Walk Through the Bible: Dispensation of Innocence

Introduction to Walk Through the Bible

Why do we need to explore God’s Word?

1. Knowledge of the Word is necessary in order to verify or refute traditions held by society. Example: What fruit did Eve eat (Genesis 3:6), or how many wise men actually visited Jesus (Matthew 2:1)?
2. The early church studied the word (Acts 16:32 and Acts 17:11).
3. We are commanded to study the scriptures in 2 Timothy 2:15.

Introduction to the Old Testament

Dispensations or Time Periods

1. Dispensation is an Era of Time.
2. God had a special, unique relationship with humanity in each dispensation.
3. Each dispensation begins with God dealing with man in a new, unique way.
4. Each ends with judgment.
5. Bible Dispensations:

• Innocence – Adam to fall
• Conscience – Fall to flood
• Human Government – Flood to tower of Babel
• Patriarchs – Patriarchs to Egyptian bondage
• Law – Exodus to 400 years of silence
• Grace – Cross to tribulation
• Millennium – Rapture to battle of Gog and Magog (Revelations 20:7-8)

Man’s Continual longing for God

Job is a great example of this when he says in Job 23:3, “If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!”

Divisions of Old Testament

1. Five books of Law – The Torah
2. Twelve books of History
3. Five Books of Poetry
4. Seventeen books of Prophecy

Origin of the Bible

2 Peter 1:21 tells us, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Beginning

• God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1)
• Faith is basis of the whole Bible (Hebrews 11:3)
• Days of creation (Genesis 2:2 and Genesis 1:26-28)

Two responsibilities God gave man:

•  Have dominion (unchanged authority) over environment (sky, land, sea)
• Subdue the earth

Power of Choice

• First  Dispensation: Innocence, man knew no evil.
• Then Adam and Eve were warned of the consequences of sin, which is death (Read Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23, Genesis 3:6-7). Adam and Eve then ate the forbidden fruit. They were tempted by the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (James 1:14-15 and 1 John 2:15-16). They rationalized sin thinking that it would improve their status. They represented all of humanity when having the power of “choice”. But sin broke their communion with God.

The First Judgment

• Serpent cursed (Genesis 3:14-15)
• Woman cursed (Genesis 3:16)
• Man and Land cursed (Genesis 3:17-19)

Banished from the Garden

Innocence ends in judgment and Adam and Eve expelled from the garden as a result of sin: curse of death.

• Man lost communion with God
• Man lost dominion – power over his environment
• Man forced to work the ground and do as the ground says, “Till me”
• Man lost his responsibility to subdue (govern).

The consequences of sin was then passed to all of humanity (Romans 5:12 and Romans 5:21).

However, God unveiled a plan that man will be brought back (reconciled, redeemed, bought back) to communion with God and living above sin, illustrating the love of God (Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20).

The Clothes of Adam and Eve

In Genesis 3:21 it tells us that the LORD made garments of skin for Adam and Eve.

• Means of redemption
• Man couldn’t cover his sin with the works of his own hands
• God didn’t care who paid the penalty for their sin (animal substitute).

Significance of the Entire Bible

1. God created man for communion and fellowship
2. Sin destroyed God-man relationship
3. God made a plan o redeem man – substitution
4. God began revealing His plan.

• He revealed His nature and manners through the Old Testament
• He taught man that mankind needed a redeemer
• He provided the Redeemer (Gospels)
• He taught the significance, purpose, and expectant changes that result from the Redeemer (Epistles).

“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

Thank you for joining me in this introductory lesson. Be sure to read the next lesson titled, “Dispensation of Conscience” in this Walk Through the Bible” series taught at International Pentecostal Church.