10:9) Israel failed in their responsibilities once again, breaking God’s law and worshipping idols and the gods of other nations. (2 Kings 17:17-19 and Acts 2:22-23) As punishment the Israelites lost their prominence as a nation, were scattered abroad, and suffered greatly at the hands of the Gentiles. (2 Kings 17:1-6, 2 Kings 25:1-11; Luke 21:20-24).
6. Dispensation of Grace
The sixth dispensation is the one in which we are presently living and which I believe will soon come to an end. It is the dispensation of grace. It began at the Cross of Calvary and will continue until the rapture of the church. At the beginning of this dispensation mankind is lost. The law can’t save him and it is impossible to keep perfectly. Man is in need of a Savior. (Matthew 18:11; Romans 3:19-23). So God sent a Savior to mankind and our responsibility is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 1:11-13; 3:16). And of course the failure of mankind during this dispensation is the rejection of Christ (Luke 19:12-14, 18:8; Matt. 24: 37-39). And the judgement for rejecting Christ is one of the worst imaginable. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, “…They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [11] For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie [12] and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”
7. Dispensation of the Kingdom
The final dispensation is in the future and it is the dispensation of the Kingdom. It begins at the end of the Tribulation period when Christ returns to set up his kingdom. And it will last to the renovation of the earth before eternity begins. At the beginning of this dispensation mankind is once again in the presence of his creator and Savior. (Revelation 20:4). Man’s responsibility is to be obedient to the rule of Christ here on earth (Revelation 20:6). But even while we live in the very presence of God there will be those who only serve God with their lips and not their hearts. This will be their failure (Revelation 20:8). And the judgment that occurs at the end of this final dispensation is the ultimate judgment, The Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15) in which the wicked will be cast forever into the lake of fire.
Now I know that was just a quick run through of a concept that may be new to you. So I suggest you take some time and review the handouts and scripture references and feel free to ask questions if you have any. I do have copies of this teaching available on the vestibule table.
But if you can see that God works with man in different ways at different times you begin to understand how to correctly interpret questionable passages of Scripture. If you can figure out who God is addressing in the passage, during what dispensation it was written, etc. you will get a more accurate view of what God is trying to tell us.
I stress this because when it comes to interpreting prophecy it is very easy to read what you want to in some of the obscure passages. You can make some of them say whatever you want them to. You can apply them to the church or a group of people that God never intended if you don’t rightly divide the word of truth according to the plan that God has shown to us.
Next week we will build on this foundation and start looking at the prophecies of Daniel. Again, if you have a chance read the second chapter of Daniel before next week.
Sermon Sources:
Larkin, Clarence. Dispensational Truth or God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages. Copyright 1918.
