Understanding Dispensations: The Age of Conscience

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

I think it is important to understand that Dispensationalism is not a devised system that you use to impose upon scripture. Rather it is more like an attempt to systematize a description of the things that you observe to have occurred. It is an attempt to provide an explanation why something is true in this period but not true in that period; why something is expected in this particular time and it is not expected in that particular time.

The first dispensation is called by some the Age of innocence. Why? Because there was no knowledge of sin and evil in the greater part of this dispensation. Notice that a new dispensation hasn’t occurred because something monumental happened. But rather, God, in responding to man’s deficiency made some new declarations.

What Has Changed from the Last Dispensation?

What has changed since this dispensation?

1. Death and Dying entered through sin -

Sin must be overcome - individually and collectively.

2. Expulsion from the Garden.

3. Direct access to God was broken and needs restoration - promised in and climaxes in the completed work of Jesus Christ)

When the couple were banished from the garden of Eden, there was placed at the entrance 2 cherubim and a flaming sword to guard access. Access to the tree of life was no longer possible for this couple and anyone to follow. That is there was nothing they could do to get back into the garden. Remember that in the garden there was also access to the presence of God. They were separated. There was nothing they could do to fix their own predicament. This was so for everyone to follow. If you read scripture carefully, there is no mention that the Garden was taken away. Presumably its very existence was eliminated in flood.

4. No more bountiful earth and harmonious nature

5. Cursing of the serpent and mankind having to live with the curse of the whole of creation.

6. Barring from the Tree of Life. Death now reigns supreme.

Isn’t it funny (weird) how we spend so much money, time, and effort to avoid that which is inevitable? We expect the Government to do the impossible - keep us from dying.

7. Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Synopsis

This age begins in and continues until after the Flood when God again confronts man with new rules in .

In this short section of the Bible, the time frame spans about 1500 years. There was death though man lived very long lives many 900 + years. In this time frame are a few significant things to consider.

1. Adam and Even initially had two sons. Cain killed his brother

2. There were giants - the word is translated from “Nephilim” which means “the fallen ones.” They were the product of the “sons of God” mating with the “daughters of men.”

3. Enoch was the first recorded preacher. We have the essence of his message in the book of Jude - second from the end of the Bible. But the marvelous thing about Enoch was that he “walked with God, and was not for God took him.”

4. Enoch was father of Methuselah who was grandfather of Noah.

5. And then we have the World Wide Flood.