End of Dispensations
Today, we are going to talk about the different dispensations.
At the beginning of the Bible,
Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
At the end,
Revelation 22:21: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Age of innocence
The first age concerns the beginning of dispensations. This is the worst age of Christians, so to speak, because we are in Laodicea, the age of immediate gratification. Isn’t it hard to discipline oneself to church early to pray early in the morning? One always starts by saying, “If only…” and then continues, “…then we could easily serve God.” One can make as many excuses as he wants.
Adam and Eve lived in an age where they talked with God every day. They lived without temptation, imperfection, and they only understood holiness and righteousness. God has proved that man has failed God in the age of innocence. Even if everything around you was everything perfect, you would still sin against God.
Age of conscience
Genesis 6:3: “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.”
A lot of people have lied so many times. “Because I am sincere, it’s not fair if I’m being punished for not carrying out the works since I have these legitimate reasons.” The Bible says,
Genesis 6:5: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
One wants God to overlook certain parts, but that’s not the way it works. “If I had another Bible believer around me, If I’m married… So God, I’m sure you can understand why I’m not going to a Bible-believing church.”
Age of government
Imagine if you had the entire country supporting you, like in the tower of Babel. “So you can only serve God when you have pastor revival, summer camp, bible-believing families around you?” You only serve God if you have people? You are dependent on people.
Sometimes one slows down and backslides because his or her prayers go unanswered for a long time.
Age of promise
Genesis 12:1-3: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
God told Abraham to separate himself from the world; only then would his promise be granted. But when Abraham had trouble, he went to Egypt!
Age of Law
“If only there were rules and stricter people forcing me to follow them, then I would serve God better.”
Exodus 20:3-4,7-8,12-17: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”
The ten commandments were very specific, as were their consequences as well. Would you serve God better if there were stricter laws?
The Davidic covenant
David was one person who got an exception when he committed adultery and murder.
2 Samuel 12:13: “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
Even when David got exempted from death, did he serve God better? Once God pulled you out of the situation, did you serve God better?
2 Samuel 24:10: “And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.”
Age of grace
Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
God understands and knows what you’re thinking, feeling, and going through. Jesus conquered everything. Did you bleed or suffer on the cross? “This is my limit. This is too hard,” but no, this is the age of grace.
Tribulation
“If I truly saw the evil in the apostate church, then I would come to a Bible-believing church.”
During the trial, God exposed the evilness of Satan’s world, and what did the world do?
Revelation 13:4: “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”
They repenteth not of their evil.
Millennium
This was the perfect world – everything was restored to how it was in the Garden of Eden. Yet, one still came back to sin.
Revelation 20:9: “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
This sermon concludes that no matter what God provides, one will continue sinning and messing up. Stop blaming God, and start looking at oneself. Stop giving excuses, and start serving God. There is no excuse.
It is hard. But even if one got everything he asked for, he will still sin. Don’t go for excuses – start serving God.