Dispensations Page

                     

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2007   Dispensations of the Bible
 
Disposition 1 - Innocence:
  The Bible begins with God creating ALL things, including Eden, Adam and Eve.  His first disposition, method of dealing with mankind, was to give them a paradise, rule over all other living things, talks with Him in the cool of the evening, and no evil, sickness, death, confusion, etc. 

Satan, the serpent, who had already been cast out of heaven deceived Eve into eating from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. She then led Adam into eating the same. This breaking of fellowship with God and coming to know good AND evil brought sickness, death, etc. on all of mankind. The Fall.

 God put them out of Eden and away from the Tree of Life. Paradise Lost.  He also gave judgment to Satan, Eve and Adam.
Disposition 2 - Conscience Period:
  God again dealt with mankind. He let them start anew outside Paradise. Death soon showed up with Cain killing Abel. Another son, Seth was born to Adam and Eve. Cain and Seth's descendents filled the land. Enoch, Methusalelah and Lamech were among the number. The evil loosed spread across the land until the days became exceedingly evil. God saw only Noah righteous. He ordered an ark built and decided to wipe away all the evil and violence in the land. Noah and his family were all that were saved, 8 souls. 

Judgment was the flood.
Disposition 3 - Human Government:
  Noah and his family were settled back on the cleansed earth to begin again.  Ham, Shem, and Japheth's descendents filled the land. This time the people decided they could build a tower all the way to heaven. 

God's judgment was to confound the languages at Babel so they could no longer communicate and build. This scattered the people, dispersed, them into areas of common language. 
 
Disposition 4 - Promise:
  God this time dealt with Abraham, a patriarch, to speak with concerning His plans. He called Abraham out of his home land and PROMISED a new land with Abraham's descendents like the sands of the sea or the stars of the sky in number. Isaac, Jacob (later changed to Israel) and the 12 sons of Jacob were born. God chose Israel (the 12 tribes became the 12 tribes of Israel) and his descendents as the 'Apple of His eye'. 

This period ends in judgment of bondage when the sons become jealous of Joseph and sell him into Egypt. Famine later calls the entire family to Egypt where Joseph has risen high in Pharaoh's service, and God has given him knowledge of how to have food in the famine. Another Pharaoh comes up who does not honor Israel and they become SLAVES.
Disposition 5 - Law or Legal-all the way to Christ:
  Moses, who has been taught Hebrew and yet reared in Pharaoh's house, is sent to deliver Isreal-after 40 years in the desert training with sheep. This disposition covers the time when the people are EXITED or the EXODUS from Egypt. They don't accept God's gift of the PROMISED land and He wanders them 40 years until all over 20 years, except Caleb and Joshua die off. They then enter Canaan, under Joshua's command, take it, divide the land and settle it. God gives JUDGES as government. The people don't want God's judges but want a King. The King era begins with Saul, David and Solomon. Not following God's advice, the kingdom is split into Northern kingdom, Israel, 10 tribes, with capital Samaria and Southern kingdom, Judah, 2 tribes, with capital Jerusalem. God calls the kingdoms sisters. Each kingdom has good and evil kings. Israel is evil and God allows ASSYRIA to capture them. Judah also is evil and God allows BABYLON to take them into captivity. After their judgment of captivity, God sends different ones back to restore Jerusalem, the walls, the temple, etc. The Old Testament ends with such a division between man and God that history reports 400 years of silence. Malachi ends with promises of Elijah the servant being sent before the Messiah who will come. The day of the refiner's fire and the fuller's soap is ahead. This disposition really goes through Jesus' birth, baptism, ministry, triumphal entry, betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion. Until the time of Christ's death the law was still in effect. When Jesus died the veil separating anyone from God was torn down. The middle wall was gone. WHOSOEVER WILL could now come to Christ and come boldly to get mercy or help in time of need. WOW!  The law became a school master or shadow while Jesus and His words became truth, life and the way. Legal stepped aside for ....
Disposition 6 - Grace:
  Christ arose from the grave on the third day taking the keys of death, hell and the grave. He tasted death for all who would believe and receive Him. GRACE, MARVELOUS GRACE! He tarried 40 days and was seen of about 500. He then ascended back to heaven promising to return for those who believe in Him. He also promised a comforter. The 120 men and women believers assembled in one accord in the Upper Room and awaited the Comforter. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost came in a mighty rushing wind, filling each believer. Peter, with the key saying that not flesh and blood would show Christ, but the Father from above, was filled with a Holy Ghost filled message. He preached and some 3,000 were added unto the kingdom. The church was born. The book of Acts of the Apostles was given to us for instruction on setting up churches and settling issues. The apostles and those saved began, through persecution, spreading out through the region with Jesus' story. Saul of Tarsus, Apostle Paul, was saved. Peter was first sent to the Gentiles, who before were unable to go inside the temple; then Paul had a ministry all his life to the Gentiles. The entire plan of salvation in Jesus' name began at Jerusalem and has spread today all over most of the earth. The church looks for the return of Jesus NOW. 
Disposition 7 - The Rapture or Carrying Away
  The Church, or bride, now await Christ's return. He will take all the saved, whether dead in the body or alive in the body home with HIM. Many different ideas are held about this time. I won't try to go into them here. The main thing is to repent, be baptized and added to the church of Jesus Christ. Be READY for in an hour ye think not Jesus will return. 
      This page is constantly under construction.  If you have suggestions, email me.  We hope to add scriptures, where the different books of the Bible belong by Dispensation, and main characters in their respective dispositions.  This is BY NO MEANS a complete page. It probably never could be. Our minds are too small.  Feel free to discuss errors or additions.

Email: Pastor Wilma