“The Seven Dispensations of God”
Prelude
Scripture
That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. Ephesians 1:10
Prayer
Introduction
Dispensation means the dispense, or manage of a household, estate, or religious economy.
We see that the master of the family, God almighty, has established a plan that He has ordained to carry out his purposes for mankind.
A plan in which the Gospel, that provides salvation for the lost world; and according to which He intends to gather all believers into one body, which Jesus Christ is the head of and governors this dispensation.
In 1 Corinthians 9:17 we have the dispensation of the gospel, which is the stewardship of the gospel, a sacred trust, it is our responsibility.
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. (KJV) 1 Corinthians 9:17
As believers, it is our commission from God to be stewards of the gospel.
A minister holds even a greater responsibility.
In Biblical times, a steward was the manager of a large household or estate.
The minister of God is the manger of God’s household and estate (the church).
It should be noted that it doesn’t matter weather you share the gospel or you don’t share the gospel you are still going to be held responsible for what you have done.
There is no release form this responsibility.
We will all stand accountable.
In God’s plan we see the dispensation unfold in the scriptures.
Our responsibility begins to unfold in scriptures as we see in “The Seven Dispensations of God.”
Follow along with me this morning as we see the seven steps in God’s Dispensations.
1. Innocence to Guilt
Man was created innocent, set in an ideal environment, placed under a simple test and warned of the result of disobedience. The woman fell through pride; the man, deliberately.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 1 Timothy 2:14
Although God restored the sinning creatures, the dispensation came to an end at the judgment of the expulsion.
So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24
All of mankind is in a sinful state and lonely through God’s plan can one change that state.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
2. Obedience to Disobedience
By an act of disobedience man came to an experiential knowledge of good and evil.
Driven out of Eden and placed under the Adamic covenant, man was accountable to do all known good and to abstain from all known evil and to come before God by sacrifice.
Mankind’s state slowly became a state of degeneration ending in the judgment of the Flood. (Genesis 6-9)
And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage… Luke 17:26-27a
Is this not what we see today?
Life going on, people going about their business for partying, marrying, and in all this leaving God out!
3. The Promise
This era went from the call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1) to the giving of the Mosaic law (Exodus 19:8).
The dispensation was under the Abrahamic covenant and was exclusively Israelite.
The Promise was amplified through Abraham, the father of a mighty nation.
A promise to bless those that serve Him and curse those that refuse to serve him and we can be part of that promise, by being faithful to God’s plan.
4. Law VS Grace
This era reaches from Sinai to Calvary.
The period was a time of teaching used to bring Israel to Christ and was governed by the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 20:1-31:18).
Under the Mosaic covenant, one must keep all the law to find favor with God.
5. God’s Government VS Human Government
Mankind is responsible to govern the world for God. That responsibility rests upon the whole race, Jew and Gentile.
God intended that Israel be the shining light for the lost world.
However, Israel failed and God placed judgment upon them, thus causing Israel and the human race to placed under the times of the Gentiles.
God said that Israel’s judgment will be:
"Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known--wood and stone. Deuteronomy 28:64
And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:24
We can expect to see judgment come, if we fail to govern our affairs according to God’s Plan.
The world is still Gentile-governed, and hence this dispensation overlaps other dispensations and will not strictly come to an end until the second coming of Christ.
6. Grace
This period began with the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 3:24-26; Romans 4:24-25).
The point of testing is no longer legal obedience to the law as a condition of salvation but acceptance or rejection of Christ with good works as the fruit of salvation (John 1:12-13; John 3:36; 1 John 5:10-12).
7. The Kingdom
This is the last of the ordered ages regulating human life on the earth, previous to the eternal state.
It involves the establishment of the kingdom covenanted to David (2 Samuel 7:8-17; Zechariah 12:8; Luke 1:31-33).
This will include Israel’s restoration and conversion (Romans 11:25-27) and her rehabilitation as a high-priestly nation in fellowship with God and as head over the millennial nations (Zechariah 3:1-10; Zechariah 6:9-15).
of the fullness of the times
The method or program according to what God has ordained to carry out His purposes for mankind. A period of time.
He might gather together in one all At the end of this world’s history, God will gather believers together in the millennial kingdom, called here the “dispensation of the fullness of the times,” meaning the completion of history (Revelation 20:1–6).
After that, God will gather everything to Himself in eternity future, and the new heaven and new earth will be created (Revelation 21:1). The new universe will be totally unified under Christ
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:
Conclusion
Thus, we see “The Seven Dispensations of God.”
1. Innocence to Guilt
2. Obedience to Disobedience
3. The Promise
4. Law VS Grace
5. God’s Government VS Human Government
6. Grace
7. The Kingdom
We are now living under the dispensation of “Grace” and the dispensation of “The Kingdom” is soon approaching.
Are you ready?
