The Plan
of the Ages
God’s
Dispensational Dealings with Humanity
Definition
of Dispensations
Lesson I
Introductory
Scriptures
From
the beginning God had a plan Acts
The
Lord hath purposed Isaiah 14:24-27
Declaring
the end from the beginning Isaiah 46:9-11
God
had a time Galatians 4:4
God
has a time Psalm 102:13
A
day and hour Matthew 24:30-36
Purpose
in Himself Ephesians 1:6-12
We
cannot rightly divide without knowing something of God’s revealed plans 2
Timothy 2:15
I
The Definition of a Dispensation
1)
A dispensation is a period of time beginning with an act of God in
grace
2)
In each dispensation God gives man a definite responsibility
3)
In each dispensation man is proven to be a failure
4)
Each dispensation concludes with judgment
II
The Scope of the Dispensations
Because
they have to do with God’s dealings with humanity they begin with Adam and Eve
in Genesis 2
They
conclude with the New Heaven and New Earth Revelation 21:1
III
The length of the
Dispensations
They
are not equal in length
Perhaps
the shortest one was the first dispensation
The
longest; the present dispensation of Grace, named the age of tolerance by C.H.
Spurgeon
IV
The importance of the
Dispensations
1)
A study of the dispensations will help the believer to know the present purpose and will of God in this
world
2)
By a study of dispensations one is able to learn to rightly divide
the word of truth, delivering one from the hopeless legality of the past and
useless activity of trying to improve this present evil world. We learn that the Lord alone will do
that. It is not our business to repair
this sinking world.
3)
Dispensational teaching will help us see:
a)
All Scripture is profitable 2 Timothy 3:16-17
b)
All is for our learning Romans 15:4
c)
All is for us (like
general letters)
d)
All is not to us (like
personal letters)