DISPENSATIONALISM OUTLINED
Note with me the various “dispensations” and how they demonstrate the way man responds to responsibility given by God.
- The Dispensation of Innocence, Genesis 1-2. This is when Adam and Eve were created and placed in the creation God had prepared. They had responsibilities of multiplying and replenishing the earth as well as keeping the Garden of Eden ( 1:26-28; 2:15-17). They had one prohibition, “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” (Gen. 2:17). There was a consequence attached to eating of this fruit, “thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). The judgment brought a curse of the ground, they both died spiritually and were cast out of the garden (Gen. 3:7-19). The judgment was the curse and death brought about by eating.
- The Dispensation of Conscience, Genesis 3:5, 7, 21, 22; 4:4. God covered the two with “coats of skins, and clothed them” ( 3:21) which introduced an animal sacrifice to cover their sin. Their responsibility was to do good and offer a blood sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). Genesis 5 gives a demonstration of the effects of sin where it says eight times “and he died” (Gen. 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31). This dispensation ended with the proliferation of evil and a contaminated race of people which God judged with the worldwide flood (Gen. 6-9). The Judgment was the flood brought about by “wickedness.” Every living creature died.
- The Dispensation of Human Government, Genesis 9-11. When the flood ended God gave Noah instructions for the future. He gave him the same responsibility to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” ( 9:1). God also changed the relationship between man and the animal kingdom. The animal world would be hostile to man and man could use the animal kingdom for “meat” (food) in Genesis 9:3. Before the flood the animal kingdom and people were vegetarians and lived off the fruit and produce of the ground. After the flood that changed. Also, God instructed Noah that He would “require blood of your lives” and if a person shed man’s blood “by man shall his blood be shed” or “capital punishment” carried out by men (Gen. 9:5-6). Man began to engage in “human government” and hold people who commit crimes to be judged. The responsibility of multiplying included filling the earth of dispersing. They failed to obey and even built a tower and city “lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth” (Gen. 11:4). God confused their languages and scattered them abroad “upon the face of all the earth” (Gen. 11:1-9).
- The Dispensation of Promise, Genesis 12-50. God called a man from Ur of the Chaldees whose name was Abram ( 11:28, 31) and God made a “covenant” with him promising him some land that he would dwell. God made other covenants with Abram promising that he would make of him a “great nation” (Gen. 12:1-9). God promised him a “seed” to produce him as a great nation. He was to dwell in the land given him (Canaan) and God would give him a son of promise (Gen. 15). His offspring grew into a great people and ended in Egypt. This was the judgment concluding this dispensation when they came into bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-14).
- The Dispensation of Law, Exodus – Malachi. Israel became a great nation in Egypt and God called a man, Moses, to lead them out and to the land promised to Abraham. God gave them the Law ( 20) and instructed them to “keep the law” (Exod. 9:3-8). The kings were good and bad kings, and the people did not keep the commandments and engaged in idolatry (see the Prophets). The first judgment came with the Babylonian Captivity (Daniel, et al). They returned to the land and for 400 years (between Malachi and Matthew) God had no prophet or word for the people. This dispensation ended when the people rejected their Messiah and crucified Him. God’s plan was to provide a way for man to be reconciled to God in Jesus Christ. Israel as a nation were dispersed the second time in 70 ad when the Roman government destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. The people scattered which was the judgment (Deut. 28:63-66).
- The Dispensation of the Church, Acts – Philemon. The church was established and given responsibility. They were to receive Christ as Saviour (John 1;12; Eph. 2;8-10). They were to “study” God’s word (2 Tim. 2:15), be led by the Holy Spirit ( 8:14; Gal. 5:18), and be a witness (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). They reject Christ (John 5:39-40) and depend on works and reject the word of God and Christ (2 Tim. 3:1-7). The church will end when they will “not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The “Church Age” will end after the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and the “Great Tribulation” (Matt. 24:21; Rev. 2:22; 7:14) which is the judgment of the earth and the evil prevalent.
- The Dispensation of the Kingdom, Revelation 20. This period is considered the “Millennium” (1,000 years) spoken of ( 20:2-7). This is when Christ will reign on the earth for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:4). The people have the responsibility to obey and worship Christ (Isa. 11:3-5; Zech. 14:9, 16). There is a final rebellion at the end of the 1,000 years (Rev. 20:7-9). The judgment is when those rebelling against Christ reign will be cast into the “lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15).