Dispensationalism (Part 1 of 2)

Introduction to Dispensationalism:

Dispensationalism is an interpretive view of studying the Bible. It makes the theological assertion that God has chosen to administer His dealings with humanity in different ways during different periods (dispensations), or ages, of time. This view does not assert that God changes. We know from His Word that His nature/character is immutable, or unchanging. (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17) This also does not assert that His method for justification of man changes; we know from His Word that people of all ages are justified (declared righteous) by His grace through their faith, and there is only one way whereby which mankind may be saved. (Genesis 15:6, Habakkuk 2:4, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Galatians 3:11, Ephesians 2:8-9) But His chosen methods for communicating and dealing with the world and humanity do change from dispensation to dispensation. Also, His prescribed methods for mankind to relationally approach Him change from age to age. There is evidence of this all throughout the Bible.

I will provide three quick examples of changes in communication, methodology, and relational approach from one dispensation to the next.

The first, regarding communication, is the fact that God no longer communicates with people in an audible manner. In the Old Testament, we see numerous examples of God speaking to people audibly, whether it be in the Garden of Eden, from the burning bush, from the top of Mount Sinai, or in any other fashion contained therein. Today, this is no longer His method. God has spoken to mankind in ages past in different ways, and we now have His words recorded in His Word (the Bible). He speaks to us through the Bible. He also speaks to us through the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts (for those who have received Him) and in our minds (possible for all mankind). He can also speak to us through circumstances in life, or through the words of His people speaking forth the Word of God to us, or giving us guidance through their obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading in their hearts and minds.

Some may question the assertion that God no longer speaks to mankind in an audible voice. Some may even use Paul the Apostle as evidence to the contrary. My response is as follows: Paul was an apostle. Biblically speaking, Paul was the last apostle, and the last one to whom Jesus spoke directly/audibly. (1 Corinthians 15:8) We are all disciples, but none of us are apostles. The Apostles were a limited group that lived during the time that Jesus was here during His first advent. Jesus (who is God), audibly spoke to the Apostles. Paul was the last apostle, and Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus. Now, some people may have a vision, or a dream, in which the Lord speaks to them while they sleep. My father had such a dream—it was the reason he became a believer. But he woke up from the dream and gave his life to Christ, and such a thing hasn't happened to him since. And it was a vision/dream. Paul's encounter was a vision too (albeit a waking one). Those with Paul heard a noise/voice, but not distinguishable words. (Acts 9:7, Acts 22:9) We just don’t see the writers of the New Testament claiming that God spoke to them audibly after Christ’s ascension (besides Paul). I'm not saying that God can't speak to people audibly now.  But if it happens, it isn't a common occurrence. In fact, Biblically speaking, I can't think of a time since Paul that it has happened outside of a vision/dream. The Apostle John had a vision after Paul's, in which Christ spoke to him and he recorded it as the Book of Revelation. I would be very cautious if someone stated to me that God had spoken to them audibly. I'd want to know what was said, and the first thing I'd do is compare it with the written Word (Scripture). If what they heard in anyway disagrees with or contradicts the Bible, then it wasn't God they heard. Be cautious of those kinds of things. It's not that I'm trying to limit God. I'm the first one to say that He's bigger than we think, and we can't put Him in a box. But I believe He gives us guidelines to help us know the real from the fake. Satan and his minions are great deceivers. If we know how God chooses to speak to us, then we can spot a fake when we see or hear one. The Apostles aren’t alive today. God (to the best of my knowledge) doesn’t speak to people audibly today; at least not generally or commonly. It’s just not His method during this current dispensation.

The second example of change from dispensation to dispensation, regarding methodology, is God’s use of Prophets. In the Old Testament, we see many times that God chose to speak through specific, individual Prophets, whom He had selected to be His voice to His people and the world. This is a method of communication that passed away when Jesus arrived on the scene and began His ministry. (Matthew 11:13, Luke 16:16) The gift of prophecy still exists (Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10), but it is manifested in a different form. It is no longer about predicting the future in ways that are universally applicable to all mankind. Nor is it about providing new revelation from God that is universally applicable to all mankind. Now, it is used as a way to speak forth the written Word of God (the Bible), and/or to speak relevant truth into the lives of individuals as led by the Holy Spirit, in ways and messages that never contradict the written Word.

The third example, regarding relational approach, is the use of the sacrificial system provided for under the Mosaic Covenant, or the Law. In previous dispensations, or ages, if mankind wanted to maintain an active relationship with God, they were required to follow different methods than today. For example, during the time from the giving of the Mosaic Law after the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt, all the way until the time of Jesus’ First Coming, if people wanted to relationally approach God, they had to offer animal sacrifices for their sins. This was required because God is holy and righteous, and mankind (after the Fall) is depraved and sinful by nature. The sacrifices were a covering for sin. We know they didn’t atone for (take away) the sin, only Jesus’ sacrifice has the power to do that. But it was the method for mankind to acknowledge and repent of their wickedness before a holy God. Of course, it also foreshadowed the eventual sacrifice of the Messiah. But today, mankind no longer needs to do this to maintain a relationship with their Creator, as Jesus has already paid the price for sin through His perfect sacrificial work. The Bible is very clear that mankind isn’t to approach God through animal sacrifices anymore. It won’t work. This was the prescribed method for different dispensations. (Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 10:1-18)

Besides all these things, we observe throughout the different periods of time in the Bible different happenings; different actions of God, different behaviors of mankind, and different themes. These are all general observations attributed to the existence of what is referred to as the dispensational program of God.

Now, there are two key points of Dispensationalism that need to be discussed. They are the concepts of progressive revelation, and the distinctiveness of Israel and the Church. Progressive revelation is the concept that God reveals Himself and His plan (and communicates) progressively (and in different ways) through each of the dispensations. The distinctiveness of Israel and the Church is the theological assertion that the two people groups are distinct in God's Word, and that they occupy different places in prophecy, and that they each have distinct places, promises, and purposes; He has a different agenda for each. The major dispensations (and they can be sub-divided, organized, and categorized slightly differently) are: "Innocence" (Creation to the Fall), "Conscience" (Fall to the Flood), "Human Government" (Flood to the Tower of Babel and slightly beyond), "Promise" (Post-Tower of Babel, specifically from Abraham to Moses), "Law" (Moses to the 1st Advent/Coming of Christ), "Grace" (1st Advent to the 2nd Advent), and "Millennial Kingdom" (1000-year earthly reign of Christ). I also choose to add the “First Advent” (First Coming of Christ) as a separate dispensation in between Law and Grace. I also add the “7-year Tribulation” as a separate dispensation in between Grace and the Millennial Kingdom. I also add “New Heavens and New Earth” as a separate dispensation after Millennial Kingdom.

Now let's break some of these points down on a deeper level. I'll start with the dispensations themselves, then move onto progressive revelation, then to the distinctions between God's people, specifically Israel and the Church.

The Dispensations:

Innocence: After God created mankind, but before the Fall, mankind existed in a perfect state in the Garden of Eden. We don't know too much about what life was like for them. There were only two people, Adam and Eve. Their relationship together and with God was perfect; no disharmony. There was no sin. Their bodies were not subject to infirmity or death (there was no disease). Their environment was perfect—no pollutants, perfect nutrition, etc. They were naked and not ashamed. They probably didn't eat meat (vegetarians only). Animals were no threat to them. They might have even been able to communicate with animals. The earth was probably much different and may have even been surrounded by a canopy of water vapor and ice which would have provided for a higher oxygen content, filtered out harmful radiation from space (if such radiation even existed), and created a more moderate and balanced climate throughout the earth—but that is conjecture so I will avoid going further down that road. When they sinned through disobedience to God, all that perfection and harmony were shattered. The Bible tells us that not only did sin and death enter the world (causing disease and strife), but creation itself was cursed and became broken (perhaps the introduction of entropy?). (Genesis 3:17, Romans 5:12, Romans 8:19-22, 1 Corinthians 15:21) This dispensation ended at the Fall. We don't know how long it lasted.

Conscience: After the Fall, but before the Flood, mankind multiplied upon the earth through Adam and Eve and their descendants. As time went by, humanity drifted away from God to the point that their thoughts were "only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5, KJV, NKJV, NASB) Only Noah and his wife and sons and their wives were faithful. Nephilim were on the earth at this time too, and that situation had to be dealt with. So the Flood came and only Noah and his family survived with the animals on the Ark and those that lived in the water. Not only was the slate wiped clean regarding humanity, and the Nephilim destroyed, but the entire topography of the earth was most likely altered. After the Flood, God gave mankind permission to eat animals. (Genesis 9:3-4) God also promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again. This dispensation lasted about 1600 years, based upon Biblical texts.

Human Government: After the Flood, and until just after the nations were dispersed at the Tower of Babel, mankind again multiplied upon the earth through Noah's sons and their wives. Mankind again drifted away from God and in their arrogance decided to build a tower to heaven so as to reach up to God themselves. Very little is known of this period of time. God confused their languages at the Tower of Babel and the nations then dispersed throughout the earth. This period lasted about 200-300 years.

Promise: After the Tower of Babel but before the Exodus from Egypt, God called out Abraham and his descendants (specifically Isaac and then Jacob) and made promises to them about making them into a nation (Israel) and blessing the world through their descendants (sending the Messiah). The dispensation of Promise is sometimes referred to as the time of the Patriarchs (for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 sons/tribes). During this period we see Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. We see Ishmael split off from Abraham and the promise pass to Isaac. We see Esau split off from Isaac and the promise pass to Jacob. We see the Twelve Tribes of Israel begin with Jacob's twelve sons. We see Joseph go to Egypt. We see Israel eventually enslaved in Egypt. And we see the birth and maturing of Moses. This was the dispensation that gave us the Abrahamic Covenant. This period lasted about 600-700 years.

Law: After the Exodus from Egypt but before the Birth of Christ, Israel became established as a political nation in the land of Canaan. Moses received God's Law at Mount Sinai and gave it to the Israelites. During this dispensation, we see the 10 commandments, the 40 years of wilderness wandering, the conquest of Canaan, the period of the Judges, the establishment of the Monarchy, the dividing of the nation into north (Israel) and south (Judah), the exile (Assyria and Babylon), and eventually the regathering in the Land under Ezra and Nehemiah. This was the period of the Old Testament Prophets. This was also the period that gave us the Mosaic Covenant. Humanity received God's moral Law. We see the establishment of ancient Judaism through the sacrificial, and ceremonial regulations. We also see the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the Temple of Solomon. The Nephilim also appeared again in Canaan but were wiped out again, this time through the conquest of the Land by the Israelites under the command of God. This period lasted about 1500 years.

We have summarized approximately 4000 years of human history as recorded in the Bible at this point.

First Advent: This was the period when Jesus was on earth during His first coming. I think this should classify as its own dispensation for reasons I'll get into when we cover progressive revelation. This dispensation would be immediately after Law and immediately before Grace and would encompass a time span of approximately 33-36 years. This would have been from approximately 3 or 4 BC to approx. 32 AD. During this time we see the birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. In the Gospels, Jesus discussed the ending of the era prior to His ministry (the dispensation of the Law) when He stated in Matthew 11:13 and Luke 16:16 that the Law and the Prophets were until John (meaning John the Baptist, who is considered the last true Old Testament Prophet).

Grace: After the Ascension of Christ but before the 7-year Tribulation we see the dispensation of Grace. This is also referred to as the Age of Grace or the Church Age. It is the dispensation we are living in currently/today. It has been going on since approx. 32 AD, and we don't know how long it will last, but it will end when the Church is complete ("the fullness of the Gentiles has come in"; Romans 11:25, NKJV, NASB). This is, I believe, when the Rapture will occur. Some people believe this (the completion of the Church) happens after the 7-year Tribulation. I believe it happens before the 7-year Tribulation, and thus the 7-year Tribulation isn't part of the dispensation of Grace and requires its own dispensation. I will discuss more on this topic later in this writing. This dispensation (Grace) has seen the last almost 2000 years of human history unfold since the Ascension.

7-year Tribulation: Now we come to events yet future. The next dispensation, as I see it, is the 7-year Tribulation; also known as the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation, the 70th Week of Daniel/Daniel's 70th Week, the Day of the Lord, or the Time of Jacob's Trouble. Some scholars will state that the terms "Great Tribulation" and "Day of the Lord" are really only referencing the latter part of the seven years. Some will even assert that the term "Tribulation" should only be used in reference to the latter part. I like the term "Daniel's 70th Week" because it is understood by all scholars to refer to the entire 7-year period. The "Tribulation" is also commonly used by non-scholars to refer to the entire seven years as well, so that works for me. Many people include this 7-year period of time within the dispensation of Grace. I do not. I place it after. Why do I do this? For many reasons, some of which will be addressed later in this writing. Suffice it to say, this period of time has a completely different feel and tone to it than the Age of Grace. It is also the final week of Daniel’s prophecy of 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27), and the other 69 weeks are not part of the Age of Grace. But what is the Tribulation? This is the dispensation spoken of in many places in the Bible that is a prophecy of a time yet future to us (I believe, as do most evangelical, premillennial theologians). It is a time that Israel is regathered in the Promised Land (after the dispersion under the Romans in 70 AD). It is a time that Israel, and God's people everywhere, are persecuted by the Beast (Antichrist). It is a literal 7-year period, as the Bible actually counts days in some prophetic descriptions of it. (Daniel 12:11-12, Revelation 11:2-3) It starts with a false hope of peace under a false messiah (the Beast) but turns into a holocaust twice as bad as Hitler's (Zechariah 13:8). It is also a time that God's judgment will be poured out upon the unbelieving world. It is also a time that Israel (collectively) will recognize Jesus as their Messiah and repent and petition Him to return, which He will do. (Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 13:9, Matthew 23:39, Acts 3:19-21, Romans 11:25-26) This petitioning leads to the next dispensation, which is the Millennial Kingdom.

Millennial Kingdom: This dispensation is yet future, and starts immediately following the 7-year Tribulation. I, and most premillennial scholars, believe that this will be a literal 1000-year period of time. Christ will return to earth in the Second Advent (Second Coming) and restore the Nation of Israel, and will establish His throne in Jerusalem from which He will physically rule the earth for 1000 years. This will be a time of peace and prosperity for all nations and peoples. It is my belief, based upon Scripture, that the Church will return with Him and will rule the nations under His kingship. The Church will be in resurrected bodies, free from the presence of sin. Satan will be imprisoned by God during this time. At the end of the 1000 years, many people on earth will rebel (stirred up by Satan who will be let loose). (Revelation 20:7) This will usher in the Final Judgment of God and the establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth.

New Heavens and New Earth: Immediately following the Millennial Kingdom will be the Final Judgment. Immediately following that will be the establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth. This will be eternity. All things will be made new by God. This is generally what people are talking about when they talk about being in Heaven with God. We know very little about what things will like in Eternity. But we know it will be good.

This concludes my brief summary of the dispensations. Next we will look at progressive revelation and the distinctiveness of Israel and the Church as they relate to Dispensationalism.

[Continued in the blog post, “Dispensationalism (Part 2 of 2).”]