The following contains discussion of content that was not originally made by me. Please help the original content rank higher in the algorithms by viewing it at its original location, and also giving it a like and a comment and so on (if applicable):
Also, be sure to follow/subscribe to/support the original content creator on all their platforms:
- Website: Ichthys.com
The things labeled "summary points" on this page are highly derivative of the original content, since they are summarizing the original content.
Video
Summary
TODO: Summary
Content
Introduction
Audio clip from Ichthys
The word “dispensation” is at once a descriptive and unfortunate term for the five segments into which history is divided in respect to God’s allocation of resources for pursuing a relationship with Him (i.e., salvation and spiritual growth). This is because while “dispensation” is a perfectly good English word that closely shadows the biblical vocabulary on the one hand (translating the Greek word oikonomia: οἰκονομία), on the other hand the connotations the word carries from Roman Catholic usage as well as from traditional, evangelical “Dispensationalism” can be misleading. The Greek word oikonomia may also be translated “economy” and “stewardship” (cf. Lk.16:2-4; 1Cor.9:17; Col.1:25; 1Tim.1:4), but these words too have taken on specialized meanings that obscure the real force of what biblical oikonomia really is. God’s dispensations are periods of time distinguished by the different grace means He uses in each one to “dispense” the resources necessary for seeking Him to all those who desire to do so (Eph.3:2).
It should go without saying that God has always made Himself available to those who want to know Him and who wish to have a relationship with Him – that is the whole point of our existence (Deut.4:29; Prov.8:17; Is.45:22; 55:6; Jer.29:13; Matt.7:7; Lk.11:9). The manner and the means whereby He accomplishes this, however, differ, corresponding to the dispensational division in question. To know God, one needs to have information about God; one needs truth, truth which must then be believed and put into practice. And while certain truths are obvious to all mankind (e.g., the existence of God, the basic distinction between right and wrong, etc.), more specific information about God, the salvation He has provided in Jesus Christ, and the knowledge essential to cultivating a relationship with Him are areas of truth that are not available to mankind independent of the grace means God has provided for their dissemination. While our omnipotent, omniscient God is certainly capable of giving any and every interested human being independent revelation of all His truth, He has for the most part in the course of human history chosen to work through various agents, stewards or “dispensers” who have been responsible for providing spiritual food to the family of God.<!– — –> Until the coming of the canon of scriptures, this was a direct process wherein the Word of God came exclusively to certain individuals of God’s choosing called “prophets” (Hebrew: nabi’ – נביא; Greek: prophetes – προφήτης) who were responsible for dispensing divine truth. During the formation of the canon (a period of some fifteen hundred years), prophecy and the written Word were dual means of dispensing truth. With the close of the canon and the passing of the apostolic generation, God’s Word is the sole source of special revelation about Him, so that the dispensation of truth during the division known as the Church is correspondingly different from preceding dispensational divisions (the ministry and gifts of the Spirit being crucial at this present time). With the commencement of the end times and the millennial reign of Christ that follows, scripture will be complemented once again by extraordinary prophetic empowerment as the knowledge of God will come to fill the entire world (see below).
The “dispensations” of God’s gracious provision of truth about Himself (necessary for salvation and spiritual growth) are five in number. They are:
- Gentile Patriarchy: from Adam to Abraham.
- Jewish Patriarchy: from Abraham to Moses.
- The Mosaic Law: from Moses to Christ.
- The Church: from Christ’s first advent to His Second Advent.
- The Millennium: from Christ’s return to the end of history.
Summary points
The word “dispensation” is an accurate translation of the Greek word oikonomia, but it has certain connotations that can be misleading. So rather than considering what other people may mean by it, it is best to stick with the biblical definition of dispensations:
Definition: God’s dispensations are periods of time distinguished by the different grace means He uses in each one to “dispense” the resources necessary for seeking Him to all those who desire to do so (Eph.3:2).
While our omnipotent, omniscient God is certainly capable of giving any and every interested human being independent revelation of all His truth, He has for the most part in the course of human history chosen to work through various agents, stewards or “dispensers” who have been responsible for providing spiritual food to the family of God.
Here is a brief synopsis of various dispensers of truth, and their general periods of activity:
- Until the coming of the canon of scriptures, the revelation of God’s truth was a direct process wherein the Word of God came exclusively to certain individuals of God’s choosing called “prophets”.
- During the formation of the canon (a period of some fifteen hundred years), prophecy and the written Word were dual means of dispensing truth.
- With the close of the canon and the passing of the apostolic generation, God’s Word is the sole source of special revelation about Him, so that the dispensation of truth during the division known as the Church is correspondingly different from preceding dispensational divisions (the ministry and gifts of the Spirit being crucial at this present time).
- With the commencement of the end times and the millennial reign of Christ that follows, scripture will be complemented once again by extraordinary prophetic empowerment as the knowledge of God will come to fill the entire world (see below).
As you can see, revelation comes through either prophets, or the written Word of God. Here in the Church age, Bible teachers do not receive direct revelation, but explain the Bible, which is itself the revelation.
These dispensers of truth fall within five separate dispensational divisions (each of which we will go through in more depth):
- Gentile Patriarchy: from Adam to Abraham.
- Jewish Patriarchy: from Abraham to Moses.
- The Mosaic Law: from Moses to Christ.
- The Church: from Christ’s first advent to His Second Advent.
- The Millennium: from Christ’s return to the end of history.
Follow-on topics
It is accurate to say that the truth being dispensed in the ways that we are discussing is so-called “special revelation” (as opposed to the “natural revelation” of Psalm 19 and Romans 1). This means that what we are discussing is not basic knowledge of God’s existence or the fundamentals of right and wrong (which all humans know implicitly), but instead specific knowledge about Gods means of salvation for mankind. So, if we were to summarize most of this in a single sentence, we might say something like the following:
Throughout different parts of human history, God chose to communicate special revelation in different ways.
A key observation that we might draw is that God is always the provider of special revelation. I hope it is clear then how humanity has absolutely no hope of saving itself apart from the grace of God. Even if Jesus paid for our sin, if God did not lead us to the good news of the gospel, we still would not be able to be reconciled to Him. We are completely lost without His hand grasping ours and drawing us to salvation.
To be clear, He doesn’t force it upon us (in that He gives us an opportunity to say no… and tragically, many do in fact say no), but the point is that we would not be able to find it without Him. This goes for all of humanity, down to last person. We have all been saved by grace. Because God not only paid for our sin with the precious blood of His Son, but then also gave us the knowledge needed to grasp hold of that payment through faith.
Further discussion
The Gentile Patriarchy
Audio clip from Ichthys
a) Gentile Patriarchy: In keeping with the individual focus of the times of the gentiles, God worked primarily through individuals during that period of history which preceded the call of Abraham. After the pattern of Enoch (Gen.5:21-24; Heb.11:5), Noah (Gen.6:9; 6:13-14; Heb.11:7), Job (Job 1:8), the king of Salem (Gen.14:18-20), and, until his circumcision, Abram (Gen.12:1-3; 15:6), God provided Himself with stewards, men to whom He granted great knowledge about Himself through personal revelation. These men were prophets whom God blessed with special revelation of His truth, and whom He used as means for the stewardship or “dispensing” of that truth about Himself.
Summary points
In the Gentile Patriarchy, God worked primarily though individuals who were not related to one another by blood, but only through their shared faith. These men received direct revelation, and then the truth was spread from them.
If you take a look at the verse references Dr. Luginbill gives for each of these men, you can see that while all their circumstances were different, they were all following the paths God had laid out for them, and served as witnesses of God’s truth.
Follow-on topics
If we were to use a short label to identify the means through which God dispensed church in this division of history, we would say that God dispensed truth through individuals.
I think it is very helpful for us to associate these short labels with each dispensational division to help us see the differences between them. I will make a table here, and fill it out division by division as we go:
| Dispensational division | God’s means of dispensing special revelation |
|---|---|
| Gentile Patriarchy | Through individuals |
When we consider in this first division how God directly spoke through individuals, I think these circumstances can clearly show that God’s favor was not arbitrarily limited to one family or nation. Of course, as we talk about the Jewish Patriarchy and Mosaic Law, we will be arguing that God choosing to speak first through the bloodline of Abraham and then the people of Israel really wasn’t arbitrarily limited either, properly understood. But it is nonetheless a bit clearer here, where there is no special focus = no specific focused “torch-bearer” (we might say).
Further discussion
The Jewish Patriarchy
Audio clip from Ichthys
b) Jewish Patriarchy: In terms of the dispensing of divine truth, God’s grace means from the call of Abraham to the giving of the Mosaic Law are similar in the sense of being visited upon individual believers, exceptional in terms of their relationship to God. In the Jewish division as in the gentile division, heads of households prominent for their favor in the eyes of the Lord remain the focus of divine revelation, often through direct communication with God (as well as through visions, dreams, and their interpretation). The main difference between the Gentile and Jewish dispensational economies is expressed in their respective titles: before Abraham, no familial distinction existed; after Abraham, God made particular and preeminent use of Abraham’s seed to witness for Himself and to distribute His truth. For example, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all functioned as prophets (cf. Gen.20:7). All three patriarchs are recorded in scripture as having received special revelation directly from God (e.g., see respectively Gen.15:12-16; 26:2-5; 28:13-15). The procedure of the dispensation of truth is thus identical for the first two divisions of history, only that in the second, revelation comes predominantly through the line of the Messiah.
Summary points
In the Jewish Patriarchy, God was still dispensing truth through individuals. However, now there was a focus upon a specific bloodline: the bloodline of Abraham.
Unlike the completely unrelated individuals in the Gentile Patriarchy who received revelation, the men of the Jewish Patriarchy were linked to each other through blood.
Follow-on topics
While we may not always think of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. as prophets per se, they really were, in that they received direct revelation from God (cf. the verses Dr. Luginbill mentions above). The same also holds for the individuals in the Gentile Patriarchy like Noah and Job. The title “prophet” does sort of take on a technical sense after the establishment of a specific “office” in the nation of Israel, but more generally, a prophet is someone who speaks forth under the inspiration of God (cf. the core meaning of the Greek word προφήτης). So truly, these men were all prophets in every sense that matters.
Now, when it comes to understanding why God chose to work out salvation through a specific family—and then nation, as we shall see—rather than leaving salvation more “dispersed” (so to speak), there is much we could say on the subject. But really, what most people are troubled by when they ask this sort of question is the “fairness” aspect of it. To put it simply, isn’t it unfair for God to bless one family, and not others? And then bless one nation, but not others? How is that just?
Well, consider that God’s blessing was not arbitrary even amongst the family of promise. There was Isaac yes, but there was also Ishmael. There was Jacob yes, but there was also Esau. So faith (coming from pure human free will) has always been the driver of blessing. God is is just big enough and wise enough to construct history in such a way that an individual family (and then nation) served as stewards of the covenants and promises, while still perfectly preserving all human free will. For God, such a feat is nothing. He knows everything that will happen before it happens. So Him arranging history in such a way that He speaks through specific groups while yet preserving the free will choice of all (while favoring none arbitrarily) is no hard thing, even if it boggles human comprehension.
Compare also Romans 9:6-9; Galatians 3:9; Galatians 3:29. “Children of Abraham” are those who inherit his faith.
If we were to use a short label to identify the means through which God dispensed church in this division of history, we would say that God dispensed truth through a family: the bloodline of Abraham.
| Dispensational division | God’s means of dispensing special revelation |
|---|---|
| Gentile Patriarchy | Through individuals |
| Jewish Patriarchy | Through a family: the bloodline of Abraham |
Further discussion
TODO: Deuteronomy quotations from what Odii brought up
The Mosaic Law
Audio clip from Ichthys
c) The Mosaic Law: With the giving of the Mosaic Law, God’s truth took written form for the first time in human history. While prophets would continue to receive direct revelation from God, they were, beginning with Moses, sometimes instructed to record the Word of God. The act of writing down scripture is thus a prophetic one, accomplished exclusively by prophets (e.g., Moses: comparing Deut.18:15 with Num.12:6-8), and always at the behest of God (e.g., Ex.34:27-28), and under the direct guidance of God (cf. 2Pet.1:20-21). With the giving of the Law, there was now a body of written truth about God which could be taught independently of prophecy (a function for which the priests and Levites were primarily responsible: Deut.33:8-10; 2Chron.17:7-9; 35:3; Neh.8:9; Ezek.44:23). More than this, the entire national lifestyle dictated by the Law was itself designed to teach truth. The behavioral requirements of the Law functioned as a “pedagogue”, so to speak, designed to expose our sinful nature and so lead the way to salvation (Gal.3:24-25). Its stipulations for separating the clean and unclean taught God’s holiness and the need to emulate it. The sacrifices it enjoined in particular spoke of Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross (cf. 1Cor.5:7), and the system of festivals taught God’s ultimate plan for the ages (see below). The tabernacle and its furniture were also rich in symbolic meaning, communicating much truth about God (cf. Heb.9:23-28). Even elements which may seem superficially trivial have deep spiritual significance (cf. 1Cor.9:8-10). In short, with the giving of the Law, God’s dispensation of knowledge about Himself was no longer confined to exceptional individuals, but was now more widely and immediately available, although concentrated in His priest-nation, Israel.
Summary points
With the giving of the Mosaic law, special revelation came to be written down for the first time in human history. Writing down scripture was:
- Accomplished exclusively by prophets
- Done at the behest of God
- Done under the direct guidance of God
With the giving of the Law, there was now a body of written truth about God which could be taught independently of prophecy, meaning God’s dispensation of knowledge about Himself was no longer confined to exceptional individuals, but was now more widely and immediately available (although concentrated in His priest-nation, Israel).
The entire national lifestyle dictated by the Law was itself designed to teach truth: to expose our sinful nature and so lead the way to salvation.
- Its stipulations for separating the clean and unclean taught God’s holiness and the need to emulate it.
- The sacrifices it enjoined in particular spoke of Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross.
- The system of festivals taught God’s ultimate plan for the ages.
- Etc.
Follow-on topics
If you had never thought about it before, it is interesting to consider why God directed the writing down of His Word only beginning with the Mosaic Law, and not during the Gentile Patriarchy or Jewish Patriarchy. In the end, the reason is not so important as that He did direct the writing down of His revelation only at this point and not sooner, and that this writing down of His Word fundamentally changed the dispensation of God’s truth in profound ways.
With the Word of God written down, “getting the truth” was now at times a matter of reading, not a matter of consulting a living individual. This does not mean that prophets no longer had spiritual authority (assuming they were truly operating under the direction of God); the point is that now the Word of God came into play as well. In fact, prophets now took on the role of writing down God’s Word, in addition to their pre-existing responsibilities to speak on His behalf generally.
Additionally, there were now completely new roles relating to the truth: the priests and Levites. In previous dispensational divisions without any written text, prophets spoke for God, and there were no people tasked with interpreting and teaching their words (or the like). But now priests and Levites were tasked with interpreting and teaching the Word of God. Again, this didn’t necessarily diminish the authority of the true prophets; it just means that they were no longer the only mechanism by which truth was distributed.
Now, under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law, much truth was left veiled, and only hinted at in symbolism and ritual. We should emphasize: the Mosaic Law does not contradict anything later revealed under the New Testament dispensation of grace in the Church Age. Things being left unclear in some areas (at least until further revelation) does not a contradiction make.
Fully articulating the purpose of the Law in the Plan of God is a bit out of scope here, but it is nonetheless important to understand its basic purpose: to teach humanity about its sinfulness. Why is understanding this basic purpose important? Because it elucidates how Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law. That is, if the Law directly teaches humanity’s sinfulness and need for a savior, then Jesus coming and dying for us as our personal savior solves the very problem that the Law raises.
This means that later New Testament revelation slots right into the framework of truth that has been there from the very beginning, hand-in-glove. So it is that God’s so-called “progressive revelation” of truth throughout all the dispensational divisions of human history has not only always been free from contradiction, but it has also always been consistent and perfectly united in a way that nothing else can compare to. Through the lips and pens of prophets God gave humanity His message… His single, perfectly-complete, perfectly-consistent message. There is nothing else like it.
| Dispensational division | God’s means of dispensing special revelation |
|---|---|
| Gentile Patriarchy | Through individuals |
| Jewish Patriarchy | Through a family: the bloodline of Abraham |
| The Mosaic Law | Through a nation: the nation of Israel |
Further discussion
The Church
Audio clip from Ichthys
d) The Church: The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, followed by the advent of His Holy Spirit, brought about a revolution in the dispensation of God’s grace means for learning about salvation and pursuing spiritual growth. With the explosion of grace to the gentiles and the formation of a world-wide family of God, a major change in the dispensation of truth was also required (cf. Heb.7:12). As a single family, united to Christ, the work of spiritual growth is very much now a group effort. The two key factors which allowed this transformation to take place are 1) the giving of the Holy Spirit; 2) the completion of the canon of scripture. Apart from the early days of the Church (and it would be well to remember that all the writers of scripture were either apostles who had seen Christ or were writing under their authority: cf. the discussion of prophecy above), the dispensation of knowledge for salvation and spiritual growth has rested almost exclusively on these twin pillars, whether directly or indirectly. For all believers have the gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:9), and all truth necessary for salvation and spiritual growth is contained in and limited to the Bible (with the exception of “general revelation”: e.g., recognizing God’s existence from contemplating the magnificence of His creation). That is not to say, of course, that in our current dispensation it is “every man for himself”, and that every believer is authorized and capable of “self-dispensing” the spiritual food necessary for growth. To the contrary, we the Church are the most interconnected group of believers in this respect that the world has yet seen. We are one body, and we function as parts of that body, each one of which is essential, each one of which has great need of all the others (1Cor.12:12-30). As those who have accepted Jesus Christ, we are all here with the same dual-objective: to grow spiritually and to help others do the same. The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts upon all new believers (1Cor.12:4-11), so that through His empowerment of these gifts and His indwelling of every believer we of the Church age have greater opportunities than ever before both for personal spiritual advance and also for helping our fellow believers grow as well.<!– — –> As spiritual advance in the midst of Satan’s world is no easy mandate, the mutual support of the body of Christ is essential for effective, collective growth. Furthermore, the dispensation of divine truth is no longer accomplished through prophecy (a gift that apparently ceased to function with the passing of the apostolic generation, once the canon of scripture was complete: 1Cor.13:8). Nor is it now a matter of close adherence to a very strict set of symbolic rituals (the Law having been abrogated by the reality of Christ’s incarnation and work on the cross: Rom.6:14; 10:4; Col.2:17). We are now free to accept the responsibility of spiritual growth without the burden of following the Law in all its particulars, educational as they may be (Gal.5:1; 5:13; 1Pet.2:16). For everything we as Christians need to know about God and our role in His plan is now contained in one unique book, the Bible (2Tim.3:15-17). God used inspired men to write this Book of books (2Pet.1:20-22), and now uses prepared men with the requisite spiritual gifts to teach and so to “dispense” the truths it contains (1Cor.12:27-31; Eph.4:11-16; 1Thes.5:12-13; 1Tim.5:17):
. . . . . in all wisdom and understanding [God] has made known to us the mystery He has willed (according to His own benevolent purpose which He determined in [Christ]) for administering (lit., for the dispensing of) this [present] fulfillment of the epochs: namely the incorporation of all things in Christ, things in heaven, and things on earth –
This gracious favor has been given to me, the least of His holy ones: to give to the gentiles the good news of the indescribable wealth [that is in] Christ, and to enlighten everyone as to how [the truth] of this mystery (once hidden from the ages in God who created everything) is now being dispensed, so that the enigmatically intricate wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms through the agency of the Church.
It is of this [Church] that I, [Paul], have become a minister according to God’s mandate given to me for dispensing [the truth] to you, in order to bring completeness to God’s plan (lit., “word”, Gk. logos), that is, [to make known] the mystery hidden from ages and from generations [past], but now revealed to His holy ones (i.e., believers). To all such God desired to make known what wealth there is in this glorious mystery regarding the gentiles, for it is that Christ – your hope of glory – is in you.
And command them not to pursue myths and endless genealogies, things which provoke controversies rather than the dispensing [of] the [truth] of God by faith.
Summary points
The inclusion of Gentiles into the Family of God also led to some changes in how God dispenses the truth—spiritual growth is now largely a group effort! The two key factors which allowed this transformation to take place are:
- The giving of the Holy Spirit
- The completion of the canon of scripture
Whether directly or indirectly, the dispensation of knowledge for salvation and spiritual growth has rested almost exclusively on these twin pillars. For example:
- All believers have the gift of the Holy Spirit to quicken our spiritual understanding (Rom.8:9).
- All truth necessary for salvation and spiritual growth is contained in and limited to the Bible (with the exception of “general revelation”: e.g., recognizing God’s existence from contemplating the magnificence of His creation).
But this is not just something we do alone through the insight the Holy Spirit gives to us individually. Rather, the Holy Spirit also empowers spiritual gifts within each of us, which we use to help one another as we chase after the truth together, leading to collective spiritual growth. We are all one body in Christ, and as individual believers, we function as parts of that body—each one of which is essential, each one of which has great need of all the others (1Cor.12:12-30).
Everything we as Christians need to know about God and our role in His plan is now contained in one unique book, the Bible. God used inspired men to write this Book of books, and now uses prepared men with the requisite spiritual gifts to teach and so to “dispense” the truths it contains. And these men, in turn, are supported by the gifts of all the other believers in the Church, who have also been empowered by Holy Spirit in various ways, such that the Church builds itself up in perfect truth and love.
Follow-on topics
I think it easy for us to forget sometimes how big a deal the giving of the Holy Spirit was. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit, there would be no spiritual gifts. And without spiritual gifts, there would be no Church. More than any time previously in human history, individual believers now play a direct part in the truth’s spread in this world. No longer are there prophets or priests or kings above us. Rather, all believers are now part of a holy priesthood (cf. 1 Peter 2:5)—living stones being built into a spiritual temple for God Himself. Each one of us now plays a direct role in the working out of God’s plan in the world, and that means that more than ever before, God’s dispensing of the truth is a collective, group effort—something that cannot succeed without each and every one of us properly exercising the gifts bestowed upon us by the Spirit. Only then can “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
| Dispensational division | God’s means of dispensing special revelation |
|---|---|
| Gentile Patriarchy | Through individuals |
| Jewish Patriarchy | Through a family: the bloodline of Abraham |
| The Mosaic Law | Through a nation: the nation of Israel |
| The Church | Through the Church: people exercising their spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit |
Further discussion
The Millennium
Audio clip from Ichthys
e) The Millennium: With the return of Christ at the Second Advent, our Lord will take up direct rule over the earth (along with those who are His at His coming: 1Cor.6:3; 1Pet.2:5; 2:9; Rev.1:6; 2:26-28; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4; 20:6). The commencement of the reign of Emmanuel (which name means “God [is] with us”) will begin for the first time since Adam’s fall the personal and direct rule of God on earth in the divine person of the Son of God. The dispensation of divine truth at that time will be such as the world has never before seen, for, in addition to the other wonders of millennial perfection, the knowledge of God and His truth will be universally and bountifully available:
“For” says the Lord, “this is the covenant which I shall make with the house of Israel after these days: I shall put my precepts in their minds and write them upon their hearts, and I shall be their God, and they shall be My people. They shall not teach each one his fellow and each one his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord!’, because all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I shall have mercy upon their unrighteous deeds and shall remember their sins no more.”
They shall not harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
However, despite this perfect environment, and despite unprecedented revelation abounding to all, truth which it will be impossible for mankind to ignore or be ignorant of, many will nevertheless resist the truth and choose to follow their sinful natures instead, even to the point of rebelling against the perfect King just as soon as the opportunity arises (when Satan is temporarily released: Rev.20:7-10).
Summary points
After Christ’s second coming, humanity will come to experience the personal and direct rule of God on earth in the divine person of the Son of God. The dispensation of divine truth at that time will be such as the world has never before seen, for, in addition to the other wonders of millennial perfection, the knowledge of God and His truth will be universally and bountifully available.
However, despite this perfect environment, and despite unprecedented revelation abounding to all, truth which it will be impossible for mankind to ignore or be ignorant of, many will nevertheless resist the truth and choose to follow their sinful natures instead.
Follow-on topics
It stands to reason that under the rule of the perfect Son of God, the dissemination of God’s truth in the world will reach a degree beyond anything ever seen before. This will not merely be a matter of more copies of the Bible floating around (for example), but will also be on account of Christ’s perfect governance ensuring that the Bible is not misinterpreted and misrepresented.
In short, with God Himself as our teacher-king, the dispensing of truth in the Millennium will be incredibly direct.
This being the case, it is worth considering how the rebellion of humans who have experienced this blessed time of peace and truth demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that no humans will ever find themselves in hell due a lack of knowledge. The truth will be so available under the perfect millennial rule of Christ that absolutely no human will have any excuse whatsoever, to a degree we cannot yet properly imagine or comprehend. Yet even so, some will still choose to rebel. If that does not show the hardheartedness of humanity, what does?
| Dispensational division | God’s means of dispensing special revelation |
|---|---|
| Gentile Patriarchy | Through individuals |
| Jewish Patriarchy | Through a family: the bloodline of Abraham |
| The Mosaic Law | Through a nation: the nation of Israel |
| The Church | Through the Church: people exercising their spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit |
| The Millennium | Through the personal reign of the Messiah: Jesus himself ruling from Jerusalem |