Our God is an unchanging God, but when we survey Bible history we find that in different times, God had different requirements for mankind. The Bible reveals three great dispensations, or general statements of the order of things. Each dispensation had specific requirements for what God desired of man, including three different systems of worship. Paul told Timothy, “Study [give diligence] to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). By “rightly dividing” the scriptures, we may see what applies to man in each age, and most importantly, what applies to us in the present age. The three great dispensations or systems are classified as the Patriarchal Age, The Mosaic Age, and the Christian Age.

I. THE PATRIARCHAL AGE.

During the Patriarchal age, which began with Adam and continued down to the time of Moses, God spoke directly to the fathers, or heads of households.

An example of this age is God’s call to Abram, later to become Abraham. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). There was no intermediary between God and Abram. God spoke directly to him.

God promised father Abraham: “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD” (Genesis 12:7-8).

Job also lived in the Patriarchal Age. “And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:5).

Neither Job nor Abraham needed a priest to intervene for him. He dealt directly with God.

II. THE MOSAIC AGE.

The second great dispensation is called the Mosaic Age, because it began with the giving of the Law of Moses to the Jews by Moses. This age lasted from the time of Moses until the cross of Christ. The people were guided by the Ten Commandments as well as the other laws of Moses. The religious system was based on animal sacrifices, and was guided by Aaron, the first high priest, and then by his descendants, all from the tribe of Levi.

This worship system was adequate for a time for the Jews, but a newer, better system was planned by God, which was implemented by Christ in the next age, just as the prophets said that it would be. The book of Hebrews deals with this issue of the new Christian Age, and its superiority to the Mosaic Age.

 “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Hebrews 8:6-11).

Notice that the new covenant is a better covenant, because it is based on better promises. The emphasis of the Christian Age is not on externals, but on a heart devoted to obeying God.

III. THE CHRISTIAN AGE.

Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). No man was able to keep the Law of Moses perfectly, but Jesus Christ did. And in so doing He fulfilled the Law. And with His death, He implemented the new Christian Age.

On the day of Pentecost, an important Jewish feast day, the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the power to speak in other languages, causing confusion for the people, making some think that they were drunk. But Peter said, “These are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh” (Acts 2:15-17a). The events of the day fulfilled the prophecy of Joel of what would happen in the last days, that is, the beginning of the final age, the Christian Age.

Peter’s sermon moved the people to ask “What shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). Thus was the beginning of the church, and the new Christian Age. Those who believed the message that Jesus is the Christ and were willing to obey God by repenting of their sins and confessing their faith in Christ and being baptized were added by Christ to His church (Acts 2:47).

With the new Christian Age, the New Testament system of worship was implemented, retaining some aspects of Mosaic worship, but changing others. God was animal sacrifice and the temple worship with instrumental worship by the Levites, and added to the worship was the Lord’s Supper, a memorial feast to the sacrifice of Christ.

In the Christian Age, rather than having a formal priesthood drawn from the tribe of Levi, as existed under the Mosaic, all Christians are priests (1 Peter 2:9). If we can help you understand this better covenant we have in Jesus Christ, please let us know.