The Dispensation of Government
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The Dispensation of Government
Keep this in mind: A strict literal Interpretation of Scripture within recognized grammatical rules is essential to understand the dispensations. Further the Bible clearly separates the nation Israel from the Church. They are two separate entities. The nation Israel is not the Church of the Old Testament.
For each dispensation there are 7 aspects.
1) Each dispensation has a “Chief Person”
2) Each dispensation has a “Name”
3) Each dispensation has been provided a responsibility to God.
4) Each dispensation has been given a “Test” from God.
5) In each dispensation man has “Failed” the test.
6) For each dispensation God has provided a “judgment”.
7) God has provided a measure of “grace” for each dispensation.
Further, a new covenant is often the basis for a new dispensation.
Man’s Government over the earth
Out of the fearful judgment of the flood God saved Noah and his family (eight people), to whom, after the waters had receded, He gave the changed earth with ample power to govern it. The people were given the right to determine life and death over others. This principle is in clearly stated in Genesis 9:6: “Whoso sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” So man is given the authority to execute the murderer, and this carries with it the concept of rule, authority, and government.
The chief person was Noah and his descendants were responsible for governing the earth. Man’s Responsibility to God in this dispensation was obedience to the Noahic Covenant of Genesis 9. The Noahic Covenant stated that was that man must replenish and fill the earth in light of the destruction of humanity by the Flood.
Furthermore, the Noahic Covenant was to establish human government, and God was going to dispense or govern His economy through human government. Man was responsible to obey human government, which would have the authority to enforce its rules and regulations to the point of execution. The rainbow was given as a sign or token of the Noahic Covenant, thereby promising that God would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
God gave man a test in this dispensation in that he was to rule properly and to spread out. They were specifically commanded to not stay in one place; God commanded that they disperse all over the earth.
Man’s Failure was seen in what man tried to do at the Tower of Babel incident explained in Genesis 11. They tried to stay together using the Tower of Babel as a unifying symbol, and as a center of staying together. Further their efforts were an affront to God. The Tower of Babel would function both literally and symbolically. As a literal building, the Tower of Babel was an attempt to build a high tower for increasing astrological knowledge. It was to reach unto heaven.