Ephesians 1.10 The Fulfillment of Time “That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:10). Some Bible teachers see the work of God among men throughout history divided into seven dispensations, with some of these dispensations being interwoven together. From the creation of Adam until he committed evil by disobeying God and eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the dispensation of innocence (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6). From this sinful act of Adam until Noah and the flood, was the time of the dispensation of conscience, God allowing every person to be ruled by his/her own conscience—because of this most people of the world became extremely evil. After the flood, from Noah to Moses was the dispensation of human government, as God established the basis for human government through the covenant He made with Noah after the flood. From Moses until Jesus was the dispensation of the Law, where man would relate to God by keeping the statutes and ordinances of the Law that God gave to Moses. Within this same time frame, beginning with the conquering of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, is considered to be the dispensation of the Gentiles, where the Jews had been taken out of the land, no longer ruled Israel, and no longer had a king. Many Bible teachers believe that the times of the Gentiles ended in 1948 when Israel became a nation again, or in 1967 when Jerusalem came back under the control of Israel. From the death and resurrection of Jesus until the coming of Jesus for His church, is known as the dispensation of grace, sometimes called the dispensation of the church, and other times it is called the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is God’s operative agent in the world: it is through the Holy Spirit that Christians relate to God. The seventh dispensation, that Paul refers to here, is the dispensation of the fullness of time, when Jesus Christ comes again with His church and establishes God’s kingdom here on the earth. When this happens we live and reign with Jesus Christ in righteousness and peace on this earth (Revelation 20:4). Paul wrote, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10). The writer of Hebrews says that God has put everything under Jesus’ feet. In putting everything under Him, God left nothing that is not subject to Him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him (Hebrews 2:8). It is God’s purpose and good pleasure that ultimately all things in heaven and earth will be brought together in Jesus Christ. We don’t see that now, because we are waiting for the finish of this dispensation of grace and entering into that new dispensation where Jesus Christ will establish His kingdom on this earth. At that time, all of the governments and the powers on this earth will be brought into subjection to Jesus Christ. We don’t yet see all things put under Him, but we do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that He, by the grace of God, should taste of death for every man (Hebrews 2:5-9). We have the opportunity to reign with Jesus Christ in this coming dispensation that Paul is talking about, but only if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When your time on this earth comes to an end, are you ready to meet Jesus? There are warnings in the Bible to those who profess to be a Christian, but are still living an ungodly lifestyle. There are even stronger warnings to those who reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Bible says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Jesus will be your Savior, or your judge, it is your choice! (John 5:26-27). Carlin Lawrence
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 00:13:34 +0000
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