Lesson 17 — The Dispensation of Law

1. 1 THE DISPENSATION OF LAW

THE DISPENSATION OF LAW

Exodus 12:37

This dispensation is so called because of the law given to Moses, which became the rule of faith and practice during this period.

II. The Length of the Dispensation of Law

This dispensation lasted from Moses to Christ, or from the exodus from Egypt to the preaching of the kingdom of Heaven by John the Baptist Matthew 11:12-13Luke 16:16. It was more than 1,718 years long as proven by the following facts:

1. 1 FROM THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT TO THE ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN WAS OVER 41 YEARS. Israel stayed at Sinai for one year and one month Numbers 10:11-12. Then they wandered in the wilderness forty years after rebelling at Kadesh-barnea, making over 41 years Numbers 14:33-34Numbers 32:13Deuteronomy 2:7Deuteronomy 8:2-4Deuteronomy 29:5Joshua 5:6Acts 7:23-42Acts 13:18Hebrews 3:9, 17.

1. 1 FROM THE ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN TO THE REIGN OF SAUL WAS OVER 520 YEARS:

TOTAL: 520 year

It will be noticed that there are no definite dates mentioned in Scripture for the above listed points (2), (7), (8), and (23), so the whole period must have been longer than 520 years. The 450 years of Acts 13:19-21 “until Samuel the prophet” Perhaps began with Point (3) and ended with Point (24). This list brings us down to Samuel, leaving unspecified the duration of periods for which dates are not mentioned in Scripture.

1. 1 FROM SAUL TO THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY WAS 513 YEARS:

TOTAL: 513 years

The 480-year period ending with the fourth year of Solomon’s reign is from the entrance into Canaan until Solomon’s fourth year, excluding the 111 years of servitude and the three years of confusion under Abimelech. The 480 years then is the whole time of Israel’s security as a nation free from servitudes and civil strife 1 Kings 6:1.

1. 1 FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY TO THE RESTORATION WAS 164 YEARS:

TOTAL: 164 years

(The dates of the reigns of the kings of Medo-Persia were taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica .)

1. 1 FROM THE RESTORATION TO CHRIST WAS 483 YEARS:

In Dan. 9:24-27 a prophecy is given concerning Seventy Weeks. Each Week is a period of seven years, as proven by the last half of the Seventieth Week being 3½ years Daniel 12:7Revelation 12:6, 14Revelation 13:5. This would make the whole Seventy Weeks to be 490 years, or 483 years to the crucifixion of Christ: (A study of these Seventy Weeks will be given in Lesson Forty.)

This period of 483 years begins with the commandment to restore Jerusalem unto the Messiah and ends with His crucifixion. It takes in the Seven Weeks and the 62 Weeks of Dan. 9:24-26. It does not take in the one Week of Dan. 9:27. The Seven Weeks or 49 years were for the restoration of the temple and the city. They began with the commandment to restore the city and ended with the completion of it. The 62 Weeks or 434 years began immediately after the completion of the city and ended with the crucifixion of the Messiah. The one Week remains to be fulfilled in the future when Israel will again be a nation in complete control of Palestine.

The total of these five periods is 1,721 years or more. This age really lasted only to the ministry of John the Baptist Matthew 11:11-13Luke 16:16. Deduct the three years of Christ’s ministry from the 1,721 years and the length is 1,718 years. This makes a total from Adam to Christ of 4,234 years or more. These years, plus the 1,915 years since the crucifixion, makes a total of 6,143 years from Adam to the year 1949. The years from 1949 to the revelation of the Antichrist, the seven years from his revelation to the Millennium, and the Millennium itself, will make a grand total from Adam to the end of the Millennium of 7,149 years or more. What will happen after the Millennium will be dealt with in Lessons Forty-nine through Fifty-two.

III. The Favorable Beginning of this Dispensation

Never did fallen man have a more favorable beginning than did Israel at the beginning of this dispensation. The Israelites had seen the mighty power of God doing signs and wonders in Egypt, in the exodus from Egypt, and in the wilderness for over forty years. No race of people had ever seen such miracles before or such manifestations of the power of God. God spoke the law to them in an audible voice Deuteronomy 5:22-24. He was visible with them in a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day Exodus 14:19-31. He supernaturally provided bread for them and kept their clothes from wearing out for forty years Deuteronomy 29:5Exodus 16:35. He gave them quails and water and provided for them on every occasion Exodus 16:12Exodus 17:6. He took sickness from them, and there was not a feeble person in all their tribes Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:25Psalms 105:37Psalms 107:20. He gave them the riches of Egypt for their long hire in lieu of wages for the long period of slavery Psalms 105:37Exodus 12:36. He gave them revelations and made personal appearances to them and led them to victory over all their enemies Exodus 24:9-11Deuteronomy 4:6-8Deuteronomy 5:1-6Joshua 5:13-15. He led them into a land flowing with milk and honey and promised to prosper them in all things and protect them from all enemies if they would serve Him Numbers 13:27Exodus 23:20-33. He gave them a complete code of laws governing every phase of human life. He made new eternal covenants with them and gave them promises of blessings that covered all human needs in this life and in the one to come. They had the old covenants and promises concerning God’s eternal purpose on Earth with them.

They had many spiritual experiences of the gospel, as we shall see in the next lesson. What more could they have asked that would have made a more favorable beginning?

IV. The Test for Man in This Dispensation

The test for man in this dispensation was to obey the Law of Moses in every detail, which included the following regulations:

1. THE COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1-17Deuteronomy 5:1-21. These express the sum of God’s holy will in every phase of human life. They are the sum of God’s laws, judgments, and ordinances.

2. THE JUDGMENTS Exodus 21:1–23. These express the sum of the relations of men with men in their earthly pilgrimage. These are the more detailed regulations of the social laws that are summed up in the Ten Commandments.

3. THE ORDINANCES Exodus 24:12–31. These express the sum of the religious life and worship of the people of God. These are the more detailed regulations of the religious laws of the Ten Commandments.

All other dispensational tests had proven man a failure and utterly incapable in himself of doing the will of God. In this new age God purposed to give man His will in every detail. He planned to organize a commonwealth of nations headed by Israel and governed by His laws and by men of His own choice. He planned a visible system of worship and a place where His glory could be continually manifested and where He could have perpetual contact with men Exodus 19:3-7. He further purposed that through Israel He would destroy the second race of giants, the off-spring of the sons of God and the daughters of men born after the flood, and defeat the devil through the coming of the Messiah through Israel. He purposed so to bless Israel as a nation and make it to prosper as to become a physical and spiritual example in the Earth of what all nations could enjoy if they would turn from their idols and serve the true Living God. His purpose in other respects was the same as in the Dispensation of Promise, (See Lesson Fifteen, Point V).

These were the days when God began to speak to people by prophets more than ever before Hebrews 1:1-3. Before this, God Himself came down to talk and intervene personally in the affairs of man at the ending of one age and the beginning of another. God also appeared many times during the different ages. In the time of the Dispensation of Innocence He came down and had fellowship with man in the cool of the day. When man fell, God made an appearance and personally dealt with him, driving him out of the Garden and cursing the Earth. He then started man out under the rule of the conscience, under new conditions and new responsibilities. Man continued in the Dispensation of Conscience until he became so wicked that God came down again to intervene and bring judgment. He personally dealt with and talked with man at the beginning and end of the Dispensations of both Innocence and Conscience Genesis 2:15-25Genesis 3:1-24Genesis 4:1-16Genesis 6:9-22Genesis 7:1-5; of Human Government Genesis 8:15–9Genesis 11:1-9; and of Promise Genesis 12:1-4Genesis 13:14-18Genesis 15:1-21Genesis 17:1-22Genesis 18:1-33Genesis 22:1Genesis 26:2-5, 24Genesis 31:3Genesis 35:1.

There was a period for many years during the Dispensation of Promise that God’s voice was not heard. Then at the end of that period He revealed Himself again Exodus 2:23–4. From that time on through the Dispensation of Law He sent scores of prophets to His chosen people until 400 years before Christ. Then, after this 400 years, He began to speak to them through a prophet-forerunner and through His own Son Matthew 3:1-17Matthew 17:1-5Hebrews 1:1-3. After the Son went back to Heaven God spoke through His apostles and preachers, enduing them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will 1 Corinthians 1:18-311 Corinthians 12:1-28Ephesians 4:11-16Hebrews 2:1-4. This is God’s program throughout this Age of Grace. At the end of this Age of Grace God will again personally deal with the race and will send His Son from the heavens to set up an earthly kingdom to put down all rebellion and rule the Earth in righteousness Matthew 24:1–251 Corinthians 15:24-282 Thessalonians 1:7-102 Thessalonians 2:1-12Revelation 19:11-21Revelation 20:1-15. Grace began with the advent of His Son and will end in the same way Revelation 19:11-21. Similarly, the Millennium will begin by war and will end in the same way Revelation 19:11-21Revelation 20:1-10.

Thus we see that God is the Great Overseer of all His creation, guiding it to a desired end, until the universe is rid of all rebellion and the rest of society is perpetuated in righteousness forever 1 Corinthians 15:24-28Ephesians 1:10.

God’s Purpose in Giving the Law of Moses

1. God’s purpose was that the Law of Moses should govern Israel until the Messiah should come. It “prophesied until John” Matthew 11:11-13Luke 16:16-17.

2. It stopped every mouth and made the whole world guilty before God so that God could have mercy upon all alike: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God” Romans 3:19-20.

3. It brought to men the knowledge of sin: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin . . . The law worketh wrath: for where no law is there is no transgression sin is not imputed where there is no law . . . Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound” Romans 3:19-20Romans 4:15Romans 5:13, 20Romans 7:5, 7.

4. “It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come . . . The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” Galatians 3:12-13, 19.

5. The law brought bondage: “These are the two covenants; the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage” Galatians 4:24-31Galatians 5:1.

6. The law was a “shadow of good things to come [imposed upon men] until the time of the reformation” Colossians 2:14-17Hebrews 8:5Hebrews 9:1-10, 24Hebrews 10:1.

The Fulfillment of the Law and Why it Was Done Away in Christ

According to the above purposes of God in giving the law it was only natural that it should be done away when it was fulfilled in Christ and after it had served its purpose. That there was a change in the law of God to men after Christ came and that He fulfilled the law when He came is not only stated in the quotations above, but such is specifically stated in the following Scriptures:

“I am come to fulfill the law . . . one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” Matthew 5:17-18, “The law prophesied until John” Luke 16:16, “All things must be fulfilled, which was spoken in the law of Moses” Luke 24:44, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” Hebrews 7:12, “The first covenant . . . was a figure for the time then present . . . imposed on them until the time of the reformation” Hebrews 9:1, 9, “Cast out the bondwoman and her son” (which is an allegory teaching the law was to be done away, Gal. 4:24-31), “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” Galatians 2:16-21Galatians 5:4Ephesians 2:15Colossians 2:14-17Acts 13:39Acts 15:5-29, “he taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” Hebrews 10:1-9.

The word “fulfill” means “completed,” “brought to an end,” “expired,” and “finished” in the same sense that many prophecies were fulfilled in Christ and because they are fulfilled they are no longer in force. They have served their purpose. See the use and meaning of “fulfill” in Mt. 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54, 56; 27:9, 35; etc.

Three times it is stated in 2 Cor. 3:6-18 that the Old Covenant or the Law of Moses was done away and once it is spoken of as being abolished and that the New Covenant has taken its place. What was done away and abolished is mentioned in particular as being “the ministration of death written and engraven in stones,” which was the Ten Commandments, for they were the only part of the law written on stones. We are not obligated to keep the Ten Commandments of the Old Covenant. We are now obligated to keep only those of the Ten Commandments that were brought into and made a part of the New Covenant. All ten of them can be found in the New Covenant except the fourth commandment on the sabbath and this was not made a part of the New Covenant because it was a special day commemorating the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage Deuteronomy 5:15. It was a special day of rest for the one nation of Israel only and for Gentiles who became part of that nation Exodus 31:12-18Ezekiel 20:12-20. Since Gentiles and Christians were not delivered from Egyptian bondage it is foolish to commemorate that day as commanded of Israel. Christians are freed by the New Covenant from the Jewish sabbath and are free to observe any day Romans 14:5-6Galatians 4:9-10Colossians 2:14-17. Early Christians observed the day of Christ’s resurrection to commemorate their deliverance from slavery to sin and Satan John 20:1, 19Acts 20:7-111 Corinthians 16:1-2.

What Was Wrong With the Law of Moses That it Needed Changing?

1. It had a sinful mediator Galatians 3:10.

2. It could not give eternal inheritance Romans 4:13-25Galatians 3:18.

3. It was dedicated by the blood of animals Exodus 24:6-8Hebrews 9:16-22.

4. It brought condemnation, not life Romans 3:19-20Romans 4:15Romans 7:1-25Romans 8:3-4Galatians 3:21.

5. It could not justify a man Acts 13:39Galatians 2:16-21.

6. It could only profit when kept, but it was impossible to be kept by a man in himself Romans 2:25Romans 7:7-25Romans 8:7Galatians 3:10-25.

7. It brought all men under the curse and executed them Galatians 3:10-14.

8. It was not of faith or grace Galatians 3:11John 1:17.

9. It was a law of works and bondage Romans 3:26-31Galatians 3:10-12Galatians 4:21-31.

10. It gave a knowledge of sin and made men sinners but it could not save them from their sins Romans 3:19-20Romans 4:15Romans 7:7-25Romans 8:3-4.

11. It brought wrath instead of blessing Romans 4:15.

12. It was not the same as the gospel to Abraham Romans 4:3-16Galatians 3:6-18.

13. It was only a temporary law Galatians 3:19-252 Corinthians 3:6-18Ephesians 2:15Colossians 2:14-17Hebrews 7:16.

14. It could never make perfect Hebrews 7:11-12, 18Hebrews 9:9-10Hebrews 10:1-18.

15. It was disannulled because of its weakness and unprofitableness Hebrews 7:18.

16. It could not redeem and make dead to sin Romans 8:1-4Galatians 2:16-21Galatians 3:13-21, but it could bring death and condemnation Romans 7:7-252 Corinthians 3:6-18.

17. It was not made by an oath, neither were its priests made by any oath, therefore both the law and the priesthood could be changed Hebrews 7:12, 20.

18. It was not as good as the New Covenant Hebrews 7:22.

19. It had a changing priesthood while the New Covenant does not have Hebrews 7:11-28.

20. It had sinful priests while the New Covenant does not have Hebrews 5:1-4Hebrews 7:26-28Hebrews 9:7.

21. It had a temporary and shadowy sanctuary Hebrews 8:1-5, 13Hebrews 9:9-25Hebrews 10:1-18.

22. It had a faulty ministry and a weaker foundation than did the New Covenant Hebrews 8:6Hebrews 7:11-28.

23. It demanded righteousness but could not produce it (Rom. 4; 8:1-4; Gal. 3).

24. It was faulty Hebrews 8:7, 13 while the New Covenant is not James 1:25.

25. It kept men from God Hebrews 9:7-8Hebrews 10:19-22.

26. It was made necessary by sin and was added and imposed until Christ should come Galatians 3:19-25Hebrews 9:9-10, 23Hebrews 10:5-18.

27. It had animal sacrifices which had to be offered daily while the New Covenant had Christ as a sacrifice once and forever Hebrews 9:11-28Hebrews 10:3-4.

28. It was a mere shadow of things to come Hebrews 8:5Hebrews 9:11Hebrews 10:1-18.

29. It could not satisfy the demands of God and could not impart the Holy Spirit or produce miracles Galatians 2:21Galatians 3:1-5Romans 8:1-4.

30. It was made to be changed when Christ should come Galatians 2:19-21Galatians 3:19-25Hebrews 7:11-22Hebrews 8:5-6Hebrews 9:9-10Hebrews 10:1-18.

VI. The Means of God in Accomplishing His Purpose

The means God used to further His plan in this age were the completion of the organization of Israel and the establishment of them as a nation, the destruction of the giants in the Earth, the complete victory of Israel over all their enemies, the manifestation of God’s glory and power, and the blessing of Israel as a people so as to prove to the heathen that God is the true Living God.

VII. The Failure of Israel in This Dispensation

There is one long record of the failures of Israel: in the wilderness, under Joshua, the judges, the kings, in the captivities, in the restoration, and finally culminating in the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah and the persecution and death of His followers until God’s wrath came upon them to the uttermost. These failures may be summed up as follows:

1. 1 FAILURES IN THE WILDERNESS FOR FORTY-ONE YEARS

(1) Murmured for water at Marah Exodus 15:22-26

(2) Murmured for bread and meat Exodus 16:1-22

(3) Murmured for water at Rephidim Exodus 17:1-7

(4) Murmured for flesh the second time (Num. 11)

(5) Murmured because of the giants Numbers 13:31–14

(6) Murmured for water the third time Numbers 20:1-12

(7) Murmured because of the death of the princess Numbers 16:41

(8) Murmured because of the hardships in travel Numbers 21:1-9

(9) Leaned on the arm of flesh Exodus 18:1-27

(10) Sinned in worshiping the golden calf (Exod. 32)

(11) Miriam and Aaron’s sin of self-exaltation (Num. 12)

(12) Refused to enter Canaan through unbelief (Num. 14)

(13) Gainsaying of Korah (Num. 16; Jude 11)

(14) Sin of adultery (Num. 25)

(15) Sin of Moses Numbers 20:1-12Numbers 27:14

NOTE: There were eleven different plagues and judgments sent upon Israel in the wilderness for these sins. Nine were sent because of the misuse of the tongue. This is the cause of most trouble in the human race as is clear from Ps. 34:13; Prov. 6:17; 12:18; 21:23; Mk. 7:20-23; Jas. 1:26; 3:1-18; 1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Pet. 2:10. These eleven plagues and judgments are found in Num. 11:1-34; 12:1-16; 14:30-35; 14:36-37; 16:1-50; 21:1-9; 25:1-9.

1. 1 FAILURES UNDER JOSHUA FOR THIRTY YEARS

(1) The sin of Achan (Josh. 7)

(2) League with the Gibeonites (Josh. 9)

(3) Sin in not destroying the inhabitants of Canaan (Judg. 1–2)

1. 1 FAILURES UNDER THE JUDGES FOR FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS

   (For failures under the judges see under “The Length,” Point II, 2, above.)

1. 1 FAILURES UNDER THE KINGS FOR FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN YEARS

   (For the failures under the kings see the passages under “The Length,” Point II, 3, above.) Every king in Israel failed in some respect and Israel became worse and worse until God had to send them into captivity, completely destroying their capitol and doing away with them as a nation. Israel had failed to destroy the giants until this period. The last were destroyed by David and his men.

1. 1 FAILURES IN THE CAPTIVITIES Ezekiel 2:3–3.

1. 1 FAILURES IN THE RESTORATION

(1) Intermarriage (Ezra 10).

(2) Robbing the Levites of the tithe Nehemiah 13:10-14Malachi 3:12.

(3) Breaking the sabbath Nehemiah 13:15-22.

(4) Unlawful marriages Nehemiah 13:23-30.

(5) Neglect of the house of God Haggai 1:1-15.

(6) Corrupt priesthood Malachi 1:6-14Malachi 2:7-17.

Ten times in Malachi alone, God accuses Israel of different sins and Israel calls God to question about His accusations. This shows the backslidden and self-righteous condition of the people. This hypocritical attitude increased during the 400 years between Malachi and Christ. It is seen in the leaders of Israel at the time of Christ and the apostles in all New Testament passages dealing with Israel Matthew 3:15Matthew 5:20Matthew 6:1-18Matthew 11:20-27Matthew 12:22-30Matthew 15:1-20Matthew 16:1-12Matthew 23:1-39John 5:1-9, 41. This rebellion finally caused Israel to crucify their own Messiah Matthew 26:57–27 and to persecute His followers Acts 3:1-5Acts 6:8-8Acts 9:1-9Acts 12:1-19Acts 13:41-52Acts 22:1-28 until God had to reject them as a nation, destroy their city a second time, and scatter them throughout the world Luke 21:20-24.

The Times of the Gentiles Continued

As we have seen in Lesson Fifteen, “the times of the Gentiles” began with the Egyptian bondage in the latter part of the Dispensation of Promise. These times of the Gentile domination of Israel continued throughout the Dispensation of Law, more or less, as we shall see in the history of Israel and the rise and Fall of Gentile powers of the Old Testament period.

The exodus from Egypt was the beginning of the history of Israel in this period. They left the Red Sea and journeyed into the wilderness and came to Sinai in about three months Exodus 15:22Exodus 16:1Exodus 17:1-15Exodus 19:1-2. For one year and one month they stayed at Sinai where the law was given, the tabernacle was built and set up, the nation was organized and taught the law Exodus 19:1–40Numbers 1:1–10.

Then they left Sinai in the second month of the second year after leaving Egypt and came to Kadesh-barnea, where they rebelled and refused to enter the promised land Numbers 10:11–14. For this tenth rebellion against God they were cursed to wander in the wilderness for forty years Numbers 14:22-45. After the forty years were finished the new generation of Israel was numbered and preparation made to enter Canaan Numbers 26:1–36. The summary of all the wilderness wanderings is given in Num. 33.

Before the death of Moses, Joshua took command of Israel Numbers 27:15-23. Israel conquered Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og, King of Bashan, and settled in their countries east of the Jordan Numbers 21:21-35. After the death of Moses, Joshua led Israel across Jordan and conquered all the land of Canaan and divided the land east and west of the Jordan into twelve parts Joshua 3:1–22.

In Josh. 24:31 we are told that Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua. How long this was is not known, but it was over thirty years Joshua 14:7Joshua 24:29. After this, Israel began to serve false gods, and for 450 years until Samuel the children of Israel went through a number of servitudes to various nations round about. God raised up sixteen judges to deliver Israel in times of repentance. (See Point II, 2, above).

When Samuel got old, Israel demanded a king, and God gave them Saul 1 Samuel 8:1–10. Saul soon delivered Israel from her immediate enemies, but he began to rebel against God, and God chose David as king 1 Samuel 11:1–16. After David’s victory over Goliath, Saul became jealous of him and made eighteen attempts to kill him before Saul fell in battle after a reign of forty years 1 Samuel 17:1–31.

David was made king over the tribe of Judah while Abner made Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, king over the eleven tribes (2 Sam. 2). After a reign of over seven years David was made king over all Israel. He reigned altogether for forty years 2 Samuel 5:1-5. David conquered Jerusalem and made it the capital of the united kingdom 2 Samuel 5:6-12. David also subjugated Philistia, Moab, Syria, Ammon, Amalek, Edom, and all the country round about, even to the River Euphrates 2 Samuel 8:1–12. During the Ammonite war David committed his great sin and for years reaped what he had sowed, as recorded in 2 Sam. 10:1–21:22. When he was old he made Solomon king (1 Ki. 1-2).

Solomon inherited the great kingdom of Israel from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates and from Egypt to Hamath. He developed this vast kingdom inwardly. He built the first temple at Jerusalem, costing a fabulous sum. According to the Illinois Society of Architects, in 1925 it cost over $87 billion at present day prices. The cost of Solomon’s temple, its internal decorations, and the paraphernalia were one of the wonders of the olden times. According to Vallapardus, the talents of gold, silver, and brass used in the construction were valued at the enormous sum of $34,399,110,000. The worth of the jewels is generally placed at a figure usually as high. The vessels of gold, according to Josephus, were valued at 140,000 talents, which when reduced to everyday coinage according to Chapel’s reduction tables, equals the sum of $1,876,481,515. The vessels of silver, according to the same authority, were still more valuable, being set down as worth $3,246,720,000. The priest’s vestments and robes of the singers were worth $10,050,000. The trumpets alone were worth $1,000,000.

To the above add the expense of building materials, labor, and the like, and some amazing figures present themselves. There were 10,000 men hewing cedars, 60,000 bearers of burden, 80,000 hewers of stone, 3,300 overseers, all of whom were employed for seven years and upon whom, besides their wages, Solomon bestowed $33,669,885 as a bonus. If the daily food was worth 45 cents each, the sum total of feeding this army of workmen during seven years and six months totals up to $344,385,440. The materials in the rough are estimated as having been worth $12,726,685,000. Thus the several estimates of labor and materials show a total of $87,212,210,840. The previous reference to the present-day value means that which existed before World War Two. Since then everything has doubled in value and cost; so each of the above listed figures would now be twice as high as they were and the cost in 1949 would be $174,422,421,680.

Solomon’s reign of forty years may be considered the golden age for Israel. The culture and civilization of Israel were materially advanced by Solomon. On the other hand, his liberal-mindedness in the treatment of foreign wives, in permitting them to retain their heathen worship, exposed the kingdom to the curse of God. Because of this policy the king forfeited the sympathy of the pious Israelites. The heavy services and taxation, to which the people were compelled to submit, were deeply felt and later caused revolt against Rehoboam, the next king.

When Solomon died his son Rehoboam came to the throne, and the people of the ten tribes rebelled and chose Jeroboam as king. The kingdom was then divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom, and David’s powerful kingdom came to an end. During the next 260 years the Northern Kingdom continued to be separated from Judah and Benjamin. All the kings of this kingdom were wicked and idolatrous. For this God permitted various nations to punish them. Finally about 749 b.c. the ten tribes were taken into Assyrian captivity. Assyria was the second world-empire to oppress Israel in “the time of the Gentiles.”

The two tribes continued for about 133 more years and were finally taken into Babylonian captivity. During the 260 years before the ten tribes were taken into captivity, the Southern Kingdom was ruled by wicked kings with the exception of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah, and even some of these were partly bad. (See Point II, 3, above.) The Northern Kingdom established idolatry as the state religion. The Southern Kingdom off and on continued to worship the true God, but as a whole the people were idolatrous. Idolatry continued to get worse after the captivity of the ten tribes until God permitted the two tribes to be taken into captivity. The ten tribes were in captivity for 203 years and the two tribes for seventy years before a remnant of the whole twelve tribes returned under Jerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. In this 133 years between the captivities of the two kingdoms, the Babylonian Empire rose to power and conquered the Assyrian Empire and became the third world power to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” The ten tribes were already in captivity to Assyria when the two tribes were taken into captivity to Babylon. This made the whole of the tribes of Israel captive to Babylon for seventy years (Jer. 25). During the last one hundred years before the Babylonian captivity of the two tribes they were more or less controlled by Assyria. Thus “the times of the Gentiles” were going on for many centuries before the days of Nebuchadnezzar, at which time most Bible students begin “the times of the Gentiles.”

During the reigns of the kings of Israel from Saul to the captivities God sent many prophets to Israel to preach righteousness to them and rebuke them for their sins. The most prominent of these besides the writing prophets of the Old Testament were Elijah and Elisha, whose exploits are recorded in 1 Ki. 17–2 Ki. 13. Nathan, Gad, and other prophets were sent of God in the reigns of David and Solomon.

During the period of the kings of Israel and through Old Testament history to the time of Christ there were six world empires that oppressed Israel. The first was Egypt, which, during the sojourn of Israel before Moses, grew to be a world power.

With Israel’s departure from Egypt and God’s judgments upon her she declined until she became a second-rate power. The plagues upon Egypt and the destruction of the armies of Egypt at the Red Sea almost destroyed the might of Egypt. There were times, however, when Egypt caused trouble for Israel long after their settlement in Canaan. Egypt is mentioned 729 times in Scripture. Solomon made a treaty with Egypt (1 Ki. 3; 9:16). During the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah and took all the riches of the temple into Egypt 1 Kings 14:25-29. Egypt and Assyria fought several wars during the period of the kingdoms of Israel. Pharaoh killed Josiah, king of Judah, in one of these wars 2 Kings 23:28-30.

Assyria was the second empire to oppress Israel. Assyria is referred to in the Bible about 150 times. She was the main oppressor of Israel during the period of the kings.

Assyria was founded shortly after Babylon, and for many centuries these two powers fought for supremacy. Babylon was generally victor until Shalmaneser I, during the period of the judges of Israel, threw off the yoke of Babylon and ruled the whole of the Euphrates valley. Then Assyria declined. Tiglath-pileser I, about the time of Samuel, made Assyria a great kingdom. Then there was another period of decline, in which rose the kingdom of David and Solomon. Then followed about 300 years in which Assyria was a world power, ruling many lands. During this time she oppressed both the kingdoms of Israel.

Shalmaneser II was the first Assyrian king of this period to come in conflict with Israel. Ahab fought against him, and Jehu paid him tribute. He was one of the thirty-two kings with Ben-hadad that fought Israel (1 Ki. 20).

Several kings of Assyria fought with Israel in the days of Ahab and Jehu 1 Kings 20:1-401 Kings 22:1-392 Kings 9:1–10. Tiglath-pileser III, or Pul, invaded Israel and received tribute of $1.94 million 2 Kings 15:19-20. He again came against Israel and carried the inhabitants of Galilee into captivity 2 Kings 15:27-31.

Ahaz, king of Judah, made an alliance with him and gave him all the riches of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house if he would conquer Syria. Pul hearkened Ahaz and took Damascus and made its inhabitants captive 2 Kings 16:7-17.

Shalmaneser IV besieged Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, but died before it was taken. Sargon II completed the destruction of Samaria and took the ten tribes into captivity (2 Ki. 17).

Sennacherib, the most famous of the Assyrian kings, invaded Judah eight years after the Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Hezekiah paid him $1,454.55 million to leave his country. Hezekiah even cut the gold off the temple to give to this king.

This did not turn him away, for he sent his army against Jerusalem to destroy it, but God intervened and sent an angel with a sword who killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. Sennacherib returned to his own land and was assassinated by his own sons while worshiping an idol 2 Kings 19:13–19. During Sennacherib’s reign he burned Babylon, but his successor, Esar-haddon, rebuilt it. He also conquered Egypt.

Assur-banipal, the next king of Assyria, destroyed Thebes and became the most powerful of the Assyrian kings. During the reign of the next king, Assur-etil-ilani, the Scythians, Medes, and Babylonians conquered Assyria, and Babylon became the third world power to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.”

The Assyrians were great warriors and were constantly raiding other countries. They built a great empire from the loot of the conquered peoples. They were cruel to their prisoners, skinning them alive, cutting off their hands, feet, noses, ears, putting out their eyes, pulling out their tongues, and making mounds of human skulls, all to inspire terror in their enemies.

The old kingdom of Babylon began before Assyria and was long the dominating power of Asia. Then for 1,000 years there was a continual struggle between Babylon and Assyria. Following this, Assyria held supremacy for 300 years until Nebuchadnezzar and his father Nabopolassar, with the help of the Medes and Scythians, conquered Assyria and destroyed Nineveh, the capital, in fulfillment of the book of Nahum, which states that the horse-drawn chariots of the two opposing armies would “rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broadways” Nahum 1:1, 11Nahum 2:1-13Nahum 3:1-5.

Before the overthrow of Nineveh, Egypt threw off the yoke of Assyria and became a strong empire again. In the days of Josiah, about 111 years after the captivity of the ten tribes to Assyria, Pharaoh-nechoh, king of Egypt, slew Josiah and put his son Jehoahaz, the next king of Judah, in bonds and took $223,085.00 tribute from Judah. Pharaoh made Jehoiakim king in Judah to collect tribute from the people.

He reigned eleven years in Judah 2 Kings 23:28-37. In his days came Nebuchadnezzar against Egypt and broke its power at the battle of Carchemish and made Judah subject for three years. Then Judah rebelled, and Judah was again subjugated. At that time the princes and great men of the Jews were taken to Babylon along with the treasures of the temple (2 Ki. 24). Zedekiah was made king over the poor of the land and reigned for nine years and then rebelled. Jerusalem was completely destroyed in the war that followed, and all the Jews were taken to Babylon except a few who were placed under Gedaliah by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Ki. 25). Babylon ruled for seventy years and then was overthrown by the Medes and Persians under Cyrus and Darius (Jer. 25; Dan. 5).

The Medo-Persian Empire was the fourth world power to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” This power lasted for 200 years, from Cyrus to Alexander the Great, the founder of the Grecian Empire. The policy of the Persian Kings was to repatriate peoples who had been carried captive from their lands by the Assyrian and Babylonian kings. A list of the Medo-Persian kings from Darius to Artaxerxes is given in Point II, 4, above. In the reign of Cyrus the first decree for the restoration of Israel and their city and temple was made Ezra 1:1-4. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Isa. 44:28; 45:1, which was uttered about 180 years before fulfillment. In the reign of Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, the work on the temple and city ceased Ezra 4:1-24. Darius I of profane history reigned 35 years. In the second year of his reign, he reconfirmed the decree of Cyrus, and the work was started again and the temple was finished in the sixth year of his reign. The city was not restored fully until after the third decree in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah 2:1–6Daniel 9:25-26. Xerxes was the famous Persian king that made war on Greece Daniel 11:1-3. He was defeated by the Greek army in 480-479 b.c.

Following Artaxerxes in the days of Nehemiah, during which time Jerusalem was rebuilt, there were other Persian kings, Xerxes II and Artaxerxes II and III, Arses, and Darius III. This last king was the one that was defeated by Alexander the Great at Arbela in 331 b.c. Thus the Medo-Persian Empire of Asia was followed by the Grecian Empire of Europe, which became the fifth world power to oppress the Jews in “the times of the Gentiles.”

On the death of Alexander the Great, 323 b.c., his empire was divided among his four generals. Cassander took Greece and Macedon; Lysimachus took most of Asia Minor; Ptolemy took all of Egypt; and Seleucus took all of Syria and the eastern part of the empire, including the modern countries of Iraq, Iran, and Trans-Jordan.

It is from this last division of Greece that the future Antichrist will come, as we shall see in Lessons Thirty-seven through Fifty-two. Palestine, where the Jews had re-established themselves, was a buffer state between Syria and Egypt, and it was claimed by both. These two fought many wars over this promised land. The Greek kings of Egypt ruled Palestine more or less for about 125 years, 323-198 b.c., and the Greek kings of Syria for 34 years, 198-164 b.c. The capital of the Seleucid Empire was Antioch, which later became famous as a center of Christianity.

During the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the eighth king of Syria, he undertook to Hellenize the Jews by abolishing their religion and forcing heathen worship upon them. He did away with the Jewish sacrifices and offered a swine upon the altar in the temple. He desecrated the temple for about three years, 168-165 b.c. This led to the Maccabean revolt and the national independence of Israel. This independence of Israel continued for 100 years and ended when the Roman Empire under Pompey conquered Palestine in 63 b.c. The Jews were under the Roman bondage when Christ appeared on Earth. Thus the Roman Empire was the sixth world power to oppress the Jews in “the times of the Gentiles.”

The Jews in the dispersion lived in many lands. There were three great divisions of them: Babylonian, Syrian, and Egyptian. These Jews became more numerous than the ones in Palestine. Synagogues were started in the days of captivity. The temple was destroyed, and the nation was scattered; so there arose a need for places of worship and instruction wherever there were Jewish communities.

The famous Septuagint version of the Old Testament was translated from the Hebrew into the Greek, for the Greek-speaking Jews of Alexandria, Egypt, about 280 b.c. It was in wide use in the days of Christ.

Greece united the civilization of Asia and Europe and made one universal language. Rome made one empire for much of the known world, and Roman roads made all parts of the empire accessible. The dispersion of the Jews and Jewish synagogues in all principal centers of population made the Old Testament religion known throughout the Roman world. All this, in the providence of God, paved the way for the propagation of Christianity as a world religion.

After the restoration of Israel there arose several sects of Jews. The Sadducees were a small sect of priestly aristocrats, wealthy, influential, who got control of the priesthood. They were rationalistic, worldly-minded, and had little interest in religion. They did not believe in angels or demons or the supernatural manifestations or in a resurrection. The Pharisees were a powerful sect organized to protest Hellenic influence and to preserve the national integrity. They were orthodox in religion and strict formalists and adherents to the law. They believed in angels, demons, and in supernatural religion. They were correct, moral, self-denying, self-righteous, and devoid of the sense of sin and the need of God. They were the foremost persecutors of Christ. They were more numerous than the Sadducees and more influential among the people. The Scribes were the copyists of the Scriptures. They were very important before the day of printing to preserve the text of Scripture. They were the authorities of the law, called the lawyers in the New Testament. They originated about the time of Ezra, who was president of The Great Synagogue, the name of a council of 120 men who formed the canon of the Old Testament. The Sanhedrin is perhaps also the outgrowth of The Great Synagogue, consisting of 71 members, mostly priests and Sadducean nobles, and Scribes and Pharisees, presided over by the High priest.

The Canon of the Old Testament

From the days of Moses the Jews had “the Book of the Law.” From time to time other books and writings were added that were written by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. All the inspired writings of the Old Testament as we now have them were collected and declared inspired because they passed the test of inspired books. There were fourteen books that were rejected from our canon of Scripture because they did not pass the test as inspired books. (See Lesson Two, Point V, why they were rejected as uninspired books.) Up to the captivities, official copies of the Scriptures were kept in the temple. Afterwards, many copies were made for the synagogues.

All the Old Testament books were written during the Dispensation of Law, beginning with Moses, who wrote the first five books, and continuing to the days of the captivities when the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi completed the books that form the Old Testament.

VIII. The Judgment of God in the Dispensation of Law

As we have seen, all through this age God sent judgments of various kinds upon Israel in the wilderness, in the periods of the judges and of the kings, and in the captivities. He also punished many Gentile powers because of their persecution of Israel. The judgment ending this age may be considered twofold as follows:

1. 1 The judgment upon the world in the cross of Christ John 12:27-33John 19:16-30Acts 2:36Philippians 2:5-11Colossians 2:14-17. The guilt of the whole world of every age was borne by Christ at that time. He received judgment for their sins. This event might be called “The Crisis of the Ages,” for it was this event that determined the defeat of all of God’s enemies and gave assurance to all free moral agents in the universe that God’s universal kingdom would be rid of all rebels and that all things would again become subject to God and His will. This judgment of the world was “ordained” before the disruption of the world. (See Lesson Seven, Point VIII.) In all of creation God provided abundantly beforehand: He had water before fish, air before birds, sun before Earth, vegetation before animal life, and a Savior before a sinner. Most of the 39 books in the Old Testament contain revelations concerning God’s purpose and plan to send a Savior into the world. The sacrifices and other types recorded in these books pointed to the one coming Redeemer.

We have seen in every dispensation that there was a continuous struggle by Satan to prevent the seed of the woman from coming into the world and fulfilling the purpose for which He was sent. This struggle was continued even during the life of Christ in many forms. Herod was the first person Satan used at this time to try to destroy Christ. Then the Jews were stirred up by Satan until it was time for the supreme sacrifice to be made on the cross, which would reconcile the whole world to God, especially them that believe. Christ went to the cross; man’s sins were atoned for, and now man can become fully reconciled to God through Christ John 1:29John 3:15-18, 36Ephesians 1:1-9Ephesians 2:1-151 John 1:72 Corinthians 5:17-21.

1. 1 The second judgment came upon the Jewish nation because of their long rebellion against God culminating in the rejection and crucifixion of their own Messiah. The nation was officially cut off just before the crucifixion Matthew 21:33-45Matthew 23:37Matthew 24:2, but this was not actually carried out until 70 a.d., when Jerusalem was destroyed, with about one million killed and 97,000 taken captive and the whole race was scattered among the nations Luke 21:20-24.

IX. God’s Provision of Redemption

In the cross God provided the true source of redemption 1 Corinthians 1:18-25Colossians 1:12-20. Up to this time men offered sacrifices of animals as a picture of the true sacrifice at Calvary (Heb. 8–10). Then God sent His Son, an innocent, sinless being, to take the place of the guilty, thus satisfying the righteous demands of God and paying the penalty for sin, so that the sinner might go free if he accepts Christ as his substitute Galatians 3:13Ephesians 2:11-18Colossians 1:20-23Colossians 2:14-171 Peter 1:18-231 Peter 2:24.