Endtime Ministries...
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What happened after the dispersion from the Tower of Babel? The inhabitants of the earth became idolators, the descendants of Noah and his sons as well. Were there any witnesses to the true God? There may have been, but there is no record of them. So God began again with one family, actually one man, Abram, who became Abraham. He was a mighty man of faith, but his righteousness was not copied by his descendants. They really got steadily worse and worse. Isaac was a good enough man, but not like his father. Jacob was even less so than Isaac. His twelve sons were not much, excepting Joseph, who was type of Christ in many ways. This dispensation ended with Abraham's descendants working like animals in the brickworks of Egypt, slaves and sufferers. The last words of this dispensation were found in the book of Genesis like a sad premonition. A coffin in Egypt. read. Was God's plan going to end in the very graveyard of creation, his human race bombed out! No, for Satan cannot defeat God, and Christ Jesus has died for the planet before the foundation of the world. 1 Peter 1:19,20.
Just a few references to Christ in this dispensation: It was Christ
who called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, and showed his to Canaan. Gen.
12:1-3. It was Christ who appeared with two angels at the tent door of
Abraham and Sarah and foretold of the miraculous birth of Isaac. He it
was who told of the destruction to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen. 18:1-22.
Christ wrestled with Jacob at the ford Jabbok. Gen. 32:24-30. Christ Jesus
would not let the human race just fade away into miserable failure and
disaster.
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What was the failure then in this dispensation? The Israelites broke the Law and rejected in the end the very Messiah they had been waiting for so long. The Judgement was that they went into captivity under Roman rule. Then Israel was set aside. Christ Jesus offered to them the Kingdom, they rejected Him, and the Kingdom was postponed. Israel was finally scattered, and has been scattered across the globe since, right up to this final period. They are now back in their land, in waiting for the time when Jehovah will take then up again . A thrilling time in which we live indeed! Salvation in the Dispensation of Law was by faith in the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, only now they were looking forward to the Coming of the Promised Messiah.
This is dispensation which seems to cause so much trouble doctrinally with the preachers and teachers of today. They continue to appropriate to themselves, the promises and the Plan of God for Israel. They give these to the Church, the Body of Christ. Replacement Theology as it is called, is almost the dominant theology in this time of heresy. No longer do the majority rightly divide the Word. There is also a theology which seeks to pull the Church of the New Testament back into the Old Testament and root them in Moses and Abraham. This is equally wrong, as it is legalistic and places the people of God back under the Law. The book of Galatians was written to refute this wrong way back in the New Testament days. Let us just read a few Galatian texts to begin to see the difference between this dispensation, our own Church Age, and the Dispensation of the Law. Galatians 3:10-14. Aren't we the inheritors of the promises to Abraham, some might ask? Yes, but these are spiritual blessings, not to do with national blessing or promises, as some try to make out. The Abrahamic Covenant was a by faith covenant, and so we too are a by faith people of God. Galatians 3:6-9. Now compare this with Romans 4:1-22. We see here that justification if by faith, not ever by Law.
What was the Law given for then? It was given to be a school master to lead us to Christ. What is this school master business about? The Greek word is paidagogos a child conductor. Now amongst the Greeks and Romans, there were people, mostly slaves, who were responsible to give constant attention to the young boys until they came of age. This authority, the pedagogues authority, was wholly ceased when the child became a son (Galatians 4:1-6). The adult will do freely, voluntarily what the child had to be forced to do by the pedagogue. But, even if the adult doesn't, it is NOT a matter between the pedagogue and the child, it is a matter between the son and the Father. The Law is a mere pedagogue, which has now led us to be sons of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Can you see that Christians are not under the Law either for salvation or for instruction in righteousness?
Who was the Mosaic Law given to then? It was given to the Israelites exclusively. The sign of the Mosaic Covenant was the Sabbath day. Now every Law in the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament, excepting the keeping of the Sabbath day. In fact, the New Testament actually warns us against keeping the Sabbath. So, as we look at this dispensation we should be clear about these matters:
1. The Law of the Old Testament is not for us, or for any nation on earth today.
2. The Law of Moses was far more than just Ten Commandments.
3.We are warned against keeping any Sabbath. 4. We should keep the moral law as shown in the New Testament.
1. Where does it tell us that the Mosaic Law is for the Israelites?
In Ex. 20:1, -2, as God gives the commandments to Israel. Read, Were you brought out of the land of Egypt, and are you the people who Moses assembled that day? Read 19:19-25. Where does it tell us the Law is not for the Christians? In many places, Imagesly Galatians, but let us look at Acts 15:19-24; Romans 6:14. The Gentile nations are NOT under the Mosaic Law either. Romans 2:14-15. It was given to the nation of ISRAEL.
2. Q .....If there are 613 commandments in the Mosaic
Law, what kind of commandments are they?
Before the Dispensation of Law, there was no actual written law, but there was certainly LAW in a sense. SIN is the transgression of the law in any dispensation, and GRACE of GOD is there in every dispensation, not just the dispensation of Grace 1 John 3:4. Adam broke a law did he not? And just because Paul speaks of those had were without law from Eden to Moses, it does not mean that they did not have an unwritten law in their hearts. Romans 2:12-15..
3. Where are we warned against keeping any Sabbath, and where does it say that the Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic Covenant?
Ex. 31:12-17; Col.2:16-17.Matt 5:17. The Law was totally fulfilled in Christ, He lived a perfect life under Law, in our place, and He died according to Law as sinner in our place.
4. Where do we find the moral law written in the New Testament?
It is shown in many places, and in a much deeper sense. We are dead to the Law Romans 7:4. But that which is holy as the moral law is always right and true. I Cor. 9:21; Gal. 2:2; Rom.8:2-4; 11Tim. 3:16; Rom. 13:8-10; Eph. 6:1- 3; 1 Cor.9:8-9.
Let's read about the Israelites NOT keeping the law, and rejecting the Messiah. Matt. 21:1-25; 11 Kings 17:7-20. Now look at the judgement of God in Deut. 28:63-66. Luke 21:20-24.
The Government in the nation of Israel at the period of Law was a theocracy, that is ruled by God directly. There is NOT nation today which can be called a theocracy, nor can any nation today be really described as a Christian nation. A nation which encourages evangelism, honors the denominations which truly stand for God's Truth and the Gospel, and seeks to order its affairs after the moral laws of the Bible (which includes NOT allowing abortion, euthenasia, homosexuality and rampant pornography etc) will be blessed nationally by the Lord. But it is NOT a Christian country because Christians are born-again individuals, the called out ones, the ecclessia. The Jewish nation was a called NATION. God chose Himself a representative man to rule over His chosen nation, that man was Moses. When Moses died, he was succeeded by Joshua, after his death there was no ruler. The children of Israel cried to the Lord and he gave them judges who governed them for about 450 years. Acts 13:20. They demanded a King, however, and Saul was selected, he was followed by David. Many things happened in the Legal dispensation which we cannot deal with here, as time does not permit it. The Ceremonial Law of the Israelites ceased in AD 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Dispensation of the Law saw such wonders as the deliverance from Egypt, the plagues in that land under Pharoah, the opening of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The turning back of the waters of the Jordan and the lading into the Promised land happened too in the Dispensation of Law.
Where was Christ Jesus in this dispensation? It was Christ who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Christ who said, I am that I am in Ex. 3:13- 14. The I AM' of the OT is shown in the NT I AM> read John 14:6. Christ Himself sent the plagues to Egypt, and commanded the saining of the passover Lamb, which was after all a type of HIMSELF! Ex. 12:1-30. He opened the Red Sea, and fed Israel with manna and quail in the wilderness. Ex. 16:1-15. Christ as the second Person of the Trinity, and the blessed Holy Spirit, were there with the Father when the Ten Commandments were given on Mt. Sinai. He was there in the Shekinah Glory, and the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. It was Christ Himself who was Captain of the Lord's Host and opened the River Jordan so that Israel could go over into the Promised land. Joshua 5;13-15.
Christ, our beloved Lord, and indeed the Holy Spirit, were there when Israel called for leadership and He gave them judges. He was with Gideon, Samson and Samuel. In all parts of the Old Testament we see types of Christ and pre-incarnation appearances of the Eternal Son of God. Let's look now at a thrilling example of the OT work of Christ, as He sends the Angel Gabriel to Daniel in answer to Daniel's prayer, and Christ reveals through Gabriel the exact date of His own death on the Cross of Calvary! This is the vision of the Seventy Weeks of Dan. 9:1-27. Too big a subject to explain here, but it could be explained elsewhere in the Spackman tapes? What was the means of salvation in the Dispensation of law? Faith in the shed Blood of Christ, by Grace alone. Faith in the Promised Messiah to Come.
We have seen three signs in three covenants so far. The Noahic Covenant, with sign being the Rainbow. The Abrahamic Covenant, and the sign was Circumcision. The Mosaic Covenant, and the sign was the Sabbath keeping. Now we will proceed into the Dispensation of Grace, under the Davidic Covenant with the sign being A SON - the Lord Jesus Christ comes in the flesh.
Are the Gospel books for the Church Age? Yes, for they show the choosing of the Church from out of the Jewish Dispensation. The calling of the disciples, the Great Commission, the glorious parables, the wonderful John chapter three of the new birth, the instructions about the Church being the branches and Christ the vine and so on are ALL in the Gospels. John 14, where Christ tells of His Coming for His own, is for those who comprise the Church. John 14: 1-6. John 17, where Christ prays for the believers. He prays for our safety from the evil one, our sanctification, for our spiritual unity and that believers might be with Him in heaven to behold and share His glory. So, we know that the whole New Testament is for the Church Age. For us to read and be instructed by. The Church itself is never mentioned after Revelation 4, and is not seen again til Revelation 19, but ALL the book is for our instruction. We need carefully to investigate who and what and when, as I have already said.
What is the test? To trust in Christ Jesus as Saviour and Lord in a personal way. Rom. 4:5; 11 Cor. 5:19-20; Eph. 2:8-9. Rom. 8:1-14. The failure is to trust in anything else but Christ Jesus' death for us. What can cause you to go to hell forever? Two things can.
1. You can do NOTHING and you will be separated from God eternally. Be born a sinner on this earth, and ignore all pleas to accept Christ as your personal Saviour, just neglect the whole thing, and live as you see fit - and you will go to hell!
2. Seek God, but come by any other way than Christ's death for you ALONE, by FAITH, by the GRACE of God, and you will go to hell. Trust in your good deeds, or church attendance, or membership in some denomination or other, or in witnessing door-to-door. Choose ANY other way, no matter what, and you will go to hell. It matters not what other way you choose, for there is only ONE WAY to go to heaven, ONE WAY which is the answer to the sin dilemma. that is Christ. Decide to crawl on your knees from Delhi to Timbuctoo, or decide that the way to get right with God is to give away all your money and feed the starving in Africa. It makes no difference. John 14:6 and Ephesians 2:8-9 tells it all. 11 Timothy 3:1-7. What will be the judgement in this dispensation? There will be a great delusion on the people, they will be led into the Tribulational Dispensation. The nations, the One World Church, and Israel will be judged then. Rev. 6:15-17. 11 Thess. 2:11-12.
NOTE on your chart of The Master Plan that ALL dispensations end in apostasy and failure, so will this present one. There is NO indication that there will be a huge revival in these Last Days of this Church Dispensation! No, there will be a Great Falling Away, so as has never been seen before. 11 Thess. 2:1-2; Jude 17-19; 11 Peter 2:1-3.
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is His Body, and it is comprised of both Jew and Gentile. There is NO Judaic dispensation now! The OT prophets and patriarchs did not know about this mystery, the Church, which would be both Jew and Gentiles together to form One Body. There are THREE classes of people in the Bible, the Jew, the Gentile and the Church. We are the Church, not Gentiles now. And Jews who receive Christ as Saviour become, not fulfilled Jews or Messianic Jews, or Jews with a belief in Christ as Saviour, they become CHRISTIANS, as followers of Christ. All the disciples were once Jews, but they were new in Christ, and became after Pentecost the early Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they resisted efforts to Judaize them! Read about the mystery of the Church in 1 Cor. 12:12-13. Look at the Chart with The Kingdom in Mystery written at the top. NOTE that in this dispensation we are under the Davidic Covenant, with sign A SON, who is of course the Lord Jesus Christ. 11 Sam. 7:4-17; Luke 1:30-33; THE SIGN 2:12. In 11 Sam. 7:14-15 we see, not an indication that CHRIST might SIN, no it is actually a principle here of judgement within the FAMILY of God. the family line of David was dealt with in a certain way, we as people who are the Children of God, Hos family are always dealt with in a REMEDIAL WAY, not a PENAL way. The wicked, who refuse Christ's death on the Cross, are dealt with as criminals not sons, it is a PENAL judgement then. Heb.12:5-11.
The Davidic Covenant is the covenant upon which the kingdom of Christ will be established in the Millennial Reign. god is saying in 11 Sam. 7 that the Davidic house, the family, will be visited with chastisement, but NOT to the cancelling out of the Covenant. The chastisement was first in the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam, and finally in the captivities. We won't read it, but it is seen in 11 Kings 25:1-7. Since that time there has been only ONE King of the Davidic Covenant, and that King was crowned with a crown which was very unusual. Do you know what the crown was made of? It was a crown of THORNS!
(The Old Testament king whose throne Christ will riegn from.)
This Davidic Covenant can never be broken, it is immutable, it was confirmed by Jehovah to David with an oath, and it was renewed to Mary, as the one who would bear a Son, by the angel Gabriel. Psalm. 89:30-37; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 2:29-32 Acts 15:14-18. While we are here you might like to note down the other seven covenants, and where they can be found. Edenic. Gen 1:28; Adamic Gen.3:15; Noahic Gen. 9:1 Abrahamic Gen. 15:18; Mosaic Ex. 19:25; Palestinian Deut. 30:3; and the New Covenant Heb. 8:8.
THE NEW COVENANT is better.
Why do we not have to return to the Law, even to be sanctified? Because Jesus Christ mediates a better covenant. Some will tell tell you that Christians should be forever going back under the Law of Moses, but Christ has a better mediation. How is this so, in this Church Age, the Dispensation of Grace?
1. The New Covenant is better than the Mosaic because it provides for the sinner with a totally completed salvation in the Cross of Christ. Heb. 7:19; Rom. 8:3,4. In theological terms, it is efficaciously better.
2. The New Covenant is established on better, unconditional, promises. It is better than the Mosaic Covenant. In the Mosaic, God said, If ye will etc, Ex. 19;5. In the New Covenant God says, I will etc Heb. 8:10-12.
3. Under the Law of Moses obedience sprang from fear, Heb. 2:2, 12:25-27. But under the blessed New Covenant obedience comes from a willing heart, which knows the love of God in saving to the uttermost Heb. 8:10. The book of Heb. is to the Hebrews, remember, telling them that the good things of Judaism have been made obsolete in the BETTER things in Christ, the Son of God.
4. The New Covenant does something glorious. It secures the personal revelation of God Himself to EVERY believer, not just to some hierarchy like Moses. This makes us realize that in Christ we are, as believers, a kingdom of priests unto God. WE are the anointed of God, we have direct access to Him. The idea of some leader, whether he be a Pope, Archbishop, charismatic leader or guru, having a hot-line to God which the ordinary believer in Christ Does Not have, is unscriptural!! No Benny Hinn or Rodney Howard-Browne or anyone else has to be your mediator between you and God! Heb 8:11. In the Millennial Reign, when Christ is actually dwelling on the earth, this1 promise will see a greater fulfilment than now. The Jews will be restored as the ruling nation on earth, and the whole world will know that Christ Jesus is Lord and Almighty Potentate. 1 Peter 2:5 & 9. __
5.The New Covenant is better then the Mosaic Covenant because it gives the completed oblivion of sins. It wipes them out! Heb.8:12; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 9:11,12.
6. The New Covenant has come to rest, there is not other greater, on the already accomplished redemption in Christ's Blood. Matt. 26:27,28; 1 Cor. 11:25. For the Jewish people this is also significant, for upon the New are secured the future conversion of Israel! And the blessing of Israel are secured, not on the Mosaic Law, but on the New Covenant in Christ! Can you see that even Israel is not under the Mosaic Law and Covenant now, let alone the Church of Christ Jesus! Jer. 31:31-40; 11 Sam. 7:8-17. The Davidic Covenant was the Seventh Covenant, but the New Covenant is the EIGHTH. It speaks of resurrection and eternal completeness.
The Davidic Covenant establishes the Davidic family and its continued existence in Christ Jesus, Matt. 1;1; Rom. 1:3. It also establishes the Davidic kingdom over Israel and even the whole earth. This is to be fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Zech. 12:8; 1 Cor. 15:24.
The New Covenant rests upon the sacrifice of Christ and it secures eternal
blessedness to all who will have faith, and Abraham set the scene as the
man of faith. There is NO responsibility to man for anything but to have
FAITH, and it is absolutely final and irreversible in the Beloved Redeemer.
Alright, then where does Christ Jesus fit in to all this? Is He only important
when we get to the Covenants that have to do with the New Testament and
the dispensation of Grace, the Church Age? NO, decidely NOT! We should
understand the relation of Christ to every Covenant.
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