Understanding Dispensations
Ephesians 1 : 10
Luke 24:27
Agenda
1. General Principles
2. The Dispensations
3. Application
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
How is the Bible divided?
•Old and New Testament
•Is there more??
How Many Dispensations?
•Number not defined but the principle is
clear
•No agreement - 3, 6, 7 or 8?
•Is Innocence a dispensation?
•Is ‘Age’ different from ‘dispensation’?
•Is the Tribulation a dispensation?
Dispensation?????
•Method of how God deals with Man
•Not a focus on ‘time’ but the mode of
dealing and there is no defined/common
timeline
•Related to ‘time’ not ‘Eternity’
Features of Dispensations
•God honours Faith
•Man is responsible based on the light
“revelation of God”
•Responsibility increases with Revelation
•God’s principles are known (not necessarily
accepted)
•Man fails in all dispensations
First Dispensation
Innocence – Gen 1-3
•Adam and Eve before Sin
•Responsibility – (Obedience) Not to eat of
the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
•Failure – They disobeyed
•Judgement – Death (physical and Spiritual)/
Expulsion
Second Dispensation
Conscience – Gen 3:6 – 7 : 33
•Living in the light of Conscience
•Sacrifices available – Cain/Abel (Gen 4: 3-4)
•Responsibility – To do what is right (Gen 4:6)
•Failure – Wickedness(Gen 6:5)
•Judgement - Flood (2 Peter 2:5)
Third Dispensation
Human Government Gen 8:20 – 11:9
•Rules introduced (accountability for Life - Gen
9:6)
•Rainbow symbol of Covenant with Noah and his
descendants – Gen 9:8-12)
•Sacrifices still available
•Failure – Lifted up (Tower of Babel)
•Judgement - Languages (separation)
Fourth Dispensation
Promise – Gen 11:9 – Ex 19
•God Calls Abraham (Abrahamic Covenant)
•Focus on a ‘subset’ but continues to honour
Faith (Job, Cornelius)
•Failure - Dwelling in Egypt (left Canaan)
•Judgement – Bondage in Egypt
Fifth Dispensation
Law Exodus 20 – Acts 2
•Israel under obligation to keep all of the Law
(Ex 24:3)
•Failure – Couldn’t keep the Law
•Failure – Christ Rejected (Matt 27:22)
•Failure – Spirit Rejected (Acts 7:51)
•Judgement – Blindness in part to Israel…
Fullness of the Gentiles – Romans 11:25)
Sixth Dispensation
Grace - John 1:17, Acts 2 – Rev 4:1
•Salvation by Faith in The Lord Jesus Christ
(Acts 16:31)
•Responsibility – Repent ( Acts 17:30)
•Failure – unbelief
•Judgement – Both living and Dead Judged
by The Lord (Acts 17:31, Rev 20:11-15)
Seventh Dispensation
The Kingdom – Rev 21:9 – 22:5
•Faith/Obedience to the King (Matt 25:34)
•Failure – Rebellion (Rev 20:7-8)
•Judgement – Fire/Lake of Fire (Rev 20: 11-
15)
Application
• Matt 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and
then shall the end come. (For the Tribulation not now)
• Matt 28: 19 -Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost (for now)
• Rev 14:6 -And I saw another angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people, (Tribulation)
Application
•Gal 4 : 4 But when the fullness of the time was
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law
•Eph 1 10 That in the dispensation of the
:
fullness of times he might gather together in
one all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven, and which are on earth; even in him
Application - John 4: 21 & 23
• Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the
hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the
Father.
• But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him.
