The
Twelve Dispensations
What is a dispensation? The Greek word for
dispensation, oijkonomiva – oikonomia, is defined in two ways. The first
definition emphasizes the plan of management: “The management of a household or
of household affairs; specifically, the management, oversight, administration,
of other’s property. The second emphasizes the position entrusted to the
administrator: “The office of a manager or overseer, stewardship.” We refer to
the term of office of an American president as an administration. We could
refer to it as a dispensation. Here is another way to understand the word.
Suppose you inherited an estate and hired an overseer, oijkonovmo" – oikonomos, to manage it.
You gave him a written document of instructions, the dispensation, and gave him
the authority to spend your money to carry out your directions. Although a
dispensation is not a period of time, we can see that the directions in the
dispensation are carried out over a period of time. If you wanted to, you could
replace the old administrator with a new one. You could also change the rules
of the dispensation a little, keeping most of the rules from the last
dispensation. The employees the prior administrator had hired could adapt to
the minor changes easily. But if you hired an administrator and gave him
instructions which totally conflicted with the previous dispensation, there
would be confusion and probably strong resistance from the employees. That’s
what happened in God’s dispensational program after the last change. God set aside
His nation, Israel, and started a new dispensation with the Apostle Paul.
How many dispensations are there? That is
a much harder question to answer. I could settle for as few as three if I had
to. If we had to call it a new dispensation every time God changed the
instructions at all, I suppose we could have, maybe even thirty seven. I think
we should recognize a new dispensation and call it a new dispensation every
time there is a significant difference. But there’s a problem with this. What
is a significant difference? I hope to show you the significant differences
which cause me to affirm that there are twelve dispensations. That’s the reason
for this booklet.
Most Biblicists agree that man was created
in a state of innocence. Adam and Eve did not know good from evil. The serpent
told Eve, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5).1 Therefore, because they were innocent, I believe it is
right to call the first dispensation The Dispensation of Innocence.
The Dispensation of Innocence lasted until
there was a significant change. That change happened when Adam and Eve sinned.
This is shown in Genesis 3:6-8:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it
was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of
its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the
eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the
sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam
and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees
of the garden.
They
now had a conscience. Because their conscience made them aware of their sin, we
call this second method of dealing with man The Dispensation of Conscience. It
appears that the conscience works in man in many different dispensations. I
believe this dispensation continues in effect for those on the earth until the
end of the millennium.
When God saw how evil man had become, He
repented that He had made man and destroyed them in the flood according to
Genesis 6:5-7:
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 repented2 that
He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord
said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both
man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I repent2
that I have made them.”
After
the flood, God changed His method of dealing with man. He instituted capital
punishment and gave man every living thing that moves for food in addition to
the green plants (Gen 9:1-17). Most dispensational theologians refer to this as
The Dispensation of Human Government. This method of dealing with man will last
until Jesus Christ rules in the millennium. In the millennium, “He Himself will
rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev 19:15).
It is difficult to discern the method of
salvation in the second and third of these first three dispensations. God seems
to demand sacrifices, but we do not find the instructions for the sacrifices.
It appears that they would be saved if they believed God and brought the
required sacrifice. When we consider the fourth dispensation, The Dispensation
of Promise, the doubt is removed, and clearer instruction are given.
In addition to the dispensations, God made
a number of unconditional promises. We may call them unconditional covenants.
When we look at God’s statement to Abraham in Genesis 15:6, we can see
justification is by faith alone under The Dispensation of Promise: “And he
believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
In addition, the details of a conditional
or two party covenant are displayed in Jeremiah 34:18-20a:
I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have
not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they
cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it – the princes of Judah,
the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the
land who passed between the parts of the calf – I will give them into the hand
of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life.
They
passed through the split animals as they covenanted with God. The split animals
signified – “If I don’t keep the covenant, I will be split like these animals.”
In contrast to Jeremiah 34, when we look at the details of the unconditional
covenant of Genesis 15:7-18, we see that Abram was not allowed to pass through
the animals. Only God did. He took the imprecation upon himself.
Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur
of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God,
how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a
three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a
turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them
in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did
not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses,
Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon
Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to
Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that
is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out
with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace;
you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall
return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” And it came
to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a
smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same
day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have
given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River
Euphrates.”
Because
God went through the covenant animals alone, we can see God’s covenant with
Abram was unconditional. Abram was justified by grace through faith when He
believed God in Genesis 15:6. Then, God made the unconditional covenant with
him confirming the promises of the covenant. We will call this the Abramic
Covenant.
We find the greatest change in God’s
method of salvation in the Hebrew Scriptures from the fourth, The Dispensation
of Promise, to the fifth dispensation, The Dispensation of Circumcision. This
dispensation of circumcision was associated with the second covenant God made
with Abraham. Because Abram’s name was changed to Abraham when this covenant
was made, it could be called the Abrahamic Covenant. However, it is called the
Covenant of Circumcision in Acts 7:8. This is the first conditional covenant.
The promises of the Covenant of Promise were still certain, but conditions were
added for Abraham and his progeny to perform if they wanted to participate in
the covenant blessings. Let’s read these conditions in Genesis 17:1-14.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to
Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2
And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you
exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many
nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be
Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you
exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from
you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants
after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you
and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after
you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an
everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” 9 And God said to Abraham:
“As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you
throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep,
between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you
shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your
foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who
is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your
generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any
foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he
who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in
your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child,
who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut
off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
This
is unquestionably a two way covenant. Even retribution (v. 14) is included in
this conditional covenant. This, indeed, could be called The Covenant of Works.
Under this covenant, circumcision was absolutely necessary. A person’s faith
had to be shown by a his faith-works. We have an illustration of this in
Genesis 22. After Abraham obeyed God and attempted to offer his son, God said,
“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that
you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me”
(22:12). When James referred to this event where God was the only spectator,
Abraham was justified before God. James wrote in 2:21-24,
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered
Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with
his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was
fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man
is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Abraham
was justified by his faith-work of offering up his son. That was God’s method
of salvation just as circumcision was necessary. The faith-work did not provide
the righteousness. Only Jesus Christ’s faithfulness could do that. That is
shown in Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. Let’s look at Romans 3:20-22,25,26
carefully.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in
His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness
of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the
Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faithfulness in of
Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 25
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faithfulness, to
demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over
the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time
His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has
faith in Jesus.
First, notice in verses 21 and 22, it is
the righteousness of God which is revealed. How is it revealed? It is revealed
through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. The phrase, “through faithfulness of
Jesus Christ”, is a prepositional phrase which modifies the verb, “revealed.”
From this we can see that the righteousness of God is revealed by Christ’s
faithfulness, not our belief. The word, “faith” (pivstew",
pivsti")
means “faith, faithfulness, pledge, fidelity, belief.” It is translated
faithfulness in Romans 3:3, “For what if some did not believe? Will their
unbelief make the faithfulness3 of God
without effect? Next, in verse 25, how did God demonstrate His righteousness?
Since it is God’s righteousness that is demonstrated, it must be by Christ’s
blood and faithfulness not ours. We can’t be justified by our works of the law.
They result in death. But Christ made God’s righteousness available. Man
acquires by faith that righteousness which Christ provided by dying. In each
dispensation, man must do by faith what God requires. Under circumcision, God
required faith-works. Under The Dispensation of Grace, He requires faith apart
from works. No Scripture could sum it up better than Philippians 3:9, “And be
found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that
which is through the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness which is from
God by faith.”
Here was a profound dispensational change.
God changed from the unconditional covenant of promise to the conditional
covenant of circumcision. We will see how consistently Paul steers away from a
works oriented salvation. We will also see how consistently Peter, James, and
John emphasize faith-law-works in their messages and epistles.
If you consult the chart at the middle of
this booklet, you will see that seven of the twelve dispensations are under the
influence of the circumcision covenant. We must conclude that the circumcision
covenant even includes the new covenant, for Genesis 17:7,13, and 19 all say it
is everlasting.
And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your
descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be
God to you and your descendants after you. 13 He who is born in your house and
he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be
in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your
wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish
My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants
after him.
We have covered five dispensations, and
we’re still in Genesis. The sixth one is The Dispensation of Law. Under this
dispensation, God’s method for having His righteousness imputed now includes
faith-law-keeping. The works of the law didn’t provide anything. But when a man
continuously kept God’s law, by faith, he appropriated God’s righteousness.
Romans 9:31,32 shows us Israel’s problem: “But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness,
has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek
it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that
stumbling stone.” They were too busy trying to establish their own
righteousness. Instead, the law produced death (Rom 7:7-14). What they needed
to do was recognize they could do nothing to produce righteousness. They needed
to submit only to God’s righteousness as Romans 10:3,4 says: “For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is
the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
In contrast, we died to the law (Rom 7:6;
Gal 2:19). We are not under the law in any way (Rom 6:14; Gal 5:18). We have
the indwelling Holy Spirit producing the law of the Spirit of life in us (Rom
8:2-4). We have a growing new life in the Spirit as we meditate on God’s word
and seek to love Him with all our being (Eph 5:18-21). It is extremely
difficult to keep this focus. Most never even seem try. Many don’t want to, but
this is what God wants us to do more than anything else. Loving God was the one
thing that did not interest me for most of my Christian life, yet, from
Christ’s lips, we hear that it is the most important commandment of all. Join
me in striving to love God with our whole life. I’m experiencing some of the
blessings of my feeble efforts to allow the Holy Spirit to fill me with His
love.
The seventh dispensation is The Dispensation
of the Kingdom Promised. How significant is this dispensation from the previous
one? There is no difference in the method of salvation. But there is a colossal
eschatological difference. It is found in 2 Samuel 7:12-13,16.
When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I
will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will
establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 16 And your house and your kingdom
shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established
forever.
Messiah
will sit on the throne of David. This kingdom promised to David will last
forever. This became Israel’s hope. This promise is temporary, but this kingdom
will be established on this earth forever.
About a thousand years later, John the
Baptist was sent. The eighth dispensation began, The Dispensation of the
Kingdom Proclaimed. Shortly after John’s birth, his father, Zacharias,
prophesied about Christ and John in Luke 1:68-78:
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and
redeemed His people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the
house of His servant David, 70 as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
who have been since the world began, 71 that we should be saved from our
enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, 72 to perform the mercy promised
to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, 73 the oath which He swore to
our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of
our enemies, might serve Him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before Him all the days of our life. 76 And you, child, will be called the
prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare
His ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of
their sins, 78 through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring
from on high has visited us.
John’s
commission was to go before the Messiah and prepare the way for the Lord
according to Luke 3:2-6,
While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God
came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the
region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission
of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the
Lord; make His paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled and every
mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and
the rough ways smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
His
ministry was to bring salvation to the nation.
Because it was such an important part of
his ministry, we must understand baptism and its relationship to Israel. Its
history is very important. This water rite was explained for Israel under the
law in Num 19:9,10,17-21:
Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the
heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be
kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of
purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the
ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It
shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who
dwells among them. . . . 17 And for an unclean person they shall take some of
the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water
shall be put on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take hyssop and dip
it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons
who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a
grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on
the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his
clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean. 20 But the man
who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from
among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water
of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a
perpetual statute for them.
Further,
God told Israel in Ezekiel 36:24-27 that He would baptize them with water, cleanse
them from all their filthiness and establish the new covenant with them:
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of
all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean
water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your
filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a
new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and
give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to
walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
When
John started his ministry, he baptized great crowds for the Lord from all the
tribes (Mat 3:5,6), not just from the priestly tribe of Levi. Because John was
baptizing with authority, the whole nation of Israel went out to him. They were
expecting the Messiah (Lk 3:15).
When we look at the Hebrew Scriptures, it
is interesting to see that the priests were baptized when they were thirty
years old (Num 4:2,3,23; 1 Ch 23:3). This was in preparation for their
consecration as priests (Ex 28:41-29:9). God had promised to make Israel a
kingdom of priests in Exodus 19:5-6:
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My
covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all
the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy
nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.
Isaiah
61:6 also says they will be priests: “But you shall be named the priests of the
Lord. They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of
the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast.” Further, God had promised to
sprinkle them with water to make them clean in Ezekiel 36:22-28.
Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God:
‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s
sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I
will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which
you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the
Lord,’ says the Lord God, ‘when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24 For
I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and
bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and
you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all
your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I
will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and
you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land
that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”
Therefore,
I believe, by his baptism, John the Baptist was preparing them to be a kingdom
of priests. That’s what Revelation 1:5,6, shows:
and from Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings
of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
They were called a royal priesthood by
Peter in 1 Peter 2:5,9, in fulfillment of Ex 19:5,6. John preached that his
baptism was for the remission of sins (Mat 3:1-6; Lk 3:3,8). Therefore, we see
water baptism was mandated for Israel, would result in a whole nation of
priests (1 Pe 2:5,9), accompanied true repentance displayed by works (Mat 3:8;
Lk 3:8), resulted in the forgiveness of sins for them at that time (Mk 1:4; Lk
3:3), and is associated with the Messianic kingdom promised to Israel (Eze
36:22-28).
John’s ministry of proclaiming the kingdom
was certified by Jesus Christ in Luke 16:16 when He said, “The law and the
prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached,
and everyone is pressing into it.” John was also certified by Peter as a
minister of the circumcision according to Acts 10:36-38,
The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all – 37 that word you know, which
was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism
which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by
the devil, for God was with Him.
Paul called Jesus Christ a circumcision
minister in Romans 15:8, “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a minister of
the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the
fathers.” Because He was a minister of the circumcision, water baptism was part
of His program for salvation according. This is shown by at least two passages,
John 3:5, “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”; and Mark 16:15,16,
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not
believe will be condemned.’”
Also, from Christ’s earthly ministry, we
see that endurance was expected in the believers if they were to receive
salvation. This requirement was in line with the other conditional aspects of
the circumcision covenant. John 15:1-8 is the best example:
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every
branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean
because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither
can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who
abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do
nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is
withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are
burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that
you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
When
He said, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch”, He was
speaking to the apostles. Judas had already left in John 13:30. Did He really
mean that an apostle could be lost? Yes, they had to abide in Christ in order
to be saved. Otherwise “they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they
are burned.”
Not only did they have to remain in
Christ, they also had to forgive men in order to be saved according to Matthew
6:14,15: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.” We will see these conditional principles
repeatedly as we continue to look at dispensations under the circumcision
covenant.
The next dispensational boundary comes
after the crucifixion of our wonderful Lord. The apostles did not understand
the significance of His death and resurrection. After His resurrection, Christ
was with the apostles for forty days. What was He doing? Acts 1:2,3 tells us,
“He…had given commandments to the apostles…being seen by them during forty days
and speaking
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” What were the apostles
expecting? They had earlier been sent to the twelve tribes of Israel (Mat
10:6). Christ also promised them they would sit in judgment over the nation of
Israel in Matthew 19:28. They were vitally interested in the establishment of
the long promised Davidic Kingdom. By now, they knew they had a wonderful part
in it. It’s no surprise that Acts 1:6 tells us they asked Him, “Lord, will You
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
The signs on the day of Pentecost were to
show Israel that the kingdom promised to David was about to be established. The
apostles had heard that Christ would return after the tribulation (Mat 24:21,29,30).
At the end of Christ’s description of the tribulation, He related the parables
of the ten virgins and the talents. These were both parables about the kingdom.
Then He said Matthew 25:31, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.”
Remember, He had promised the apostles authority over Israel (Mat 19:28). This
is why we must conclude that these were signs to show Israel that the kingdom
was about to be established right after the “great and terrible day of the
Lord” (Mat 24:29,30; 25:31,34). The “great and terrible day of the Lord” of
Joel 2:31 would take place right after the tribulation.
The gift of tongues given on the day of
Pentecost was a sign to Israel that the kingdom was very near. This gift of
tongues was a partial fulfillment of the Joel prophecy since other portions of
the prophecy would be fulfilled after the tribulation. When Peter offered the
kingdom and many responded to his message and believed, Peter commanded that
they be baptized for the remission of sins. Water baptism continued as a
requirement for salvation after Pentecost because God continued to offer Israel
the kingdom (Acts 3:19-26). We call this ninth dispensation The Dispensation of
the Kingdom Offered. If they had repented, God would have sent Christ back
(Acts 3:20). Before Pentecost, Christ had commanded belief and water baptism as
requirements for salvation shortly after His resurrection. Mark 16:16 says, “He
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned.” Both “believes” and “is baptized” represent aorist participles.
According to Greek syntax4 , the
action of these participles must precede the action of the main verb, “will be
saved.” Therefore, a person had to believe and be baptized before he would be
saved. When viewed in its setting of the circumcision covenant, this is
consistent with the purification rituals which were imposed on Israel.5
After the Ascension of Christ and the
outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, God still demanded water baptism for the
remission of sins. “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). After Paul was seized
in the temple by the Jewish mob and taken into custody by the Roman commander,
he was allowed to speak to the violent mob on the way into the barracks. He
used the opportunity to recount his conversion. He spoke of “a certain Ananias,
a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews
who dwelt there.” He related how Ananias had told him about his apostolic
commission from God. What method of salvation did Ananias present to Paul?
Ananias commanded, “Now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Ananias told
Paul the only message that he knew, the message of Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38,
the circumcision gospel with its condition of baptism. One of the most
important facts of all should be highlighted. Water baptism would be imposed on
Israel until the time of reformation (Heb. 9:10-13) when Christ would establish
the kingdom for Israel (Acts 3:21 with Acts 1:6). Therefore, from the beginning
of John’s ministry, through the time of Christ’s death and Ascension, to the
time that Israel was temporarily set aside in Acts 7, we find that water
baptism was essential for salvation.
However, the first dramatic change took
place on Pentecost in Acts 2. There, after he submitted to water baptism, a
believer would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). So, for the
first time, there were two baptisms, water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. As
the nation began rejecting Christ, the persecution of the circumcision church
which had started on Pentecost increased. When Stephen was stoned, Christ stood
in judgment upon the nation of Israel, and they were temporarily set aside.
The tenth dispensation, The Dispensation of Grace,
started with the conversion of Paul in Acts 9. A comparison of Acts 22:13 and
26:18 indicates that Paul was saved when he received his sight, just as the
Gentiles to whom he was sent would be saved upon receiving spiritual sight.
Paul received his sight before he was baptized at Ananias’ command.
More sensational events followed the salvation of
Paul. When God had separated Israel from the nations as His chosen people, He
imposed upon them a designation between clean and unclean animals (Lev.
20:23-26). Now, in a vision to Peter, the first dramatic change was made. God
abrogated the distinction between clean and unclean animals in order to show
that He had demoted Israel from their chosen people status (Acts 10:9-16).
However, God did not reveal to Peter the unity and equality of Jew and Gentile
in the new man, the body of Christ. In fact, He didn’t show him any of the
aspects of the great secret He would reveal to Paul. Most important of all, He
did not show Peter the new method of salvation by faith alone apart from works.
Peter simply adapted the gospel of the circumcision to his Gentile audience:
“But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by
Him” (Acts 10:35). This was the same gospel of faith plus works and endurance
for salvation which Christ taught (Acts 10:34-42; John 15:1-8). It conformed to
the circumcision covenant.
The second change was even more startling. The Holy
Spirit showed that water baptism was no longer necessary for salvation after
the body of Christ started with Paul’s conversion in Acts 9. This was done
dramatically when He fell on all who heard the word while Peter was still
preaching, before Peter would command them to be water baptized (Acts
10:44,45). The Holy Spirit’s gift, here, became the sign that would convince
the circumcision believers that God had opened the door of salvation to the
Gentiles. The dispensational boundary was Paul’s conversion in Acts 9. There,
we saw that Paul was sent to the Gentiles, kings and Israel.
Third, the order of the baptisms was reversed. Now,
Peter commanded water baptism after Holy Spirit baptism. Now, the Holy Spirit
baptism was the one necessary for salvation. Water baptism became secondary for
the first time. We’re not even sure that God wanted these new Christians
baptized. Peter did a number of things here only because the Lord had
previously commanded him to do them. Why did these changes take place? When
Paul was converted, God committed to him a new stewardship, The Dispensation of
the Mystery, and a new gospel, the uncircumcision gospel. What must they now do
to be saved? The answer was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be
saved” (Act 16:31).
During this time, there were some confusing events
that happened. Paul circumcised Timothy shortly before he wrote the epistle to
the Galatians. Yet, he severely criticized those who were being influenced by
the Judaizers who wanted them to be circumcised for salvation. Later, he even
became ceremonially purified and paid for the sacrifices for four men who had a
Jewish vow as well as himself. Yet, Paul had already written Galatians,
Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Romans. He knew he was not under the law. There
were other things Paul did, recorded in Acts, which passed away. These things
had to do with Israel. But Paul did not address each thing explicitly and say
it passed away. Some of these things were: raising the dead, exorcism, healing
the sick, being bit by a viper without being harmed. They would cease just as
baptism would cease. These signs were related to Israel. God was in the process
of showing Israel they had been set aside. God would issue a final declaration
showing Israel they had been set aside in Acts 28:28.
Soon, Paul learned that water baptism was not part
of his commission (1 Cor. 1:17), and he no longer baptized. But we must
remember that baptism was an integral part of the circumcision apostles’
commission (Mat. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-18). After Paul’s ministry began, he was
inspired to write to the Corinthians, “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one
body” (1 Cor. 12:13). So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two
baptisms for a while. Then, we see that as physical circumcision gave way to
spiritual circumcision, “made without hands,” in spite of Acts 16:1-3, water
baptism gave way to spiritual baptism, “through the faithful operation of God”
(Col. 2:11,12), in spite of Acts 16:15,31-34, and 1 Cor. 1:14-16.
Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism?
It was because God set Israel aside in Acts 7 (Rom. 11:11,25; Acts 28:28) when
Christ stood in judgment (Isa. 3:13) at the stoning of Stephen. Part of Paul’s
ministry had been to show Israel that they had been set aside. That is why the
Corinthian church spoke in tongues. Their meeting place wall was contiguous
with the Jewish synagogue. They spoke in tongues in judgment upon the
unbelieving Jews next door in fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 28 (1 Cor.
14:21,22).
God used Paul to pronounce to the Jews in Rome that
Israel had been set aside. This occurred in Acts 28:28. After this, the
baptisms imposed on Israel, being fleshly ordinances (Heb. 9:10-13), were set
aside until God would resume dealing with Israel in the tribulation. For
instance, baptism will be necessary for salvation when Peter’s epistles are
again directly applicable in the tribulation period. We must look at 1 Peter
3:20,21 closely. Verse 20 shows us that the ark and the flood of water were a
type. Peter then wrote, “There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely
baptism.” Yes, his message was, “Baptism ‘now saves us.’” Then he explained
away the possible confusion that the water baptism would be for the removal of
the outward filth of the body as in Mark 7:3-5.6 This
outward ritual of 1 Peter 3 in obedience to God, was essential to perform the
inner cleansing of sin in accordance with the principles of the circumcision
covenant (Numbers 19).
From the time of Israel’s fall in Acts 7, the book
of Acts relates how Israel was shown more and more that they had been set aside
by God. Let me reiterate. This is why the Corinthian church spoke in tongues so
much. The church “bordered on,” was “contiguous to,”7 the
Jewish synagogue. The Gentiles’ speaking in tongues was God’s judgment upon
unbelieving Jews next door (Please read 1 Cor. 14:22 in light of Isaiah 28).
Although Paul baptized some in his early ministry,
we must remember that Ananias had commanded him to be baptized to wash away his
sins. But God gave him further revelations. One was 1 Corinthians 1:17 “For
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” Sure, the context
shows there was a division because of baptism, but would Paul really let that
affect him if baptism was still necessary and he practiced it? Read 2 Thessalonians
3:6 again, “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to
the tradition which he received from us.” No, Paul would tell them to withdraw
from a person rather than deny a true teaching that was still in effect.
Baptism was not part of his message, and we have no Scripture which says he
recommended it, encouraged it, taught it, or commanded it. Not one.
Finally, at the end of the book of Acts, Israel was
shown for the final time that they had been set aside. This happened when Paul
spoke in judgment quoting Isaiah 6:9,10. After this judgment was pronounced,
Paul was inspired to write Ephesians. In it he wrote, “There is one body and
one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4,5). One baptism? If there is only one baptism,
which one is it? Is it water or Holy Spirit? It is Holy Spirit! Why? Because
God has suspended the use of water baptism. It has been done away with because
God is through with Israel for the time being. Now there is only one program.
It has to do with spiritual things, not carnal. So, for The Dispensation of
Grace, there is one baptism. We, who have trusted in Christ, are baptized into
the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ’s body. That
baptism identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom.
6:3-8). This identification justifies and frees us from all sin (Rom 6:7,18).
Water baptism has been set aside because God has set aside Israel.
Under The Dispensation of Grace, there are
many new things. There are no law-works necessary for salvation. In fact that’s
exactly what Titus 3:5,6 says. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Savior.” We are the only ones who have eternal security. This is
emphasized by Ephesians 1:4-14. We live the Christian life by the power of the
indwelling Holy Spirit. These are wonderful, awesome blessings. Let’s revel in
them.
The eleventh dispensation, The
Dispensation of the Tribulation, begins right after the rapture. In 2 Thessalonians
2:1-4, Paul wrote about this time:
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or
troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though
the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day
will not come unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed,
the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called
God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing
himself that he is God.
First
we must notice that the departure takes place before this day of Christ, or day
of the Lord, scenario takes place. That means we will be delivered, rescued,
saved from it. We will be gone when the tribulation starts. That’s what 2 Th
2:13 says: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren
beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you unto salvation
[deliverance from the tribulation] through sanctification of the Spirit and
belief in the truth.” Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 states, “For God did not
appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We can be sure that we will be gone when
the tribulation starts because of the nature of the mystery. Why? According to
Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1, nothing about the mystery and the new creation,
the body of Christ, was ever revealed before. That means the many prophecies
about the tribulation apply only to Israel and the unsaved Gentiles. When the
tribulation starts, we will be with Christ in the heavenlies.
We can see from the material in the book
of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, that endurance and works are again necessary
for salvation: Rev 2:5,7,10b,11,17 Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and
remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 7 He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will
give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God
. . . 10b Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes
shall not be hurt by the second death. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the
hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new
name written which no one knows except him who receives it. Rev 3:5,10,12 He
who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his
name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and
before His angels. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also
will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to
test those who dwell on the earth. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a
pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.
In addition to Revelation, the conditional
aspects found in the other circumcision epistles, Hebrews, James, 1,2 Peter,
1,2,3 John, and Jude, will apply at that time. All these epistles from Hebrews
through Revelation will apply in the tribulation. I will cite a few from the
chart:
2
Pet 1:10,11 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and
election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for
so an
entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Jo 5:16,17 If anyone sees his brother
sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will
give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading
to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All
unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 2 Jo 8,9 Look
to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that
we may receive a full reward. Everyone deviating and not abiding in the
teaching of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of
Christ has both the Father and the Son.
The Dispensation of the Tribulation ends
at the second coming. Christ will establish the millennial kingdom at that
time. We will call this twelfth dispensation The Dispensation of the Kingdom
Established. He will rule the world with a rod of iron (Rev 12:5; 19:5). We
will be in the heavenlies. After the thousand years, satan will be loosed for a
time. Revelation 20:7-10 tells us what happens.
Now when the thousand years have expired, satan will be
released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in
the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth
of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And
fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who
deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and
the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and
ever.
When
everything is subjugated to Christ, He will in turn deliver it all to the
Father according to 1 Corinthians 15:24-28:
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the
Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He
must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that
will be destroyed is death. 27 For He has put all things under His feet. But
when He says all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who put all
things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him,
then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him,
that God may be all in all.
Then, we will be with Him forever.
1
I will use the New King James Version or my own translation in all references
quoted.
2 µj,N:YIw",
BDB, Niphal, to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion, to be sorry, rue,
suffer grief, repent.
3
All bold italics are my emphasis.
4 A Grammar of New Testament Greek, Moulton, V. III, Syntax, Nigel
Turner, p. 79, (T & T Clark, Edinburgh, G.B.), 1963.
5 It’s interesting that none
of the Baptist grammarians even comment on the syntax of Mark 16:16. The best
that Robertson could say was, “So serious a sacramental doctrine would need
stronger support anyhow than this disputed portion of Mark.” A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament. Two
manuscripts are used to dispute the inclusion of 16:9-20. They are Codices B and a. However, many very able
scholars have shown that they are riddled with omissions. Textual criticism is
not the topic of this article, but I want everyone to be aware that the
manuscript evidence supporting the inclusion of this passage is overwhelming.
6 The
word in Mark 7:4 is baptivswntai, baptize. “They do not eat
unless they wash [baptize].”
7 sunomorevw,
Moulton and Milligan, The Vocabulary of
the Greek Testament, p. 611, (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI), 1950.