Dispensationalism and God's Glory

Dispensationalism and God's Glory website | Unknown | Greg Herrick

[fortheDeclaration]

Dispensationalism and God’s Glory by Greg Herrick, Ph.D.

Introduction The glory of God is an ocean in which many have swum, but none have ever touched bottom. It is a great theme in the scriptures perhaps even the central theme or motif. Hence, there are many ways in which this truth is revealed in the bible. Yet, the primary focus of the following paper is to discuss the glory of God as it is seen in the dispensations. In order to accomplish this a definition of glory will be offered followed by a definition of a dispensation. Then each of the seven classically held dispensations will be defined and related to the greater theme of God’s glory as seen most clearly in His sovereignty, holiness, grace, wisdom, and faithfulness over and above the wickedness of man.

The glory of God is His intrinsic greatness or weightiness, His manifold majesty, brilliance, depth, awesomeness. It is all His attributes to infinity in perfect balance. Everything He does is simply a reflection of His glory. Hence, His plan for the ages will reflect His greatness and glory (Eph. 1:11).

The word dispensation means an ‘order of things regarded as established or controlled by God’ (Oxford Dictionary, 4th edition, p.233). According to Walvoord it is a “stage in the progressive revelation of God constituting a distinctive stewardship or rule of life.” Ryrie says it is a “distinguishable economy in the outworking of God’s purpose.”

There are, as characteristically understood by many dispensationalists, seven such economies running through the Word of God (Nevin, p.99). The major characteristics or features of a dispensation have been and continue to be debated, but it is believed that there are two primary characteristics, namely the governing relationship which God enters into with the world and the resulting responsibility on mankind. There are three secondary elements. They are: 1) some test given to man, 2) resulting failure on the part of man and 3) the subsequent judgment of God. The seven dispensations of scripture have been titled as 1) freedom, 2) conscience, 3) civil government, 4) patriarchal rule, 5) Mosaic law, 6) grace and 7) Messianic rule. Let us now look at the dispensations.

The Dispensation of Freedom In the dispensation of freedom (freedom seems better to me than does innocence. I can dispense my freedom, not my innocence). God created man with a perfect heart and put him in a perfect environment (Gen.1:27, 2:15) and commanded man to reproduce and to work the garden (2:15), but not to eat of the tree “of the knowledge of good and evil” (2:16). Satan tempted man and he rebelled against the word of God and fell into sin. The dispensation ended with judgment upon the man, his wife and upon Satan. God would no longer rule man as if he were “innocent” or “free” because he wasn’t. God’s glory or weightiness is seen in his final and exacting judgment upon Satan (3:14-15), thus demonstrating His sovereignty (He is the highest court of appeal) and His judgment and mercy extended to heads of the human race. He expelled them from the garden but promised a redeemer (3:15) typified by garments of skin in Genesis 3:21 (Allen P. Ross, p.33 in Bible Knowledge Commentary, vol. 1).

The Dispensation of Conscience The subsequent arrangement or order of things has been referred to as the dispensation of conscience (3:6-9:19). In this dispensation man was left to the dictates of his conscience which could produce guilt (Jn.8:9;1Tim.4:2) but was powerless to promote righteousness (Romans 3:10). He was to learn to deal with sin (Gen.4:7) and understand the need for a sacrifice; the penalty of sin being death (cf. Abel in 4:4). However, man was utterly unable to keep God’s standard and murder resulted immediately and as the population grew the wickedness of the earth grew greatly in God’s sight (Gen.6:5). Judgment (i.e. the flood) followed man’s failure, but grace was evidenced in the salvation of Noah and his family (6:8, 7:13) and the possibility of a redeemer was kept alive through Noah’s family. In this dispensation God’s glory or brilliance is seen in his holiness which parceled out justice and judgment not on just two or three individuals but on a great population-the whole earth. There is no man who can escape from God (Jer.23:24) and man should not take a God such as this lightly.

After Noah came out of the ark, God blessed him and his sons (9:1) and gave them further revelation with accompanying responsibility to be fruitful and multiply (8:17), eat anything he wanted except animals with their life blood still in them (8:19) and maintain the practice of sacrifice (8:20). God promised not to destroy the earth by water again and then laid down the authority basis for civil government(8:15-11:9)-capital punishment. In connection with this Ryrie notes, “ unless government has the right to the highest form of punishment, its basic authority is questionable and insufficient to protect properly those whom it governs” (Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 60). Human or civil government did not curb man’s sin as Noah’s drunkenness and the tower of Babel indicate. Man is unfit to govern himself and the end result will be world-wide disobedience and turning from God and the marring of His glory (Rom.1:23). Again, the unquestioned judgment of God in the confusion of the languages and dispersing of the people (11:9-8) shows forth His glory (in His sovereignty) and greatness as above the peoples of the earth. His glory shows through His wisdom in this judgment because with different languages sin now has a barrier and will not spread as fast.

The Dispensation of Promise The next dispensation is that of promise (11:10-Ex.19:2). In this dispensation promises were given to Abraham and his seed. There were failures on the part of the patriarchs and of the Nation of Israel (and subsequent judgment) but God in His grace will yet fulfill the promises in spite of human inability to believe (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-33). God’s glory is revealed in His utter faithfulness to Israel, who was chosen for His glory, and who will finally possess the land as promised.

The Dispensation of the Mosaic Law The next dispensation, that of Mosaic Law, conditioned Israel’s life while in the promised land (Deut. 4:1-2). It was given to teach them and by extension to the whole world, their need for a Saviour. Israel disobeyed many times leading to their Exile in 722 BC and 586 BC. Yet, God dealt with them graciously and revealed His glory at the beginning of the Law (Ex.19,33,40) during the Law (Is. 6:3) and at the end of the Law in the coming of Christ (Jn.1:14). The Law had moral, civil and religious components which taught Israel of the glory of their God above the pagan non-gods of the nations around them. The Law itself was the revelation of the glory of God, especially His holiness and grace, and man’s utter sinfulness. The judgment on Israel for the rejection of their Messiah has been dispersion from the land for over 1900 years.

The Dispensation of Grace The dispensation of grace begins in Acts 2 and carries through to Revelation 19:21. The Church is the main revelation of this period and is made up of all those who are baptized by the Holy Spirit. The Church is to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth and rely on the indwelling Spirit to overcome sin. The ultimate end of the church age is apostasy (Tim.4:1-3) and judgment in the great tribulation (after the rapture of the church). Since the revelation extends to the whole world, the whole world will experience God’s judgment (Rev.3:10). The glory of God is seen primarily in His grace to undeserving sinners through the loving sacrificial death of His Son and His wisdom in devising such a plan to include everyone in his mercy (Romans 11:33).

The Dispensation of the Messianic Rule The final form of testing or administration is the dispensation of the Messianic Rule. This will commence at the return of Christ through a one thousand year period and will spread over the whole earth with Christ Himself ruling and Satan bound (Rev.20:3). It will be a righteous and good rule, yet it will end in rebellion with armies gathered at the direction of Satan (then released) to defeat Christ. The glory of God is seen world-wide in the presence of the glorified Christ in all His majesty. It is always amazing to me how God can have such patience with sinners like us. “The dispensation of the kingdom differs from all preceding dispensations in that it is the final form of moral testing. The advantages of the dispensation include a perfect government, the immediate glorious presence of Christ, universal knowledge of God and the terms of salvation, and Satan rendered inactive” (Walvoord, In the dispensations God has demonstrated every possible means of dealing with man. In every dispensation man fails and only God’s grace is sufficient. In the dispensations is fulfilled God’s purpose to manifest His glory both in the natural world and human history. Throughout eternity no one can raise a question as to whether God could have given man another chance to attain salvation or holiness by his own ability’.

Conclusion In conclusion, the dispensations reveal the glory of God primarily in His sovereignty over the earth, sovereignty that was perhaps questioned in eternity past when Satan fell. It seems that it has been the eternal purpose of God to show forth His glory (cf. Eph 3:10,11-here through His wisdom) to Satan and his cohorts (as well as to man as was previously mentioned) and settle an issue concerning the righteous character of God before all the heavenly hosts. Hence, the glory of God is eternally revealed to men and angels.

Bibliography Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Major Bible Themes. 2nd ed. Edited by John F. Walvoord. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974.

Hottel, W.S. The Dispensations of the Ages. Cleveland, Ohio: Union Gospel Press, 1953.

Nevin, Paul D. “Some Major Problems in Dispensational Interpretation” Unpublished PhD Diss., Dallas Theological Seminry,1956.

Talbot, Louis T. God’s Plan for the Ages. Grand rapids, Michegan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1936.

Ross, Allen P. “Genesis.” In Bible Knowledge Commentary. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. Dispensationalism Today. Chicago: Moody Press, 1965.

[sola gracia]

Why can't you just take Scripture at it's own interpretor. There have been only 2 dispensations. The Old and the New. The Old Testament can be proclaimed in one word - Promise. The New Testament can be summed in one word- Fulfillment. How is that so difficult. God's glory has never been at stake. He has always stated that He would not share it with anyone. He sits enthroned in the heaven above and men are as grasshoppers in His sight. As hard as man may try he cannot wrest God's glory from Him. In fact, man falls short of the Glory of God at every moment of his life. And as far as expressing His glory to the angelic realms, Paul carifies that for us in Ephesians 3:10 "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomoplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." NIV Wow! Do you see it? Don't you get it? HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD!!! The church and the church only has been His eternal purpose. The two one. Both Jew and Gentile together in one body. How clearer can God make it for you dispensationalists??????

Dispensationalists have been "wrongly dividing" the word of truth for too long. It is time for them to "correctly handle the word of truth."

[nate4one]

Dispensationalism ignores:

1. Neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians)
2. God's Covenantal Conditions (Deuteronomy)
3. Christ's woe's and declaration of the Day of the Lord in the temple against that generation!(Matthew 23)
4. God's grace brought in Everlasting Righteousness, not affected by dispensations of false ages.(Daniel 9:24)
5. There are 2 covenants, not 3 (Old/New) (Hebrews 1-13).
6. Only a remnant of the nation of Israel would be saved.(Romans 9-10)

And the list goes on.

[Preech1]

I too was once in bondage to dispensationalism, but when those bonds broke, I got my whole Bible back again!

[STD]

Radio Free Republic Thursday night April 11th 8PM CST "Faith in Action" with Michael Curtiss MD. Join us in our inaugural show when we discuss the biblical foundations of the United States of America. Call in lines are 1-886-radioFR and 1888-802-9293. Bump this post and FReep mail me your input.

Agape,

DrMike

[sola gracia]

I too was once in bondage to dispensationalism, but when those bonds broke, I got my whole Bible back again!

Amen brother! Isn't the grace of God something? No more gaps, posponed theories, etc.... Just the simple truth, the Old and the New.

[lockeliberty]

Dispensationalists have been "wrongly dividing" the word of truth for too long. It is time for them to "correctly handle the word of truth."

Thank you for your strong and clear rebuttal of what I think is the one of the strongest false teachings afflicting the Church today. This false teaching resembles the cultic teachings of the Jehovahs Witness who are constantly claiming the end of the world is near. The affect is that good Christians focus their attention on what could happen instead of focusing on what needs to be done. Thus, Satan diverts our attention and weakens the body. Whether our Lord comes tommorow, in a hundred years, or in a thousand years, our attitudes should be the same; we look for his coming while we work for his Kingdom.

[gusopol3]

Gospels in Old or New Testament?

[DoorGunner]

Lock:

...what I think is the one of the strongest false teachings afflicting the Church today. This false teaching resembles the cultic teachings of the Jehovahs Witness...

I read the above article, and found only one small quibble with it. However, I wouldn't want to be taken in by "false teachings."

It looks like, to me, that these "dispensations" are just a way of describing , or categorizing, the various parts of the Bible. Obviously, there MUST be more to it than that.

What is the major problem, or harm, that using these descriptions will cause?

DG

[The_Reader_David]

The main harm done by much dispensationalist teaching (though not a harm inherent in the concept) is the acceptance of a despritualized, secularized life as part and parcel of the current dispensation (whatever the particular school calls it).

I have encounted dispensationalists who will go through contortions to define away instances of the gift of prophecy in recent times (as for example St. Seraphim of Sarov's foretelling of the Bolshevik persecution, St. Nektarios of Pentapolis's foretelling that a baby he was presented would become a leader of his people--he became Prime Minister of Greece, or St. Nilius' fifth century prophecy of air-travel, under-water travel and telecommunications in the mid twentieth century) because their doctrine teaches the prophecy was a gift appropiate only to earlier dispensations, and is no longer operative.

[fortheDeclaration]

I too was once in bondage to dispensationalism, but when those bonds broke, I got my whole Bible back again!

Dispensationalism does believe the whole Bible, so I do not know what you are talking about. Dispensationalists just know that one has to 'rightly divide' in order to understand the Bible (2Tim.2:15)

Also, do you differente between the Old and New Testament? Then you are a dispensationalist, just a weak one.

[DoorGunner]

David:

The main harm done by much dispensationalist teaching (though not a harm inherent in the concept) is the acceptance of a despritualized, secularized life as part and parcel of the current dispensation

Yes, I agree that such acceptance is a serious problem, and that secularization (more like christian materialism)is a major modern problem of the Body of Christ. I hadn't connected it with dispensationalism, heretofore. Food for thought.

Although I, personally believe that prophecy has not "passed away," I am pretty leery of the subject. Lack of faith, I suppose, at least a lack of faith in my own spiritual discernment. Thus, my preference for that which can be directly compared to scripture.

DG

[fortheDeclaration]

Dispensationalism ignores: 1. Neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians)

No, in this dispensation that is the Church age believer. That is a dispensationalist teaching.

2. God's Covenantal Conditions (Deuteronomy)

No, that was the Palastinian Convenant which was conditional. The Abrahamic and Davidic were unconditional

3. Christ's woe's and declaration of the Day of the Lord in the temple against that generation!(Matthew 23)

No, that was fulfilled both in 70 AD and will be fulfilled again in the Tribulation (Matt.24)

4. God's grace brought in Everlasting Righteousness, not affected by dispensations of false ages.(Daniel 9:24)

God's Grace is everlasting, but there is still one 'week' to run in Daniels 70th week (Dan.9:26-27)

5. There are 2 covenants, not 3 (Old/New) (Hebrews 1-13).

No, there are two testaments and at least 7 Covenants, Edenic, Adamic,Abrahamic,Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, and New

6. Only a remnant of the nation of Israel would be saved.(Romans 9-10) No it does not, it takes all of them into account.

Not according to Rom 9-11 and Daniel 9 and Matt.24:22, Zech 12-14

[fortheDeclaration]

Why can't you just take Scripture at it's own interpretor. There have been only 2 dispensations. The Old and the New. The Old Testament can be proclaimed in one word - Promise. The New Testament can be summed in one word- Fulfillment. How is that so difficult. God's glory has never been at stake. He has always stated that He would not share it with anyone. He sits enthroned in the heaven above and men are as grasshoppers in His sight. As hard as man may try he cannot wrest God's glory from Him. In fact, man falls short of the Glory of God at every moment of his life. And as far as expressing His glory to the angelic realms, Paul carifies that for us in Ephesians 3:10 "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomoplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." NIV Wow! Do you see it? Don't you get it? HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD!!! The church and the church only has been His eternal purpose. The two one. Both Jew and Gentile together in one body. How clearer can God make it for you dispensationalists?????? Dispensationalists have been "wrongly dividing" the word of truth for too long. It is time for them to "correctly handle the word of truth."

If one reads the Old Testament literally and does not spiritualize its promises to Isarael, one must be at least a 7pt Dispensationalist (as opposed to a 2pointer like yourself).

For I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom.11:25)

[sola gracia]

Gospels in Old or New Testament?

????????

[sola gracia]

If one reads the Old Testament literally and does not spiritualize its promises to Isarael, one must be at least a 7pt Dispensationalist (as opposed to a 2pointer like yourself).

So Elijah has literally come?? (Malacah 4:5)

[sola gracia]

but there is still one 'week' to run in Daniels 70th week (Dan.9:26-27)

Whoever heard of weeks not running one after the other? Only a dispensationalist, "wrongly dividing the word of truth" could come up with a 2000+ year gap in God's prophecy. It's just like the evolutionists - they need billions and billions of years to make sense of their interpretation of reality and then it still doesn't make sense.

[sola gracia]

that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom.11:25)

I have no problem with that statement. "a blindness in part" simply means that God has not totally rejected the people of Israel because Jews were and still are being saved. Notably Paul!! "until the fulness of the Gentiles come in." is simply just another way of saying that the blindness would remain until the end.There is no New Testament scripture that teaches a "restoration" of national Israel, NOT ONE!! Doesn't that mean anything to you?

You still don't get it. God is finished dealing with nations as nations. He now deals with individuals from all nations. Revelation 20 is clear that Satan is bound specifically in the fact that he can not deceive the nations any longer. (seeMark 3:27; Luke 10:18 It's already happened!!) It's no wonder that the Lord told his disciples to go into all the world. It is wonderful to know that there will be a number which no man can number in heaven from every nation, tribe, people and nation. (Rev 7) In the New Testament age there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile (Gal 3) because God has broken down the middle wall of hostility and made one new body out of the two. (Eph 2,3) And my Bible tells me that what God has joined together let no man put asunder.

[fortheDeclaration]

that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom.11:25) I have no problem with that statement. "a blindness in part" simply means that God has not totally rejected the people of Israel because Jews were and still are being saved. Notably Paul!! "until the fulness of the Gentiles come in." is simply just another way of saying that the blindness would remain until the end.There is no New Testament scripture that teaches a "restoration" of national Israel, NOT ONE!! Doesn't that mean anything to you?

Well, there is not one if you reject the clear reading of Heb.8:8, Rom.11:25 and Rev.7:4-8, which refer to the racial Jew.

By the way, if the individual Jew is already 'dead'(corpse like) in his sins, why does Israel have to be blinded

You still don't get it. God is finished dealing with nations as nations.

He is! How about Matt. 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all the nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shephard divideth his sheep and from the goats

He now deals with individuals from all nations. Revelation 20 is clear that Satan is bound specifically in the fact that he can not deceive the nations any longer. (seeMark 3:27; Luke 10:18 It's already happened!!) It's no wonder that the Lord told his disciples to go into all the world. It is wonderful to know that there will be a number which no man can number in heaven from every nation, tribe, people and nation. (Rev 7)

I see in Rev.7 specific Jewish tribes being mentioned. After that verse then it states the Gentiles who are saved in the Tribulation.

In the New Testament age there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile (Gal 3) because God has broken down the middle wall of hostility and made one new body out of the two. (Eph 2,3) And my Bible tells me that what God has joined together let no man put asunder.

That is right, that is the mystery revealed to Paul in Eph.3:3. That 'Bride' is composed of both Jew and Gentile today (Gal.3) but will be removed to be judged (Rom.14:10,2Cor.5:10,1Cor.3) while the Tribulation is in progress. Then there is a wedding in heaven (Rev.19) Then the Lord returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom (Rev.19-20).

The following is from the Scofield Notes

Remnant, Summary: In the history of Israel, a "remnant" may be discerned, a spiritual Israel within the national Israel. In Elijah's time 7,000 had not bowed the knee to Baal 1 Kings 19:18. In Isaiah's time it was the "very small remnant" for whose sake God still forbore to destroy the nation Isaiah 1:9. During the captivities the remnant appears in Jews like Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Esther, and Mordecai. At the end of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity it was the remnant which returned under Ezra and Nehemiah. At the advent of our Lord, John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, and "them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" Luke 2:38 were the remnant. During the church-age the remnant is composed of believing Jews Romans 11:4,5. But the chief interest in the remnant is prophetic. During the great tribulation a remnant out of all Israel will turn to Jesus as Messiah, and will become His witnesses after the removal of the church Revelation 7:3-8. Some of these will undergo martyrdom Revelation 6:9-11 some will be spared to enter the millennial kingdom Zechariah 12:6-13:9. Many of the Psalms express, prophetically, the joys and sorrows of the tribulation remnant.

tribulation

The great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble predicted in the passages cited under that head from Psalms 2:5 to Revelation 7:14 and described in Re 11.-18. Involving in a measure the whole earth Revelation 3:10 it is yet distinctly "the time of Jacob's trouble" Jeremiah 30:7 and its vortex Jerusalem and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Palestine in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. (See Scofield "Daniel 9:24") . Revelation 11:2,3 The elements of the tribulation are: (1) The cruel reign of the "beast out of the sea" Revelation 13:1 who at the beginning of the three and a half years, will break his covenant with the Jews (by virtue of which they will have re-established the temple worship, Daniel 9:27 and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshipped as God ; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4. (2) The active interposition of Satan "having great wrath" Revelation 12:12 who gives his power to the Beast Revelation 13:4,5. (3) The unprecedented activity of demons Revelation 9:2,11 and (4) the terrible "bowl" judgments of Re 16. The great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God Revelation 7:4-8 and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles Revelation 7:9 are said to have come "out of the great tribulation" Revelation 7:14. They are not of the priesthood, the church, to which they seem to stand somewhat in the relation of the Levites to the priests under the Mosaic Covenant. The great tribulation is immediately followed by the return of Christ in glory, and the events associated therewith Matthew 24:29,30.

See "Remnant" Isaiah 1:9.

[sola gracia]

The following is from the Scofield Notes

"My hope is built on nothing less, than Scofield's note and references." Ahhh, what a theme song you dispensationalists have. Be careful of lawyers turned theologians.

Friend, there is no literal millenium, when the Lord comes, it's over! Case closed. The "great tribulation" is past - A.D. 70. We look for a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness. No place for a physical kingdom. I'm already in the kingdom. I'm looking forward to eternal rest with my Savior.

You will not be persuaded. I leave you to your Scofield notes and will pray that the Lord will soon bring you to your senses. I will not respond to you on this matter on this thread again.