God has divided history into distinct periods, each marked by a hallmark event which alters the manner of His dealings
with man. 3 of the 5 dispensations also has a common beginning; for they begin with only believers alive on the Earth,
as all unbelievers are removed by one means or another.
The first dispensation was The Age of Innocence, the Garden of Eden, which began with only one man, and ended with two.
We are not told how long it lasted.
The second was the Age of the Patriarchs, and at this point we will introduce another unque charactaristic of each age;
the priesthood, or those responsible for the stewardship and dissemination of God's Word. The second age ended with the
great flood, and thus the third began with just Noah and his family, eight people, all believers. The third dispensation
is the Age of Israel, which is so far the longest of the ages.
Israel inherited the stewardship of the Word, and a new priesthood was begun, the family based priesthood. For the entire
Age of Israel the tribe of Levi were designated the only family in Israel which was qualified to become involved in the
many tasks which were involved in this role, and they were extensive.
Being an actual priest, which ministered at the tabernacle, and oversaw the function of the rituals and sacrifices, was
just one of the dozens of areas in which Levites served. The entire choir were Levites, and the craftsmen who fashioned
the tabernacle, the carpenters and atisans who built the furniture and created the objects d'art, such as the golden
lampstand, which we know as a minora. The magnificent Ark of the Covenant was designed and crafted by Levites. Even the
people that struck the great tent and loaded it on doneys for transport, had to be from the tribe of Levi.
The fourth age was the shortest, The dispensation of the Hypostatic Union, or Incarnation of Christ. It lasted just 33
years and ended on the day He died.
It is the fifth age which is of greatest interest to use, for we live in it, The Church Age. At this point it is important
that we draw another distinction which charactarizes each age, and that is the principle that God never "mixes" the unique
parameters, or allows the tenets on one age to overlap into another. This, for us, is a critical principle, for much of
christianity in our time are guilty of doing just that, mixing the priesthood and rituals of the Age of Israel with the
priesthood we are given; The Royal Priesthood.
Israel ushered in the "Age of the Law", which deals with the Mosaic Law, that which governed not only their criminal and
civil jurisprudence, but the body of laws which dictated the rules of worship. This title is not to be confused with the
dispensations, for The Age of the Law is restricted to all things spiritual, whereas the dispensations involve the broader
scope of all mankind.
With the Church Age comes the Age of Grace, which speaks of the fact that Christ satisfied the old law and established,
by His efficacious sacrifice, a grace basis for our relationship with God. One of the 39 irrevocable assets we are given
at the moment of salvation is the filling of God the Holy Spirit, and it is this power which sets us apart, for by it we
are liberated from the power of the flesh.
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit;" (1 Cor:12:8)
"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Cor:2:13)
"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (1 Cor:2:11)
Many, many of the verses in scripture which deal with this fantastic new development are not understood by mainstream
christianity, for the clergy in our time have not bothered to prepare themselves properly to dig out the invaluble
truths from the Word of God concerning this principle.
I beg your forgiveness, if I step on Dear Old Doctor so-and-so's toes, the man you love as your minister, because he
has never uttered an intelligible word concerning the filling of The Holy Spirit, and it's impact upon our life here, but
credit will be given from this quarter where it is due, but so will criticism. It is a harsh truth, and one many christians
choose to ignore, that many of our men in the pulpit in America are grossly unqualified to shoulder that profound
responsibility.
Although we are each priests in our own right, and Royal Piests at that, there is yet an "interface" between God and us.
This is not a person who speaks for us before God, as in the former priesthoods, but one who is given a spiritual gift
of communication. There are two such gifts extant; the Pastor-Teacher, who studies and teaches The Word of God, and the
evangelist who spreads the gospel. Both of these gifts involve specific talents and abilities. The evangelist, for example,
has the power to mesmerize an audience, to capture their complete and absolute attention. This is not a charisma which
they have developed of themselves, but one given of God for the effective function of their spiritual gift.
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Eph:4:11)
"Pastors and Teachers" in this verse is a mistranslation, for the "and" is a hendiades in the Greek, or hyphen, so it
should be translated "pastor-teacher".
Both the gift of apostleship and the gift of prophecy are no longer given. Apostles were but twelve man, and there will
never be another. Prophecy, on the other hand, will be revived in the Tribulation and the last dispensation, The Millenium.
Some other gifts which ceased to be given long ago are causing miriad problems in christianity today, for some
mistankenly believe that they are still active; I refer to the gifts of healing and tounges.
These two latter gifts were not intended to remain in effect for the whole of history, after they were first bestowed.
They were a sort of "credit card", you see, spectaular gifts which helped the apostles and evangelists to gain stature
as men of God. Call them a "jump start" for the Church Age. Remember, christianity, in those times, was new and unheard
of. Those gifts were designed to awe and astound the population, and motivate them to hear the message of the gospel.
Once the canon of scriptures were completed all but the gifts we have today were discontinued. We still have the two
already mentioned, as well as the gift of prayer, refreshments, administration, giving, and several other areas of service
to God. Virtually every position held in a local church is supported by a spiritual gift. Deacons, board members,
secretaries, and staff in any local church all have a spiritual gift, and are called to fulfill it.
The gift of helps is the gift of caring for other people and can take many forms, whether visiting sick paritioners in the
hospital (NOT the pastor's job!), or at home, and providing care or lodging for believers in need. Prayer is one of the
least heraleded of all gifts because the bearer of this gift practices it in private. These "prayer warriors" can play a
dynamic and critical role in the support of a ministry. Another gift, giving, is an unusual gift which we would all like
to have, I suppose, because God obviously provides tjose with this gift with abundant resources. Givers are no more or
less than comptrollers, responsible to distribute the wealth God gives them in ways that help and sustain others, and ofcourse,
to benefit a local church.
In a sense, you see, God hasn't really changed things up so much after all. There are still designees for every task
around a local church, and gifts are distributed accordingly. The cardinal principle here is that the pastor must be
free to do his job, which is exclusively studying and teaching Bible doctrine. This is yet another practice which has been
badly distorted in our time, for ministers are xpected to be no more than fetch boys in many churches. Those institutions
where this erroroneous practice is observed are not following the precise format which God has sanctified for this Church
Age.
Another charactaristic of The Church Age is the local church. God has annointed "shepherds", each assigned a "flock" of
sheep. Big denominations are not an institution supported by God's plan. The reason for this should be clear, for the
big religions pose a threat to christianity. Any time you have many churches gathered under the authority of one man, or
a small group of men, the potential exists for the corruption of Bible doctrine. Take a look at ecuminical religions.
What single principle stands out in all of them?
Anytime there is an argument they declare a synod to deal with the problem. The church big wigs meet and decide what
course the church will take. Heresies have gradually become acceptable, like marriage of homosexuals and allowing
women to be ordained pastors and ministers. The local church concept is effective in this respect, that it isolates
corruption to one small body of believers.
Incidentally, I mentioned that the ages are never overlapping, well this is completely correct, but it will probably
confuse many of you when I tell you that the Church Age is "intercalated", or inserted into time before The Age of Isreal
is ended. This is for the purpose of calling forth the Royal Family of this new royal house, King of Kings, Lord of Lords,
the result of Christ's defeat of Satan. Once finished, at the rapture, the age of Israel will continue for the 7 years
remaining in it, called "Daniel's Seventieth Week".
In the continued Jewish Age all the conditions and terms which marked the age in Old Testement times are reinstated and
remain in effect until the end of the Tribulation, and the kickoff ot the Millenium, the last of the dispensations.
The Millenium is one of the most unique, by far, where the physical, cosmic environment is concerned. The curse will be
removed from nature, and the sun's actinic light increased sixfold. This will produce a bumper crop over the earth, and all
will have plenty. There will be no freezing winters and burning summers, for the climate will be the same everywhere. There
will be no thorny plants, or poison ivy type plants, and animals will no longer be carnivores, eating flesh. Even the
ferocious lion will become a herbivor and eat grass like cattle do today. That shoul make an interesting sight, in itself!
There will be no poisonous snakes or spiders, and the deserts will disappear, for a mist will rise up every night from
the earth's subterranian waters, and nourish plants everywhere. The desert will "blossom like the crocus". Because perfect
environment also means no bacteria, death will literally cease to exsist, except for capitol punishment or accidental
injury, like car accidents, anf the like. Millions of people will be alive at the end of the Millenium, and some of them
will have been present at The Second Advent. They will be 1,000 years old. A good business to be in will be candle making,
I reckon!
Yet, with perfect environment, worldwide prosperity, the elimination of war and hunger and almost no crime, there will be a
great revolution against God after the 1,000 tears are almost complete. Satan will be set loose just long enough to rally
the forces of evil and start the Gog and Magog revolt, at which time Christ will destroy the vast army arrayed against Him
and pass final judgement of all unbelievers, call the "second death".
I will close this section with the observation that, contrary to popular opinion, saving trees and whales, and all the
other extreme measures that are taking more and more of our freedoms, will not make this a better world, or produce
peace and happiness. Even in a totally perfect world, man cannot be sustained apart from The Creator. Just as the first
man and woman eventually succumed to temptation and defied God, so will another vast number defy Him at the close of
the Millenium. Thus, God will have made His point, we need His perfect Righteousness to avoid falling from grace, and
that is precisely what He gives us at salvation.