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I propose we used the example of Abraham, who believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Before the Cross these saints had faith in God, but they didn't have any idea that Jesus Christ would offer the perfect sacrifice for our sins. IOW, they had faith but not in The Gospel that we've been given after the Cross. We see two dispensations one before and one after the Cross.

In fact, time after time, we see great numbers of them destroyed and only a remnant saved.

But we see this in Christianity today. There are large churches that don't preach The Gospel. Instead we see a mish mash of universalism and works dependent salvation.

God told them He was their Savior, many times, not the Law, not the blood of bulls and goats. They also knew of the Plan of Salvation from Abraham, so they did know that a Savior was coming to earth, ie, the time of their visitation. They just refused to believe God and believe the time, which Daniel foretold for them, as did the other prophets. They didn't want to hear it. In fact, they often killed the messenger

Everyone who has heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation and refuses to believe it, is without excuse.

Since God, and God alone, has always been the only Savior, I for one, can't see these "two dispensations".

Of course some had faith in the coming of the Christ. That's the point of the Old Testament. The remnant always would be saved, according to God's grace through faith. Read Isaiah 53...

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

Psalm 53 isn't talking about a physical army or a victorious warrior. It's telling us of the coming of the Savior who, as a sheep to the slaughter, will take the burden of our sins onto Himself and redeem men through His sacrifice.

One God; one plan of salvation; one dispensation; one remnant; one faith; one Scripture; one Savior.