Part 1 – An Overview

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Resurrection for God’s Three People Groups.

There are three broad Bible Sections that may be further divided to dispensations. In going through the Bible, we find that there are two locations in which future blessing is promised for mankind. The verse below mentions three different locations connected with the Lord’s future dwelling; “on the earth,” in “the heaven,” and the “heaven of heavens.”

“Will God indeed dwell on THE EARTH? Behold, THE HEAVEN [overall] and HEAVEN OF HEAVENS [3rd heaven] cannot contain thee.” (1Kgs. 8:27, cf. Deut. 10:14, Psa. 148.)

The “heaven of heavens” currently contains that “city” (New Jerusalem) which Abraham sought “whose builder maker is God” (Heb. 11:10), to come to earth as the hope of Israel. The ‘heavenly calling’ of all believers is that both Jew and Gentile are to be blessed with ‘faithful Abraham.’ This “city” will go to Israel, the heirs of “promise,” that is Jesus’ “little flock” remnant who came out of Apostate Israel in faith. They are called citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is above,” also called “New Jerusalem,” “the BRIDE,” which is to come on earth.

There is a time coming in the Millennium when the earth will be peopled with nations, the chief of whom will be Israel who will co-reign forever with Christ (Rev. 5:10, 20:6). These Gentile nations are the “sheep [nations]” of Matt. 25:32, who blessed Israel during the Tribulation (read Matt. 25:32-41). The Kings of all these Nations will be ruled by THE KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.”

By contrast, the “heaven of heavens” is also referred to as “the heavenlies,” “glory,” ‘super-heavenlies,’ “the heavenly places,” and “far above all.” These refer to the ‘highest heaven where God dwells, which was typified by the “Holy of Holies” in the O.T. Temple and Tabernacle. There the church which is His body is “blessed with all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:13) also set at the right hand of God “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, 20).

Historically, one by one, beginning with Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, Israel’s synagogues rejected the message of “the twelve” apostles concerning the kingdom and the return of the King – Jesus, The Christ.

Soon after that came the Revelation of a God-ordained “SECRET,” called “The MYSTERY(Rom. 16:25) that was revealed to Paul for us. No longer were the Gentiles to be blessed through Israel, but rather by being set into “His body” (1Cor 12:13). The unbelieving Nation Israel had lost its place in ‘pre-eminence.’ The failure or fall” of Israel was a great blessing to “the Gentiles.” It also was a great blessing to ‘individual grace believing Jews who would be “saved by grace through faith [ALONE] during today’s “dispensation of the GRACE of God” to participate in “the church… the body of Christ.” These verses explain that “fall” of Israel. 

Romans 11:10-12, 15, 25 - Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather Through Their [Israel’s] Fall Salvation Is Come Unto The Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them [Israel] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”
15 For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of This Mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in”

Today, under God’s pure grace in Christ, both Jew and Gentile have access to that ‘highest sphere of blessing’ and they have THE HEAVENLY hope of RESURRECTION at the ‘Rapture,’ This event will bring an end to the present DISPENSATIONAL age of “the grace of God” for “His body.”

However, before the death of Paul, there was revolt against his message of God’s ‘pure (100%) grace.’ In his last Epistle to Timothy we read of the Apostle Paul’s heart-broken cry, This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me [Paul]; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” (2 Tim. 1:15) That revolt against Paul and pure grace has never ended. It continues today even in today’s neo-evangelical church pulpits in the USA and worldwide. The early church left Paul, turning back to the rituals, rites, and the laws of the Jews, rejecting “the grace of God.” Of the major denominations in the USA, I know of none that has a place in its creed for the Apostle Paul’s mystery which has been hid from ages and generations.” (Col. 1:26)