God's plan of the ages2000yrs ( ) 2000 yrs 2000yrs ( up )
Adam----------------Noah----------------------Jesus crucified-----(church age 2000 yrs approx.)----(then-saints taken to heaven in the rapture)-----(7yrs trib-- begins-----at the end of 7 yrs trib)------(saints return to earth with Jesus. and then -Jesus ---sets up his millennial kingdom-1000 yrs-)----- great white throne judgment and the new heaven and earth through out eternity. see Rev 21 & 22
Part 2
Part 2. Commentary in Burgundy:
We see here, God laying the early ground work and building the Plan for the Nation of Israel and the coming of Messiah. We begin to see him developing his plan for the ages. It is very exciting.
In the last lesson in dispensations we briefly covered the 1st. dispensation or the age of innocence and how it ended in disobedience and the dying process coming upon mankind. However God allowed people to live a long time and have many children so the population of the earth would increase.
God had a plan to rescue fallen mankind by his son who would come in due time to die for our sins and give us a chance to be forgiven and still live forever.
The 2nd dispensation ended also with wide spread rebellion against God by the people of the earth. That ended with the judgment of Noah's flood. Here we again see the mercy of God because he only judged the wicked and cleansed the earth of them.
He saved Noah and his family and they began to repopulate the earth. In each dispensation God has a people that are faithful to him. Through them he continued the line of heritage to Christ who would come from the line of the faithful.
After Adam and Eve's fall God make provision for Jesus to take our punishment and save us from going to hell. Cain brought a sacrifice of grain to God but it was rejected. It wasn't the symbol of Jesus the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
Able sacrificed a lamb which God accepted. Cain his brother was inspired by Satan to kill his brother in rage and jealousy. Satan, as he has done down through history, tries to destroy the linage of Jesus to prevent Gods plan of eternal life and forgiveness through the Messiah Jesus. After Abel's death Adam and Eve had Seth. The lineage would go on through Seth.
We will again see an example of the sacrificial lamb in God's dealing with Abraham.
Now to the dispensation of the Patriarchs
1. Please look on the dispensatioal time line above and notice that there was 2000 years from Adam to Noahs flood. )
(2.) The Patriarch age follows after Noah's flood and sometime after the tower of Babel and the scattering of the people of the earth. It is marked in red () like this above on the time line.
In this dispensation God spoke to the Fathers or the head of the household of those who believed in God and were obedient.
God spoke to Abraham, who was at the time called Abram. Abram was living in Ur of the Chaldees God told him to arise and go to a land that he would show him. Abram by faith obeyed and took his wife, cousin Lot and others and journeyed by faith that God would guide them.
1921 BC
Genesis 12
1Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Note: Please notice the scripture in red above. God made a promise here to Abraham him and his decedents. He said that he would bless them who bless the Jews and curse those who curse the Jews. This promise is still in effect today. At this point I will include another scripture that shows this promise.
The scriptures below from Zech.12th chp. show God's concern for Israel and the Jews. Jews are the descendents of Abraham.
God in Ezekiel 38 & 39 promised Israel that he would regathered them in the last days to their land and all the nations of the earth would come against them.
Those nations would curse and hate Israel but God would destroy Israel's enemies. You can see this happening today as Israel has been returned to their historic land that God promised to Abraham and the Jewish people.
All the Muslim nations around them have attacked Israel and started several wars against them but lost them all. God has given Israel great victories. That land belongs to God and he has given it to the Jews. When the Jews farm the land it brings forth beautiful corps and responds well.
Just recently the USA , the EUC, and the United Nations have pressured Israel and Ariel Sharon to give Gaza to the Palestinians. Now the Palestinians are complaining that bugs are infesting their crops. You can see this news article on our web site.
When the Muslim nations couldn't win on the battle field they turned to the above nations to pressure Israel to give the land to them.
2Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.4In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
6In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
8In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
9And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
Now we return to the history of Abraham the father of the Jewish nation
1913 BC
Now after Abraham settled in the promised land. He and Sarah were getting old and she was still barren. This grieved them greatly. Sarah persuaded Abraham to have a child by Hagar Sarah's handmaid.
Speaking of Ishmael the son of Sarah's servant. God said the following
This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 16
1Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.3And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. ( 86 yrs old )Ishmael descendants are the Arab nations. Through history we find The Arabs have difficulty getting along with each other and with other nations.
1898 BC
Concerning the Birth of Isaac God appears to Abraham here
Genesis 18
1And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,3And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Immediatly after the above The Lord starts to go to Sodom and Gomorrah but Abraham delays him with these comments
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Abraham continues to plead with the Lord for smaller and smaller numbers with these comments
2And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. 33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
14And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.16And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:28And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
To those who doubt the above I now refer you to Ron Wyatt's web site. You will find there, amazing information as to the actual finding of the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Look on our website here and you will find a link to the Wyatt geological site. Please remain here in this lesson before going to the Wyatt site. It is important to follow the continuity of these dispensational lessons so you will have a clear understanding of the chain of events in Gods plan for the ages. After you finish this lesson then go to the evidence of the above historical discoveries.
1892 BC
Genesis 21
1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. 8And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
We will see in the history of Abraham and Isaac the lesson that God had Abraham and Sarah wait for many years as a trial of faith.
But even more! This is a picture of God and his only begotten Son Jesus the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
1872 BC
Genesis 22
1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide(himself) a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.(Jehovahjireh means the Lord our provider)
15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
God tells Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Because Abraham was willing to obey God in this and have faith, God was pleased. So Jesus came as a Jew or a descendent of Abraham and all the nations of the earth therefor are blessed.
God tells Abraham to take his only son Isaac up to mt. Moriah. and sacrifice him on an alter there. This grieved Abraham greatly because he and Sarah had waited for many years and Isaac was their only begotten son. They loved him deeply he was their pride and joy.
Abraham obeyed God and he and Isaac journeyed to Mt. Moriah. Isaac followed his father obediently. (Jesus obeyed his heavenly father also.)Abraham laid the wood upon his son and the son carried it. The wood he carried was for his sacrifice. Jesus carried the heavy wooden cross for his sacrifice. Jesus was bound to the wooden cross. Isaac was bound and laid upon the wood for his sacrifice.
When they arrived Abraham bound Isaac and placed him on the alter. Just before Abraham plunged the knife into his son God stopped him.
Please notice the scriptures says here that God would provide(him self) a sacrifice. That is exactly what he did 1800 years later when sacrificed his only begotten son, Jesus, that he loves dearly for our sins at Jerusalem.
The place where it says God would provide (Him Self ) a sacrifice I think could also mean that he would (provide him self as a sacrifice)
The difference in these two sacrifices is that God tested the former and then stopped Abraham. God didn't stop Jesus from being sacrificed. If he had there would be no sacrifice for our sins and no eternal life for us.
By the way Jerusalem is where Mt. Moriah is located. this is the same place where God had tested Abraham and Isaac
You see a beautiful picture here of Prophecy and fulfillment. We can see also why Cain's sacrifice of grain wasn't accepted and Abel's sacrifice of a lamb was. These are beautiful pictures, symbols and prototypes. The Bible is full of these wonderful prophecies and literal fulfillments.
Satan tries to get people to offer different sacrifices or follow different religions. He wants you to follow other "so called holy people or prophets". The Bible says there is no other name under heaven where people can be saved other than Jesus Christ. He is the way the truth and the life. Jesus said no man comes to the father but by me.
There is a great spiritual battle going on between the kingdom of darkness and Gods kingdom of light. The battle will intensify more as we near the close of this dispensation of grace also known as the church age. The church ( all born agin baptized believers) will be taken our of this world with the second coming of Jesus also known as the rapture. Those left behind will enter into the greatest tribulation the world has ever known.
Pray for yourself and your families that they may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We will continue the dispensation of the patriarchs next Lesson and talk some about Isaac and Jacob and the 12 sons and their 12 tribes of Israel then go to the dispensation of the Law of Mosses. After that is the crucifixion of Jesus and his Church age which we are living in now.
By understanding dispensations in Gods Plan of the Ages it will help you to understand the Bible much better.
If you have never been saved and born again please click on the picture of Jesus on our web site and it will tell you how to be saved and be born again. After a person is born again you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to live in you and help you to overcome sin. The Holy Spirit living in you will open your eyes to better understand the Bible. God Bless You!!
Jesus loves you he really does!! Bill Hicks