24/11/2021 Wednesday
BIBLE BASICS
Review of the Bible’s Preservation
Original Bible manuscripts are called
autographs
Making copies of the original manuscripts began when?
during Moses’ day
We have about _______ surviving manuscripts or portions of manuscripts of the NT.
The Byzantine or Majority text has the support of about ___% of the surviving manuscripts.
It was the standard text for over ______ years.
The Alexandrian or Critical Text has only __% of manuscript support including two old manuscripts the
Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.
Stephens’ 1550 Textus Receptus is the Byzantine Greek text behind the
KJV and the NKJV.
All other popular translations are based on the Critical Text.
Many words are left out of the Critical Text.
BIBLE DISPENSATIONS
These are stages in God’s progressive revelation and man’s responsibilities.
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 1 – Innocence
▰ Timeline: From Creation to the Fall (Genesis 1-3)
▰ Circumstances: Man was innocent and naturally did what was right.
▰ Responsibilities: Multiply (Genesis 1:28), Stewardship over the earth, animals, dress and keep the ground, Obey, do not eat of the forbidden tree
▰ Failure: They ate of the tree
▰ Judgment: Death, hardships, leave garden
▰ Provision: Promised Redeemer, clothing, sacrifices
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 2 – Conscience
▰ Timeline: The Fall to the Flood (Genesis 4-8)
▰ Circumstances: Man was conscious of right and wrong.
▰ Responsibilities: Follow right, flee wrong, offer sacrifices for sins
▰ Failure: No blood sacrifice, murder, evil thoughts, intermarriage, wickedness
▰ Judgment: Noahic flood
▰ Provision: Noah kept safe during the flood, blood sacrifice accepted, rainbow of promised mercy and grace
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 3 – Human Government
▰ Timeline: The Flood to the Confusion at Babel (Genesis 8-11)
▰ Circumstances: Still have conscience of sin, eat meat, animals are afraid
▰ Responsibilities: Multiply and spread, eat no blood, govern, capital punishment
▰ Failure: Did not spread
▰ Judgment: Babel, languages, forced to spread
▰ Provision: Preserved the Godly line through Shem (Genesis 11:26)
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 4 – Promise or Patriarchal Rule
▰ Timeline: Babel (Genesis 11:10 – Exodus 19)
▰ Circumstances: Worldwide dispersion (Ge 11:9), distinct people groups separated by language, culture, and then appearance. Conscience and
human government are still in effect, new revelation was given specifically to the descendants of Abraham.
▰ Responsibilities: Believe, obey, Abrahamic Covenant (Ge 12:1-3)
▰ Failure: Lack of obedience and trust (Lot, Hagar, lies, Isaac/Esau)
▰ Judgment: Maybe Egyptian slavery
▰ Provision: Exodus, Laws, tabernacle/sacrifices
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 5 – Law
▰ Timeline: The giving of the Law to the Cross (Exodus 19 – John 21)
▰ Circumstances: 10 Plagues, Red Sea, water, manna, quails
▰ Responsibilities: Obey God’s Voice (Ex 15:26, 19:5-6), Keep the Mosaic Law, faith in blood sacrifices to cover sin
▰ Failure: Unbelief, disobedience, rejection of Christ
▰ Judgment: Captivities: Israel in 722 BC, Judah in 586 BC, destruction of Jerusalem 70 AD
▰ Provision: Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God’s grace (divine help) offered
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 6 – Grace
▰ Timeline: Cross to the Millennium (Acts 1 – Revelation 19)
▰ Circumstances: Christ offers salvation and freedom from Law
▰ Responsibilities: accept the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ, walk in the Spirit, and witness
▰ Failure: Unbelief, reject Christ, fail to walk in the Spirit and witness
▰ Judgment: Hell, loss of reward, Tribulation
▰ Provision: Rapture, Tribulation witnesses, Revelation as King
▰ Provision: Rapture, Tribulation witnesses, Revelation as King
Dispensational Chart
Dispensation 7 – Kingdom
▰ Timeline: Millennium to Eternity (Revelation 20-22)
▰ Circumstances: Satan bound 1000 years, utopia
▰ Responsibilities: Obey and trust Christ in ideal conditions
▰ Failure: Pretend obedience (Psalm 66:3), final rebellion (Revelation 20:7-8)
▰ Judgment: Fire from Heaven (Revelation 20:9), Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10-15)
▰ Provision: Believer’s eternity with God in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-5; 2 Pet 3:10-13)
Dispensational Timeline
Summary of Bible Dispensations