Dispensational Truth
Intro: “An eye for an eye” or “Turn the other cheek.” The Bible appears to contain several contradictions for the casual reader. Understanding God’s “Program for the Ages” is essential to a correct understanding of Bible interpretation. Dispensational Truth is the key. It reveals how God dealt with mankind in different ways/ages to receive from us what He desires most, our Faith. Just as we embrace different methods of dealing with our own children as they mature to adulthood. We may want them to freely give us their love and respect, however, we treat a teenager and a toddler in a somewhat different manner. Since God endowed us with freewill, we have failed in every age because of our sin and disobedience.
The Dispensations or Ages are somewhat based on God’s covenants with man. Each period is distinctly taught in Scripture rather than making the Scriptures fit the teaching. The most elementary theme reveals that God had a separate program for Israel and the Church age saints, culminating in the Millennial Kingdom. Dispensational truth was taught by Clarence Larkin, Arno Gaebelein, C. I. Schofield, J. Dwight Pentecost and Charles Ryrie among others. The word “dispensation” comes from two Greek words (oikos nomos) meaning “house rules.”
Many Christians erroneously claim that the O.T. is Law, and the N.T. is Grace. Please note that the Law starts with Moses (circa 1500 BC) well after Adam, Noah and Abraham. The Law continues throughout the N.T. Gospels until the birth of the Church age in Acts 2. The Age of grace then continues until Revelation 4.
“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel…” Ephesians 3:1-6 (Cf. 1 Cor 9:17, Eph 1:10, Col 1:25)
The 7 Dispensations:
#1 – Innocence – Genesis 1-3, from Creation to the Fall of Man
God created the Earth for the habitation of mankind. Adam and Eve were the very first humans. They were created in a state of Innocence, with the freewill to obey/disobey.
They were only given one command. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17
Their disobedience is recorded in Genesis 3:1-13. Although they lived in the Garden of God and walked with Him daily, they were enticed to sin by the wicked one. Known as the “Fall of Man,” they incurred spiritual death and passed their sin nature on to all mankind.
God’s judgement is recorded in verses 14-19, resulting in expulsion from the Garden and a curse upon mankind/earth. Adam and Eve failed because of sin, however, God extended his grace by clothing them with coats of skins from a blood sacrifice. (Genesis 3:21)
#2 – Conscience – Genesis 3-8, from the Fall to the Flood
From the Fall of Man in the Garden to the Flood, humans live guided by their own Conscience, the inherent ability to choose right from wrong. This age is marked by two distinct failures. The first is recorded in Genesis 4, revealing the murderous sin of Adam and Eve’s very first offspring. Instructed in the worship of God, Cain and Abel brought a sacrifice. Abel offered a blood sacrifice and was accepted, Cain presented God with a symbol of his works, presenting the fruit of the ground. Although Cain failed in his responsibility to bring the correct sacrifice, the LORD extended His grace in a second request. “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” Genesis 4:5-7
In verses 8-15, Cain murders his brother and lies to God. He is henceforth “cursed from the earth” and dwells in the land of Nod as a vagabond.
The second failure is on a much larger scale as recorded in Genesis 6:1-7. “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. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Genesis 6:5&6
God judges mankind through a world wide deluge. “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:17
After allowing repentance for 120 years, the Grace of God is displayed in the account of Noah’s Ark. Noah walked with God and the Lord used him, his three sons and their wives to preserve life upon the earth.
#3 – Human Government – Genesis 9-11, from the Flood to the Tower of Babel
Genesis 9:1-17 marks the beginning of a new age with the Noahic Covenant and the seven Noahide Laws, confirmed by God through the rainbow. Man is instructed to replenish the earth and is now allowed to eat meat (w/o blood). This new era requires man to self govern and capital punishment is instituted. (cf. Romans 13:1-7).
Failure was soon instigated by an evil king, Nimrod, who established the Babylonian alternative to the Kingdom of God. “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” Genesis 10:8-10 A foreshadowing of the anti-christ, Nimrod leads a rebellion against God and builds the Tower of Babel. This was a false religious system outlined in Genesis 11:1-9. (Cf. Jeremiah 7:18, 44:17-19, Ezekiel 8:14, Revelation 13, 17&18)
They disobeyed the edict to go forth and replenish the earth and built a tower to reach unto heaven, presumably to rescue them from further judgement by a flood. “Babel” means “gateway to God” and its meaning changed to “confusion” as a result of their rebellion. The people of the earth could no longer freely communicate with each other as God’s judgement was to introduce languages and scatter them abroad.
“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4
God shewed forth his grace by calling a man, Abram (@ 2000 BC) and making a great nation from his seed.
#4 – Promise – Genesis 12 to Exodus 19, from Abraham to Moses
The Dispensation of Promise starts with the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12:1-8. God promised the Land to Abraham as well as a nation, as the sand of the sea, from his loins. He simply had to believe God’s promises and be tied to the land.
“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:5&6
Abraham journeys southward into Egypt (picture of the world) in verses 9-20. In Chapter 16:1-16, He falls again through impatience and trying to “help God out.” Ishmael was born from Abraham’s union with Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid.
Genesis 37-47 reveals God’s mercy in allowing Joseph to rise to prominence in the Land of Egypt in order to sustain the twelve tribes of Jacob. After his passing, the Jews multiply and become a great nation, persecuted as slaves by the Egyptians. Later God provides a deliver through the sparing of Moses (@ 1500 BC). Moses, by the power of God, pronounces judgements upon the gods of Egypt through the plagues. God proclaims the final victory by the parting of the Red Sea. During the wilderness wanderings, God gives Moses the Law. (cf. Exodus 19:1-6)
#5 – Law – Exodus 20 – Acts 1, from the Law to the Church
It is important to note that this is the period of time when the Law (cf. Mosaic Covenant) is instituted and lasts all the way through the Gospels. Man was responsible to obey God’s commands, thereby incurring God’s blessing or be chastised for their disobedience. The Ten Commandments are a portion of God’s Law as stated in Exodus 20:1-17.
The Law was given to reveal the sinful nature of mankind and was never meant to be a means to salvation. ( Romans 3:10-12,23). Like Abraham, people believed God and were saved by faith. They kept the law because they were saved! (Heb 11). The blood sacrifices were necessary year after year for atonement (Heb. Kaphar – covering) until Jesus, the Lamb of God would “take away” sin by his ultimate sacrifice on the cross. ( John 1:29, Hebrews 9:12-14).
Israel failed in keeping the Law by faith and was exiled to Babylon for seventy years before being restored. They were also miraculously regathered by the hand of God in 1948 and became a nation once again. God will open their eyes and they will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah and enter into the Kingdom. (In the seven year Tribulation between the Rapture and the Revelation, Israel will return to the Dispensation of Law.)
Romans 11: 25-29 show God’s Grace upon the nation of Israel, “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. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
#6 – Grace– Acts 2 – Revelation 4, from the birth of the Church to the Rapture
The Age of Grace or the Church Age starts on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-24, 36-47) and ends when the Saints are snatched away at the Rapture.(1 Thes 4:13-18). Mans’ responsibility is to Repent of Sin and by Faith, Receive Christ as Savior. (John 1:12, 3:16, Rom 10:9&10, 13). During the Church Age, all who are Born Again are Sealed by the Holy Spirit at the moment of Regeneration. (cf. Ephesians 1:12-14). The Lord has extended His Grace to us for 2000 years. Man has largely rejected God’s invitation by neglecting/rejecting the Gospel, even though it is a matter of belief and simple enough for a child to obtain. The judgement of God for the sin of unbelief results in the Tribulation period of seven years on earth following the Rapture.
Another great misconception taught by religion is that we are saved by works or by keeping the Law/Commandments. The Bible clearly disqualifies all humans from heaven and the eternal presence of God because of our sin. The Law reveals the sinfulness of man and the need for salvation, offered to all and granted to those who trust in the shed blood and crosswork of Christ.
Matthew 19:16-22
Acts 2:1-5, 6-11, 19-29
Romans 3:19-31, 4:1-16
Galatians 2:16-21, 3:6, 11 & 24
James 2:10
Some believers have embraced the concept of Replacement Theology. They believe that when the Jews rejected Jesus, God rejected them. The Church therefore, is now the recipient of God’s promises to Israel. The Bible clearly lays out a separate program for Israel (God’s Earthly People) and the Church Age Saints (God’s Heavenly People). The two groups come together in the next Dispensation.
#7 -The Kingdom– Isaiah 11:1-10, 65:20-25, Daniel 2:44, Revelation 20:1-4, from the Revelation to the Great White Throne
The Lord promised Israel a literal thousand year Kingdom where Christ rules in righteousness from Jerusalem and the curse is lifted from the Earth. Even living in a literal utopia, many born in the Kingdom Age will refuse Jesus and follow Satan in a rebellion against Him and the Holy City. (cf. Rev 20:5-8). God judges all sin at the Great White Throne (vs 9-15) and casts the unbelievers into the Lake of Fire along with the devil and his angels. God’s grace is unveiled in a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness and purity are never exhausted. (Rev 21&22).