The Life Changing Lessons of Redemptive History: Heaven Part 2
Biblical History reveals how incredibly lost we are & how incredibly Great is God’s Grace. Biblical History poignantly & powerfully reveals God the Father’s Love for His Only Begotten Son
With every tragic failure of mankind God points us to our only Hope: “The Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8; I Pet. 1:19-20)
THE ETERNAL PLAN & PURPOSE OF
GOD THE FATHER
Only the Bible Reveals our
Glorious Destiny: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according
to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven &
which are on earth; even in him” (Eph 1:9-10)
“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7)
WHAT IS A DISPENSATION: DEFINITION
Greek word = “oikonomia” Literally “house” “law” meaning a stewardship [of household affairs]. Joseph was a steward managing Potiphar’s house (Gen. 39:4-5). Bishops are stewards managing God’s house (the Church) (Titus 1:7). Each “Dispensation” is a Particular Part of the Plan which God the Father has established for the management of His family through History (Col. 1:25; Matt 24:45-6). Each Dispensation emphasizes a particular aspect of man’s relationship with God as God works out His eternal purpose for humanity (i.e. Dispensation of Conscience; Law; Grace, etc.).
1. DISPENSATION OF INNOCENCE (Eden) (Gen. 1:27-3:19)
Includes the Edenic Covenant (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-17)
Test: Obey God; Avoid knowledge of evil (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 16:19)
Result: Man & Woman sin (Disobey God)
Judgment: Cast out of Eden (Gen. 3:23); Suffering & Death (Gen. 3:14-19; Rom. 5:12-21)
Important Lessons from Dispensation of Innocence: Even without a fallen sin nature; Even though life was so good & every need was met; Even with a close intimate relationship with God (Gen. 3:8);
Man still rebels against his loving Creator [it’s a heart problem!]
WHAT’s The Only Hope? The Blood of the Lamb! “the LORD God made coats of skins & clothed them”(Gen. 3:21; Heb. 9:22). Abel understood the importance of the blood of the Lamb (Gen 4:4)
2. DISPENSATION OF CONSCIENCE (Abel to the Flood)
(Gen. 3:23-8:19)
Test: Mankind must rely on Conscience to determine right from wrong; good from evil. (Gen. 4:26; Rom. 2:14-16)
Conscience cannot empower us to think or do right. (Rom. 7:18-20)
Result: “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5) [it’s a heart problem!]
Judgment: World destroyed by Global Flood (Gen. 6-8).
Despite convictions of Conscience: “the wickedness of man was great (Gen. 6:5). God said: “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence. . .” (Gen. 7:13; 7:11-23)
WHAT’s the only Hope? God’s Grace & the Blood of the Lamb!
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8). “And Noah built an altar unto the LORD… & offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Gen. 8:20-22).
3. DISPENSATION OF GOVERNMENT (From Flood to Tower of
Babel). The Covenant with Noah (Gen. 6:18; 9:8-17)
Test: form Government to do God’s will (Gen. 9:5-9; Prov. 8:12-16)
Result: Rebel against God at Babel (11:1-4)
Judgment: Scattered & their languages confounded (Gen. 11:6-9)
Important Lessons from the Dispensation of Government:
Government is the Supervision of the individual by the community (Gen. 9:5-6, 18-19; Rom. 13:1-2; I Pet. 2:13-17). The supreme value of human life is Manifest in capital punishment (Gen. 9:6). Man’s government leads to rebellion against God (Gen. 11:4). [they have a heart problem!]
Where did each “Language Group” find Hope? In the Blood of an innocent sacrifice! An amazing fact of anthropology is that practically every people group in the world had some form of Blood sacrifice. In China the Knowledge of God & Redemptive Sacrifice is preserved in the “5 Jing” & “Altar of Heaven” in Beijing.
4. DISPENSATION OF PROMISE; (Family, Patriarchs) (Gen. 18: 18-21) [Babel to Exodus] (Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3; 15:1-7, 18)
Test: Teach children to do right (Gen. 18:19; Mal. 2:14-15)
Result: Dysfunctional families; [children have a heart problem!]
Judgment: End up as slaves in Egypt (Gen. 15:13-16)
WHAT’s the only Hope for Freedom? The Blood of the Lamb!
“They shall take every man a lamb according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house; they shall kill it & take of the blood.” (Ex. 12:3-7)
5. DISPENSATION OF LAW: From Moses to Christ
(Conditional/Temporary Covenant of Sinai:) (Heb. 8:6-13; Eph. 2:15)
Test: Keep the law as a personal righteousness until Messiah comes to Redeem you! (Deut. 6:25; Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 20:11; Gal. 3:21-4)
Result: Everyone Broke the Law at some point (James 2:10-11) [we have a Heart Problem] (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7:14-18)
Judgment: every transgression was punished (Heb. 2:2-3); Ends with judgment of sin on the Cross (Gal. 3:19-25; Heb. 10:12-14)
What was man’s only Hope under the Law? FAITH in The Blood of the Lamb! The Law included the Tabernacle & sacrifices (Leviticus 1 thru 7). The sin offering bore their Judgment: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; Heb. 10:1-10; Rom. 10:4)
6. DISPENSATION OF GRACE (Church Age) Salvation by Faith in
Jesus Christ. (The Eternal New Covenant)
Test: Keep the faith (Jude 3), witness to the World (Matt. 28:18-20)
Result: Apostasy (1 Tim. 4:1-6; 2 Tim. 3:1-8; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; Jude)
Judgment: lost world follows antichrist; The Great Tribulation (2 Thess. 2:10-12; Rev. chapt. 6-19)
The Glory of the Dispensation of Grace: God does for us what we can’t do for ourselves (G.R.A.C.E). God’s law is written on our hearts (Jer. 31:33-34; Rom. 2:13-6): (Spiritually empowered Conscience) (2 Cor. 3:8). God makes us His Child (John 1:12; Gal, 3:26): (Spiritual Family: Our father who art in Heaven). God becomes our LORD:
(Spiritual Government: Law of Christ (Gal. 6:2)). God gives us [a New Heart] & the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower us to obey His word (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; 18:31; Ps. 51:10)
WHAT is our only Hope? The Blood of the Lamb! Jesus “offered one sacrifice for sins for ever… For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 9:11-14; 10:12-14)
Crucial Lessons: Man is a Sinner & needs a Savior!
1. Innocence is important but it can’t save us. 2. Conscience is important but it can’t save us. 3. Government is important but it can’t save us. 4. Strong families are important by they can’t save us. 5. Law is important & necessary but it can’t save us. 6. Only a real relationship with Jesus can save us!
7.
DISPENSATION OF MESSIANIC
KINGDOM (Millennium)
Jesus reigns over all the Earth 1000
yrs. (Rev. 20:1-6). The Kingdom is
restored to Israel (Acts 1:6-7). Jesus
as the Son of David fulfills the Davidic Covenant & sits on David’s throne
forever (2 Sam. 7:10-17) (see Zech. 14; Isa. Chapt. 2, 65, 66). Church reigns with Christ on Earth 1000 yrs.
(Rev. 20:4-6; 5:10)
Test: to Serve & Worship the LORD Jesus Christ as King of Kings in a Perfect World (Rev. 20:4-6).
Result: final worldwide rebellion (Rev. 20:7-8)
Judgment: Swift Destruction of the rebels by fire (Rev. 20:9)
The final revelation of the evil in man’s heart! We are not good people who sin sometimes; we are sinners by nature (Rom. 7:24-5).
We Enter our Eternal Home, the Heavenly Jerusalem, at the Beginning of the Millennium (Rev. 21:2, 9-22:27; 22:1-5; Heb. 11:10, 13, 16; 12:22-4; 13:14; John 14:2; Ps. 46:4; 87:3; Gal. 4:26;).
8. DISPENSATION OF THE FULLNESS OF TIMES & our
Eternal Home. All things united “in Christ” “through the blood of the Cross” (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:20; Phil. 2:9-11). God fulfills His original plan & purpose for mankind with a redeemed people in a perfected New Heaven & New Earth (Rev. 21 & 22; Heb. 2:5-10). No more tests or Judgment forever!!! God Creates the New Heavens & the New Earth at the End of the Millennium (2 Pet. 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1; Ps. 102:26)
Physical Characteristics of eternal Heaven (Rev. 21)
The Heavenly Jerusalem is the Capital city of the New Heavens & New Earth. It has a Perfection of beauty & brilliance (Rev. 22:1-5; Ps. 50:2).
Our Own Perfection in Heaven (Rev. 22:3-5). We will be Perfect & Sinless forever! It’s impossible to sin in a glorified body! (I Cor. 15:41-44, 51-54; Phil. 3:21; 2 Pet. 3:13; I John 3:2). We are transformed into the perfect image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29).
We have a Perfect Service to perform (Rev. 3:21; 7:15). Our Eternal Vocation – infinitely fulfilling & joyful! “His servants shall serve him” (22:3) as Kings & Priests (Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6; “a royal priesthood” (I Pet. 2:9). Thus Learning to serve others now is crucial to prepare for our eternal destiny (Matt.19:30; 20:27; Phil. 2:5, 7). “They shall reign for ever & ever” (22:5) (Lk. 19:15-19) (Rom 5:17).
Perfect FREEDOM (Rev. 21 & 22). Freedom has never been won or maintained without the shedding of blood (The Greatest Song of Heaven – Rev. 5:9-10). FREEDOM to come & go (anywhere in the world or Universe). “The gates shall not be shut at all; there shall be no night” Perfect safety & security! FREEDOM from all “darkness” (no night). No physical or moral darkness (I Jon 1:5)! FREEDOM from satan Forever! (Rev. 20:10). “No more curse” (Rev. 22:3). FREEDOM from death (Rev. 21:4; ICor.15:52-7). FREEDOM from sorrow, tears & pain Forever!!! (Rev. 7:17; 21:4; Isa. 25:7- 8; 35:10)
(Ps 16:11) Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
A vision of Heaven causes you to “forget those things which are behind, & reach forth unto those things, which are before & press toward the mark for the prize of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:10-14). Make sure you are saved (2 Cor. 13:5; I John 5:11-13)!