The Abrahamic Covenant: The Dispensation of Promise
(courtesy of: http://www.vaticanassassins.org)
Last month, we ended the Third Dispensation under the Noahic Covenant. Through the seven sons of Japheth, (son of Noah), came the goyim, or the Gentile nations, translated “heathen”. The name does not imply religion, but simply means non-Israelite or “foreigner”. Genesis 11 and 12 mark an important turning point in the Divine dealing. Up to now, the history has been of the whole Adamic race. There has been neither Jew nor Gentile; all have been one in “the first man Adam”. Henceforth, in the Scripture record, humanity must be thought of as a vast river from which God, in the call of Abraham and the creation of the nation of Israel, had but drawn off a slender stream, through which He may at last purify the great river itself. Israel was called to be a witness to the unity of God in the midst of universal idolatry, (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43;10-12); to illustrate the blessedness of serving the true God (Deut. 33:26-29); to receive and preserve the Divine revelations (Rom. 3:1, 2; Deut. 4:5-8); and to produce the Messiah (Gen. 3:15, 21:12, 28:10, 14; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:16, 17; Isa. 4:3-4; Matt. 1:1).
When we read Scripture, we must keep firmly in mind: (1) that from Gen. 12 to Mt. 12:45, the Scripture has the little stream, Israel, primarily in view, not the great Gentile river; though again and again we see God's intent is universal; (2) that the human race, henceforth called Gentile in distinction from Israel, goes on under the Adamic and Noahic covenants; and that for the race (outside Israel), the dispensations of Conscience and of Human Government continue.
We begin the Fourth Dispensation (Promise) in Genesis 12:1—Exodus 19:8, under the Covenant God establishes with Abraham: from the call of Abraham to the giving of the law. For Abraham and his descendants it is evident that the Abrahamic Covenant made a great change. They became distinctively the heirs of promise. That covenant is wholly gracious and unconditional. The descendants of Abraham had but to abide in their own land to inherit every blessing.
In Egypt, they lost their blessings but not their covenant. The Dispensation of Promise ended when Israel rashly accepted the law (Ex. 19:8). Grace had prepared a deliverer (Moses), provided a sacrifice for the guilty, and by Divine power brought them out of bondage (Ex. 19:4); but at Sinai, they exchanged grace for law. The dispensation of Promise extends from Gen. 12:1 to Ex. 19:8, and was exclusively Israelitish. The dispensation must be distinguished from the covenant. The former, as we have said before, is a mode of testing; the latter is everlasting because it's unconditional. The law did not annul or repeal the Abrahamic Covenant (Gal.3:15-18), but was an intermediate disciplinary dealing “till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made” (Gal. 3:19-29; 4:1-7). Only the dispensation, as a testing of Israel, ended at the giving of the law.
Up to this point, we have discussed Gen. 12:1 to Ex. 19:18 from the spiritual aspect. The natural story centers around Abram, whom God later renamed Abraham which means “father of many nations” (Gen.17:5). Abram's birth is recorded in Gen. 11:26, and his calling is recorded in chapter 12, the record of his life is continued through chapter 25 where his death is recorded in verse 8. Abraham's life is a very interesting read, and too much to cover in this writing. Space only allows for my commentary, so please, for the sake of understanding, if you are not familiar with Abraham's story, read it for yourself.
In Gen. 22:15-18, the Lord pronounced a great blessing upon Abraham , a type of Father, who “spared not His own son, but delivered Him up for us all” (John 3:16; Rom. 8:32) and because of his willingness to offer up his ONLY son, Isaac, (son of promise, Gen. 17:19), unto God as a sacrifice, (a type of Christ), who was “obedient unto death” (Phil. 2:5-8). We also see the ram, who was a type of substitute for Christ, as it was offered up as a burnt offering in our stead (Heb. 10:5-10). We can also compare the resurrection to the release from death for Isaac through the ram (Heb.10:5-10).
God also promised Abraham that his seed would be as the stars of the heaven and as the sand of the sea shore (Gen. 22:17). Some Bible teachers say the sand refers to the natural seed of Abraham, including Ishmael's contribution, and the stars refers to Abraham's spiritual seed, including us Christians. Considering this, we can see that the Dispensation of Promise is still in effect today!
God Bless You All,
Pastor Moser
March, 2011
W.O.W.
God strategically places us where we are in life...janitor, teacher, banker, nurse, etc. We are anointed, and appointed for the ministry God has for us.
In : 2011.03 "The Abrahamic Covenant: The Dispensation of Promise"
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