Dispensationalism (Part 2 of 2)

[This is a continuation of my previous blog post, “Dispensationalism (Part 1 of 2).” Please read Part 1 for complete context.]

Progressive Revelation throughout the Dispensations:

As mentioned before, progressive revelation is the concept that God reveals Himself progressively, and in different ways, throughout time; or specifically regarding this study, throughout the dispensations. He speaks to mankind in different ways during different times. (1 Samuel 3:1, Hebrews 1:1-2) He chooses different people to be His representatives. His written Word is recorded in stages. His overall plan for humanity, and redemption of mankind and creation, is revealed progressively. People are held accountable to respond to His revelation as it unfolds.

In the age of Innocence, mankind had direct access to God and had the ability to converse directly with Him in the Garden. Theirs was an unspoiled relationship. Adam and Eve experienced the "the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." (Genesis 3:8, NKJV, NASB) There was no need for an intermediary or a covering. There was no need for a written Word. Mankind knew God through direct relationship.

In the age of Conscience, we see that mankind still had some direct access to God in the examples of Cain and Abel, Enoch, and Noah. We see God speak directly to people like Cain, and Noah. But as mankind drifted away from God in their own sin, God pulled away from mankind. Access started to fade. Mankind, with some exceptions, had rejected God. But we still see some, perhaps limited (Cain and Abel offered sacrifices), direct access to God.

In the age of Human Government after the Flood, we don't see much interaction between mankind and God at all. After Noah and his sons, it seems that mankind drifted again from knowledge of, and relationship with, God. Their own sin was surely a barrier. The Tower of Babel may have been mankind's attempt to reach God, but on their own terms, not His. Again, we have little information from this period, but it seems that access to God and revelation from God was very limited, almost non-existent during this brief dispensation.

During the age of Promise, God chose to reveal Himself through calling specific individuals out of their circumstances and revealing Himself to them through visions and Christophanies (pre-incarnate appearances of Christ, the second Person of the Godhead/Trinity). We see the Angel of the Lord (a Christophany) make appearances to certain individuals. We see God make promises, or covenants with people like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We see God appear to, and speak with, Moses in varying forms. During this dispensation, mankind’s access to God was limited to His revelation of Himself to those whom He sovereignly chose. There are some examples of others who worshipped Him, perhaps through knowledge passed down from prior generations (such as Job).

During the age of Law, God chose to reveal Himself through specific Prophets and priests that He selected. We see God speak to people like Moses, and Joshua. He also began to reveal Himself through the written Word as the Law and the Old Testament were written. At times, His glory occupied the Holiest Place in the Tabernacle or the Temple. At times He appeared as a Theophany (pillar of fire or cloud) or a Christophany (the Angel of the Lord). In order to approach God during this age, mankind was to follow prescribed methods of cleansing and sacrifice contained in the Law. Access to knowledge about God came from the Prophets, the priests, or the portions of the Word of God that were written.

During the time of Christ's First Advent, God was revealed to mankind in the Person of Jesus. Mankind again had direct access to God in the Person of Jesus. God walked among men and spoke directly to them. The Word of God was being delivered through Jesus.

During the age of Grace (now), God reveals Himself through the written Word (both Old and New Testaments), the working of the Holy Spirit, and the testimony of the Church (Christians as Christ's representation on earth between His 1st and 2nd Advents). Mankind has access to knowledge about God through the Bible, and direct access to God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit after regeneration. This age is unique in that in previous ages (Promise, Law, etc.), the Holy Spirit worked by coming upon (Greek word "epi") someone to give them an ability, gift, inspiration, power, strength, etc., or by coming alongside (Greek word "para") someone to educate, enlighten, guide, protect, etc., but He did not indwell people. In the age of Grace we see a new work of the Holy Spirit by indwelling (Greek word "en") those who are reborn. He becomes the seal of God within the redeemed, and a deposit/down payment of God's promise to glorify the Bride of Christ, the Church. The Holy Spirit indwells us now (those who receive Him through faith in Christ), and as such, there are different expectations, accordingly.

During the Tribulation, the Church will have been removed, as will (I strongly believe) the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Mankind will have access to the knowledge of God through the written Word (although it might be hard to come by) and through other people who are His witnesses. The Holy Spirit will still work upon and alongside, but will no longer indwell. There will be two Witnesses (Prophets perhaps; Moses and Elijah perhaps) witnessing to the world, but only for part of the seven years. (Revelation 11:3-12) Things will be tough, but I believe many individuals will be saved, and ultimately the Nation of Israel will collectively accept their Messiah. As strange as it may sound, during the Tribulation, God will also reveal Himself, in part, through His judgements.

During the Millennial Kingdom, God will reveal Himself, first and foremost, again through the Person of Jesus, who will physically rule the earth from Jerusalem for 1000 years. He will also be revealed again through the written Word (the Bible), and through His saints of previous ages in resurrected form. I suspect we'll see some angelic activity as well. Mankind will again have direct access to God through the Person of Jesus, who will again walk and talk with mankind in physical presence.

During the New Heavens and New Earth (eternity future, if I may be permitted to use a not entirely accurate term), the redeemed of all ages will dwell eternally in the presence of God with unrestricted access and revelation from the source.

The Distinctiveness of Israel and the Church:

Now for one of my favorite topics: the distinctions between Israel and the Church. This is one of the key points of Dispensationalism. Contrast this concept with Replacement Theology, which I strongly believe is a heretical doctrine. Israel and the Church are two distinct groups of people, and the Bible clearly delineates between the two. Israel, the nation, not the man (Jacob) or the land (Canaan), was born during the dispensation of Promise and received its calling during the dispensation of Law. Israel are the Chosen People, God's Chosen People, the Apple of God's Eye. They are in a covenant relationship with Him; first the Abrahamic, then the Mosaic, and now the New (which replaced the Mosaic; not the same as Replacement Theology).

Let me clarify some points: Replacement Theology asserts that the Church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people and that all the promises of God made to Israel now belong to the Church. This is a false teaching. The New Covenant has replaced the Mosaic (Old) Covenant. This is Biblical. They are not the same thing. Israel still has its own place and its own destiny in God's prophetic program. Let me clarify some additional points: the Mosaic and the New Covenant both stem/originate from the Abrahamic Covenant. It is the source, the foundational promise of God, upon which we Christians build our faith. In the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised that a blessing would come from Abraham's loins (descendants) that would be a blessing for all the nations. (Genesis 12:3, Genesis 18:18, Genesis 22:18) This is the promise of Messiah; our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. That is why Paul says that the Church is grafted into the vine of Abraham. (Romans 11:17-18) It isn't because the Church or the Gentiles have replaced Israel, but because the promise of the Messiah, and the actual Messiah Himself (through whom we Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike, receive salvation), came from Abraham. Israel has access to the New Covenant, as do all people. One day, according to Biblical prophecy, corporate Israel will accept the New Covenant. (Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 13:9, Matthew 23:39, Acts 3:19-21, Romans 11:25-26)

Israel, during the dispensation of Law, was called to be a nation set apart for God. They were called to be His light to the world. As you know from the Bible, they didn't always follow that calling. Israel has a specific part to play in God's plan; past, present, and future. Israel was prophesied to be dispersed and Jerusalem leveled (Daniel 9:26, Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 19:41-44), and then prophesied to be regathered in the land (Ezekiel 34:13, 36:24, 37:21; Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 11:11-16, 43:6; Jeremiah 16:15, 23:3, 23:8, 29:14, 30:3, 30:18, 31:8-10, 32:37, 33:7; Amos 9:14-15), and we know from modern history that the regathering is happening. The Tribulation has a two-fold purpose in my mind: 1. To pour out God's judgment upon a world that has rejected Him and revels in its sin. 2. To bring the Nation of Israel to repentance and lead it to accept its Messiah.

Israel will one day (Millennial Kingdom) be the nation from which Jesus rules all nations, and Jerusalem will be His capital city. God made a promise to Abraham (and Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and David), and God keeps His promises. So the destiny for Israel is for the Kingdom to be restored under the Messiah that it finally accepts.

The Church is also a people group of God. It is the Body of Christ. It is the Bride of Christ. It doesn't need to purified, its members are already redeemed and declared righteous. It doesn't need to be led to repentance, its members have already repented and been reborn. It doesn't need to accept the Messiah, its members already have; that's how they become a part of the Church. Understand, I'm not talking about individual assemblies, or churches; I'm talking about the Church, the universal fellowship of the redeemed (true believers). There are plenty of people sitting in church buildings that need to repent and accept Jesus, but those people are not yet part of the Church (and may never be). This is part of why I do not believe that the Church goes through the tribulation. What would be the point? It isn't for them. Would you want your bride to go through such an event? I don't think Christ does either.

The Church, like Israel, is a group of people who are called out by God to be separate. The members of the Church, like Abraham and his descendants, are elected by God; we, like him and his children, did nothing to merit God's favor. We, like him (Abraham), simply responded to God's election by faith (which He gave us, by the way). Understanding sovereign election is a humbling thing. The Church is made up of people from all nations (Jews and Gentiles), unlike Israel which consisted specifically of Abraham’s descendants/lineage.

The Church technically originated at the beginning of the dispensation of Grace, although Jesus was laying the foundation during His first advent. The mission of the Church, similar to that of Israel, is to be God's light to the world. The Church is designed to be unique and peculiar from a secular perspective, as was Israel. Unlike Israel, the members of the Church are Christ's ambassadors/representatives until He returns. The Mosaic sacrifices were a foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice. The Church is the representation of Christ. The Church was a mystery in the Old Testament, only hinted at but not really spoken of directly. (Ephesians 3:1-12, Ephesians 5:32) As I mentioned before, the Church is the only group of people that has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The destiny of the Church is to rule and reign with Christ. We are called kings and priests in the Bible. Israel had separate lines for kings and priests; the two were not to mix roles. The only other people in the Bible who are called kings and priests are Jesus and Melchizedek (and many believe Melchizedek was a Christophany).

Matthew 22:1-14 contains the parable of the wedding feast. Many scholars see the groom as a representation of Jesus, the bride as the Church, and the guests who rejected the invitation as the Jews. The Church could also be represented by the guests who came, since the bride isn't specifically mentioned.

Revelation 19:6-9 contains the prophecy of the marriage supper of the Lamb. I have no doubt in this case that the groom is Christ and the bride is His Church. This is a corresponding picture to the parable and gives interpretive support. I suspect the guests at this wedding could be saints of other ages (OT saints, possibly Tribulation saints, etc.). Those could also be the guests who attend in the aforementioned passage (the parable).

Now, one final point of clarification; and this is where many people get confused so I will try to explain it clearly. There are people who are saved by grace through faith from all the different dispensations. The term saints can be used of all these people (and in fact the Bible uses it this way). A "saint" is simply a person who is justified by God; one who is declared righteous, or redeemed. Here's the (potentially) tricky part. God doesn't change. His method for salvation doesn't change. But the saints from different dispensations fall into different categories in regards to certain aspects of their calling, missions, roles in prophecy, etc. I have mentioned this in my other writings. There are different stages of progressive revelation throughout the different dispensations. As a result, there are varying degrees of knowledge regarding God and His plan available to the different groups of saints during the different dispensations. Likewise, God interacted differently with mankind during the different dispensations. For example, in the ages of Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, and to some extent Law, God appears to have spoken audibly to certain human beings. He doesn't do so now, but the Holy Spirit indwells saints of the Grace age, which He didn't do in previous dispensations. Likewise, it wasn't until the Grace age that the canon of Scripture was completed.

The Church is prophesied to return with Christ and reign with Him. The Tribulation saints (at least the martyrs) are prophesied to surround God's throne praising Him day and night. (Revelation 7:9-15) So there are different destinies for the saints of different ages, but we are all destined to be resurrected in new, perfect bodies, and be free from the presence of sin, and be with God and each other in the New Heavens and New Earth for eternity.

That concludes my brief description of Dispensationalism.

Thanks for reading. Grace and peace to you.