Dispensations

“And so when they were come together, they were asking Him, Saying, “Lord, is it at his TIME you are restoring the Kingdom to Israel? He said to them, ‘it is not for you to know TIMES OR EPOCHS which the Father has fixed by His own authority….” Acts 1:6-7

Jesus spoke those words to His disciples just a few days before the Day of Pentecost, in the dispensation of Israel. Now look at the words spoken to Church age believers a few years later:

“Now as to the TIMES AND EPOCHS, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” I Thessalonians 5:1-2

“TIMES AND EPOCHS” are technical words used here and elsewhere in the New Testament to describe what is also called “DISPENSATIONS.” Here’s what it means: a specific arrangement or system by which something is administered.  More simply stated, it is GOD’S TIMETABLE FOR MAN.

God lives in eternity, beyond time. He has placed us in time for a specific purpose. History is divided up into segments of time, each segment to be administered by a particular agency or group of people..all under the authority of God Himself. The primary objective of each administration, or dispensation is to fulfill the PLAN OF GOD by using the WORD OF GOD to bring individuals into the FAMILY OF GOD. Each succeeding dispensation has clearer understanding of God’s overall plan than the previous ones, but in every dispensation salvation is the same…FAITH in the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ. From the beginning, the sacrificial lamb has symbolized His spiritual and physical death on our behalf and believers of all dispensations have understood that.

The Word of God teaches that there are four main segments, or dispensations, of time. They are as follows: 

           Age of the Gentiles……Genesis chapters 1-11
           Age of Israel (Jews)…….Genesis 12-Malachi, the four Gospels except for John chs 14-17
           Age of the Church………John 14-17, Acts, New Testament Epistles except for a few   passages.

           Age of Christ………….. His Millennial Reign   

      

DISPENSATIONS is the key which unlocks the MYSTERY of the scriptures.

“When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Ephesians 3:4-5

With an understanding of dispensations, we can orient to the particular age that a certain portion of scripture relates. For instance, the question that the disciples asked in Acts 1:6 was a legitimate one. They had reason to believe that Jesus would soon usher in the Millennial kingdom that had been promised to their fathers, the Jews for generations. What they knew nothing about yet was the Church Age. It had been a mystery to Old Testament believers. God had simply never seen fit to reveal it to them. On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, the Church Age began and the mystery was revealed to God’s people. Now it is important for us Church Age believers to distinguish between the law and prophecy of Jewish Age doctrine and the grace policy that applies to the Church. When this distinction is made, the Bible never contradicts itself, but is always clarified by self-interpretation.

God has a purpose for the nation Israel. He has a purpose for the Church. The Apostle Paul explains this very clearly in Romans chs 9-11. What it comes down to is that the Age of Israel has been interrupted for a segment of time known only to God the Father, so that His Son could prepare His Bride, the Church. When the Bride is fully prepared, She will be SNATCHED (raptured) out of the earth. It is then that God will resolve His controversy with His people, the Jews. I Thessalonians 4:16-17, Daniel 12:1

Here’s what’s important for us to understand: we are Church. We have assets, privileges, opportunities and techniques which have never been available to any other dispensation. We have the universal indwelling of the Holy Spirit; every believer in the Church Age was filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit continues to indwell all believers until the end of the Church Age. This enablement, plus the complete canon of scripture in written form are the equipment with which we are prepared to do battle with Satan’s forces. God equips His people with the Holy Spirit and the Word, and He trains us with regular instruction in Bible doctrine. We are helpless to do our jobs unless we are familiar with the equipment and understand the instructions.  We will make mistakes in judgment unless we know where we are in God’s timetable.  This is why it is so important to spend time learning and orienting to dispensational truth.

We have a destiny IN CHRIST. We will rule and reign with Him. We have identity IN CHRIST. We are Sons of God. All that Jesus Christ is, we are, because it pleased God the Father to will it so. In future dispensations, He will exhibit us, His Church, for the whole universe to admire…as eternal testimony  to the grace of God and the supremacy of Jesus Christ, His Son (Ephesians 2:7).

We are blessed above all creatures in all dispensations, and we had the great good fortune to be born during this segment of time. The Church is new species. Any Gentile who believes in Jesus Christ is Church. Any Jew who believes in Jesus Christ is Church. We will all go out with Him when he comes for us. Then the Jewish Age will have seven more years of intense tribulation, before the second advent, when Jesus will return with His Church to begin His Millennial Reign. There is much more prophecy to be fulfilled before the end of time, but our Church history could end at any moment. We have no specific number of years, and no specific “signs” to see before we are “snatched.”

We are not Israel. Let’s enjoy reading and applying certain principles we learn from God’s dealings with Israel, but don’t confuse some of the statements Jesus made to the Jews in the Gospels as pertaining to the Church. He came specifically to save His people, the Jews; and when they rejected Him, He prepared His apostles to lead His Church. He knows the end from the beginning, and nothing will ever take Him by surprise. His mission was accomplished on that cross. Our mission is to tell the world about His atoning Work as long as we have opportunity to do so.