making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, -Ephesians 1:9-11 ESV

Warrior;

During the thousand years of its composition, almost the entire Old Testament was written in Hebrew. Some of it was also written in Aramaic. this language became very popular in the ancient world and displaced many other languages. Aramaic was most likely the daily spoken language of Jesus’ time. The New Testament, however, was written in Greek. Greek was the language of scholarship during the years of the composition of the New Testament from 50 to 100 AD. Most Jews could not speak, or even read Hebrew anymore- around 300 BC a translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek was undertaken, and it was completed around 200 BC- it is called the Septuagint.

Leader, when translating from Aramaic, Hebrew or Greek there is NOT ALWAYS an exact word or phrase that is equivalent, so we have many different translations to get us as close to the original meaning as possible. The King James translation, and others, in v10 use the word DISPENSATION. The Greek word (oikonomia) so translated signifies primarily, a stewardship, the management or disposition of affairs entrusted to one. God has this WHOLE thing mapped out! He is in control, it is HIS timing, it is HIS management, it is HIS Administration of the CREATION! Douay-Rheims Bible translation puts it this way: In the dispensation of the fullness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him. It’s all coming back to THE BEGINNING- God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth! Jesus was there as the CREATOR of all things, and He is being RESTORED to HIS rightful place!

Conduit, we need to know what TIME IT IS! Many Bible scholars believe there are 7 DISPENSATIONS- Periods of God’s work with Mankind. The first would be the dispensation of innocence, before the fall- Gen 1:28.The second would be the dispensation of conscience, immediately after the fall- Gen 3:7. The third, dispensation of human government, immediately after the flood-Gen 8:15. The fourth, dispensation of promise, God’s call to Abraham- Gen 12:1. The fifth, dispensation of the law, beginning with the ten commandments- Exodus 19:1. The sixth, dispensation of the church, beginning with Jesus’ earthly ministry- Acts 2:1. The seventh, is the dispensation of the kingdom, Jesus’ 2nd coming- Rev 20:4. GOD IS IN CONTROL. GOD is the Master Manipulator, making all things work for HIS GLORY and the GOOD- for those who BELIEVE, for those who LOVE GOD, for THOSE who are called according to HIS PURPOSE! Get on GOD’s TIME CLOCK- because the TIME will be SOON, for the dispensing of JUDGMENT!