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Chapter 2

The 7 Guiding Principles or Keys unlock the understanding to the 7 Biblical Dispensations

Understanding the keys or guiding principles are the basis for the understanding of dispensations. The Biblical continuity and clarity of a dispensation reveals the symmetry in God's workings throughout the Bible. The understanding of the symmetry reveal how the Biblical events are tied together, opening ones heart and mind to God's awesome workings to redeem mankind.

1. The first key or guiding principle is the Universal truths. They are in keeping with God's eternal Holy character, righteousness, and justice. Also, the universal truths are in keeping with the laws of creation, whether already revealed or still hidden in Him to be revealed in a latter dispensation, Mark 13:31, 2 Timothy 2:15, Titus 1:3, Psalm 119:89,103, 130, 160, 12:6, 18:30, 33:4, 6, 68:11, 105:7-9:

   Examples :
   a. God is eternal, shows - grace, mercy, love, etc, Romans 5:1-11, 1 John3:1, 4:7-21.
   b. A man will always be a man and a woman, a women - creation after its kind, Genesis 1:21,27, 2:9.
   c. Man is created eternal, he is responsible to trust God and be obedient, Ecclesiastes 3:11.
   d. The earth is held together by His formulas - matter will always be a material substance of the universe that has mass, occupies space, and is convertible to energy, etc., Psalms 19, Psalm 3:5,
    Job 32-42, Isaiah 55:6-9.

   Through the dispensations New universal truths are given as He reveals them to mankind, they are then included along with those which have come forward from eternity or the former dispensations. Universal Truths are seen throughout all dispensations and never change. These universal truths are/were revealed in God's timing; just because some universal rules were revealed latter in history does not mean they are not universal or not important, for example the 10 commandments given over two-thousand years after creation were moral and holy even though mankind did not know them until revealed through the Law of Moses; the Bible says they were added to show God's holiness and man's sin and sinfulness, Romans 7:7-13, Galatians 3:19. Also, the incarnation was historically revealed progressively to mankind, from eternity past (prophesied, birth, and His Heavenly present and future manifestation or appearance), Galatians 4:4,5, John 1:1,14, Romans 5:6, Ephesians 1:4, John 17:5, Genesis 3:15.
   
   The universal truths revealed from God in His word and at His timing are never to be violated by man's scientific research and discovery. The Word of God is the guide which is to be used when true scientific adventure is undertaken - 'the end does not justify the means'. If dispensational studies with the other Systematic Theology studies had been taken as a guide in the discovery of truth, there would not be the violations or contradictions in understanding what is moral. Also, there would be a better understanding discovering our universe since God is the creator and He honors righteousness, Romans 1:18-23, Hebrews 1:2, 11:3, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 7:1
   .

   The last six keys of a dispensation all occur in the history of the dispensation. They give new rules or they modify the old rules, which then make changes within the new dispensation. The new dispensation runs until the failure and punitive judgment has occurred leading into the next dispensation, (or administration). All seven keys govern the dispensation and if a dispensation does not have all seven occurring a dispensation would not change. For instance if mankind does not fail in the dispensation, it would not end, for each dispensation except the last one has a failure, therefore, no punitive judgment or transition period is needed.
    

2. The second key or guiding principle is the rules that changed or were modified because of man’s failure in the former dispensation or the fulfillment of a event in God's plan.

   Examples :
   a. The environment Genesis 2:6; 6:17; 7:4,5, no weeds and thistles to weed and thistles Genesis 3:17-19, and canopy of water over the earth Genesis 6:17; 7:11,12; 9:8-14.
   b. The dietary rules,- seed bearing vegetation Genesis 3:19; 9:3, animal eating Genesis 9:1-6, certain animal eating Leviticus 11:1-47,and then latter eating of any animal Romans 14:14,20, 1 Timothy 4:3, and then Tree of Life and no animal eating Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 13-15,19.
   c. The government, - earthly - the family head Genesis 2:15-18, the populous of a Nation Genesis 11:1-4, many nations Romans 13:1-7, and the spiritual government - God directly Genesis 4:1-16; 6:13-22, the nation of Israel Genesis 12:1-3, an organism call the Body of Christ Ephesians 1:18-23; 2:14-18, a remnant of Israel Zephaniah 3:8-20, and out of the New Nation of Israel the remnant and finally all the redeemed under God rule Revelation 22:12-17, 1 Corinthians 15:27,28. 
   d. The approaching of mankind to God Genesis 3:8,9, - family head Genesis 4:1-5; 7:1;8:20,21, Job 1:1-5, a earthly priest Hebrews 10:11, no earthy priest but a heavenly One Hebrews 10: 5-18, either through animal sacrifices, no animal sacrifices, by the One mediator, (our LORD Jesus) Hebrews 9:11-22.
   
   Note: All the above examples are understood clearly from a dispensational examination and in the following chapters they will be explained dispensationally and it will show how they all fit together and unify God's total working to redeem mankind.
    

3. The third key or guiding principle is, the New Rules which govern the new Dispensation's operation. These are unique to this dispensation and not found in the proceeding dispensation. There are many unique rules to every dispensation which govern the stewards and the way they are to carry out the dispensation. They include the ways the revealed covenants from God will be carried out, they do not change the covenant but give the rule for fulfilling the covenant within the dispensation. The rules which change are the every day manifestation of the responsibilities in living.

   Examples :
   a. Rules for taking care of the Garden of Eden.
   b. Rules which govern the way to handle a murderer.
   c. In the third dispensation very few example to the specific are given of the whole dispensation. It is known that the people on earth were not to build a tower for the religious reasons they did, knowing their was a judgment mankind received for building the tower. The Word as given does give some aspects to the understanding about the people at this time, they had one language, and the people worked in conjunction with each other, the government was a one government by the unity which they demonstrated. They also had developed a priesthood and had prophets, Melchizedek priest of Midian Moses father-in-law and Balaam.
   d. Abraham was given rule for carrying out of the covenants. The rules relating to the development of the nation - circumcision, holiness, worship, the governing rule through the times of the patriots, judges and kings, and finally through the Messiah.
   e. Rules of equality, the church called His Body. These rule relating to the new organism of Jew and Gentiles on an equal plane, rule relating to non-believing  and rulers of authority or governments.
   f. Rule of the Messiah's earthly rule, and the Nation of Israel's superior leadership in the earthly reign of Christ Jesus.
   g. Rule of the redeemed for eternity under God as superior and the chain of leadership that He establishes for eternity.

    

4. The fourth key or guiding principle is the stewardship, ordained of God, to fulfill His plan. God chose a stewardship to carry out the spiritual operation of the dispensation, (A chart which can help see the stewardship and connection to the 7 dispensation).

   Examples : The stewards are/were to carry out His spiritual plans revealed for His administration (dispensation), historically.
   a. The steward - Adam in direct communication with God and in contact with Lucifer, Genesis 1:27-30, 2:16,17, 3:8-19, Ezekiel 28:11-19, cf. Genesis 3:1-6, 13-15, Hebrews 1:14.
   b. The stewards - of the family heads, Genesis 2, Genesis 6:6-5.
   c. There was the stewardship through family heads and government, which created a religious system having priests and prophets, Genesis 8:18-21, 9:4,5, 10-11, Job 1:1-5, 42:7-10, Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7:1, Numbers 22-24, Exodus 2:16, 18:1.
   d. Followed by the stewardship of a select family, (Abraham and his decedents), chosen for an earthly Kingdom, Genesis 12:1-4, 13:14,15, chapters 15, 17, 21, Genesis 18:9-15, 2 Samuel 7.
   e. The stewardship of personal equality through the Church (called His body an organism of all Jews and Gentiles having an equal approach and responsibility), Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:14, Romans 11:1-24, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
   f. The stewardship of a prefect kingdom ruler and staff. Christ Jesus ruling or His reign here on the earth in His earthly Kingdom and ruling through the Nation of Israel in fulfillment of the covenant made to Abraham and David, being in their natural bodies Romans 11:25-27, Matthew 28:16-20, along with all the redeemed from all ages 1 Corinthians 6:2,3 cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, the saint's in their glorified bodies, Revelation 20:4.
   g. Finally, the stewardship of God in His Eternal Kingdom through all the redeemed saints from all dispensations), 1 Corinthians 15:27,28.
    

5. The fifth key or guiding principle is the Failure of Man’s obedience in the stewardship to carry out God's commands and desires.  With the failure of the stewards, corruption becomes dominate, coupled in conjunction with God's longsuffering, foreknowledge, purpose, and love the dispensation begins to end bring it into transition to the next dispensation, Romans 9:22, 2 Peter 3:15, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Peter 3:20, Galatians 5:22, Romans 2:4, Numbers 14:18, Exodus 34:6. One important thing to remember, time is not the controlling factor of a dispensation, but the events of man's failure, and God's longsuffering coming to an end bring the next two keys or guiding principles into operation, (God's bearing with great patience, compassionate, and Him being slow to anger the transition begins).
   
   The first 5 dispensations, God does not give or reveal the length of time of the dispensation's governing. However, the 6th dispensation God does reveal the length of time; it is a thousand year, the earthly Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, call the Dispensation of the Kingdom, time does not govern the dispensation but God gives the length of time before the sin and judgment. Also, God reveals the 7th Dispensation length, the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time, it is eternal - how long is eternal but eternal.
   
   The Eternal Dispensation never fails and ends, but it is completely under the redemption brought about by God, through Christ Jesus who is eternal, Ephesians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 15:27, 28 (A chart which can help see how the failures relate to the seven dispensations.).

   a. The first dispensation's failure came about with Satan and Adam and Eve, (mankind in innocence).
   b. The second dispensation's failure, Mankind doing that which was right in their own eyes or imaginations, (mankind under conscience).
   c. Third dispensation Tower of Babel false worship and approach to God, (mankind under human government in religious responsibility).
   d. The next dispensation God chooses a Nation and the failure is the Nation's rejecting God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, (The Nation of Israel fails the world by compromising with it false spiritual truths and practices).
   e. Today the time will come when the apostate religion develops, promoting heresies within the church, demonstrated by a compromising church.
   f. Sixth dispensation Many follow Satan after his release from the bottomless pit, (the heart of those born in the 1000yrs reject Christ).
   g. The last dispensation there is no more sin or failure, therefore no transition and punitive judgment.
    

6. The sixth key or guiding principle is the Transition to the new dispensation -  where one dispensation decreases and the new one come to maturity, (There are two transitions in every dispensation except the first, God spoke the creation of the heavens and earth into existence - unless you want to call the 7 days of creation a transition from eternity but there was no failure in eternity past; and the last dispensation where the dispensation never ends because there is no failure - one transition is at the beginning and the other transition at the end of five dispensations.). The transition can be a short time or many years, It starts at the failure and ends at some point into the new dispensation. As stated before when a stewardship fails it brings God’s longsuffering and patience to an end; and because of the stewardship’s failure, the world lacks the witness of God which allows the permeation of sin to come upon mankind, ultimately resulting in the punitive judgment from God. The events from the failure brings the dispensation into a period of transition where the new one begins until the judgment of the former dispensation ends, and the new dispensation is in full operation. (A chart which can help see how the transitions relate see chart on transitions.)

   Transitions:
   a. Started with the sin of Satan and Adam and Eve---►God pronouncing the judgment ---►To the expulsion from Garden of Eden.
   
   Remember their is a transition time were both dispensation are operating one becoming weaker or passing away and the other one the new one becoming fully operational - this time is always until the former one is not seen anymore in scripture operating.
   
   b. Started with the pronouncement of mankind's wickedness ---►the world wide flood ---►to Noah coming off the Ark and the new laws given for mankind.
   
   Remember their is a transition time were both dispensation are operating one becoming weaker or passing away and the other one the new one becoming fully operational - this time is always until the former one is not seen anymore in scripture operating.
   
   c. Started when the people agreed together to build the Tower of Babel ---►the scattering of all the people of the earth ---►through the choosing of Abraham to the last mention of the existence of the old order of leadership, (Moses' father-in-law, a priest and apostasy and disobedient prophet, Balaam).

   Remember their is a transition time were both dispensation are operating one becoming weaker or passing away and the other one the new one becoming fully operational - this time is always until the former one is not seen anymore in scripture operating.
   
   d. Started with the end of the divided Kingdom apostasy ---►The Times of the Gentiles, (The Northern and Southern tribes of Israel goes into captivity, rejecting God the Father before ---► rejecting God the Son at the cross, and ---► finally God the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, ---► extending through the time of the overlay of the mystery dispensation, ---► the ending will be with the ending of the 7 year tribulation ---►ending with Battle of Armageddon with Christ Jesus' coming back to earth taking His earthly thrown.
   
   Remember their is a transition time were both dispensation are operating one becoming weaker or passing away and the other one the new one becoming fully operational - this time is always until the former one is not seen anymore in scripture operating.
   
   e. The mystery transition of the mystery dispensation starts with, ---► Israel as a Nation rejecting  their ambassadorship to the world under the New Covenant ---►through the historical events recorded in the Book of Acts ---►Completing with the full revelation of the mystery dispensation of a new organism in the Apostle's Paul writings.

   (This whole dispensation was a mystery and the two transitions, the beginning of it and ending was not prophesied, some have read into scriptures making the transitions the same as the Nation of Israel's transition with its punitive judgment because the Gentile of world are judged at this time. The Rapture was a mystery ending where believers are raptured into the clouds and nonbelievers are left behind which go into the punitive judgment along with the Nation of Israel.)

   f. The ending transition of the mystery is some time at God's discretion fulfilling 1Timothy 4:1-4 and 2 Timothy 3:1-7 ---►through the Rapture for believers of the Church ---►non-believers left behind after the Rapture ending with ---► the 7 year Tribulation at the Battle of Armageddon with Christ Jesus' return to earth.
   
   Remember their is a transition time were both dispensation are operating one becoming weaker or passing away and the other one the new one becoming fully operational - this time is always until the former one is not seen anymore in scripture operating.
   
   g. The last transition is with Satan's release from prison ---►through the Battle of Gog and Magog and the Great White Throne judgment ---►to the New Heaven and earth.
    

7. Finally, the seventh key or guiding principle we will observe is, the Punitive Judgment from God.  After His longsuffering and the exercising of His attributes, God’s punitive judgment is carried out and with the completion of the judgment, which happens somewhere within the transition time the new dispensation takes priority, Romans 2:4-6, 2 Peter 3:9-10. (A chart of the punitive judgments under mankind's failure it is below on the basic chart of the seven dispensations.)

   Examples :
   a. Death and a cursed world and expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
   b. World wide flood.
   c. Mankind scattered throughout the earth to developed new languages and governments with the breaking up of the one world government. Possible the color of skin came about at this time which brought about isolation and inbreeding.
   d. Time of the Gentiles and the Tribulation period for the Nation of Israel as a whole end with Christ Jesus 2nd coming and destroying all non-believing Jews with non-believing Gentiles, at the Battle of Armageddon.
   e. The end of the church Called His Body on earth (Rapture) and then the Tribulation period ending with the non-believers destroyed by Christ Jesus' Coming, at the Battle of Armageddon.
   f. Satan released from Bottomless pit and the Battle of Gog and Magog ending with the Great White Thorn Judgment ending.

The seven principles or keys can be understood by looking at them in terms of an government holding a term of office. Every government has principles which govern the administration.

1. In the formation of a government the governor establishes the the rules of the administration.
2. There are rules that change or are modified from one administration to the next.
3. There are new rules which govern the new administration's operation which are unique to the administration alone.
4. The administration has laws and rules added as the administration progresses.
5. The government ruler appoints stewards to carry out the goal of the administration.
6. There are those who fail to carry out the stewardship and the leader of the administration brings judgment.
7. There is a transition from one ruling administration to the next, (There are two in every administration unless it never ends - one at the beginning and the other at the end.).

The 7 Dispensations - of Scripture see - chart

1.      The Dispensation of Innocence - started at creation, Genesis 1 through 3

2.      The Dispensation of Conscience - starting at the fall, Genesis 4 through 8

3.      The Dispensation of Human Government - starting at the building of the Ark, Genesis 9 through 11:11-26

4.      The Dispensation of Promise - transition started with the the sin of the previous dispensation and the call of Abraham, Genesis 11:26, Exodus 1 through Acts 7. The Punitive Judgment on the dispensation, Revelation 1-19:3, and the overlaying of the mystery dispensation and running until the completion of the mystery, where both dispensations experience the same punitive judgment, the Tribulation or the period call by God, His wrath where he pours out on the earth punitive judgment, Isaiah 13, 24; 2 Thessalonians 2.

5.      The Dispensation of Grace or Equality, (Not prophesied in the Bible, Romans 16:24-27, Ephesians 3:1-10, Colossians 1:25-29 (KJV)- started with the events recorded in Acts 8-10, when God opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles on equal bases with the Jews. The calling of the Apostle Paul, who wrote the majority of the books of the New Testament, (Romans thought Titus, 12 of the 27). Acts 8 through Hebrews covers the mystery, and the General Epistles of which contain universal practical relating to the New covenant for all dispensations and mixed with a Jewish overtone of prophecy, James - Jude. The dispensation ends with the Rapture of the Body of Christ, then the Punitive Judgment on the non believers of the dispensation, the world wide Tribulation period or Daniel's 70th week which was prophesied, Revelation 1 through 19:3. The Apostle Paul was given the full revelation for this dispensation.

6.      The Dispensation of the Kingdom (earthly) - Starts with the Lord Jesus second coming to earth at the and the Battle of Armageddon. Matthew through John which speak directly to the time of the tribulation and transition from the Dispensation of Promise to the earthly Kingdom and the Kingdom and Jesus Christ directly working through Israel with salvation being dispensed to the Gentiles and Israel in a superior leadership role, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John, Jude give practical living with universal principle for all dispensation but with a Jewish overtone. The Book of Revelation expounding on Old Testament prophecies reveal the transitioning to the Earthly Kingdom with direct revelation of environmental happenings of the wrath of God and the gathering of the true Israel a remnant which will believe and endure till the battle of the Great Supper of God which end the tribulation period and the full reality or implementation of the Dispensation of the Kingdom, Revelation 19:17, Revelation 19:4 through Revelation 20:8.

7.      The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time or the Eternal Kingdom – Starts at the release of Satan from the Bottomless Pit and the Battle of Gog and Magog. Direct reference, Ephesians 1:10, Revelation 20,21,22. Also, Prophecies throughout the Bible which relate to the Eternal Kingdom of God and foretell of the expectations and the way eternal life will be. The transition began with Satan release from the Bottomless Pit and ending with the Great White Throne Judgment bring to the end the earthly Kingdom, transitioning fully into the eternal Kingdom of God Revelation 20.

The Names given to a Dispensation

The dispensations have been given names by dispensationalist to identify the major way in which God administered each dispensation. The words used in the title describing the a particular dispensation is not exclusive in its description because the truth of that word or words may have already operating before and will be found in future dispensations. The words used however, does describe a unique aspect relating to that particular dispensation.

a. For example: The characteristic of grace is seen throughout all dispensations and the use of the word in the title, the Dispensation of Grace is describing the grace of equality offered to all mankind, forming the Body of Christ or the new organism, Ephesians 1:11-14, 2:15,  Acts 7-13 cf. Ephesians 3:1-9. It is unique to the fifth dispensation's operation.

Grace is one aspect which is in the Redemptive Covenant with mankind which does not change because it is given as a covenant from the Godhead in offering redemption. Therefore grace which is given in the Redemptive Covenant will be seen given in grace in all of the dispensational rules of operation as they unfold and individual respond to God.

The Old Testament saints were saved by God's grace and given a religious system to express their faith. Romans  4:1-25, Psalm 4:5; Psalm 50:23; Psalm 51:16-18; Proverbs 21:3; Proverbs 21:27; Ecclesiastes 5:1; Isaiah 1:1-13; Hosea 8:13; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:5; Hebrews 11:4.

Also, grace was show by the postponement of the tribulation period or the wrath of God on the world and the Nation of Israel. Even though the Nation of Israel failed God still showed grace, offering salvation to individual Jews, Romans 11. If God had not started a new dispensation He would have poured out on the world His wrath as prophesied, Joel 2:28-32 cf. Acts 2:16-23, Acts 7.

b. Another example: The institution of human government is also carried out in other dispensations. The name  Dispensation of Human Government was first applied or introduced for the dispensation with Noah right after the world wide flood, giving man the right and responsibility to govern the affairs of man by men that had prior belonged to God exclusively, (God) - Genesis 4:10-16 cf. (Mankind) - Genesis 9.

c. A third example: The name the Dispensation of Conscience was given to this dispensation because every individual was responsible directly to God, being led by the individual's conscience. Adam and Eve's conscience was seen when they hide from God showing they had a consciences when it condemned them of their sin. Conscience is still operating in the lives of individuals today. Conscience works in conjunction with the Holy Spirit's convicting of sin and righteousness using the laws reveled in God's Word. The conscience is showing mankind of his sinfulness and helplessness of righteousness and forgiven. The Holy Spirit also reassures us through our conscience we are a child of God and reassures us when responding correctly to God's Word and others, Psalm 23:3; Psalm 65:5; Isaiah 42:21; John 3:34; John 16:8; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 3:5; Hebrews 10:29; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6; Revelation 3:13 . The Mosaic Law for example was given to show mankind his sinfulness, Genesis 3 - 4, Romans 4:20. God the Holy Spirit has always used mankind's conscience with His word to convict man of right and wrong, Genesis 6:3, Hebrews 9:14, Ephesians 5:26, Hebrews 4:12.

d. Examples of the other dispensational names:

The Dispensation of Innocence - before man had not sinned, Genesis 1:2; 2:15-17, 25; Romans 5:12-21, sin and death began at the point of disobedience and before that mankind was innocent.
The Dispensation of Promise - the promises give to Abraham and his descendents to establish a kingdom nation and the Savior would come through his seed, Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; Galatians 3:15-18.
The Dispensation of the Kingdom - Jesus Christ will rule and Christ will sit on the throne of David ruling in the Kingdom on earth, 1 Samuel 12:12, 2 Samuel 7:11-16,22-26, 2 Chronicles 7:14-18, Psalm 2:1-12, 110:1-7, Isaiah 9:6,7, Revelation 19:6.
The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time - God's eternal Kingdom - everything is completed, redemption experienced, there is no end, eternal, a new heaven and a new earth, Psalm 103:19-22, Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-21, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.

The names marks a specific uniqueness of the dispensation but that does not say the unique word is not found in other dispensation.

God's Unfailing Character, Promises and Provision