God's plan for mankind has not changed since He created Adam and Eve. His plan is to have man ruled over His creation (Genesis 1:26). God's program for mankind is divided into different time dispensations. Christian author Lewis Chafer sets forth the point succinctly as he writes:
The dispensational study of the Bible consists in the identification of certain well-defined time-periods which are divinely indicated, together with the revealed purpose of God relative to each.
The unrestrained, sovereign purpose of God is seen in the ordering of the succession of the ages. That God has a program of the ages is disclosed in many passages (see Deut.30:1-10; Dan. 2:31-45; 9:24-27; Hos.3:4,5; Acts 15:13-18; Rom.11:13-29; 2 Thess.2:1-12; Rev.2:1-22:31). Likewise, there are well-defined periods of time related to the divine purpose. The Apostle Paul writes of the period between Adam and Moses (Rom 5:14); John speaks of the law as given by Moses, but of grace and truth as coming by Christ (John 1:17). Christ also speaks of the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24), which are evidently to be distinguished from Jewish "times and seasons" (Acts 1:7; 1 Thess.5:1). Likewise, He spoke of a hitherto unannounced period between His two advents and indicated its distinctive features (Matt. 13:1-51), and predicted a yet future time of "great tribulation" and defined its character (Matt 24:9-31). There are "last days" for Israel (Isa.2:1-5)as well as "last days" for the church (2 Tim.3:1-5). The Apostle John anticipates a period of one thousand years and relates this to the reign of Christ, at which time the Church, His bride, will reign with Him (Rev.20:1-6). That Christ will sit on the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob forever is declared by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31-33), and that there will be an ever abiding new heaven and new earth is as clearly revealed (Isa.65:17; 66:22; 2Pet.3.13; Rev.21:1). In Hebrews 1:1-2, sharp contrast is drawn between "time past" when God spoke to the fathers by the prophets and "these last days" when He is speaking unto us by His Son. Similarly, it is clearly disclosed that there are ages past (Eph.3:5; Col.1:26), the present age (Rom.12:2; Gal.1:4) and the ages to come (Eph.2:7; Heb.6:5). In Ephesians 1:10, the future age is termed "the dispensation of the fullness of the times".
The Lord Jesus Christ is at the centre of all ages. This truth is marked out in many New Testament verses (1 Cor.2:7; Heb.9:26; 2Tim.1:9;Titus 1:2; Rom.16:25) This shows that God has planned for His Son Jesus Christ to take centre-stage in the history of mankind even before time began.
This present age is evil (Gal.1:4) as Satan has dominion over the world, and he is known as "the god of this age" (2 Cor.4:4). Hence, this age is marked by darkness and wicknesses (Eph.6:12) in which there is no light. Instead, the wisdom of the world has blinded the people to ungodliness and lusts (Titus 2:12).
In the midst of all these darkness and evil, God is calling out a group of believers to form His church - the body of believers. Such called-out people will bear the characters of Christ-likeness and be led by the Holy Spirit to bear fruits for the Kingdom of Heaven/God. They will form His family as the children of God (Rom.8:14). This coming Kingdom is the Millennial Kingdom of Christ which is the government of God upon planet earth with Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords ruling and reigning with His saints for one thousand years (Rev.20:4-6).
Adrian Fah is the author of The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven
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