Pastor-teacher
Don Hargrove
Faith Bible
Church
Wednesday, Sept 16, 2009
Salvation ( Eph 2:8-9); the
spiritual life (Eph 4:30), spiritual maturity (Eph 4:11-13)
GOD’S COVENANTS – Part 5: Distinctives of
Dispensationalism & the Church Age
(Messiah &
A.C. #251)
A. The first six direct Old Testament prophecies of Jesus Christ, the
Messiah.
#1 Gen 3:15: God
promises a virgin-born divine Messiah of redemption.
#2, Gen
22:18; Gal 3:16: God promises that He
will be a Jew.
#3, Gen 49:10: God promises that He will come from the tribe
of Judah.
#4,
Numbers 23-24, 24:16-17:
God promises that He will be King in Israel.
#5, Dt
18:15-19: God promises He that will be a Mediator and Redeemer.
#6 , 2 Sam 7:8-19; 1 Chron 17:11-14; Luke 1:26-33: God promises that He will
come from line of David.
B. Covenants and the distinctiveness of
dispensationalism.
1. Understanding the covenants of God.
2. Only in dispensationalism are the
covenants/contracts of God truly honored, cf. Gen 12-22; Dt
30; Psa 89:1-4, 20-37; Lk
1:26-33.
3.
Dispensationalism continues to be under enormous attack by the majority of
Christian leaders, groups, and denominations.
4. Only in dispensationalism can the believer
gain a biblical view of history, 1 Thess 5:1.
5. Every believer is either a dispensationalist
or holds to some form of replacement theology.
6. In dispensationalism consistent
literal/natural interpretation applied equally to all Scripture.
7. Only in dispensationalism is there the
strongest distinction between Israel and the church.
8. Only in dispensationalism are the purposes of
God for each age really developed.
9. Only in dispensationalism is God’s specific
program for each age is developed.
10. Apart from dispensationalism with its
development of the uniqueness of church age, the believer will succumb to moralism, ritualism, legalism, religionism,
and overall maladjustment to the POG.
11. Only dispensationalism really opens up
understanding of the WOG and POG for the human history.
12. Each dispensation is a distinct stage of
testing of man with regard to new divine revelation.
13. Each dispensation is a distinct stage of
demonstrating the love, righteousness and justice of God in the angelic
conflict.
14. Only in dispensationalism is the uniqueness
of the church age
understood and celebrated,
Rom 16:25-26; Eph 3:1-5, 8-10; Col 1:25-29.
C. The Eight Covenants of Scripture.
#1: The Edenic/Creation
Covenant (Gen 1:28-30; 2:15-23; Psa 8:3-9; Hos 6:7).
#2: Adamic Covenant
(Gen 3:14-19).
#3: Noahic Covenant
(Gen 8:20-9:17).
#4 Abrahamic
Covenant (Gen 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:7-18; 17:1-21).
#5 Mosaic Covenant: conditional covenant Ex
20-40; Dt 28:49-50, 53, 63-66; Lev 26:16-46.
#6. Real Estate (AKA
Palestinian) Covenant, Dt
29-30.
#7 Davidic Covenant,
2 Sam 7:8-17; Psa 89; 1 Chron. 17:10-14; Jer 23:5;
33:19-20.
#8 New Covenant to Israel, Jer
31:31-34; Eze 16; 36:24-28; 37:21-28; Rom 11:26-27.
D. Overview of the 7 major dispensations.
#1
- The Age of the Gentiles – Adam to
Abraham.
#2
- The Age of the Jews – Abraham to
Jesus Christ.
#3 - Age of the Hypostatic Union – Jesus Christ
to Pentecost
#4 - Church Age – Pentecost to Rapture,
Rom 16:25.
#5
- The Tribulation – 7 yrs., from
signing of treaty to Second Advent.
#6
- The Millennium – 1,000 yrs. of
Christ’s Kingdom on earth.
#7
- Eternal State.