Introduction. If we want to learn about history and civilizations, there are many books to choose from. But the Bible is unique because it reveals history from God’s perspective. It records those things God wanted His people to learn and know (Rom. 15:4). While man relies on excavations and artifacts, Christians can rely on inspired Scripture. There are three distinct periods God wanted us to understand. The first is recorded in the book of Genesis, the second begins with the birth of Moses and ends at the cross of Christ, and the third and final begins with the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus’ crucifixion and will end at Jesus’ return to bring this age to a close.
Each of these periods has been called a dispensation. This term is easily understood if we think of a soap dispenser. Each time we push down, a small amount of soap is dispensed into our hand. In the same way, God has dispensed his authority over man in three distinct ways. In the book of Genesis, because the authority of God was dispensed to each father individually, it is called the Patriarchal Dispensation. The book of Exodus recorded God dispensing His authority to His people in the law given through Moses. It has been called the Mosaic Dispensation because from the time of Moses until the death of Christ, all of God’s authority remained in that law. After the resurrection of Christ, He revealed: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Mt. 28:18). With all of God’s authority now being dispensed through Christ, the Christian Dispensation began. All of this is summed up at the beginning of the book of Hebrews:
Each of these periods has been called a dispensation. This term is easily understood if we think of a soap dispenser. Each time we push down, a small amount of soap is dispensed into our hand. In the same way, God has dispensed his authority over man in three distinct ways. In the book of Genesis, because the authority of God was dispensed to each father individually, it is called the Patriarchal Dispensation. The book of Exodus recorded God dispensing His authority to His people in the law given through Moses. It has been called the Mosaic Dispensation because from the time of Moses until the death of Christ, all of God’s authority remained in that law. After the resurrection of Christ, He revealed: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Mt. 28:18). With all of God’s authority now being dispensed through Christ, the Christian Dispensation began. All of this is summed up at the beginning of the book of Hebrews:
- “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” (Heb. 1:1-2)
During the Patriarchal Age, God spoke directly to Adam, Cain and Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph “at various times and in various ways.” This age began with an inspired account of the creation and of Adam and Eve’s time in the garden. At that time, all God’s authority was dispensed in the single command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When they violated that command, they were banished from the garden of Eden. Since Adam was 130 years old when his third son, Seth, was born (Gen. 5:1-3), and Cain and Abel had already become adults, Adam and Eve had lived in that beautiful garden of Eden without sin for less than 100 years. At that time, the beauty and perfection of that sinless world came to an abrupt end with the curse.
God then spoke directly to Cain and Abel regarding their sacrifices. Abel heard God and offered his by the “faith that comes by hearing the word of God” (Heb.11:4; Rom. 10:17). Cain’s “works were evil,” because he did not “trust in the Lord with all his heart,” but “leaned on his own understanding.” (1Jn. 3:10-12; Pr. 3:5-7). Later, Abel came to Cain as a prophet to warn him, but Cain killed him. (Lk. 11:50-51). Cain then “left the presence of the Lord” with his wife. There is no record that either he or any of his posterity ever repented or returned to God (Gen. 5:16-24).
With the birth of Seth, the genealogy that would lead to Christ began, for Jesus was “the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Lk. 3:38). The purpose of the fifth chapter was to record the ancestry from Adam to Noah. At the beginning of sixth chapter, these sons of God through Seth (Gen. 5) looked upon the daughters of men through Cain (Gen. 4) and saw “that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” Although it might be hoped that the sons of God could convert the daughters of men, the exact opposite occurred. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5)
Noah became the bridge from the world that existed before the flood to the one we live in today. God spoke to Noah, warning him about the end of that age, and giving him specific details about how ark must be built. “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” Although Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2Pet. 2:5), no one listened to him. Only his own family, along with all animals entered into the ark “and the Lord shut him in.” It is difficult to imagine what Noah and his sons felt and thought as the rain started, the ark was lifted, and later when they left the ark to enter a world where they were alone and all signs of their old lifestyle was erased.
God summed up the centuries between Noah leaving the ark and the birth of Abraham with the genealogies of Noah’s three sons (Gen. 10), how they built the tower of Babel forcing God to scatter them over all the earth, create new languages, and made “from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26; Gen. 11).
The Holy Spirit revealed more details about this time. “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Rom. 1:21-23). After God called Abraham, He “allowed all nations to walk in their own ways,” while this may sound lenient, it was a terrible judgment. “God also gave them up to uncleanness,” “to vile passions,” and “over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” All this led to God calling Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. (Rom. 1:24-32; Acts 14:16).
The fact that there is more written about Abraham (Gen. 12-25) than the entire history of the world before to him. (Gen. 1-11) reveals his importance. God spoke to him in various ways and various manners. Abraham was 75 when he arrived in Canaan (Gen. 12:4) and 175 when he died (Gen. 25:7). While Genesis revealed many things about the 100 years Abraham lived in Canaan, the NT focused on three things that are the most important to learn and remember. The first was his call: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Heb. 11:8).
While Abraham was 75 when he arrived, God made him wait until he was 99 before giving him a son. His body was wearing out and Sarah who had been barren her entire life was now 90 and could no longer have children. God waited until all hope was gone to test Abraham and leave the results of that test for us to see. His faith never wavered: “And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:19-21). Abraham’s trust should inspire us to try harder.
After the birth of Isaac, God had one final test for Abraham. He asked him to sacrifice his son. Not only would this pull on the heartstrings of a father, but all of God’s covenant promises were based on Isaac. Without Isaac, all the sacrifices of Abraham’s life would be for nothing. Yet, he did not reason like this. As a man of faith who trusted God, he again never wavered. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Heb 11:17-19). What an amazing man! God made Abraham the father of all His future servants because he was extraordinary in every way!
Abraham’s nephew Lot also came into the land of Canaan with him. What God recorded about Lot focused on his terrible choice to move to Sodom. Abraham and Lot were so prosperous the land could not support both of them. Abraham gave him the right to choose, but Lot’s choice, based only on prosperity, soon led him to lose everything. First, he was captured and carried away captive with his wife. Though Abraham brought him back, what terrible memories it must have left. Then, because “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” (Gen. 13:13), even with all his wealth and prosperity, Lot was unhappy in their company: “righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked,” “ dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds.” (2Pet. 2:7-8) Finally, Sodom’s wickedness brought destruction and Lot was severely harmed as he lost his possessions and his wife in the overthrow of Sodom. What a terrible exchange for prosperity! Lot would have been better off living in a desert!
Conclusion. This is our history. God has recorded it for us to learn and be instructed. Through these and the rest of the writings of the Old Testament Scriptures, we are given the knowledge to persevere, enduring all our own troubles and trials with hope. If they could do it, so can we!
God then spoke directly to Cain and Abel regarding their sacrifices. Abel heard God and offered his by the “faith that comes by hearing the word of God” (Heb.11:4; Rom. 10:17). Cain’s “works were evil,” because he did not “trust in the Lord with all his heart,” but “leaned on his own understanding.” (1Jn. 3:10-12; Pr. 3:5-7). Later, Abel came to Cain as a prophet to warn him, but Cain killed him. (Lk. 11:50-51). Cain then “left the presence of the Lord” with his wife. There is no record that either he or any of his posterity ever repented or returned to God (Gen. 5:16-24).
With the birth of Seth, the genealogy that would lead to Christ began, for Jesus was “the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Lk. 3:38). The purpose of the fifth chapter was to record the ancestry from Adam to Noah. At the beginning of sixth chapter, these sons of God through Seth (Gen. 5) looked upon the daughters of men through Cain (Gen. 4) and saw “that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” Although it might be hoped that the sons of God could convert the daughters of men, the exact opposite occurred. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5)
Noah became the bridge from the world that existed before the flood to the one we live in today. God spoke to Noah, warning him about the end of that age, and giving him specific details about how ark must be built. “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” Although Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2Pet. 2:5), no one listened to him. Only his own family, along with all animals entered into the ark “and the Lord shut him in.” It is difficult to imagine what Noah and his sons felt and thought as the rain started, the ark was lifted, and later when they left the ark to enter a world where they were alone and all signs of their old lifestyle was erased.
God summed up the centuries between Noah leaving the ark and the birth of Abraham with the genealogies of Noah’s three sons (Gen. 10), how they built the tower of Babel forcing God to scatter them over all the earth, create new languages, and made “from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26; Gen. 11).
The Holy Spirit revealed more details about this time. “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Rom. 1:21-23). After God called Abraham, He “allowed all nations to walk in their own ways,” while this may sound lenient, it was a terrible judgment. “God also gave them up to uncleanness,” “to vile passions,” and “over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” All this led to God calling Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. (Rom. 1:24-32; Acts 14:16).
The fact that there is more written about Abraham (Gen. 12-25) than the entire history of the world before to him. (Gen. 1-11) reveals his importance. God spoke to him in various ways and various manners. Abraham was 75 when he arrived in Canaan (Gen. 12:4) and 175 when he died (Gen. 25:7). While Genesis revealed many things about the 100 years Abraham lived in Canaan, the NT focused on three things that are the most important to learn and remember. The first was his call: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Heb. 11:8).
While Abraham was 75 when he arrived, God made him wait until he was 99 before giving him a son. His body was wearing out and Sarah who had been barren her entire life was now 90 and could no longer have children. God waited until all hope was gone to test Abraham and leave the results of that test for us to see. His faith never wavered: “And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:19-21). Abraham’s trust should inspire us to try harder.
After the birth of Isaac, God had one final test for Abraham. He asked him to sacrifice his son. Not only would this pull on the heartstrings of a father, but all of God’s covenant promises were based on Isaac. Without Isaac, all the sacrifices of Abraham’s life would be for nothing. Yet, he did not reason like this. As a man of faith who trusted God, he again never wavered. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Heb 11:17-19). What an amazing man! God made Abraham the father of all His future servants because he was extraordinary in every way!
Abraham’s nephew Lot also came into the land of Canaan with him. What God recorded about Lot focused on his terrible choice to move to Sodom. Abraham and Lot were so prosperous the land could not support both of them. Abraham gave him the right to choose, but Lot’s choice, based only on prosperity, soon led him to lose everything. First, he was captured and carried away captive with his wife. Though Abraham brought him back, what terrible memories it must have left. Then, because “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” (Gen. 13:13), even with all his wealth and prosperity, Lot was unhappy in their company: “righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked,” “ dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds.” (2Pet. 2:7-8) Finally, Sodom’s wickedness brought destruction and Lot was severely harmed as he lost his possessions and his wife in the overthrow of Sodom. What a terrible exchange for prosperity! Lot would have been better off living in a desert!
Conclusion. This is our history. God has recorded it for us to learn and be instructed. Through these and the rest of the writings of the Old Testament Scriptures, we are given the knowledge to persevere, enduring all our own troubles and trials with hope. If they could do it, so can we!
- “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4)