DISPENSATION BASICS

J. N. Darby

C. I. Scofield

L. S. Chafer

Definition of a dispensation

The word (Eph. 1:10) is translated from the Greek oikonomia (oikonomia/oy-kon-o-mee´-ah), meaning "law of the house."

Strong's Concordance defines the word as, "Administration, dispensation; mangement of a household or of household affairs."

Scripture reveals that God has made distinct changes in His administration of affairs on earth several times since the Creation, and will do so again in the future. Each period has a begininning and end, and is characterized by a certain set of features that clearly distinguish it from other periods.

The purpose of each dispensation is to test man's ability to meet God's demands under different conditions. Success results in earthly blessing; failure results in some form of earthly judgment.

Personal salvation is never the issue in any of the dispensations. Justification is, and always will be, only by grace through faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:24).

• Justin Martyr (110-165), Irenaeus (130-200), Clement of Alexandria (150-220), and Augustine (354-430) all recognized dispensational distinctions in their writings.
• Allegorical interpretation, attributed primarily to Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-254), was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th century, and led to the official teaching that the Church superseded Israel as the people of God in the New Testament. This interpretation, called "replacement theology" or "supersessionism", persists in Roman Catholicism and Reformation theology.
• The development of complex theological systems, including dispensational theology and "Covenant theology", was possible only after the Bible became readily available to the common man in the 16th century and study of the Scriptures had recovered the basic Reformation truth of justification through faith alone.

See also:
Dispensationalism's Theological History chart

Dispensational Principles

• Literal ("normal" vs. allegorical) interpretation of Scripture.
• Distinction between Israel and the Church as separate entities with separate programs.
• The glory of God (vs. man's personal salvation) as His ultimate purpose.

Adam

Genesis 2:16
Romans 5:12

Everyone

Genesis 5-6

Everyone

Genesis 9:5

Do not eat the forbidden fruit

Gen. 2:16-17

Live right

Gen. 4:7

Submit to man's authority

Gen. 9:1-7

Trust God's promise

Gen. 12:1-3
Gen. 26:1-5

Keep the Law

Lev. 26:3, 46
Deut. 6:1-3, 25

Walk in the Spirit

Gal. 5:16
Rom. 6:11-13

Submit to the King

Zech. 14:9
Isa. 2:2-3; 11:3-5

Creation to the Fall

Gen. 2:7
Gen. 3:22-23

The Fall to the Flood

Gen. 3:23-24
Gen. 6:17

Noah to the Tower of Babel

Gen. 9:1-7
Gen. 11:8-9

Abram to Egypt

Gen. 12:1-3
Ex. 12:40-41

Sinai to Calvary

Ex. 19:3-8
Matt. 27:50-51

The Tribulation
(70th Week of Daniel)
Daniel 9:27

Pentecost to the Rapture

Acts 2:1-4
1 Cor. 12:13
1 Thess. 4:16-17

1000 years following Christ's 2nd Coming

Matt. 24:29-31
Rev. 20:7

Innocent

Gen. 1:26-27
Gen. 3:5

Lucifer present

Gen. 3:1-5

Conscience

Gen. 3:22

Sin Nature

Eph. 2:3

Cleansed earth

Gen. 7:23

Idolatry

Josh. 24:2

Redeemed from Egypt

Ex. 14:30-31

New nature

Eph. 4:24

Indwelling HS

Rom. 8:9

Satan bound

Rev. 20:2

Curse lifted

Isa. 11:9
Isa. 65:18-25

Adam deliberately chose to eat

Gen. 3:6

Universal wickedness

Gen. 6:5

Tower of Babel

Gen. 11:4

The Patriarchs left the Land

Gen. 12:10
Gen. 26:2-3
Gen. 27:41-43

Israel broke the Law

Judges 2:10-13

1 Kings 11:4-8
2 Kings 17:7-23
Acts 15:10

Christians live in the flesh

Gal. 5:17
Rev. 2:4-5

Satan-led rebellion

Rev. 20:7-9

The Curse

Gen. 3:14-15
Gen. 3:16
Gen. 3:17
Gen. 3:19
Gen. 3:23

Captivities

2 Ki. 17:23, 25

Dispersion

Deut. 28:63-68

Tribulation

Jer. 30:3-7

Chastening

Heb. 12:3-15

Bema Seat

1 Cor. 3:11-15

Destruction of the wicked

Rev. 20:9

Not left in the Garden to sin forever

Gen. 3:15
Gen. 3:24

Noah's family saved

Gen. 6:8, 18
Gen. 7:23

Earth not destroyed

Gen. 9:11-17

Released from captivity

Ex. 2:23 - 3:8

National restoration

Deut. 30:1-8
Jer. 31:31-36

The patience of Christ

2 Peter 3:9

Display of divine mercy

Isa. 40:10-11
Jer. 33:7-9

Christianized world

1 John 4:1
Matt. 24:11-12