God's Plan through the Ages

God's Plan Through the Ages

This table summarizes how God has dealt with humanity across different historical periods, from Eden to eternity. Each dispensation reveals a new phase in God's unfolding plan — highlighting human failure, divine mercy, and the ultimate establishment of God's Kingdom.

Dispensation	Period	God's Focus	Human Condition	Outcome
Innocence	Adam & Eve in Eden	Obedience to one command	Innocent but untested	Fall into sin; expelled from Eden
Conscience	Adam to Noah	Governed by moral conscience	Increasing violence and corruption	Judgment by flood
Human Government	Noah to Babel	Authority to govern righteously	Rebellion at Babel	Nations scattered and confused
Promise	Abraham to Moses	Trust in God's covenant promises	Faith mixed with disobedience	Israel grows; enters slavery in Egypt
Law	Moses to Christ	Obedience to the Torah	Externally obedient, but inwardly sinful	Repeated failure; exile and longing for Messiah
Grace (Church Age)	Pentecost to Second Coming	Salvation by grace through faith in Christ	Sinful, yet offered new life	Some saved; world continues in rebellion
Kingdom (Millennial Reign)	Christ’s return to final judgment	Visible reign of Jesus on earth	Redeemed saints reigning with Him	Satan bound; final rebellion crushed
Eternity	New Heaven & Earth (Revelation 21–22)	Eternal fellowship with God	Perfected humanity, glorified	No more sin, sorrow, or death

See Also

• Why the Messiah Had to Suffer Before He Reigns
• Sin: Humanity’s Problem
• Law and Human Nature
• The Kingdom of God
• End of the Age: Biblical Prophecies