From Eternity to Eternity
Introduction: The subject introduced is one of the most important study of all bible studies we can consider, and its one that is of great importance for our day, especially as many seem to have some misconceptions of God's dealing with mankind throughout the ages. First we would like to begin with the Godhead.
1- The Eternal God: Ever was and ever shall be: From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. Psalm 90.2.. Moses blessing the children of Israel said unto the tribe of Asher. The Eternal God is thy refuge. Deut. 33.27
2- The Eternal Son : In John 1: 1-4 Jesus is spoken of as the Word who was with God, the same was in the beginning with God. John 17: 5 Jesus prayed to the Father: glorify thou Me with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.
3- The Eternal Spirit: In Hebrews 9.14 the Apostle speaking on the superiority of the blood of Christ stated that how He (Christ) through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God.
Therefore we see the three persons of the Godhead as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, coexistence as one God who is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscience, the only wise God. In Deut.6:4 we read Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one God.
4-The Eternal Purpose; From Eph. 3:14 we read " According to the Eternal Purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, and it was one of Job's friend who said: "Canst thou by searching find out God? Job 11.7. With these we can see that in eternity God had certain plans and purposes to be accomplished through various period of times or dispensations. Therefore it is not enough just to say The bible said so, but to rightful divide the word of truth, its important to know in what dispensation must it be applied.
Now we consider the Creation of the Earth. In Genesis 1:1 we read, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Seeing God is a God of perfection we see this as a perfect creation; In Isaiah 45.18 we read "God created it not in vain: But Genesis Verse 2 states, the earth was without form and void, meaning it was not, but became void or in a chaotic state. Jeremiah 4:23. For the period between Gen 1. verse:1 and verse 2 we can say, known only but to God. But from verse 3 we see a new period commences as God begins His six days work when He restores and furnishes the fallen earth for man.. Each of these days had an evening and a morning , or a beginning and an ending, and speaks of dispensations regarding God's dealing with mankind throughout the ages and each of these dispensations ends with a judgment , but for the seventh day, no beginning or ending is mentioned as it speaks of eternity which has no end, so let us look at each day and how each one presents to us a dispensation in the history of mankind.
Day 1- Light: God said let there be light and there was light, and God divided the light from the darkness Gen. 1:3-4. This presents to us the First Dispensation, a period of time from Adam to Noah Genesis 3:1-Gen 8.14 Man now is responsible and answerable to God, for he has the light of creation, Rom. 1:20, he has the light of conscience, for man was created upright or perfect Eccl: 7.29, but when sin came in, man's conscience reveals to him his sinfulness. Romans 2.15. However, as soon as man sinned God made a promise of a Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ: Gen.3.15 From there man had the Light of Truth regarding the coming of a Redeemer. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Gen 3.14. While some like Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah etc. responded positively to God according to the light they had, others responded negatively and perished in the flood Genesis 7:17-24, even though they were warned by Noah, a preacher of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:.5. This brought an end of the first dispensation.
Day 2- The Firmament: God said let there be a firmament, and God divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. Gen. 1: 6-8. This presents to us the Second Dispensation, a period of time from Noah-Abraham. Gen. 8.15-11:32
After the flood, God said to Noah 'Go forth out of the ark, Noah went forth and builded an alter unto the Lord. God then introduced to Noah Human Government, Gen. 9:6 but man in disobedience to God tried to build the Tower of Babel when God confounded their languages bringing an end to this dispensation.
Day 3- God said: Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear. Gen. 1:9-11. The Earth appeared bringing forth grass, seed, fruit .trees: Plant Life. This presents to us the Third Dispensation. A period of time from Abraham to Christ. Genesis 12.1 to Matthew 27.51, when at the death of Christ the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom. Thus bringing an end to this long dispensation which included.
( a ) Abraham to Moses and the children of Israel in Egypt. Gen. 12-Ex. 12
( b ) From Israel's deliverance from bondage to the conquest of Canaan. Ex.12-Josh.21.45., including the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai Exodus 19.
( c )From the conquest of Canaan to Soloman's Temple, 1st Kings 9
( d ) From Soloman's Temple to the captivity of the 10 tribes of Israel by the King of Assyria, to the Babylonian Captivity of two tribes for 70 years , Daniel's prayer and revelation of the 70 weeks of years or 490 years , this we will study in detail later.1 King, 17.4-23, 2 Chr.36:15-21, Jer. 25: 8-14, Dan.9.1-27.
( e ) From the Babylonian Captivity to the Cross and the death of Christ Matt. 27.
Christ was put in the grave, but the third day rose again. This is the foundation of the Christian faith. He who was delivered for our offences, was raised again for our justification. Rom 4.25.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Timothy. 1:15. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3.16.
Day 4 God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens. This day foreshadows An indefinite period of time beginning from the Day of Pentecost Acts. 2 to 1st Thessalonians 4.13-17.which is the Forth dispensation. THE CHURCH AGE.
While the beginning of the Church Age is recorded as the Day of Pentecost, Acts. 2, there is no period of time mentioned for the end of the church age, when the events mentioned of 1st. Thess. 4: 13-17 will be fulfilled. What did Jesus say about the church during the time He was here on earth, but first what is the church?. The Church is a called out assembly. Matt. 16.:18 Jesus said. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This statement had a future fulfillment to be realized on the Day of Pentecost, but first He must go the Jerusalem, suffer, died and rose again. Matt. 16.21. this was done, Matt. 21: 1-5, Matt: 27: 1-14, 27: 35-50, 28: 1-7, Following this 120 disciples gathered in an upper room when the Holy Spirit came bringing the beginning of the church age. The Apostle Peter preached, 3000 persons repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, thereby becoming the first conversions to the church, so the church began with 3120 persons.. The Lord added and continues to add to the church until He comes for the church 1st. Thess. 4.13-17. But how can one be a member of the Church.
1-Acknowledge you are a sinner by nature and by practice. For all have sinned Rom. 3.23.
2-Acknowlege you can do nothing for your salvation, Rom.5.8, Titus 3:5.
3-Act on the above information by Repenting of your sins and Receiving Christ into your heart as your Saviour, believe He died for your sins.1 Cor.15: 1-3.
If your are genuine in so doing God will save you by His grace and your will be a member in His church, and that when He comes again you with all of us who believe will be caught up to meet our Lord in the Air and be with Him for ever.1st. Thessalonians. 4.13-18. Seeing He can come anytime you must believe on him NOW. . Christ has not yet come, Christ has not done away with the church and will not done away with it, but some day He will come for it, John 14.3, Acts. 1: 10-11, Today people are still being saved, revivals and Times of Refreshing are still happening, but time is running out, so when He comes in the Air for his own will be end of the Church Age, or the Fourth dispensation.
Day 5- God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. This now foreshadows the Fifth Dispensation which will begin soon after Christ comes in the air for His church. And this period will be for seven years divided into 3 1/2 and 3 1/2 years. Daniel's Prophecy of 70 weeks of years or 490 years (Dan. 9) is divided into three sections .( a ) From the end of the Babylonian Captivity to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince 7 Weeks or 49 years. Ref; Ezra 1: 1-11, 6; 15-18, Neh. 4.1-6. 6:15. (b ) After 62 weeks or 434 years when Messiah will be cut off, Ref. Isaiah 53:8, Matt. 27: 50. This now being the 69th week or 483 of the 70 weeks or 490 years leaving one week or seven years to be fulfill, which will be the Fifth Dispensation beginning after Christ comes in the Air or the Rapture, therefore the church aged is in parenthesis of the 69th week or 483 years and the last week of 7 years which brings the Great Tribulation, yet to come , we are not in it as yet, and we who have trusted Christ as Saviour will not be in it, but if you fail to receive Christ as your Saviour in this day of God's grace and Christ comes for His church, you will be left behind to face the Tribulation which is a Post Rapture Tribulation. What will happen?. According to Daniel 9 A Super Political character will arise and dominate the whole world, make a covenant with the Nation of Israel for one week or seven years and in the midst of the week he will break that covenant and cause everyone to receive his mark. The Great Tribulation will be in effect. Dan. 9: 27, Matt. 24 .Rev.13, 2nd Thess. 2: 1-12. But then at the end of the seven years Christ will come to the earth to establish His earthly Kingdom.
Day 6- God said Let us make man in our image. Gen. 1: 26-27 This is one of the texts which presents to us the Triune God or the three persons in the Godhead, for it could not have been one yet using the plural Let Us. Man is the highest of God's creation, for man can commune with Him, and God said let them have dominion over all the earth. This was the completion of God's creation, the first Adam type of the Last Adam Christ who will be king of kings and Lord of lords. Eve was made a bride for Adam Type of the church spoken of as the bride of Christ. This is the six Dispensation and speaks of the Millennium or 1000 years of Christ rule on the earth. This will begin soon after the great Tribulation Ref; Matthew 24: 29-30 known as the Revelation of Christ.
Before the Tribulation is the Rapture of the dead in Christ and the living believers, His Church is caught up to meet the Lord in the Air 1st. Thess. 4:13-17. After the Tribulation or seven years after the rapture, Christ comes with His saints to the earth to establish His earthly kingdom and reign with His saints for 1000 years .Rev. 5; 10, Rev.19:11-13 At that time Satan will be bound. Israel who will pass through the Tribulation, Rom 11: 26-36, including those who were martyred for their faith, with gentiles who have showed kindness to them have now been raised as part of the first resurrection will be present.
After the Millennium Satan will be loosed for a little season and shall go out to deceived the Nations, but fire will come from heaven and devour them. 2nd Peter 3.10. Satan with the Antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire or Hell. Rev. 20: 7-10.
Day 7- Thus the heaven and the earth were finished. And on the seventh Day God rested. No evening or morning mentioned for this day. Gen. 2: 1-3 . This day speaks of Eternity, No ending. See; John 3.16, John 5.24, 3 We shall ever be with the Lord 1st. Thess. 4: 13-18. Blessed are they who have part in the first Resurrection. Rev. 20: 6.
Now may we have your undivided attention For Revelation 20: 11-15. This also refers to Eternity or Everlasting or when time shall be no more.. An I saw a great White Throne, and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.. This refers to the Judgment of all who fail to accept Christ as Saviour. These will be cast in the lake of fire where Satan is, in Hell to burn forever and ever. Will you say yes to Christ today? Tomorrow may be too late.
We accept bookings to speak on this subject with our 12' x 4' colored canvas chart or with an overhead projector.