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Chapter 3 The Covenants and their relationship to dispensations found in Scripture

Definition: A pact, promise, pledge, treaty, alliance, or agreement between two parties of equal or of unequal authority.

A covenant does not change it only comes to completion fulfilling the stipulations for which it was made at it establishment. Covenants are not open ended where they have changed in their content. Once the content was established, progression in history does not change the covenant. Only the application or the rules for carrying out the covenant in the time in history. The carrying out or administering the established covenant is done in a dispensation. Galatians 3:15 say a covenant can not be set aside or added to, from the original establishment. It is very important not to add to a covenant in which God had established. God's promises are assured he does not change his mind or is caught off guard by man's failures or imagination. God's covenant are absolute, guarantees of his promises He made for mankind. Therefore it is important to know and understand the stipulations and perimeters within a covenant and not mix them up with dispensational rules for carrying out the covenant or changing them as history progressed.

Galatians 3:15, "Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case."

Some Theologians and writers have used exclusively the covenants as the central theme in trying to unify the Scripture. They have forced their understanding of God's past and present workings on covenants alone without regards for the dispensations; by doing so they have missed the dispensational teaching of God's Word which gives the symmetry of the workings and the administering out of His plans, which are carried out in history. However, covenants are important and can be seen from a dispensational view which does not violate God's teaching.

The Organization of the Bible

Most people only think in terms of Old Testament (Genesis through Malachi) and New Testament (Mathew through Revelation) when describing the Bible, (testament means covenant). This organization or division was a result of Covenant Theology and not Dispensational Theology, however most dispensationalist still cling to this division. This division was a subjective decision not an absolute division of completeness of the teaching of Old Testament and New Testament facts and leaving a wrong understanding of God's Word.

The words testament and covenant are synonymous with each other. Those who compiled the Bible, organized the Bible in this division, calling the books before Jesus Christ's incarnation the Old Testament and the books beginning from the birth of Jesus, the New Testament. Both the old and new testaments are references to the Redemptive Covenant. We will see that the stipulation and the parameters had a different beginning, were the New Testament began latter than this subjective division and the ending of the old was latter.

The Old Covenant or Testament did not come to an end or completion until the New Testament or Covenant was implemented at Pentecost, Act 2. Both the Old Testament and the Gospels cover the time progressively fulfilling the first stage of Redemptive Covenant in the Dispensation of Promise where the Nation of Israel was the stewards of God to the world.

Those who espouse a dispensational view to scripture still espouse the divisions of Covenant Theology.  Dispensationalist agree that Holy Spirit came into the world to permanently indwell believers, at Acts 2 but they make it the beginning of a new dispensation instead of the implementation of the New Covenant by making the event a new dispensation which it is not.

The New Testament or Covenant began historically at Acts 2 with its implemented in the world, but it happened during the Dispensation of Promise. These events Christ's birth, death, resurrection and the Holy Spirit permanently indwelling believers is part of the covenant not a new dispensation. The events around Christ life, time of the Gentiles, Israel being ruled by Rome, the acceptance of Jesus message and disciples, the failures of Israel and the judgments all have dispensational significances which we will discuss in this book.

(These views debate inconsistently as to the start of the New Covenant either at Jesus baptism, or the death of Christ, or when Jesus breathed on His disciples and they received the Holy Spirit, or the resurrection, or at Pentecost. Their views are arbitrary and subjective instead of factually base on the revelation given by God in his Word.)

The beginning of the New Covenant is not the beginning of the church called His Body of today, (again teachers from both theological views cannot agree on when the church of today began because of their inconsistency and subjective arbitrary views. Some start today's church with Peters confession in Matthew 16:13-20, others start it with the crucifixion, others start it with the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit John 20:19-21, and others at Acts 2.). The Word of God is not a book of confusion and the correct understanding of the covenants and dispensations are important in the world we live today, mixing the two guiding orders and controls of the truths of covenants or dispensations only leave confusion and false teaching!

Both views are still trying to synchronize their approaches on the bases of one covenant, the Old Covenant's completion or some stage of the completion calling it a dispensation and mixing their approach with Israel being laid aside and the Dispensation of Grace beginning. Neither have taken into consideration a consistent view on dispensation by not making a covenant a dispensation or the contrast.

These confused propositions or views have not applied the seven guiding principle or keys of a dispensation revealed in Scripture or keep the bases of covenants intact. The lack of obedience to the definition of a covenant as revealed in Galatians 3:15 have led to error. However, if they would keep covenants in their proper place and dispensation in there's, then one would see the unity and symmetry of both in Scripture.

Even though you can look at God's Word by covenants and through the Old or New Covenant approach, they do not distinguish God's different administrations (or dispensations since creation) and do not give all the facts and the symmetry of God's working with man as revealed in His Word, leaving false applications.

These words as stated above, testament and covenant are synonymous with each other. The actual words 'Old Covenant' is translated and used only once in the whole Bible referring to the relationship of the old covenant and the new covenant, 2 Corinthians 3:14. In contrasted, the actual words 'New Covenant' is only used ones in the Old Testament in reference to a future covenant with the Nation of Israel after their present historical punishment, Jeremiah 31:31-34, (However, the Redemptive Covenant in the second stage is used or referred to a number of time in the New Testament Mathews 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, Hebrew 8:8-12, 1 Corinthians 11:23-31). Whether an old or new covenant both words are referring to the Redemptive Covenant and logically were there is ' a new covenant' or 'an old covenant' then there must be the counter one.

When using the words old covenant, unless a teacher is referring to the Redemptive Covenant it should not be used to describe the time of the Dispensation of Promise with Israel or the Mosaic Law which is not a covenant. When doing so it leaves a wrong understanding of Scripture. The Old Covenant goes all the way back to the Dispensation of Innocence where it was ratified, or confirmed by God in providing the coverings He sacrificed and implemented when He clothed Adam and Eve.

Also, the Redemptive Covenant existed before the implementation of it with Adam and Eve, because God says in His Word it was planned and agreed upon by the triune Godhead from eternity past before the world began, Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2. Christ’s death was foreknown and planned by God before the world began.

The most important covenant that God has made is the one made by the Godhead,  The Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit, to redeem man and His creation, by the Redemptive Covenant, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Colossians 1:21, Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2 .

The Redemptive Covenant in not changed by the guiding or the key principles of a dispensation. The Redemptive Covenant is a universal truth form eternity to eternity. It does not change with the dispensational changes because a dispensation is not a covenant. A covenant come to fulfillment, fulfilling the condition made within the covenant and the stipulations within.

 

The Redemptive Covenant

The Old and New Covenant or Testament are one, describing a period of history of the Redemptive Covenant as it developed

      click  chart to enlarge/click to print.- Chart

Charts have been made to help understand the truths in God's Word. The first observation to examine is the red line on the chart representing the Redemptive Covenant. The Redemptive Covenant has two stages called the Old Covenant and New Covenant. The Old Covenant deals with the time before the the cross and before New Covenant was implemented; it is represented by the broken red line dashes on the chart. After the implementation, the New Covenant fulfills and replaces the Old and continues for all eternity, which the solid red line on the chart represents, Hebrews 9:12. The 2nd stage did not replace the Redemptive Covenant but fulfills the covenant in which God designed in eternity past, the time before the world began, Ephesians 1:4-7.

Also, the broken red line on the chart represents the historical time before Jesus Christ redemptive work was completed which He brought to earth and the shedding of His blood for sinners, Romans 3:25 (propitiation). This was the time when animal sacrifice was needed for the atonement, making the covering for sin, Leviticus 5:6, 16-17. After Jesus Christ's accomplishment was completed the payment for the reconciliation was complete, applying to all believers under the first stage, giving complete forgiveness of sin and their sin nature under the 1st stage, Romans 5-11, 2 Corinthians 5-18-19. With God giving mercy and grace, Romans 4:1-8 the atonement was applied to those who exercised obedience and faith, they worshiped with offering showing the atonement testimony with sacrifices of animals which they did on a continuous bases, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 9-10. 

God in His foreknowledge new the future, and planned and gave the Redemptive Covenant, Psalms 139:1- 4, Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2, Acts 17:26-28. He starting redemption in eternity past extending through the time of the cross historically and will have its final fulfillment in eternity future with the redemption of all the believers in their new spiritual bodies in the new heaven and new earth. This was a planned covenant, a promise from the Godhead and given and applied to the human race for the taking before the world began. Redemption can be a reality for you when you exercise faith by the confession with the mouth of your hopelessness as a sinner and making Jesus Christ Lord of your own personnel life, Romans 10:9-13, 1 John 5:9 -14, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 1:7.

This is the only covenant which relates to the redemption for mankind; freeing man from his condemned state by a blood sacrifice which God offered on man's behalf making and satisfying the just payment required for personal sin and the sin nature, Galatians 3:13, Colossians 1:13-15, Ephesians 1:7. Christ Jesus was the substitute for the redeemed and His sacrifice is offered to all but is applied to the one who trusts in God's finished work for their redemption, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Corinthians. 15:1-4, 1 John 5:9-14, Romans 10:13.

The fulfillment will be when the last believer is saved and transformed and death, Satan, evil and sin are gone forever; Revelation 20:10, Colossians 1:13, 14, 20 and all things are under the merciful, gracious loving authority of the only, holy, righteous, just God. The fulfilling results of the Lord Jesus Christ's work on the redeemed and on creation remains intact forever in the Eternal Kingdom of God also called, the Dispensation of the Fullness Time, Romans 8:18-27, Revelation 5:9, 21:1, 4, 27 and chapter 22, Ephesians 1:10.   

Example of some of the stipulations and perimeters of the Redemptive Covenant

Therefore it is important to know and understand the stipulations and perimeters within a covenant and not mix them up with dispensational rules for carrying out the covenant or changing them as history progressed. The following are not dispensational they belong to the Redemptive Covenant.

Perimeters:

Stipulations:

To print following chart click here:

The Redemptive Covenant's History:
 Galatians 3:15,
"Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside
or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case."

Follow the ▼or ► in the progression of the Redemptive covenant

The Redemptive Covenant is also called, the Eternal Covenant, and the Everlasting Covenant, with the two major stages: Stage one the Old Covenant and Stage two the New Covenant. The chart below will show the relationship between the Abrahamic covenant and covenants for the Nation of Israel. Also, show when some of the event dispensationally occurred and how it was to be applied to the rest of the world.                                                              
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I. Eternity Past Before Creation - It was planned in Eternity Past - made by the Godhead,
Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2.

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II. Implementation of the Redemptive Covenant:

    a. It was implemented in the Garden of Eden - The beginning or Stage one of the Redemptive Covenant, called the Old Covenant, Genesis 3:6-11,21 started in the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned. The implementation was during the Dispensation of Innocence.

    b. The Promised Seed was announced, prophetically, Genesis 3:15, no nationality was mentioned at this time. The announcement is a dispensational event which would relate to all dispensations in carrying out the fulfillment, it is not the covenant.

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III. It was mentioned in connection with the Noahic Covenant, Genesis 9:16, "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God (a covenant to remember a covenant) and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” God would remembering the Redemptive Covenant that was formed in eternity past by the Godhead, (trinity). The flood and rainbow appearing is a dispensational event relating to the punitive, destructive judgment, destroying all living kinds except Noah and his family. The rainbow was to be a reminder of man's need for God to preserve mankind and offer and give redemption on the bases of His love mercy, grace and the faith on believers which is not dispensational. The rainbow itself is reminder or symbol of a covenant with the earth which only occurs as it was given and appear in all future dispensation but its appearing never changes the original covenant made to Noah. The events of the Noahic Covenant with the rainbow occurred in the Dispensation of Human Government ending the transition of the Dispensation of Conscience.

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IV. Mentioned indirectly in the Abrahamic Covenant: The Everlasting or Redemptive Covenant was passed down through Abraham and his descendants, Galatians 3:16, "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed meaning one person, who is Christ." Genesis 12:3 Speaking to Abraham, “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."


The Everlasting Covenant mentioned to Adam and Eve Genesis 3:15, extends to Noah in Genesis 9:16, and mentioned in conjunction with the Rainbow Covenant. The Covenant passes and is Included with the other covenants given to Abraham, Luke 3:33-38.

Note: whenever the Redemptive covenant is mentioned it does not change what the the Godhead made but is mentioned as it was passed along. The internal stipulations were set in eternity past by the Godhead, Ephesians 1:2-6, Galatians 3:15, Revelation 22:10-17.

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V. There were additional Covenants given along with Redemptive Covenant to Abraham:
Abraham received additional covenants along with the Redemptive Covenant which was promised to be everlasting for him and his descendants. None of these covenants changed the other; they only gave additional benefits made by covenant to the recipients.

►Abrahamic Covenant

►Covenant of Circumcision

►Covenant of Seed & Kingdom –

►Palestinian Covenant

►Covenant with the World

Special Eternal Relationship, Genesis12:1-3, chapters 15,17; 
2“And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
3 And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

 

The seal of the special eternal relationship was circumcision of the male child, Genesis 17:9-15, Romans 4:11 and any Gentile accepting the God of Abraham was responsible to be circumcised and obedient to the Covenant as given to Abraham and the Mosaic Law which gave further  conditions,
Exodus 20-31, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy 17.

 

 

A Great number of descendants, spiritual seed and natural seed, Genesis 13:16, 17:1-8, 26:1-4, 28:12,
Abraham and Sarah, Genesis 17:19 Isaac, Genesis. 26:2-4 and Jacob, Genesis 28:12

The Promised Seed and the Kingdom, Galatians 3:15-16, Deuteronomy 17:14-16, 1 Samuel 8

The Earthly Kingdom through David, Christ would rule on earth
1 Chronicles 17:4-15

 Land deeded Eternally to Abraham's descendants, Genesis 13:14,15,17

Conditional relationship to the land, Deuteronomy 30:1-10

Unconditional relationship to the land, Leviticus 26:44, 45,
Pslms.89:30-37

 

 

 

 The world would have a unique relationship based on the treatment to the Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12:3
“And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

 

 

 

 

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A. First, the application of the Redemptive Covenant to the Non-Jewish People but through Abraham and the Jewish Nation:

The application of the Redemptive Covenant to the non-Jewish People as it related to the Abrahamic Covenant. First, they were to be blessed by the application of the Redemptive covenant extended to them through the Abrahamic Covenant.  Remember the atoning power for mankind within the Redemptive Covenant did not change the need for a blood sacrifice, trust, faith, belief, mercy and grace, these remained integral to the Redemptive Covenant nothing was added or taken away from the original plan of the Godhead during stage one, call the Old Covenant.

The additional covenants given to Abraham were not a new dispensation only additional covenants which were given to the new stewards to be carry out or regulated by the dispensation. The Nation of Israel was to be responsible for the stewardship office given to Abraham and his descendants; they were responsible to carry out the rules as they relate to the forming of the Nation and their blessing the world which are dispensational. One of the rules was to stay true to the covenants given.

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    B. The application of the Redemptive Covenant to the non-Jewish People, Second and Third:

  • Second, non-Jewish believers were to join the community of believers of the Jewish Nation in spiritual belief, after spiritual belief they could, becoming integrated in the Jewish Nation as Rahab and Ruth did for examples.
  • Third, the non-Jewish men were to be circumcised showing they had subordinated their allegiance to the Nation of Israel’s faith and covenants. They were to live along with of the Nation of Israel in peace, blessing the Nation. As the Kingdom of the Nation of Israel developed, they were to have a responsibility to appear in Jerusalem in the court of the Gentiles. By the time of the New Testament on the day of Pentecost many Gentiles were present at Jerusalem for this celebration; also the account of the Ethiopian eunuch is an example before the Dispensation of Grace was in full operation, showing non-Jewish believers who were saved under the Old Covenant and in proper relationship with the Nation of Israel spiritually, the believing non-Jews only now had to accept the Messiah as Lord and Savior (from Old Covenant to New Covenant and their baptize after belief showed the acceptance publicly), Gen 17:12,13, Ex 12:48,49, Is 55:5, Is 56
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    C. Israel’s responsibility to non Jewish people:

The Nation of Israel, with each person was to be the stewards of the covenants and promises’ reaching out to the subordinate non-Jewish people through word and example as a Nation, Ex 22:21, 23:9. Their failure to fulfill the covenants God gave them through Abraham as prophesied brought disciplinary judgment; their failure eventually would bring about the ultimate punitive judgment of the ‘70th week’ of Daniel or 7 year Tribulation Period to purge and bring a remnant unto Himself which would repent and turn and be saved, Is 10:20-23, Jer. 23:3-6, Rom 9:26-29. God then would fulfill His prophetic program, as promised through this remnant, as the Nation of Israel. The non believing Jews will be punitively judged during the Tribulation with death, and the scripture will be fulfilled where our Lord says, “many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to”, as He preached to the Nation of Israel, Lu 13:24, Math 7:13-14 . The Gentile Nations would have to be obedient as prescribed in the Abrahamic Covenant-Blessing Israel and be Blessed by the Nation and Ruler, accepting the leadership of Christ.
Jesus.

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D. The New Covenant in the second stage of the Redemptive Covenant:

The New Covenant came into operation during the Dispensation of the Promise; there is a progression of events which brought it into operation. This sequence of events are similar to the progressive development of Israel’s earthly kingdom.
1st God chose a unique people and relationship with them,
2nd then the time of the lives of Isaac and Jacob,
3rd Israel in Egypt and its deliverance of the people from Egypt,
4th the Mosaic Law given which rule in establishing Israel’s Kingdom along with universal laws of morality,
5th the time in the wilderness,
6th Israel’s conquest of the land promised through a covenant from God;
7th the period of the Judges;
8th the time of their first earthly king and the Davidic Covenant given to him,
9th the Nation as one;
10th the Nation divided,
11th the Northern tribes taken into captivity,
12th the Southern tribes taken into captivity,
13th both Northern and Southern tribes in and after the time of their captivity,
14th the time of the Gentiles captivity which started with the Northern tribes, ‘The Time of The Gentiles’ which covers all the time Israel was and is under the oppression of Gentile Nations where they are not united and under the ruler ship of the glorified Christ Jesus in the Millennial reign;
15th During this time of the Gentiles and before the Millennial reign, the first coming of Jesus Christ in human form occurs; His earthly ministry is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. His death, burial and resurrection occur with the implementation of the second stage of the Redemptive Covenant, the New Covenant with the world at Pentecost, Gal 4:4, Ac 1-2.

The above occurs under the Dispensation of Promise. The seven principles of a dispensational change had not fully occurred yet at the crucifixion they will not be fully fulfilled until the end of the Tribulation period. The Nation of Israel did reject its office of stewardship by Ac 7 under the Dispensation of Promise, and the transition began for them and will end with the second coming at the end of the tribulation; (16th) the Dispensation of Grace in full operation by the end of Acts 28. If God had not revealed His mystery dispensation when He did the world would have gone into the (17th) prophetic punitive judgment and Israel as prophesied in the Old Testament and reiterated in Ac 2:17-22. Instead, God stopped His prophetic time table and continued the Time of the Gentiles, where Gentile nations continues their oppression on the Nation of Israel and He began the overlay of the Body of Christ dispensation, working Redemption on an equal bases to all. 18th Then comes the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ which ends the 7 year tribulation, and begins the Millennium with Our Lord Jesus sitting on the throne of David in the earthly Kingdom, (The Dispensation of the Kingdom is in full operation at the end of the punitive Judgment and the transition of the former dispensations is over) .

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E. From Stage One to Stage Two of the Redemptive Covenant:

All of proceeding events are under the Redemptive Covenant and it moves from stage one to stage two with the implementation of the New Covenant at Pentecost, Acts 2 (the Dispensation of Promise is still the operating dispensation). Stage two is the completion of the Redemptive Covenant except the physical bodies. The spiritual transformation of the spirit of the believer has been implemented; their physical body will be accomplished at different events in history yet, (Rapture, the Lord Jesus second coming and end of the Millennial Kingdom). The application of physical transformation of the body is to all believers to the spiritual body and it is the eternal state. The timing of the final application for the believers and nonbelievers body will be at different events happening in the dispensations operating at the time or about to, (believers: 1 Cor 15:12-58, 1 Thess 4:13-18, Rev 20:4-6, Dan 12:2, Is 2:19, the Lost or nonbelievers: Rev. 20 11-14). The Redemptive Covenant runs through the Dispensation of Promise Ac 2-7, the Dispensation of Grace Ac 7 through to the Rapture of the Body of Christ, the Dispensation of the Kingdom and The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time and was applied to all saints in prior dispensations. Stage two of the Redemptive Covenant – started with the preparation of the birth of the Lord Jesus with His earthly work and the implementation was at Acts two which was the last days of the Dispensation of Promise, if the Nation of Israel accepted their stewardship and repent receiving the Messiah as savior then God would continue His program with them as a Nation and since they rejected they would go into the Tribulation as a Nation as prophesied, Ac 3:11-26, Acts 2:14-40.

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    F. The Redemptive covenant and the Mystery Dispensation:

Instead of going into the Tribulation when the Nation of Israel failed, God gave the Redemptive Covenant to the world through a stewardship of a  mystery Dispensation, Rom. 16:25, 1 Cor. 2:7, Eph. 3:3, Eph. 3:9, Col. 1:26 . The makeup of this dispensation is a ‘new organism’, Eph 2:14-18, Gal.6:15, Col 3:10,11, Rom 9:22-33, 1 Cor 12:12-14,  Gal 3:28, Heb 2:11 made up of all believing mankind based on one’s personal relationship to the New Covenant, Eph. 3:6. During the Dispensation of Promise, Israel as the stewardship Nation, lost their unique position and the stewardship was given to the Church called the Body of Christ until this mystery dispensation is complete, Rom 11. Salvation, the redemptive covenant being operational in the world continues in the Mystery Dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace but with the dispensational changes the dispensing is not through the stewardship of the Nation of Israel but through the stewardship of the new Organism the Body of Christ, Col. 1:27, Col. 2:2. The governmental approach to the Redemptive Covenant is on equal basis for all and is applied to anyone on the basis of personal faith apart from a particular nation. The Redemptive Covenant did not change; you cannot altar a covenant only the rules for governing it according to the dispensation’s guidelines in operation at the time. In the mystery dispensation with the rules of equality the Redemptive Covenant is operational, even for the Nation of Israel whose stewardship was laid aside and now they come the same way as everyone else. The functioning and responsibility of the organisms (the Church called the Body of Christ) is to carry the Redemptive Covenant in the gospel message to the world. The “mystery of the gospel” was the equal relationship which came about under the Dispensation of Grace, Eph. 6:19. The Gospel never fails but the stewards fail even in this dispensation which will bring an end to the dispensation and the punitive judgment called the Tribulation judgment as prophesied in, 1 Ti 4:1-4,  2 Ti 3:1-7. At the Rapture God will go back and finish the program with the Nation of Israel as prophesied beginning where it was left off when He instituted this dispensation, Rom. 11:25, Acts 7, 28:24-28, Rom 11. Believers at the Rapture will be caught up into the air with all believers since the beginning of the world which is part of the mystery of scripture. The Rapture was not prophesied and the timing of Old Testament saints resurrection had been a mystery. The finished work of Christ Jesus is applied to Old Testament saint and they are included in the statement ‘the dead in Christ will rise first,’ then the mystery believer of the dispensation who are alive at the time will be transformed into glorified redemptive saints, 1 Thess 4: 13-18, 1 Cor. 15:51, Col 3:4, 1 Cor. 6:1-3. The Rapture is the completion of the redemption of the bodies for the saints as God promised, Eph.1:13-14, Rom.8:22-24.

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    G. The Redemptive Covenant goes through the 7 year Tribulation period:

The 7 year tribulation is the punitive judgment from God on two dispensations, the Dispensation of Promise and the Dispensation of Grace. The Holy Spirit will still permanently indwell believers at this time because the Redemptive Covenant will never end operating, Rev 14:13; 19:10; 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22 He is still convicting men of sin – working through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that is integral to the Redemptive Covenant for those individuals who put their trust and faith in the substitutionary, sacrificial work of Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and the sin nature. All the benefits or provisions are applied to the individual in the Redemptive Covenant during this punitive judgment period. During this phase of the transition of dispensations believers will have to endure persecution to enter into the earthly Kingdom in their physical bodies, Rev 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21; 15:2; 21:7. Believers who do not escape at this time will be martyred by the opposing evil forces of God for refusing the mark of the Beast. Those who refused the Gospel message rejecting the Redemptive Covenant from the former dispensation will not be saved during this time for they along with those who reject the Gospel for the first time in the tribulation will remain in their hardness of heart and eternally perish, 2 Thess. 2:9-12, Rev 14:8-11, 16:10,11, Rev 1-3. The Nation of Israel will have the authorized stewardship during this time which a remnant of the Nation will take responsibility and preach the Gospel to the world as prophesied. This transition will end with the battle of Armageddon, Rev 16:13-16,19:11-21, Zech 14:1-5 and the second coming of the Lord Jesus returning literally to earth and taking the Throne of David to rule the earth in Jerusalem, Rev 20:4-6.

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    H. The Redemptive Covenant operates in the earthly Kingdom the Dispensation of the Kingdom:

The Redemptive Covenant continues through the dispensation with the unique presence of our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of David. Jesus Christ the Messiah fulfills all the prophecy relating to the earthly Kingdom spoken since the world began, and He fulfills the covenants God made to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and the Nation of Israel. This period of time is called in Scripture the Kingdom of Christ or Millennial Reign of Christ, (Messiah), 1000 year millennium and the Dispensation of the Kingdom; it will be a time of perfect rule and peace until the dispensation ends when Satan is released from the Bottomless Pit and the Battle of Gog and Magog occurs. All Old Testament saints, along with those saved during the Dispensation of Grace and those martyred during the tribulation, will rule and rein with our Lord Jesus the ‘Messiah – King or Christ’ in their glorified bodies, Rev 20:4-6, 1 Cor 6:1-4. During this time Satan will be bound up by our Lord for the duration of the thousand years and then be released at the end of the dispensation. The children born during this time from those still in their natural bodies will need to be saved or the Redemptive Covenant has to be applied. At the end of the thousand years an unknown number of people who were not saved will follow Satan and attack our Lord Jesus Christ when the Messiah destroys Satan and those who followed him in the battle of Gog and Magog, Rev 20:7-10. The release of Satan and the nonbelievers who follow him will culminate in the punitive Judgment of the Great White Throne ending the Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom of God will become fully operational. The Eternal Kingdom of God is also, called the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time, Eph.1:10, Ps 45:6, Dan 2:44, 6:26, Math 12:28, 19:24, 21:43, Ac 19:8, 28:23, 1 Cor 6:9.

The earthly Kingdom or the Kingdom of Messiah will be fulfilled and will be incorporated prophetically with or identified as the Kingdom of God, the Eternal Kingdom in the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time,  Rev 12:10.

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    I. The Redemptive Covenant Will Continue for Eternity in the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time, Eph 1:10

The Holy Spirit is mentioned in connection with the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time and the benefits of the Redemptive covenant being applied to the individual in the Eternal Kingdom, Rom 14:17. The completion of the Godhead’s plan is accomplish which was planned in eternity past by the Godhead, Eph. 1:4, 1 Cor 15:24, when the Son will hand everything over to the Farther.  The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time will never end because it will never fail. This dispensation will never fail because those who will be its recipients or beneficiaries are all the redeemed who ever lived since creation. Another reason the Dispensation will never fails is because the evil, deceiver Serpent, Satan and all who followed him and his devices for all eternity are in the Lake of Fire created for them for their disobedience, Math 25:41, Rev 14:10 and deception for all of eternity. One may ask will the eternal Kingdom have new births from those who lived through the last dispensation. Maybe it will be like the time when our original parents, Adam and Eve lived; because those who lived through the 1000 year dispensation passed the test – I do not know for sure. However, I do think there are scriptural passages which seem to refer to a time were believers may still live in natural bodies and reproduce but I believe we should leave it to God for we will not be them the Bible does not make clear what happens to those who lived through the Millennium for sure. We do know believers who have died will have spiritual glorified bodies not a natural body to reproduce children. At the beginning of eternity God says there will be a new earth and heaven for the old heaven and earth will be gone. Possibly at the Great White Throne Judgment when God casts Hell or Hades into the Lake of Fire and when He calls into existence the new heaven and earth. At that time God will either change those who lived through the Millennium into their glorified bodies or repopulate the New Earth with those believers, Is 65:17, Is 66:22, Rev 21:1,  20:14, Is 24:18-21.

Other Covenants In the Bible:

The Dispensational laws or rules of administration work in conjunction caring out other covenant with the Redemptive Covenant. God's other covenants are with individuals, Nations, Israel and the Church called His Body.

On the bottom of the chart are some of the different covenants throughout the Bible and it shows when and to whom they were given.

Click to enlarge charts     Chart 1,    Chart 2,   Chart 3,
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Again, a covenant is not a dispensation nor is a dispensation a covenant. Covenants stand on their own because they are irrevocable from the parties who made them according to the original bases of their creation, a testament or a will from the one who made them to the recipient. A dispensation is the carrying out of the events surrounding the covenants in a particular administration, (dispensation). A dispensation carries out the laws or rules given for the application of the covenant at that particular time in the history of man’s existence.

Both dispensations and covenants work together, working ‘hand in hand’ but they are not the same or given for the same reason. A covenant does not change because of a dispensation and a dispensation does not change because of a covenant but failure to fulfill a covenants obligation can be an element in the changing of a dispensation but the covenant still remains.

Besides the Redemptive Covenant there are other types of covenants. There are covenants with individuals which ended after their fulfillment, they covered a short period of time. Some examples of this can be seen with the covenants given to the judges found in the book of Judges 6:11-27, 7:4-7, 8:22-23 and with Menoah and his wife, chapters 13-14.

Also, there are conditional covenants which ended because a failure on the part of the individual or individuals failure to keep their part. They ended as a result of man’s failure to show his faith and obedience to God as required for the fulfillment.  King Saul is an example of this 1 Samuel 10:1 through 15:34. Because of Saul’s disobedience, God cut off the kingship through the line of King Saul taking it from him and giving it to David and his descendents.

Covenants are found interwoven throughout dispensations but not the reverse. Dispensations as they are being fulfilled, give the governing rules to how the covenant is to be carried out, but does not change the covenant, (Best example: is the redemptive covenant, where all dispensations are effected and where some of the dispensations' governing rules were specifically established to carry out the covenant historically.

One of the governing rules in the second dispensation and the following dispensation, is the family head who was to offer the blood atonement with the animal sacrifice for the family. After the dispensations of the family head then latter dispensations God instituted a priesthood outside of the family. The position of a priest was a mediator who offering sacrifice established by God to cover sin and worship under the covenant, (possibly established after the Tower of Babel - Melchizedek was a priest so possibly there was already a priesthood operating before Abraham and before the Levitical Priesthood developed in the Dispensation of Promise). Finally, the Redemptive Covenant was completed and the priesthood came to completion by the finished work of redemption through the High priesthood office of Jesus Christ. The stages of the Redemptive Covenant went through the dispensation and as seen rule in carrying out the stewardship change but not the covenant.

Other governing rule during the Dispensation of Promise was for the Gentiles in their approach to God which was made through the Nation of Israel. The Gentiles had to bless Israel by exercising their faith in Israel's stewardship of God's Word and truth. The Nation was to reveal and represent the one and only true God through the Nation's testimony of God and His workings on their behalf. Also, for Gentiles to be blessed they were required not just to bless Israel but follow governing rule that was given for them to worship. The other covenants given to the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was applied to the Gentiles in response to their relationship to the Dispensation of Promise rules given to the Nation of Israel with the promise to be blessed in doing so. Redemptive Covenant was applied or applicable to the Gentiles as they were obedient to the dispensational rules established and given to Israel in the Dispensation of Promise. The Redemptive covenant did not change only the rules in carrying it out, Gentiles were still saved by their faith in the covenant dispensed through Israel.

In contrast to today’s dispensation, the major governing rule is equality, (The Dispensation of Grace). The covenant of Redemption is given to the world on equal basis based on personal faith directed to the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal priest  and mediator who speaks in believers defense instead of the Nation of Israel as mediator, 1 John 4:10, 2:2, . There is no National mediating or earthly priest for a person to be saved today, (as it was given to the Nation of Israel in the Dispensation of Promise); each individual is responsible for a direct approach to God through the mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ and the dispensational rules for the Body of Christ, the church of today, is responsible for the carry out the Redemptive Covenant by word and life. Also the covenants and promises that were given to the Nation of Israel now have a relationship to believers in the Dispensation of Grace in a eternal spiritual application where all believers will be with Christ Jesus in His Kingdom on earth with a responsibility of His direction to physical man and angels, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Ephesians 2.

There is a future dispensation to come where the Lord Jesus Christ will sit here on the earth on the throne of David with Israel as the Nation stewards, (those yet in their natural bodies). They will be the stewards under Christ for that dispensation, they will be subordinate to Christ earthly rule along with the redeemed from all the previous dispensations. The earthly Israel will be stewards of Christ’s rule, priest to the world presenting the Redemptive Covenant alone with other responsibilities relating to the Dispensation of the Kingdom.

And finally, all covenants will find full fulfillment in the Eternal Kingdom of God or the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time. There will be no more sin, evil, Satan or anything unclean, no corruption will enter the eternal dispensation. In the eternal dispensation there will be unity, order, and a chain of command, God as supreme and all things subordinate to Him for all eternity. Everything in God's creation will be perfect!

Some of the Major Covenants given to Mankind and Creation:

Contrasting Israel with the Church Today

Today the Nation of Israel is experiencing a delay in their fulfillment of their prophesized Kingdom here on earth and today experiencing a continuation of 'The Time of the Gentiles. This dispensational delay will run until the Rapture of the Church called the Body of Christ then God finishes His punitive judgment on both the Dispensation of Promise and the Dispensation of Grace. This delay God planned and inserted when the Nation of Israel rejected the Holy Spirit and their stewardship as recorded in the book of Acts. When the last person is saved in today's dispensation according to Romans 10, God will finish dealing with the Nation of Israel and the world picking up where He left off, and finish the prophesized 70th week of Daniel. Today, Israel as a Nation, is under God's 'judgment of spiritual equality' and with the oppression of the nations on earth continuing, from which only a remnant of individual Jews are still being saved, Judges 2:1-4, 20-22, Romans 9, 10, 11:1-27, Romans 9:27,28.

·   The New Covenant is applied directly to the Gentiles.  In the Dispensation of Grace, the Mystery Dispensation, the Gentiles are given equality with Israel in their approach to the New Covenant. 

·   The Covenant of Equality includes all mankind becoming equal with Israel in their approach to God, (a dispensational distinction).  Both come condemned as sinners and both receive redemption on the basis of Jesus Christ's sacrifice (The New Covenant).  In The Covenant of Equality, this new organism of equality is a part of the guiding principles within The Dispensation of Grace, Romans 1-3, Ephesians 2. The Nation of Israel does not hold superiority in this dispensation of equality, (The Dispensation of Grace) but makes Israel equal with all mankind. The other covenants, The Covenant of circumcision, The Palestinian covenant and The Davidic covenant does not apply directly to the Dispensation of Grace, 1 Corinthians 11:20, 24-26; 10:16, 21; Ephesians the 3rd chapter and Romans the 11th chapter. The only relationship the Church today has to the covenants and promises of Israel will be fulfilled after the Rapture where believers will be in their glorified bodies in the Dispensation of the Kingdoms.

It is with the covenants that most of the confusion has come when understanding dispensations. A covenant is not a dispensation and a dispensation is not a covenant but they complement each other with their respective reason of operation.

The charts show when the covenants were given, who they were personally given too, where they fit into the dispensations, and who were the stewards of the dispensation at the time that they were given. Charts 1, 2 and 3 shows also, other connections they have within the dispensations and Chart 4 shows the New Covenant and Old Covenant stages of the Redemptive Covenant.
Click to enlarge charts or print - Chart 1, Chart 2, Chart 3

           Chart 1,    Chart 2,   Chart 3,

The Four Big Confusion

1. The confusion with - the beginning of the Old Covenant
The confusion with the beginning of the old covenants is another point of misunderstanding in Christendom today. Many start the Old Covenant with the giving of the Law of Moses but the Old Covenant was already in existence since the Garden of Eden and it was not changed by the Law of Moses.  The law was added to the Dispensation of Promise not the covenant of Redemption. It required a animal blood sacrifice of man's sinful nature.

2. The Confusion with - the Law of Moses

The Law of Moses it is not the old Covenant and should not be called the old covenant. Unless a teacher is referring to the Redemptive Covenant, the Old Covenant should not be used just to describe the time of the Dispensation of Promise or a new dispensation with Israel, for it leaves a wrong understanding of Scripture. Paul says in the Epistle to the Galatians that the Law of Moses was added in or to the dispensation of Promise. 'It was added' showing the Old Covenant which was already functioning. God makes it clear that the Law of Moses was added to show man his sinfulness with a greater understanding of his helplessness and need. Paul states by the Holy Sprit that the Law could not justify and no Israelite was justified by it, Acts 13:39. The Law of Moses was not for Atonement or Reconciliation but responsibility, morally and it was for the development of the Nation of Israel and their Kingdom. The Law of Moses sets the guidelines for Israel to build and establishing a moral government in their Kingdom in the Dispensation of Promise, Galatians 3:17,19, Romans 5:20-21, Romans 7:7-25. The Law of Moses with the universal moral laws existing from eternity past and forever. The Law of Moses was not a new dispensation for it does not change the ordained Stewardship which God ordained. The Nation was in the process of development and the Law furthered their establishment in the Dispensation of Promise. It would take all 7 key or principle to make a change for the Law only added an additional responsibility and dimension in the Nations kingdom development.

3. The Confusion with - Making a Covenant a new Dispensation

The Redemptive Covenant's fulfillment (the stage called the New Covenant), started with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth and His coming was not a new dispensation. The New Covenant or fulfillment of the Redemptive Covenant became operational at the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers permanently in this life for those who received the Gospel as truth for themselves, Act 2, Ephesians 1:13. This was a continuation of the Dispensation of Promise as prophesied.

The problem arises however when believers make the New Covenant a dispensation. Today's Dispensation did not begin until the Dispensation of Promise was postponed that started historically in the Mid-Acts, (Acts 7-13). The transition into today's Dispensation of Grace and the closing or completion of the overlay on the Dispensation of Promise was completed at the end of Acts 28 and 70AD historically events. The event which marked the close was the destruction of Israel's Temple marking the completion of the transitional period.

4. The Confusion with - The Nation of Israel had to be Offered the New Covenant before it could be Rejected (Acts 2 Verses the Mid-Acts)

Israel had to be offered the New Covenant in an operational relationship before they could and did reject it. The dispensation did not change at Pentecost, only the New Covenant became operational.

Also at Acts 2 the Nation of Israel was not laid aside yet from being God's instrument for they had not yet rejected the Holy Spirit ministering through them. The New Covenant could not have been reject before it become functional. Israel rejected their commission in Acts by rejecting the offer with their rejection of Christ Jesus revealed by the Holy Spirit as a Nation and rejecting their responsibility to be the instrument of God for the dispensing of the gospel of the New Covenant to the world, Acts 3:17-20, Acts 7. (The rejection was the final sin of the Nation bringing into history the new dispensation of today.)

Prophetically, this rejection was foretold that it would happen and the tribulation judgment or 70th week of Daniel would begin. There is no evidence that the Dispensation of Promise ended at Acts 2 or before the Acts period. The prophetic Tribulation judgment had not yet occurred, bringing the dispensation into the transitional period one of the 7 keys or guiding principle to a dispensational change (see chapter two - the guiding truths of a dispensational change) and concluding with the their earthly Kingdom dispensation. 

However, God inserted a program He had not revealed through the Old Testament prophets or in any other dispensation. He inserted a new dispensation, a new organism for mankind to dispense with equality the New Covenant through His Church called His Body. God at this present time does not have the Nation of Israel in power of leadership. His ordained instrument or stewardship today for dispensing the Gospel is His Church, the Body of Christ made up of all individual believers. Today individual believers are responsible for the dispensing the gospel of the Redemptive or the New Covenant.

(So there is no confusion I am not speaking about a church denomination or a building. A local church is for fellowship and worship of believers together in which they may present the gospel through a teacher, but the Stewardship given by God is for all believes collectively making up His church called the Body of Christ. The local church is a tool God has ordained for believers to develop under the guidelines given for this dispensation; and believers today are responsible to live reconciled to God by their lives as they share the gospel or reconciliation through their gift given them by the Holy Spirit. Their faith is to be spoken and evident in their everyday life as the live before the world.)

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