Chapter 16 - Dispensation of Promise and Events of the Dispensation:

Latter we see in the transitional period before the dispensation of Human Government completely closes glimpses of the last reference of God's working with men from this dispensation.

In the transition period the King of Salem who's name was Melchizedek, Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7:1-2  he was a believer Priest and used of God during the transition between the two dispensations. We also see priest who were not believers but false priest, seen in the account of Joseph in Egypt, Genesis 47:22,26.

In the Transition God chooses a people group through Abraham they will be the new dispensers or ordained stewards of the Dispensation of Promise and they were to be God's messengers of His message to the world.

We also know there was a priest named Jethro, a priest of Midian and the father-in-law to Moses during the transition to the new dispensation, Exodus 3:1 18:1. We do not see him appear in scripture until Moses' escape to Midian from Egypt and his marriage of Jethro's daughter Zipporah. We do not see any negative in his character that is revealed in scripture in fact we see him being helpful to Moses and the children of Israel. We have to assume he was a priest as revealed, and sense he was used of God to further the deliverance of the children of Israel. Jethro must have been a priest of the former dispensation and a priest in relationship with God and not corrupted. We do not know any Gentile priest after him mentioned in scripture which occupied the same relationship with God or being used in a unique capacity.  Exodus 4:17-19. You can see more of his life under the chapter on salvation.

Another examples of the people living at this time in regards of the Tower of Babel, Genesis 11:1-9. We see the heart of the disobedient prophet Balaam who comes from this dispensation and lived in the transition time. It is hard to believe Balaam was a believer but remember every dispensation end with the failure of men and the failure of believers to do as they were to be responsible to fulfill.

If we look at Balaam in the light of the dispensational failure as we do with the tower of Babel people we can understand better his apostasy and yet how God could speak to him latter and the corruption which he represents. We also can understand the choosing of the promise people in the light of the transition of the old being laid aside and the new dispensation beginning, Numbers 22, 22:8-13. In the New Testament we see Balaam being contrasted to believer not unbelievers, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11. you can learn more of the transition of a dispensation in chapter 10. Balaam always wanting to twist what God tells him and a desire for personnel gain instead of doing right. He could not have loved God with the devotion God required but can see the same kind of compromise which the people showed at the tower of Babel - imagining God would not see his deception of devotion and his imaginary belief God would over look his infractions or he was hoping he could bend God to do it his way. We again can say God showed him love by having the covering for sin as revealed earlier still open for him and not ending his life immediate on his disobedience. With the event of Balaam's life the transition comes to an end and the Israelites take the promise land as God promised, and from here no mention of a Godly relationship which had came from the former dispensation appears.

Scriptures: Genesis 12-Exodus 19:4
New Beginning: The Choosing of Abraham.
Setting: The places where Abraham traveled and his children and the nation of Israel
Dealings: Abraham and his wife, Isaac, Jacob and his children
Failure: False leadership
Judgment: Bondage in Egypt and wilderness
Transition (the transition at the beginning of the new dispensation): From sin in previous dispensation running (possibly), through the conquer of the land of Canaan. Josh 5:9, or possibly the transition into the Dispensation of Promise could have ended at the mention of the last false prophet Balaam, Numbers 22.
Transition (at the end of the Dispensation of Promise): Starting with the period called the Time of the Gentiles to the second coming to earth of our Lord Jesus Christ, Revelation 19.

The Administration rules: Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12:1-3,7

The Administration rules: Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12:1-3,7. " When God established a covenant with Abraham, it was another dramatic turning point in human history. Abraham and his heirs (the Nation of Israel) received an unconditional promise. Under this covenant, God promised to make Israel a great nation, to bless the seed of Abraham, to give him a great name, to make him a blessing, to bless those who blessed him and curse those who curse him, to give him the Promised Land, and though his descendants to bless all the families of the earth with a Redeemer. Israel's failure in this dispensation was illustrated by their leaving the land to settle in Egypt, and resulted in bondage there.  Israel's final testing under this dispensation occurred when God attempted to draw them back to the land. But they refused Him in unbelief at Kadesh-barnes (cf. Ex. 19:5)."  ( Notes from The Annotated Study Bible, King James Version Copyright 1988 by Liberty University page 28)

The development and events of the Dispensation of Promises from inception to the new Dispensation of the Kingdom.

The Overviewof the Dispensation of Promise - History of The Nation of Israel

There are different stages in its development to end of the Dispensation of Promise in Scriptures. These stages are not dispensations but the maturing of the Kingdom Nation of Israel for each of these stages do not fulfill the 7 guiding principles, ( The call of Abraham, the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the 12 sons of Jacob whose name changed to Israel, the Egyptian events, the desert wondering, the conquest of the land of Cannon promised by God, the time of the Judges and their deliverance, the development of the kingship, the heights of the kingdom, the decline of the kingdom, the rejection of God the Father and their captivity or the time of the Gentiles rule oven Israel and oppression, the time of the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the implementation of the New Covenant, and the Nation of Israel's rejection of their stewardship with the consequences.).

First the call and promise given to Abraham and Sarah, second to Isaac, then to Jacob, then to the twelve sons of Jacob,
second then the time in Egypt of testing, and the time of the Mosaic Law revealed, with the refining in the forty year wondering, and the conquest of the promise Land,
third the time of the Judges rule,
fourth the time of the kings and kingdom to it heights,
fifth the time of the nations failure and division, with their apostasy rejecting God the Farther and starting the time of the Gentiles,
sixth the time of Christ (birth, death, and resurrection) running with and at the same time as the time of the Gentile with the Nation rejecting God the Son,
seventh the offer of the Kingdom given to the Nation of Israel and their receiving the responsibility of the New Covenant which was rejection as a Nation which is shown by their rejection of the third person of the deity or trinity the Holy Spirit,
eighth  the overlay on the Dispensation of Promise time of the Dispensation of Grace a mystery running at the same time with the time of the Gentiles and
ninth the punitive judgment of God wrath and to purifying the Nation of Israel and putting in order the chain of command of His leadership through the Nation of Israel for the world with the 7 year Tribulation and its completion bringing to an end the Dispensation of Promise with the promised Messiah appearing on earth, Christ Jesus’ return and His reign in the new dispensation on the Earth, The Dispensation of  Kingdom.

Old Testament Saints were Saved by Faith and Righteousness given as a gift from God

There are those who go to great length in trying to prove the Old Testament saints were saved by their works based on the Mosaic Law or the Law given him at Mt Sinai. However, long before the law was given there were saints who never heard of the Law given to Moses who were saved, Romans 5:13,14.

Galatians 3:16-18 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. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.

Note: Abraham was not given a covenant (a new one), which did not already exist but the one which was established by the Godhead from eternity passed. This covenant was give for him to pass on through his offspring as stewards; it was first given to Adam and Eve at the beginning of the Dispensation of Conscience, Genesis 3:15. Abraham was given the privilege of the passing down the one eternal promise, having our Lord Jesus Christ come through him and his descendents to the world. God's promise of a redeemer in love, mercy, and grace is an eternal universal truth, Titus 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:9,10, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, Ephesians 3:3-14.

The saints of the Old Testament were saved by obedience of faith in performing the required behavior in response to the object of faith that God required for justice in His love, mercy and grace a blood sacrifice. Their works which showed their relationship to Jehovah God came after their faith which always came first and it was in operation producing the works which pleased God. The Mosaic Law did not save it was ones faith in God and obedience to Him just as it is today. 

Adam and Eve did not perform any works other than accept the mercy and grace God show them. God provided and performed for them a blood sacrifice for the payment of the sin they committed and He covered their nakedness with the skins of the sacrifice offered.

Look at Noah, Abraham, and David where the word of God makes it quite plain they were saved apart from their works by God imputing righteousness to them and then, after righteousness was present they willingly obeyed Him. He communicated His message of responsibility for obedience and they showed they were living by faith in Him by submission to Him. Apart from the right heart attitude there is not a relationship to God, one has to want the relationship and be given righteousness from God first. After God gave saving righteousness or it was in place in a persons heart the works they performed were credited to their account - such as the saving from the flood and the Ark, offering of Isaac, or a man after God's heart as David was credited. Today the works of eternal value or righteous works are credited only after salvation occurs, just as it did for the Old Testament saints, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
Romans 4:3-6  What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: