BIBLE LISTS & FACTS:
The Bible:
(KJV- AV 1611)
Number Of Books In The Bible: 66
Authors: 40
Chapters: 1,189
Verses: 31,101
Words: 783,137
Letters: 3, 566,480
Promises: 1,260
Commands: 6,468
Questions: 3,294
Number Of Books In The Old Testament: 39
Chapters: 929
Verses: 23,144
Words: 602, 585
Letters: 2,728,100
Number Of Books In The New Testament: 27
Chapters: 260
Verses: 7,957
Words: 180,552
Letters: 383,380
Longest Name In The Bible: Mahershalalhashbaz (18 letters) Isaiah 8:1
(Isaiah's Son)
Longest Verse: Esther 8:9 (89 words ; 425 letters)
Shortest Verse: John 11:35 "Jesus Wept" (2 Words ; 9 Letters)
Middle Books: Micah and Nahum
Middle Verse: Psalm 118:8
Middle And Shortest Chapter: Psalm 117
Longest Chapter: Psalm 119
First Recorded Words Of God: "Let There Be Light" (Genesis 1:3)
First Recorded Words Of The Devil: "Yea Hath God Said" (Genesis 3:1)
First Murderer: Cain (Genesis 4:8) -killed his brother Able.
Note: [1,158 verses begin with the word 'AND'.]
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2 SETS OF TWINS IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS:
3 LION- KILLERS OF SCRIPTURE:
4 HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE:
(Represents the 4 stages of Antichrist / The Beast)
4 MEN WHO FASTED FOR 40 DAYS:
4 RIVERS OF EDEN:
6 MEN WHO SAW THE HEAVENS OPEN:
7 MAJOR JEWISH FEASTS:
{Between #3 and #4 is the ‘Feast of Weeks’ -49 days between them; 7 weeks of 7 days. (Deut. 16:10)
7 HISTORICAL (Rev. 17:10) AND 5 PROPHETIC (Dan. 2:38) WORLD EMPIRES:
The Historical Empires:Revelation 17:10 – (The Apostle John, writing from the 6th Historical Empire ‘ROME’ writes: “And there are seven kings: [= ‘kingdoms’ –listed below] five are fallen, [past tense –Chaldees, Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece] and one is, [Rome] and one is yet to come; [N.W.O –One world government and One world religion under Antichrist/Beast (Rev. 13)] and when he [Antichrist/Beast] cometh, he must continue a short space.”
The Prophetical Empire: Daniel 2:38 – (The great image of Daniel reveals the prophetic empires using symbols to represent each empire and begins at Babylon which is the third historical empire):
Historic Empire and Prophetic Empire
Inferior to thee” (Dan. 2:39)
over all the earth” (Dan. 2:39)
in pieces and subdueth all things” (Dan. 2:40)
partly broken” (Dan. 2:41-42)
8. Messianic Kingdom Stone cut without hands (CHRIST) - “In the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom,
which shall never be destroyed”
(Dan. 2:44)
The Books of the Bible
Old Testament
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
New Testament
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
One of the interesting features of Hebrew and Greek is that in both written languages there are no numeric characters. Where we have numbers and letters, they have only letters. So, in each language the letters are also used as numbers. In a small way we do the same thing in English. For example, is "O" a zero or a letter in the alphabet? Is "l" a one or a small L? When they are used, the context tells us which is which and we have no problem understanding it. The same goes for Hebrew and Greek. They knew when they were writing numbers and when they were writing letters.
But the interesting thing is that when a word is written, it also has a numeric equivalent. For example, the word "Jesus" in Greek is "iasous." Since each letter has a numeric equivalent, we can add up each number and get a value. The value is the gammatria. Therefore, the gammatria of "Jesus" in Greek is 888 because i = 10, a = 8, s = 200, o = 70, u = 400, s = 200. There are many interesting 'games' that can be played with this feature of Greek and Hebrew and much of it is absurd. But, some of the numeric relationships are interesting.
1 THE NUMBER OF UNITY.
One God
Father. (Deuteronomy 6:4) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Ephesians 4:5) "one Lord, one faith, one baptism."
2 THE NUMBER OF DIVISION.
The Son who has two natures: human and divine.
There are 2 Testaments: the Old and New.
Man is Male and Female.
(Rom. 9) speaks of two vessels: one for honorable use and the other for dishonorable use.
Two types of people: Sheep and Goats.
There are two ages, this age and the age to come ( Matt. 12:32; 13:39,40,49; Mark 10:30.)
3 THE NUMBER OF DIVINE PERFECTION. The Trinity* consists of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
There are three qualities of the universe: Time, Space, and Matter. To exist (except for God), all three are required.
Each quality consists of three elements. Therefore, we live in a trinity of trinities.
- The triune qualities of universe are each three:
Time is one yet three: Space is one yet three: Matter is one yet three:
Past, Present, Future Height, Width, Depth Solid, Liquid, Gas
(Not 3 gods 1+1+1 =3 … But 1 God in three persons 1x1x1=1) *See notes at end explaining the Trinity…
If you are a trichotomist then man is made of three parts:
1. Body
2. Soul
3. Spirit
Human abilities are three:
1. Thought
2. Word
3. Deed
The divine attributes are three fold: (God is :)
1. Omniscient
2. Omnipresent
3. Omnipotent
1. Love
2. Light
3. Spirit
1. Holy
2. Righteous
3. Just
Three bear witness (1 John 5:8):
1. Spirit
2. Water
3. Blood
Christ is Three Shepherds
1. The Good Shepherd (John 10:14-15) - speaking of His death
2. The Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20) - speaking of His resurrection
3. The Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4) - speaking of His glory
The Three appearances of Christ:
Past: 1. Has appeared (Heb. 9:26) to put away sin
Present: 2. Is appearing (Heb. 9:24) in the presence of God
Future: 3. Will appear (Heb. 9:28) to those who await Him
The Father spoke from Heaven three times:
1. - Matt. 3:17, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
2. - Matt. 17:5, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him."
3. - John 12:28, "I have both glorified it [the Father's name], and will glorify it again."
Both the Tabernacle and the Temple consisted of three parts:
The Court The Holy place The Sanctuary
Regarding the Tabernacle:
The Holy of Holies was a cube (10 cubits x 10 cubits x 10 cubits)
Regarding the Temple:
The Holy of Holies was a cube (20 cubits x 20 cubits x 20 cubits)
4 THE NUMBER OF CREATION - North, South, East, West; 4 Seasons. The 4th commandment is the first that refers to the earth. The 4th clause of the Lord's Prayer is the first that mentions the earth. The materials of the tabernacle were four and so were the coverings and the ornamentations.
5 THE NUMBER OF GRACE. Redemption. Israel came out of Egypt 5 in rank (Ex 13:18). David picked up 5 smooth stones to fight Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40). The Holy Anointing Oil was pure and composed of 5 parts (Ex. 30:23-25).
6 THE NUMBER OF MAN: Man was created on the 6th day. Man labors 6 days only. The Serpent was created on the 6th day. The 6th commandment is "Thou shalt not murder." Six words are used for man: Adam, ish, Enosh, gehver, anthropos, anar. Also, 6 x 6 = 36. 36 + 35 + 34 + 33 + 32 . . . 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 666. 666 is the number of the antichrist. This means that the name of the antichrist in Greek adds up to 666. This is a mockery of the Trinity.
7 THE NUMBER OF SPIRITUAL PERFECTION. Seven days in a week. Seven colors in the spectrum. Seven of the 10 commandments begin with the word "not." There are 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 parables in Matthew, and 7 promises to the churches. There are 7 "eternals" in Hebrews which are: A priest for ever (1:6); Eternal salvation (1:9); Eternal judgment (6:2); eternal redemption (9:12); eternal spirit (9:14); eternal inheritance (9:15); and everlasting covenant (13:20). Jesus said 7 things on the cross: 1) Luke 23:34 "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots; 2) Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise"; 3) Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" -- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"; 4) John 19:26 "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son"; 5) John 19:28 "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 6) John 19:30 "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit"; and 7) Luke 23:46 "Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last." "Hallelujah" occurs 28 times or 4 x 7. "Hosanna" occurs 7 times. "Milk" occurs 49 times or 7 x 7. "Abaddon" occurs 7 times. "After the order of Melchizedek" occurs 7 times.
8 THE NUMBER OF NEW BEGINNINGS. 8 people on Noah's Ark (2 Pet. 2:5); circumcision on 8th day (Gen. 17:12); God made 8 covenants with Abraham
9 THE NUMBER OF JUDGMENT. There are 9 greek words derived from the root word meaning judgment = dikay. The following words each occur 9 times in the Bible: abussos (bottomless pit); asebee (ungodly); aselgeia (lasciviousness); and astrapee (lightning). The gifts of the spirit are 9 in number (1 Cor. 12:8-10): the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
10 THE NUMBER OF DIVINE PERFECTION. There are 10 commandments (Ex. 20); 1/10 of your income is a tithe; the were 10 plagues on Egypt (Ex. 9:14ff); 10 x 10 silver sockets formed the foundation of the Tabernacle (Ex 38:27); There are 10 "I AM"'s spoken by Jesus in John: 1) I am the Bread of Life (6:35); 2) I am the Bread of Life which came down from heaven (6:41); 3) I am the Living Bread (6:51); 4) I am the Light of the world (8:12); 5) I am One that bears witness of Myself (8:18); 6) I am the Door of the sheep (10:7,9); 7) I am the Good Shepherd (10:14); 8) I am the Resurrection and the Life (14:6); 9) I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (11:25); and 10) I am the True Vine (15:1,5).
12 THE NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION. There were 12 tribes of Israel; 12 Apostles, 12 foundations in the heavenly Jerusalem; 12 gates; 12 pearls; 12 angels. The measurements of New Jerusalem are 12,000 furlongs or stadia, while the wall will be 144 (12 x 12) cubits (Rev. 21:16-17).
40 THE NUMBER OF PROBATION OR TRIAL. The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deut. 8:2-5). Moses was on the mount for 40 days (Exodus 24:18); 40 days of Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3:4). Jesus was tempted for 40 days (Matt. 4:2).
153 In John 21:11, after the resurrection the disciples caught 153 fish. The word fish in Greek is 'ixthus' which has a numerical equivalent of 1224, or 8 x 153. Remember, which is Jesus Christ is 888. 153 people received a blessing from Jesus in the four gospel (not counting the 5000 and examples like that).
* Trinity…
The Trinity
The reason why many today using man’s wisdom cannot understand the things pertaining to God, including The Trinity doctrine, is explained in scripture.
“13 Which things we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” -1 Corinthians 2:13-14
So using the Bible, we shall try to discern the spiritual things, namely what it reveals about God and the nature of the Godhead which man has named the Trinity, and though the word ‘Trinity’ does not appear in scripture the concept of God expressed as such does as we shall see.
As Christians there are 3 important points revealed in scripture that need to be established:
Infact, the bible states that those who deny that there is a God are fools.
Psalm 14:1states: “The fool has said in his heart there is no God”
2. There is only ONE God
God states this fact Himself in Isaiah 45:5-6
“5 I am the LORD , and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me. 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none else.”
Note the next verse stating ONE God yet also notice God Mentioned 3 times where we are told He is One LORD:
“Hear O Israel; The LORD our GOD is one LORD:” –Deuteronomy 6:4
Now, if there is only ONE GOD some may ask, why did God command in Exodus 20:2-3 to have no other gods before Him? To answer this we need to consult scripture again. So lets look at 1 Chronicles 16:25-26 which will establish my 3rd point…
3. All other gods are FALSE
Lets read the verse in Chronicles:
“25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he is also to be feared above all other gods. [ now if we were to stop here we would not know what God means when He speaks of other gods. So lets read the next verse to see the context of this verse.]
“26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.”
We see the other gods are idols. (The 1st and 2nd of The 10 Commandments are warning against them!)
(Throughout scripture and history people are seen worshipping stone, gold, wood and whatever else they could find to make their own gods in their own image or one that suits them. Some were of animals, like the Gold Calf, or in the image of men like the Greek and Roman gods or a mixture like Dagon, national god of the Philistines which had the lower torso of a fish and the upper body of a man.)
So, if we put these 3 points together we have established so far that from a Biblical Point of View:
1. There is a God, 2. There is only one God, 3. All other gods are idols and are therefore false.
Keeping all this in mind lets try to make sense of the Trinity now. Let’s explore the tri-une nature of God.
The best place to start is at the beginning. The book of Genesis.
Genesis 1:26
“And God said let US make man in OUR image after OUR likeness:”
Note here God speaks of himself 3 times in plural. Who was He talking to? Angels perhaps? NO!
As we have seen, usually the answer lies in the next verse, so lets look at verse 27,
It tells us who made mankind, in whose image we were made, and also note once again this time how many times God is mentioned here , 3 times! This time He is rendered singular yet appears 3 times in the same position in the next verse after the act of creating.
27 “So God created man in HIS own image, in the image of God created HE him; male and female created HE them.”
Compare: Verse 1 (1. US 2. US 3. OUR)
Verse 2 (1. HIS 2. HIS 3. HE)
By putting these two verses together we can see the composite unity of God. ( Another example can be found in Gen. 11:7 )
This composite unity in Genesis is shown to be Triune in nature and is revealed as such in the New Testament book of 1 John:
1 John 5:7 states:
“There are THREE that bear record in heaven, the FATHER , the WORD , and the HOLY GHOST and these THREE are ONE”.
It is no wonder so-called anti-Trinitarian bible scholars love to attack this verse because it shows the Triune nature of God!
Let me make it clear however that the Bible does not claim there is 3 gods in one, as Mormons believe, but rather ONE God who reveals himself as three distinct persons.
Many groups like JW’s, Christadelphians etc… ridicule this by saying 1+1+1=3.
Because these groups have reasoned out an infinite God in their own finite minds instead of believing what their Bible says they have failed to grasp the correct mathematical formula and can not see their error.
God is NOT Tri-plex (1+1+1=3) rather…
God is Tri-une (1 x 1 x 1=1)
The Trinity doctrine in mathematically sound and it is reflected in all true science in an incredible way.
There is a ‘three-in-oneness’ throughout creation which clearly reflects the triune nature of all the physical universe.
The Apostle Paul knew this also, when he wrote in Romans 1:19-20
“Because that which maybe known of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them, for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”
This is a very important verse and is often glossed over, yet it holds some amazing revelations about the nature of God that can be easily over looked.
“Because that which maybe known of God [things pertaining to God that we are capable of knowing] is manifest in them [‘them’ being mankind, examine the nature of man made in God’s image, we are triune beings, we have a spirit, soul and body -1 Thes. 5:23], for God hath shewed it unto them [God has allowed us to see and understand certain things if we look at his creation) for the invisible things of Him [‘Him’ God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen [this may seem contradictory ‘invisible things’ from creation being ‘clearly seen’ however when we look at the structure of the universe and matter itself we see everything made up of ‘ATOMS’, ‘Molecules’, ‘Elements’, these are invisible to the naked eye but when seen through a microscope they can be seen and the Triune nature of God can be seen] being understood by the things that are made, [namely all things in creation] EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD [even HIS (God’s) eternal power AND GODHEAD, the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit] so that they [mankind] are without excuse”
So how does the very creation , the physical universe reveal the triune nature of the Godhood?
Consider this:
The very reality of our physical universe consists of a TRI – UNITY.
SPACE , MATTER, TIME
(All 3 of these make up the whole of creation and are inseparable!)
Each of these 3 have a triune nature as well:
SPACE – has 3 dimensions, Length, Width, and Depth
[All are equal to each other in that if one was missing the other two would lack meaning]
MATTER – is a crucial part of the universe, and is triune in nature because it is revealed through Energy, Motion and Phenomenon and consists of: Solid , Liquid , and Gas
[Nothing exists that does not have one of these; each is distinctively separate yet each is apart of the whole; not one exists without the other two!]
TIME – has 3 parts to it : Past, Present, and Future
[The Future is the invisible source of TIME which is made real moment by moment in the Present and the Past merely progresses from the Present – is gone yet still continues to influence us!
We see that Space, Matter and Time are the triune nature of creation.
So Creation is Space made visible in Matter and is experienced in and through Time!
All of creation has God’s triune fingerprint!
As was mentioned before we human beings are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27)
We have a Spirit, Soul, and Body. Our physical body pertains to the physical world and we dwell in it until death, Our Soul is our mind and free will, it is us, it is the connection between the Body and Spirit, and the Spirit is that which allows us to communicate with our creator, God. When mankind fell, that spiritual connection between mankind and God was broken, and man died spiritually, this effected the physical body of man as well, man began to age and die, and the soul was unable to commune with God until Christ came to reunite mankind with his creator and make those who accepted God’s remedy for sin spiritually alive once again to commune with God.
Many assume the Soul and Spirit are the same, however the Bible shows that these are separate parts of a human being, as the body is to them, all 3 of these make us whole or complete. While we are not spiritually alive, we always feel incomplete until we fill that emptiness with something, most times we get temporary satisfaction because we keep filling the spiritual void with the wrong thing. It is Christ however who spiritually quickens us and God’s spirit dwells in us and makes us spiritually alive, then we are whole and complete and can have a relationship with our creator.
“ And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:23
It is totally possible Mathematically, Scientifically and Spiritually to believe that this TRI UNIVERSE was created by a TRIUNE God!!!
The Trinity reveals something unique about God’s nature. (Scripture reveals that the very nature of God is love, as a matter of fact the Bible says God is love!
“He that loveth not, knoweth not love; For God IS love.” - 1 John 4:8
And further on in verse 16 it is repeated “God is love”
There was a point before time itself when no created beings existed.
If God was singular ‘EL’ there would have been no love.
But God is ‘ELOHIM’ plural so He has never been alone.
Love has always been present because love can only exist in context of a relationship!
That is why GOD IS LOVE!
Understanding the Trinity is essential for Christians.
The Bible shows there is a right way to pray and reveals the Trinity:
We are to pray to the Father in the name of the Son Jesus Christ and allow the Holy Ghost to guide our prayer!
When we read in the book of Revelation we hear the angelic creatures around the throne of God giving triune worship and praise to the triune God:
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, [1] HOLY, [2] HOLY, [3] HOLY
[1] LORD, [2] GOD, [3] ALMIGHTY
Which [1] Was (past) and [2] Is (present) and [3] Is To Come (future)”
- Revelation 4:8
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The Kings
Date |
Name |
Years |
|
||
1050 - 1010 |
Saul |
40 |
|
||
1010 - 970 |
David |
40 |
|
||
970 - 930 |
Solomon |
40 |
The Kings of Judah (8 were good)
Rehoboam (933-916) seventeen years
Abijam (915-913) three years
Asa (Good) (912-872) forty-one years
Jehoshaphat (Good) (874-850) twenty-five years
Jehoram (850-843) eight years
Ahaziah (843) one year
Athaliah (843-837) six years
Joash (Good) (843-803) forty years
Amaziah (Good) (803-775) 29 years
Azariah (Uzziah) (Good) (787-735) fifty-two years
Jotham (Good) (749-734) sixteen years
Ahaz (741-726) sixteen years
Hezekiah (Good) (726-697) 29 years
Manasseh (697-642) fifty-five years
Amon (641-640) two years
Josiah (Good) (639-608) thirty-one years
Jehoahaz (608) three months
Jehoiachim (608-597) eleven years
Jehoiachin (597) three months
Zedekiah (597-586) eleven years
The Kings of Israel (all wicked)
Jeroboam I (933-911) twenty-two years
Nadab (911-910) two years
Baasha (910-887) twenty-four years
Elah (887-886) two years
Zimri (886) seven days
Omri (886-875) twelve years
Ahab (875-854) twenty-two years
Ahaziah (855-854) two years
Jehoram (Joram) (854-843) twelve years
Jehu (843-816) twenty-eight years
Jehoahaz (820-804) seventeen years
Jehoash (Joash) (806-790) sixteen years
Jeroboam II (790-749) forty-one years
Zechariah' (748) six months
Shallum (748) one month
Menahem (748-738) ten years
Pekahiah (738-736) two years
Pekah (748-730) twenty years
Hoshea (730-721) nine years
DISPENSATIONALISM (Part 1)
Here is a study on Dispensationalism, this may seem like a long and complicated word but the study of this subject will make understanding the scriptures less complicated. It will clear up a lot of confusing subjects in scripture and will make understanding the Bible so much clearer.
This study will put the all important verse of 2 Timothy 2:15 into practice that tells us to:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” – 2 Timothy 2:15
Dispensationalism is the teaching that God has had different plans for different periods of time in man’s history.
We need to be aware of these dispensational periods because it determines the way we interpret scripture.
Here are the 7 major Dispensational ages as revealed in scripture:
Innocence(Gen. 1-2)
Conscience (Gen. 3-7)
Human Government (Gen. 8-11)
Promise (Gen. 12; Ex. 18)
Law (Ex. 19 ; Malachi)
Grace (Matt. 1 ; Rev. 19)
Kingdom (Rev. 20-22)
It is plain that God has dispensations in the sense of dealing with man in different ways in different eras. Man is no longer tending the Garden of Eden, or building arks, or setting up tabernacles, or offering animal sacrifices, or building magnificent temples.
Creation is over; the Flood is over; the Law is over; Pentecost is over. It is apparent that we have moved from the Mosaic dispensation to the Church dispensation. These are all examples of dispensational divisions in God’s program.
Those who interpret Bible prophecy literally and see Israel’s kingdom as something yet future are dispensationalists.
As dispensationalists we hold to the biblical precept that Israel is not the Church.
1 Corinthians 10:32 shows clearly that the nation of Israel is separate from the Church of God.
“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”
In the Old Testament times since the days of Moses, God was dealing mainly with the nation of Israel, but today the church consists of believing Jews and Gentiles in one body of Christ known as “the church”, but this was not so in the past.
When God speaks about Israel and all that will happen to her in the future to bring her back unto Himself God does not mean the church because the church is already His.
The future events that God is speaking about to bring Israel back unto himself is called the period of Jacob’s Trouble.
The church already belongs to Christ because it was bought with a price! We are made righteous in the sight of God through the shed blood of Christ else Christ’s death would be meaningless.
The church is seen as distinct from Israel not only because of it’s distinct character, but also of it’s distinct time.
DISPENSATIONALISM (Part 2)
Before we look at the 1st of the 7 Dispensations, we need to understand why this subject is important so here is a little illustration to explain:
We all have mail or PM’s as well , just as we wouldn’t take someone else’s mail and read it, we wouldn’t take someone else’s reply and apply it to ourselves. If you received an appointment to go and see the dentist and you showed me the appointment it would be foolish for me to turn up for your dental appointment.
The Bible has many letters and books, and although all of it is for our profit and understanding , not all of it is addressed to us. This is why this dispensational study is so important to understanding scriptures, otherwise we end up confused and with a lot of cults and false doctrines. If we do not “rightly divide” then we can make the Bible say what ever we want and therefore we end up with a God that suites our needs or desires but made in our own minds.
DISPENSATIONALISM (Part 3)
The Dispensation of INNOCENCE
This dispensation starts from the creation of Adam, Gen 2:7, to the expulsion from Eden.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Adam and Eve were created innocent. They were ignorant of good and evil. They were placed in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were given the responsibility to abstain from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” -Genesis 2:17
This dispensation sees the first failure of man. And from it the far-reaching effects upon man.
This dispensation closes in judgement.
Let’s take a closer look, a more detailed examination of this dispensational period:
Many questions come to mind for the Christian about the events that have taken place in the garden of Eden; such questions that many so-called scholars and Christian leaders avoid rather than try to answer, leaving one wondering if there are any answers. I believe there are, in fact I believe God has given us the answers to most of the questions He wants us to know, but we need to look and study His word.
Questions like;
Why did God create Adam and Eve?
Why did God create the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
Was the tree bad?
Was it God’s will for Adam and Eve to sin?
Did God know man would sin?
These are questions that have answers! We shall see through scripture what these answers are!
DISPENSATIONALISM (Part 4)
Innocence continued…
In the Dispensation of Innocence:
Man’ Condition :
Man was the product of direct, Divine creation (Genesis 2:7), not evolution. Our first parents were made in the image of God their creator. They were given the responsibility of reproduction, were to exercise dominion over the earth and it’s contents and during that age were to be vegetarians (Gen. 1:28-30). They resided in the Garden of Eden and were to be keepers thereof (Gen. 2:8-15).
Adam and Eve were originally innocent; that is they were pure and untainted by sin. They were, however, free moral agents. They were self governing, had the power of choice and were responsible for their own acts.
God’s Requirement:
They were to totally abstain from the fruit of a certain tree – “The tree of knowledge of good and evil”.
It’s fruit was prohibited.
Was the tree evil or bad? NO! Remember everything God made was GOOD; (Gen. 1:12, 31)
The wrong was in disobeying God and partaking of that which had been forbidden.
The penalty for disobedience was revealed - ‘death’.
As we read, there were many trees of all kinds in the garden of Eden. But there were two special trees:
As we all know, God forbade Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as is recorded in (Gen. 2:15-17). It is interesting to note they were not forbidden to eat from the tree of life and they probably did which would explain their long life. In (Gen. 3: 22-24) we find God casting Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden so they could no longer eat from the tree of life. Why now, were they going to be excluded from eating from the other tree, the tree of life as well? Because now they were sinners and God did not want them to live forever in a sinful state in Eden.
The fall of Adam and Eve involved much more than the sin of disobeying God. Because of that sin they gained the knowledge of good and evil. Let’s remember this wasn’t just a tree of knowledge as some casually call it, but it was a specific knowledge, of GOOD and EVIL!
Did God want man to sin? NO! He wanted man to chose to rely on him for knowledge of good and evil!
The question we will answer next is… Why didn’t God want man to gain the knowledge of good and evil from the tree, if God created the tree in the first place and everything God made was good?
Dispensationalism continued…
Why didn’t God want man to eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil?
“Because we can either know God or know good and evil”… this may be a bold statement, but then so is this… “good and evil are relative to God”.
Let me explain: Before man ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve could make decisions such as naming the animals, but for any moral decision, they had to go ask God. Evidently He walked frequently in the garden of Eden, and any questions they had concerning right or wrong, good or bad, they simply asked God and He told them.
He did not want them making their own moral judgements as to what was good or evil based on their own knowledge. This is the reason He prohibited them from eating of that particular tree. Satan in the worse possible way wanted to break this relationship of dependence upon God, as we see recorded in Gen. 3:1-11
Before we discover more about the Tree of the knowledge of Good or Evil, we need to understand mans state at this moment and many of the mysteries in Genesis can be unraveled and we begin to make sense of Gods plan to bring mankind back into a right relationship with Him!
Adam and Eve had been naked from the very beginning, and evidently neither they nor God had seen anything wrong with it. However, once they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve realised they were naked and concluded it was wrong. They then made themselves aprons of leaves to cover their nakedness.
Realising they were naked and trying to cover themselves was a realisation that they had became sinners and were trying to cover their sinful states.
Before this man was covered in the glory of God himself, in God’s raiment of light, (Psalm 104:2, Matt. 17:2, 1 Tim. 6:16) once naked the God-likeness was gone, man lost his covering.
Shekinah Glory refers to the brilliant light which surrounds the presence of God. (Ex. 16:10; 40:34, 35; Lev. 9:6,23; Num. 14:10; 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Ch. 7:1-3; Ezek. 10:4; Mk. 13:26; 9:29-31; Lk. 2:9; Rev. 1:16; 21:11, 23).
Upon losing this covering Adam and Eve made for themselves aprons of fig leaves.
Unregenerate man has been naked, void of a covering, unfit to stand in the presence of a Holy God.
Mans nakedness is a constant reminder of his sin.
The aprons of fig leaves man made were not sufficient to cover mans sinful state, they were the works of their own sinful hands, just as mankind today tries to find many different ways to cover their sinful states through religious works and good deeds and work their way to salvation hoping they can please God, however the Bible says; “Without faith it is impossible to please God!” Only God is capable of cleansing us and He used Christ to come and do that , and only used the blood sacrifice of animals as a sign that pointed to Christ’s’ sacrifice. We read in
Genesis 3:21-
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make them coats of skins, and clothed them.”
Something had to die and have it’s blood shed in order to produce these ‘coats’; therefore, God sets a president of the need for blood to be shed in order for sins to be forgiven.
Hebrews 9:22 states:
“And almost all things are purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin”
The Bible tells us… “the life is in the Blood” (also read- Lev. 17:14, Deut. 12:27, ).
Another occasion where God rejects the works of man’s hands for an atonement is in Gen. 4
Cain (a tiller of the ground ‘a gardener’ – Gen. 4: 2) brought fruit of the ground (v.3) as an offering to God.
Able (a keeper of sheep ‘a shepherd’ – Gen. 4:2) brought firstling of the flocks (v.4)
God rejected Cain’s offering in Gen. 4:3-4
Why?
Able gave an offering which was NOT the works of his own hands, but all life came from God, including the animals, and remember, the president God set in Genesis 3:21 concerning blood?
Cain gave of the labour of his own hands, his garden fruits, the works of men never can atone for our sins!
The fruit of Cain’s labour was from the very earth that was cursed by God.
Does this mean Cain had no way to please God? No, of course he did.
All Cain had to do was exchange some of his fruit and veges to his brother Able for a lamb to offer to God!
In Gen. 4:7 God gives Cain the opportunity to make the right offering, just as God today gives mankind the chance to accept Christ’s offering, but Cain became angry and killed his brother!
Now we can begin to look at the statement I made before “Good and Evil are relative to God…
Continued…
Good and Evil are relative to God!
As we read in Matt. 23:13-37, Christ condemned the Pharisees who did everything according to their knowledge of good and evil. They were not close to God, or heard Him, instead they rejected God’s very own son.
In verse 37, Christ cries out to the inhabitants of Jerusalem yearning to gather them as a hen lovingly gathers it’s chicks, yearning to reestablish this personal relationship. But they were so enslaved to their knowledge of good and evil that they could not have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Knowledge of good and evil can prevent us from obeying God. Infact, it can cause us to sin (in that sin being disobedience to God). This may seem like an unbelievable statement but consider this: put yourself in Abraham’s place for a moment; what if God asked you to take your child and sacrifice him as He did with Isaac? Most of us would argue with God and say, “ but God, that is wrong.” Our knowledge of good and evil would prevent us from obeying God. Our knowledge of good and evil is a facet of moral perceptions reasoned out by our logical mind.
When God told Abraham to leave his home in Ur and travel west not knowing where he was going or how he would get there. To those around him, this was a stupid and illogical thing to do. God often asks His people to do things that don’t seem logical at the time or seem to violate our sense of right or wrong.
Many people, had they been in Abraham’s situation, would have allowed their knowledge of good and evil to prevent them from leaving their plush homes, businesses and surroundings to become nomads living in tents.
Before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they only knew something was good because God said it was; they did not rely on their knowledge of good or evil because they had none.
Example: They knew it was not good to be alone because God said… “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Remember Adam knew this truth first because, the woman had not been created yet and would have heard it later from God or Adam.
If we turn Gen. 3:1-13 we see in verse 1 how Satan works; as it says “Subtle”
“Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
Here Satan uses a question, contradicting God’s word and placing doubt on God’s commands.
Satan of course knows the answer himself but acts like he doesn’t so he can twist God’s words to mankind.
The woman is not dealing with a knowledge of good or evil when she states… “neither shall ye touch it”, she is dealing with ‘assumptions’… assuming because they are not allowed to eat from the tree they can’t touch it either, probably thinking the tree itself is evil, which it is not.
God however required them to touch it as with all the trees in Eden as they were to ‘tend to them’ (Gen. 2:15) , man was to ‘dress’ and ‘keep it’. , and the woman was to be “an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18).
If they do not touch the tree they can not obey God’s command to take care of them. Even today man makes laws and moral rules according to what they deem right and wrong and this leads them to oppose Gods absolute morals!
Adam and Eve had a choice to either know God or know good and evil.
The tree had a 2 fold purpose:
Why did God not want them to take the fruit to feed themselves?
Because God wanted them to rely on Him for knowledge of good and evil , right and wrong which is relative to God!
When Adam and Eve were created they were still immature, and let’s remember they never had a childhood.
Even today as we first become Christians there are certain things in scripture we struggle to understand. Like a baby that starts off with milk and later is able to digest solids. Even today God would have us understand that good and evil is relative to God and we need to discern both.
Hebrews 5:13-14 says:
“For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are full of age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
We need to allow the Holy Spirit through God’s word to discern good and evil, not our minds , society or popular opinion.
So what was it that God wanted mankind to do? The answer is in Proverb 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thine ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths.”
It says in these verses that if we do 3 things God will direct our paths.
This is what God wanted for Adam and Eve in the beginning, and still wants for mankind today.
If we do this God will direct our paths, just as He would have for Adam and Eve.
Why didn’t God make man a character incapable of sinning?
Why did He permit Satan to spoil His creation?
Why did He permit the temptation?
God placed Adam and Eve in a state of perfect innocence!
However, there is a difference between innocence and righteousness .
Righteousness = right thinking to God ward.
Righteousness is what God requires from His people!
Innocence cannot become righteousness until it is tested and man had been given the opportunity of exercising his will toward God. This is what God sought in the Garden Of Eden.
Innocence is a state where man does not exercise his will in one way or another. Adam and Eve were the only truly innocent human beings.
Babies for instance are not truly innocent in the same sense that Adam and Eve were created, But they are not held accountable by God however for their sin nature that is inherited to all human beings since the fall of man because they have not reached the age of accountability where they are accountable for their sin, therefore any babies or children that should pass away go to be with God . They are in terms of moral understanding, immature, rather than innocent and therefore are innocent before God! They have inherited the fallen nature of sinful man and are not truly innocent but are not mature enough to exercise their will toward God.
Have you notice how you have to teach a child to behave but not to be naughty?
God had given Adam and Eve a free will which they could exercise God ward or sin-ward. This will was dormant until they had the opportunity to exercise it, so God allowed the temptation.
He permitted Satan to approach them in order that, through obedience to His Word, man might obey God and become righteous!
God is glorified through the obedience of a creature who is capable of disobedience, whose obedience is not mechanical or robotic, but rather of the heart and of the will.
Man was created a free moral agent. God gets no glory from a machine. Had man stood the test he would have become righteous. God would have declared him holy in His sight.
The failure lead to judgment. The judgment is death and separation from God. Man became a sinner.
The only way back to God is through Jesus Christ!
Next we will look further at the reason behind the animal sacrifices, where it began and why. Why did Christ have to die and shed His blood to redeem mankind? Why is the blood so important and sacred?
To Be Continued…
The Life Is In The Blood
When Adam and Eve fell remember how they were hiding because of their nakedness before God?, because their sin was visible before God, they needed to be covered, so God set a president in Genesis that set the standard for their penalty of sin, which is death. Something had to die to atone for their sin, and have it’s blood shed. Adam and Eve could not give their own lives for their sin because their blood was tainted with sin! Lets see where the first blood atonement took place; many don’t realize this but God made the first blood atonement for their sin.
"Unto Adam and also his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."
Gen. 3:21
An animal had to die and have it’s blood shed for God to gain their coats of skin!
God did this because He knew that the life was in the blood and the penalty for sin is death.
We see this revealed also in the book of Leviticus:
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
Leviticus 17:11
The animals were innocent in the fall of man and therefore their blood could be used as a sacrifice however they could never take away man’s sin because man needs to pay for their own sin which animals could never do. (1 Cor. 15:21)
The animal sacrifices were used as a covering of sin not a cleansing of it.
Heb. 10:1-4
Sin is in the blood of man and the blood is passed on from father to child hence all men are related by blood. The blood which flows in an unborn baby’s arteries and veins is not derived from the mother but is produced within the body of the foetus itself only after the introduction of the male sperm.
An unfertilised ovum can never develop blood since the female egg does not by itself contain the elements essential for the production of blood.
It is only after the male element has entered the ovum that blood can develop.
The female reproductive system is responsible for generating, storing, and transporting the genetic material contained in the sperm cells (spermatozoa).
Consider the chicken and the egg for an example:
You may incubate the hen’s egg but it will never develop blood.
It will dry up completely and no chick will result.
If the egg is fertilised by the male sperm life will result. After a few hours red streaks occur in the egg denoting the presence of blood.
Life can only occur when blood is present and this blood is only produced when the male sperm fertilises the egg. The male element has added life to the egg.
From the time of conception to the time of birth of the infant not one single drop of blood ever passes from mother to child.
The placenta serves as the method by which the developing baby obtains oxygen and nutrients from the mother and at the same time eliminates waste.
The connection between the placenta and the baby is called the umbilical chord.
Mary supplied the egg. A man’s sperm could not be introduced because the life of that egg (blood) would begin because of man and Mary’s baby wouldn’t then be perfect as Christ was. The blood in Christ was of a divine nature, from God , not of a sinful man, but produced a perfect sinless man, God in the flesh.
Luke 1:35 tells us:
Hence Christ was the perfect sacrifice! Not a covering, but a cleansing. Christ’s blood didn’t just cover mankind’s sin from God’s sight as the animals blood once did, but rather cleaned it completely!
Hebrews 9:24-26
So we see God made Adam and Eve coats of skin which meant there was a death, blood was shed for them, because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
Hebrews 9:22 states:
“And almost all things are purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin”
Remember the penalty of sin is death. By accepting these coats, God made Adam and Eve right before His sight but it only covered sin it did not destroy it. It was like sweeping the dirt under the rug for now. The dirt is still there though it could not be seen. It was not until our Lord Jesus Christ died that sin was destroyed, the rug lifted and the dirt washed away by Christ blood. And now in this current dispensation does God offer us the clothing of righteousness.
Remember how Adam and Eve made themselves aprons of fig leaves, but these were the works of their own hands, God never put one stitch into the fig leaves, it was all man’s works. The works of mans hands have never been good enough to save them from the curse of sin. It was back then as it is now, God’s grace, only God can save!
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” –Romans 3:23
Notice before God could give them the coats of skin, they first had to remove their aprons of figs, see their sinful state and realize the need for God’s covering.
They had to be willing to exchange their aprons for the garments of God’s provision.
As it is today man has to be willing to accept Christ’s death for their own substitution or there is no salvation. Our own righteousness or good deeds are not enough.
Compare this with the process of an unbeliever becoming a believer. First he is covered with fig leaves of his own hands, a symbol of non responsibility, denying that he is a sinner because he will not admit and is not willing to see his sin, not willing to see his nakedness.
To recognise that he is a sinner he must remove his “fig leaves”. Once removed his sin will be evident and he will no longer be able to deny it.
He must now accept God’s covering of righteousness to be saved which is the Lord Jesus Christ!
Genesis 3:24
If man had continued access to the Tree of Life then man would have been forever in his sin. Eternally in a sinful state separated from God. No death would have been possible!
And so we head into the next dispensation, from INNOCENCE to CONSCIENCE.
Adam and Eve received the knowledge of good and evil. From the fall they would transmit to the human race, the knowledge of good and evil. This gave rise to conscience.
Conscience is a basis for right moral judgment, and hence the human race came under this measure of responsibility.
Next the 2nd Dispensation of Conscience; to be continued...