THE DISPENSATIONS OF GOD’S WORD

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The Scriptures divide time (by which is meant the entire period from the creation of Adam to the "new heaven and a new earth" of Rev. 21: 1) into unequal periods, usually called dispensations (Eph. 3:2), although these periods are also called ages (Eph. 2:7) and days, as in "day of the Lord."

These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God's method of dealing with mankind, or a portion of mankind, in respect of the two questions: of sin, and of man's responsibility. Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment, marking his utter failure in every dispensation.

1. Man Innocent: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-3). This age extended from the creation of Adam to the expulsion from Eden. Adam and Eve were created sinless and innocent and they were given only one commandment, not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When they sinned, that age of innocence ended. We do not know how long Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden before they sinned, but we do know that they had no children until after the Fall.

2. Man Under Conscience: From Adam’s fall to the Flood (Genesis 4-8). During this period, God left man to his own devices. There was no law, but there were prophets sent by God, such as Abel, Enoch, and Noah. The result was that man corrupted the earth and had to be destroyed in the flood, with only Noah and his family being saved to continue the human race. This period lasted roughly 1,600 years.

3. Man Under Human Government: From after the Flood to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 9-11). After the flood, God gave Noah and his children new commandments. He told them to replenish the earth (Gen. 9:1). He gave them the flesh of animals for food (Gen. 9:3-4). He commanded them to put murderers to death (Gen. 9:5-6). He established his covenant that He would never again destroy the world with water (Gen. 9:8-17). Instead of going to the ends of the earth, though, and replenishing it, the grandsons of Noah united together and attempted to exalt themselves against God at the Tower of Babel. This period lasted roughly 400 years.

4. Man Under Promise: From Abraham to the Giving of the Law (Genesis 12-50). During this period, God was building the nation of Israel in preparation for the giving of the law. He raised up Abraham, then Isaac, then Jacob, then the 12 sons of Jacob, and he carried them down into Egypt. This period lasted roughly 430 years.

5. Man Under Law: From Moses to the Coming of Christ (Exodus to the end of the Old Testament). During this period, God put Israel under the Mosaic law to prepare for the coming of Christ. The law does this in two ways: (1) It shows man his sinful condition and his need of salvation. (2) It foreshadows Christ by many types. It is important to understand that men were never saved by keeping the law. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in God’s Word (Romans 4:1-8). The law was given to reveal sin not to save men from sin. This period lasted roughly 1,500 years.

6. Man Under Grace: From Christ to the end of the Church Age (Acts to Jude). The church age actually began during the earthly ministry of Christ; at least the foundation was being laid during those years; but for the purposes of this study, we can simplify things and begin it with the book of Acts. During this period, God is calling out a special body of people from among all nations of the earth. So far this period has lasted almost 2,000 years.

7. Man Under God’s Judgment: The Great Tribulation (Revelation 3-18). During this period, God will prepare Israel and the world for the return of Christ. (1) Through judgments upon sinful men. (2) Through judgments upon Israel which will cause her finally to awaken from her spiritual blindness and to turn to Christ. This period will last seven years.

8. Man Under the Personal Reign of Christ: The Millennium (Revelation 19-20). The second coming and millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 19-20). During this period, God will establish a kingdom on earth and the nations will be ruled with a rod of iron. This period will last 1,000 years.

9. Man in the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21-22). From this point on, God will continue to work out His plans from age to age throughout eternity, but the Bible does not reveal any further details.

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THE BENEFIT OF DISPENSATIONALISM

1. Dispensational theology helps us to study the Bible within its proper context.

For example, Ezekiel 18:21-24 says men are judged by whether or not they keep the law. Many have erred by thinking that this is teaching how to be saved. Those who believe you can lose your salvation use verses like these to prove their doctrine. But the Bible student must interpret every passage in its context, and the context here is the Mosaic law. Thus, we know from the New Testament that it was not written to show men how to be saved. It was written to show men their unsaved condition so that they might flee to Christ for salvation.

Another example is God’s judgment on Cain in Genesis 4:9-12. God did not put him to death for murdering his brother. Does this contradict what God later said to Noah in Genesis 9:6? No, it doesn’t because man was living during a different age then. God’s dealings with men were different and what he required of men was different.

Another example is Matthew 10:5-15. Here Christ sends out His disciples to preach, but note the following restrictions: (1) They were to preach only to Jews (v. 6). (2) They were to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (v. 7). (3) They were to do miracles (v. 8 ). (4) They were not to carry any money or extra clothes (v. 9-10). (5) They were to carry no weapons (a staff). This is directly contradictory to the commands given later in the New Testament. Later Christ Himself commanded His disciples to preach to all men (Matt. 28:18-20), to preach the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection rather than the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mark 16:15), to carry both money and a sword (Lk. 22:35-36), and there is no further command in the New Testament to do miracles. What is the difference between these accounts? The difference is that they are spoken under different dispensations. In Matthew 10, Christ is sending His disciples out to proclaim to Israel that their Messiah and King was present. That is the meaning of “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It was at hand because the King was standing right there! Thus the messengers were to go only to Israel, were to do miracles to demonstrate that the Messiah had come as foretold in the prophets, were not to provide anything for themselves because it was just a short period of time under the direct authority of the Messiah. Later, after Israel had rejected Christ, He began to prepare for the church age and the preaching of the gospel to the ends of the earth. The program of God changed and so did the methods and requirements.

Another example is Revelation 13:10. This is written in the context of the reign of the Antichrist (see verses 1-8 ). When verse 10 says, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword,” it is referring to the commands of the Antichrist to force all people to worship him (v. 8 ). It is not referring to using the sword at any time and in any age. Jesus Himself at one point instructed His disciples to get a sword (Lk. 22:36). What Revelation 13:10 is warning about is joining hands with the Antichrist in his war against all of those who refuse to bow to him.

2. Dispensationalism makes a clear distinction between Israel and the Church.

1 Corinthians 10:32 plainly states that there are three categories of men in the world today: “Give none offence, neither to the JEWS, nor to the GENTILES, nor to the CHURCH of God.” Obviously, then, Israel is not the same as the church.

This is a very, very important matter for the Bible student to understand. Some of the most common errors in theology have come about through confusing the church with Israel.

EXAMPLES

This is one of the errors of ROMAN CATHOLICISM. Rome claims to be the new Israel and has adopted many things from the Old Testament dispensation, such as priests, temples, candles, incense, sprinkling of water, and many other things. This is one reason why Rome attempted to take over the holy land during the crusades of the Middle Ages. It is also why Rome has opposed Israel’s desire to control Jerusalem.

This is also one of the errors of PROTESTANTISM. By this, I am referring especially to Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Reformed, and Lutheran denominations. When the Protestant denominations left Rome in the 1500s and 1600s, they did not leave behind all of Rome’s errors. One of the errors they brought with them pertains to ecclesiology and the interpretation of prophecy. They teach that Israel was permanently rejected by God and replaced with the church, that the church is the continuation of Israel. They do not believe that the Old Testament promises and prophecies pertaining to Israel will be literally fulfilled. They, too, in one degree or another have adopted certain rituals from the Old Testament dispensation, such as priests, elaborate ceremonies or “liturgy,” infant baptism (which they claim is the spiritualizing of infant circumcision), candles, incense, etc.

Most of the CULTS also claim to be a continuation of Israel in one form or the other. For example, the Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, claimed that 10 of the tribes of Israel had been lost and had re-surfaced today in England and America and had been restored in his cult. This is called British-Israelism, and other false groups teach a form of it.

It is very important to understand the error of this. God’s promises to Israel have not failed. Israel sinned and has been judged just as God forewarned back in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, but God has promised to restore Israel. Her covenants with God (other than the Mosaic covenant) are unconditional, eternal, and unchangeable.

For example, consider the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7. This is an extension of the covenant God made with Abraham. In His covenant with David, God (1) reaffirmed the unconditional Abrahamic covenant through David’s family (2 Sa. 7:10); (2) promised that the throne of David would be established forever through David’s seed (2 Sa. 7:13); (3) promised chastisement for sin, but never annulment of the promise (2 Sa. 7:14-15); (4) established David’s house and kingdom forever (2 Sa. 7:16). All of this is fulfilled through Jesus Christ, David’s Son, who has inherited the throne of David (Mt. 1:1) and who will establish the Davidic kingdom at His return from Heaven (Is. 9:6-7).

The New Testament tells us the same thing. In Romans 11:25-29, for example, we are plainly told that God has set aside Israel temporarily at this time, but that He will yet restore them and fulfill His promises to them.

This means that all of God’s promises to Israel in the Old Testament will be literally fulfilled.

1. Israel will be restored to the land (Zech. 10:6-12)

2. Israel will be brought through severe judgment and one third will call upon God’s name (Zech. 13:8-9)

3. Israel will be redeemed (Zech. 12:10 - 13:1)

4. Messiah will return and defeat Israel’s enemies and rule from Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-21)

It is crucial, then, to interpret all of Bible prophecy literally and to understand that there is a difference between Israel and the church.