The ministry of John the Baptist can not be said to form another dispensation, because of its short duration (he preceding Christ but six months), and being at the time unknown outside of a very limited territory.  Another dispensation could not be begun and completed while the old covenant dispensation was yet in force; for that would make two dispensations in full force at the same time—­a thing impossible.  Also, John’s work, according to the evangelist, marks the beginning of the gospel dispensation (Mark 1:1-4), from which time the kingdom of God was preached and men pressed into it.  Luke 16:16.

It was by virtue of the future atonement-work of Christ that any were enabled to enjoy God’s favor in Old Testament times.  Even their sacrifices, which originated in the family of Adam and which were continued from generation to generation, pointed forward to the sacrificial offering of the Savior and by this means purchased covenant favors with Heaven.  So, after all, the atonement was for their benefit as well as for ours.  Paul expressly informs us that Christ died for the “redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament.”  Heb. 9:15.  “Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets” are “in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:28), and constitute a part of this great redeemed host set forth under the symbol of the four living creatures.

The four and twenty elders, although representing themselves as a part of this redeemed company, evidently have some special signification; for they are presented to us as separate characters from the four living creatures.  Who are they?  Undoubtedly they represent the ministers of God, the number twenty-four also signifying perfection or completeness, being drawn from certain facts connected with the two dispensations in which God has had a clerical ministry.  The natural heads of the tribes of Israel were the twelve patriarchs; while the spiritual heads of the Christian church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb, they constituting a part of the foundation upon which it is built.  Eph. 2:20.  In a subsequent chapter we have an account of the sealing of the twelve tribes, by which is meant the sealing, not of the literal Israel, but of the spiritual, the twelve tribes being selected from the proper department to stand as a symbol of the true Israel in this dispensation, which is expressly said to consist of people of all nations.  Natural Israel and spiritual Israel are frequently used to designate God’s people; so, also, in the case before us the twelve patriarchs as heads of the natural Israel and the twelve disciples as heads (in one important sense) of the spiritual Israel are taken to represent the entire ministry.  In the description of the New Jerusalem we find conspicuously inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, thus making the number twenty-four.  Chap. 21:12, 14.