Chapter II: Three Dispensations

The Bible reveals unto us three distinct dispensations or periods of time. On the board I have a little diagram to represent those three dispensations. (See p. 144.) The first lasted from Adam to Moses; the second continued from Moses until the death of Christ on the cross; the third began at the cross and will continue until our Lord comes again.

During the first period, the family was the unit of worship. In divers manners and various portions God communicated with the heads of the families, such as Adam, Noah, Abram, _et al_. These men were known as patriarchs (Heb. 7:4; Acts 2:29; 7:8, 9) and accordingly this period is known as the patriarchal dispensation. At Mt. Sinai God gave another law to the Jewish nation which continued in force until Christ died on the cross. This law was given through Moses and applied to the Jews only. Hence the second period is known as the Mosaic dispensation. Throughout this period the patriarchal regulations continued to apply to the Gentile families and nations but the Jews were governed by the law given at Sinai. There were two laws in force simultaneously but applying to different peoples. God never had two different laws applying to the same people at the same time.

During the third period, or Christian dispensation, we have, of course, the will or the law of Christ. In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these days spoken unto us by his son.” That makes a distinct break at the cross. Before Christ came God spoke unto our fathers by the prophets in dreams, visions, etc., but unto us he hath spoken through his Son, Jesus Christ. In the New Testament we have the will of Christ which went into effect when he died on the cross (Heb. 9:15-17).

III
The Adventist Claim

The advocates of the seventh day sabbath make a very broad claim. They claim that the command to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy (the fourth commandment of the Decalogue given at Sinai) has been binding on all people throughout all ages and will continue to be in force as long as time shall last. In other words, they claim that it has been binding throughout each of the dispensations already mentioned. With the diagram (p. 144) to keep these three periods before our minds, let us examine the claim in the light of the Bible.