In the January to June 2017 Grace & Truth Magazines we looked in some detail at prophecies in Scripture with respect to Israel, the nations and the Christian profession. The Church, the Assembly of the living God (Mt. 16:18; 1 Tim. 3:15), is not the subject of these prophecies. Instead, the Lord Himself is the Church’s hope, and she waits for Him ? her Bridegroom ? to come (Jn. 14:3). The prophetic events are not part of our hope, but the details are given for our instruction because we, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, are often exposed to error, seduction, opposition and ridicule. We need to be alert, focusing on our Beloved, following our Leader and shunning vain discussions. Training in God’s school will help us maintain His truth in word and deed (Jas. 1:22).
God’s Order
God’s world (cosmos in Greek, meaning “well arranged”) is marked by a beautiful order. This order is quite evident despite all the chaos caused by sin, the fall and the flood (Gen. 3-8). In all realms of creation – whether the expansive galaxies of this vast universe or the intricate structure of the genetic DNA and RNA codes – we observe amazing evidences of order, control, purpose and beauty.
Likewise, we notice an orderly plan with respect to “the times,” or dispensations. All is under God’s full control without setting aside human responsibility, as explained by Paul when speaking to the Athenians (Acts 17:26-31). The seven days of creation (Gen. 1:1-2:3) form the first example we find in the Bible of such order and progression.
This fascinating overview of structure and design represents a framework of the dispensations and God’s prophetic program. Later we hope to look at the seven “feasts of the LORD” (Lev. 23), which are also called “His appointed times.” For now just notice the link that exists between these two series of sevens: the same Hebrew root in the terms season (Gen. 1:14), feasts (Lev. 23) and tent of meeting (Lev. 1:1). The tent of meeting was a place appointed by God to meet with His people, Israel. In addition to this shared root, we find amazing parallels in the structure and organization of the days of the creation week and the seven feasts of the LORD, as well as in other series of sevens in the Bible.
What Is A Dispensation In Scripture?
A dispensation, or “age,” is a period of time during which God tests people as to their obedience in relation to a specific revelation of His will. This presupposes a combination of several elements:
God usually gave a sign when the dispensation was linked to a covenant, such as the rainbow (Gen. 9:16).
The progression in the revelation of God’s ways with the human race, particularly with Israel, is indicated by the succession of dispensations. This progression shows that God has a plan just as with the seven days of creation and with the seven Feasts of the LORD, as well as with other series of sevens as the parables in Matthew 13 and the Lord’s messages in Revelation 2-3.
The Greek word for “dispensation” literally means “law of the house” or “economy,” and it refers to the management of a house. The apostle Paul used this term for what God had revealed to him, which included a special task for him to do. Paul was “to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things” (Eph. 3:9 NASB).
The present period in which we live is sometimes called “the dispensation of grace.” This refers to the time from Acts 2 to the rapture of the Church (1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-55). After that, God will restore His people Israel to Himself as a nation, so they then can be a blessing for all nations – with everyone under His rule.
Is There A Relationship Between God’s Salvation And The Dispensations?
The goal of any dispensation is to place man under a specific rule of conduct, but such an arrangement does not represent salvation in and of itself. Therefore whatever God may require in each dispensation, people are saved through faith, calling on the Lord’s name (consider Gen. 4:26; Acts 2:21; Rev. 14:6-7). The ultimate objective of the various dispensations is to introduce “the world to come” when the Messiah will reign with power and glory and fulfill all God’s objectives for Israel and the nations (Eph. 1:10).
God’s concept and plans for the Church belong to His counsels, “hidden in God” from before the foundation of the world (3:9; Col. 3:3). These plans know no failure, for they are in and through Christ Jesus. God inserted the present period of grace, after Messiah’s rejection by His people until the rapture, as a parenthesis or something “in between.” Paul’s interruption in his epistle to the Ephesians (3:1-4:1) indicates such an interval as foreseen by God (Rom. 11:33-36): the Church being separate from the dispensations that God planned for this earth.
However, from the perspective of man’s responsibility we can call the present period of grace a dispensation because God is testing man with respect to special light they received. Sadly, it is a time when there is failure as well. One can study how the dispensations and the covenants relate to each other, but we must note again that the Church is really not part of any dispensation (see Eph. 1:4-5; 3:9-11) nor connected with any covenant, even though she benefits from certain blessings linked to the new covenant.
Comparing God’s First And Second Series Of Sevens
Found in Genesis 1:3-2:3 and Leviticus 23, the first two series of sevens provide an outline of God’s plans for Israel and this world, including the church age. Each section in these series can be elaborated on much more, but we limit ourselves to a brief overview:
1. The first day of creation was marked by “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). It can be linked to the dispensation of innocence and what immediately followed, as God gave light (consider 2 Cor. 4:1-6; 1 Jn. 1:5, 2:8). The Feasts of the Lord started with the Passover lamb that brought light into the humble dwellings of the Israelites while utter darkness ruled Egypt (Ex. 10:23). The sacrificed lamb’s blood provided shelter against God’s judgment – for without the shedding of blood there is no redemption – and food for the family. Just as light separates from darkness, the blood implied separation from all that belonged to Egypt, which was under God’s judgment. This is why the leaven, a symbol of evil (1 Cor. 5:6-8), needed to be removed from the homes before the Passover and the feast that followed (Lk. 22:1).
2. On the second day of creation God introduced separation between the waters above and those below the firmament (Gen. 1:6-8). This was the only day in Genesis 1 for which the phrase “God saw that it was good” is not mentioned. The dispensation of conscience, from the fall to the flood (Gen. 3-8), corresponds to this time. With respect to the Feasts of the LORD, this second phase parallels the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
3. The third day of the creation week provided an environment for fruit bearing (Gen. 1:9-13). It parallels the age of human government and the third feast when the first fruit of the land was presented on the first day of the week that followed the Passover lamb (Lev. 23:9-14).
It is good to note that these first three feasts together represent the first coming of our Lord Jesus in sinless perfection – without leaven – and include His sacrifice, death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven.
4. The fourth day of creation centered on the sun, the moon and the stars (Gen. 1:14-19). The word “seasons” in verse 14 has the same Hebrew root as the term “set feasts” (Lev. 23:2,4,37,44). God’s control is displayed in the fourth day of creation as He placed lights in the sky for rule over the earth (Gen. 1:16-17). Today the Lord Jesus is glorified in heaven at God’s right hand and has received all power in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18). He is crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:9) – a splendor that excels the brightness of the sun (Acts 26:13). This implies that His present glory is greater than the glory that He will display during the coming reign of peace.
Now from heaven He exercises His rule in grace through righteousness (Rom. 5:21). All the while the moon reflects the light of the sun just as the Church, composed of all true believers from Pentecost to the rapture at any given moment during this age, reflects Christ and His glories during the “night” He is rejected in this world. The stars, each one different, represent the individual believers as light bearers for God (Phil. 2:14-16).
This parallels the period in between the first three and last three feasts, culminating in the fourth feast (Lev. 23:15-22), called the Feast of Weeks (Ex. 34:22) or Pentecost. It had a provision for the poor and the stranger (Lev. 23:22), after which there was an “in between” period of about four months (see Jn. 4:35). All of this represents the day of grace, in which God reaches out to “the poor” of Israel who humble themselves while He takes “strangers” from among the Gentiles. Praise God!
5. The fifth day of creation was marked by abundant life in the air, in the sea and on the earth (Gen. 1:20-23). It parallels the period when God will produce an abundance of life in different spheres and companies in the face of much opposition (for an example, see Jon. 3:1-10). All of this will happen after the rapture of the Church (1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-57) and before the start of Messiah’s public reign of 1,000 years (Rev. 19:11-21, 20:1-3; 2 Th. 1:10). Both the Old and New Testaments describe many details about this period, such as Psalm 42-46 and Revelation 6-19.
The Feasts of the LORD are linked with Israel, the people of the Messiah, and their Feast of Trumpets comes after the rapture. It signifies a call to repentance just as in John the Baptist’s ministry (Lk. 3:1-20), with the objective to have Israel repent and return to God. However, His people rejected the herald of the King and then they cast out the King (please read Mt. 21-23). Yet a return in repentance will take place, in phases, despite the turmoil in the waters of the sea, in the air and on the land. God will work out His plans and ultimately bring about the reign of peace. In our days we may already observe some of God’s providential preparations of the fifth feast.
6. The sixth day of creation introduced the land animals and put everything under the control of Adam and Eve (Gen 1:24-31, many details in ch. 2). It beautifully prefigures the coming millennial reign when the Lord Jesus comes back – together with His bride (1 Th. 4:14) – to reign over Israel and the earth, even the whole universe (Ps. 8; Heb. 2:5-10; Rev. 19-20). Our Lord Jesus will be “the sun of righteousness” and shine over the whole earth. He will govern His people Israel and cause them to be a blessing to the nations, over which He will rule as well (Ps. 2, 72; Isa. 2:1-4; Mal. 4:2).
Before the magnificent reign of Messiah can be established, Israel will have to come to the sixth feast, the great Day of Atonement, generally known as Yom Kippur. There they will confess their guilt of having rejected their own Messiah (see Isa. 52:13-53:12; Zech. 12:10; Mt. 23:39). The two tribes will be restored in the land where they rejected Him, whereas the ten tribes, not guilty of Messiah’s rejection but guilty of idolatry, will be brought back later (Dan. 12; Isa. 49; Ezek. 36-37).
7. The seventh day of the creation week was a day of rest and blessing (Gen. 2:1-3). This is a beautiful illustration of the coming reign of peace, a period of tremendous blessings, when everything will be in tune with God and put under the dominion of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the King of the universe. Every knee will bow to Him and every tongue confess Him as Lord (Phil. 2:10-11)!
The Millennium
Both the sixth and the seventh days of the creation week represent various aspects of the coming millennial reign of our Lord. This peaceful rule of Shalom is illustrated by the seventh feast of the Lord, the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-43). Remarkably, every day during seven days of that feast, one bullock less than the day before was sacrificed (Num. 29:13-34). This may signify a diminishing zeal for the Lord. It will end in a general uprising when Satan will be released from prison and seduce the nations to go up against Jerusalem, leading to God’s final judgment (Rev. 20:7-10).
But the eighth day of the seventh feast shows an unchanging condition of blessing that will characterize the millennium (Num. 29:35-38), and it prefigures blessings forever under God’s eternal reign (see Rev. 22:5). One difference between the millennium and the new heaven and the new earth will be that enforcement of righteousness during the reign of the iron rod (Ps. 2:9). It will no longer be needed in the eternal state because righteousness will dwell instead of reign (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-5). At the same time this illustrates a moral condition our God likes to see with us today, for we already belong to the new creation (Col. 3:10-12; Eph. 4:24).
A Summary
We conclude this overview with a brief summary of three series (see below). It is recommended to study the seven parables of Matthew 13 as well as the Lord’s messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. We hope to do so in upcoming issues of the Grace & Truth Magazine, together with a brief survey of the dispensations.
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END NOTE
1. Today’s appeal to repent is addressed to individuals. God’s ways with Israel will lead to their national repentance (Isa. 66:8; Ezek. 37:21-28).
By Alfred Bouter