HELPS FOR YOUNG BIBLE STUDENTS
6. Age of Grace—(19— years). From sac rificial death of the Lord Jesus to the translation of the churchy Faith in Christ is the condition of salvation to all. (John 6:29.) >The predicted close of this age is an unbelieving world, and church members, who, while they may live morally, deny the Word of God; in fact, a general apostasy. We see the close in i Thess. 4:16-17, Then follows the Great Tribulation (seven years— Matt. 24:21-22; Dan. 12:1; Jer. 30:5-7). At its close the Lord with His church comes in power and great glory to set up His kingdom on earth. 7. #Millennial Age—(1000 years). From Christ’s return in glory to Judgment of the Great White Throne. This is the thou sand year period predicted during which Christ will rule over restored Israel, which has become the central nation of the earth. Satan is bound during this time, but at its close is “loosed lor a little season,” gathering many to battle against Christ, but being defeated by the “fire which came down from Heaven.” After the resurrec tion of the wicked dead fbr judgment, we are to have the eternal state, the new heavens and new earth. B I B L E Three Oldest Bibles. 1. The Alexandrian (called Codex Aleph). Kept at St. Peters burg; owned by the Greek church. In book form, four volumes. Copied in fifth century. Presented to King Charles I. in 1628. In# good state of preservation. 2. The Vatican (called Codex B). Kept* at Rome by the Roman Church. Book form, 700 leaves.' Copied i^i beginning of fourth century. 3. Sinaitic (called Codex A). Kept in British Museum, owned by Protestant Church. Book form. Nearly as old as the Vatican. Old Testament. The oldest translation we have is called/ Septuagint. Written in Greek, copied from Hebrew, about 280 B.C. Translated by 70 translators for King Ptolemy for the library at Alexandria, in third century B.C. Our present O. T. came through this channel. The ancient origin of the O. T. is well corroborated by the discoveries of archaeologists. The N. T. shows that the O. T. as we have it was in the hands of Christ and the disciples. (Jno. 5:39; Acts 17:11; Lk. 24:44, 45. etc.) Christ is recorded as haying quoted from 22 of the 39 O. T. books. Over 1500. O. T. passages are quoted in the N. T. Christ set His seal of authority to every O. T. book which has since been attacked by critics. New Testament. The ancient origin of the N. T. can now be easily established from the writings of many who lived in the first and second centuries. We find in the works of Origen, two-thirds of the N. T. Tertullian makes 2500 references to it. I M P O R T A N T F A C T S A B O U T T H E
. D I S P E N S A T I O N A L D I V I S I O N S A careful study of the Bible will show seven great judgments mapped out for human history, some of which have already fallen, others being yet future. Seven times man has- or will sta rt a new period un der favorable conditions, according to the mercy of God, but each time, he is seen to strive to become inde pendent of God’s truth, and judg ment from God’s hand is necessary. The trial of the Serpent runs over every Garden of Eden man has made. Each dispensation is a new test of the natural man, and each one proves him a failure apart from dependence on God. Five of these unequal periods are past; the sixth is now in progress; the seventh and last is ju st before us. T h e S e v e n P e r i o d s o f T i m e 1. Age of Innocence—From Adam (Gen. 2:7) to expulsion from Eden as result of the fall.; The judgment that fell as a re sult of Adam’s disregard of the respon sibility placed upon him, is seen in Gen. 2 and 3. 2. Age of Conscience—(1656 years). From the expulsion to the flood. Having received knowledge of good and evil, the race came under this measure of -responsibility to “do good and eschew ^evil.” Yet eventually “all flesh corrupted His way” and God closed the period with the flood. (Gen. 3:7 to 7:11, 12, 23, etc.) 3. Age ?of Authority—(427 years). Flood to confusion of tongues and dispersion. The race again started with eight persons, en trusted by God with the government. Again we see the attempt to become independent of God on the Plains of Shinar and the vis iting of the judgment. (Gen. 9:1, 2; 11:1-8.) 4. Age of Promise—(430 years). From dis persion to Egyptian bondage. God entered into covenant with one man, Abram, giving promises conditional upon obedience. These were all eventually violated and the chosen people are turned over to bondage to the cruel Egyptians. (Gen. 12:1-3 through Exod. 1:13-14.) 5. Age of Law—(1524 years). From Israel’s regathering t o . the tragedy of the Cross. The chosen people were redeemed out of the hand of the oppressor and the Law was given to Moses for them. ^ Their his tory from-this point shows their persistent violation of these commands *and eventually they are driven into the dispersion which still continues. (Exod. 19; 2 Kings 17:1-18 and 25:1-11; Rom. 10^5; Gal. 3:10.).
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