Four dispensations in Genesis Part 2

Luke 12:48 .  .  . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

#2 Dispensation of Conscience: imagination of the thoughts of the heart

The word conscience is not seen in the Old Testament.  

·       Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

·       Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

·       1Chronicles 29:16-19 imagination of the thoughts of the heart God desires

·       Mal 2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

The age of conscience:

3:7-9: began when the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened, they covered their nakedness and hid from the presence of God. The now realized they were not worthy to walk with God.

·       Under he age of innocence Adam and Eve were given very little to know except to obey God without and without doubt. They did not have to choose between good and evil.

·       When their eyes were opened they gained knowledge of good and evil. During the age of conscience their knowledge had increased. They now had to choose between doing good and doing evil. They were to worship God by rejecting that which their heart told them was evil and doing what their heart told them was good.

·       Man was to acknowledge God was exalted as head above all by making a conscience choice of choosing good over evil

·       4:3-4 It was the thoughts of their hearts that determined what Cain and Able offered to God.  There is no record of God ordering what to offer, when to offer, or how to offer sacrifices at that time. The battle of good and evil was a battle for the conscience of the offspring [the see] of the woman.  

Ø    Cain’s chose to do evil when he killed Abel.

·       6:1 Through generations of the corruption of the offspring of the daughters of man Satan’s devils worked to corrupt the genetic makeup man.

·       6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 8:21

·       6:8 God's grace introduced. [Ex 33:19

·       Noah’s heart led to his family being uncorrupted. It is obvious that Nosh’s son chose wives from parents from a line not corrupted by the fallen angels.

·       7:5 Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

·       8:20 Noah's conscience told him to offer of every clean beast, the best of he had.

·       9:1 Noah and his sons were told to replenish and fill the earth.

9:20-24 The failure of conscience is seen when Noah's conscience failed him and he became drunken with wine. When Noah died the conscience man died with him.

·       From 3:7 Conscience said nakedness was to be covered. God supported this in 3:22 when He clothed Adam and Eve with skins.

·       Ham’s conscience told him it was wrong for him to have seen his father’s nakedness. He told his brothers and they covered their father.

·       Noah’s drunkenness led to him allow his nakedness to be seen.

·       Noah’s drunkenness led to him cursing Canaan the son of Ham.

·       The Bible does not say that Noah had other sons and daughters.

***The end of worshipping God through conscience is tied to the shame of nakedness.

The age of human government is introduced in 9:6 when the LORD gave man the authority to dispense judgment upon one another on His behalf.

·       Note the difference 4:15 and 9:6. Cain could not be punished by man.

1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Ro 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.