The understanding of dispensations is not optional for today and dispensation give a clear systematic understanding of the workings of God. Accuracy is very important in Biblical studies not just in word studies, but also in God’s working out the history of mankind from the beginning of creation to the end of all things.
There is a theological approach to scripture called Systematic theology (the study of God and His workings). A dispensational study of scripture would be a sub-category under the discipline of systematic studies (the study of God's administration). The following are the categories most commonly accepted which dispensation should be included.

(There is a link on each study. The link takes you to the study of these doctrinal teachings.)
  1. Teaching of God (Theology).
  2. Teaching of the Bible (Bibliology)
  3. Teaching of Christ (Christology)
  4. Teaching of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
  5. Teaching of Man (Anthropology)
  6. Teaching of Sin (Hamartiology)
  7. Teaching of Angeles (Angelology)
  8. Teaching of Salvation (Soteriology)
  9. Teaching of Dispensations (Dispensationology)
    (A new word to describe the teaching and study of God's administrations in the history of the world)
  10. Teaching of the Church (Ecclesiology)
  11. Teaching of End Times (Eschatology)
The Biblical definition of dispensation is the dispensing of the household rules of God. The word is a scriptural term used a number of times in scripture,
(oikonomian, Translated dispensation {KJV), Colossians 1:25 {NIV Translated commission}, Ephesians 1:10 {NIV left out of the translation}, Ephesians 3:2, {NIV Translated administration}, 1 Corinthians 9:17 {NIV left out of  the Translation}, Ephesians 3:9 [KJV oikonomia, Translated 'Fellowship', NIV Translated administration], Luke 16:2-4 (KJV oikonomias, Translated stewardship).

Dispensation or administration relates to God's dealings, rules, expectation, etc. and the failures of man. The term stewardship which is inherent in the word is the one who carries out the dispensation but to have a dispensation a superior or sovereign had to design the parameters and responsibility for it. A study will show the similarities, differences and commonalties of God‘s rules through the historical administrations with man.

The study shows seven administrations which cover the beginning to the completion of redemption of mankind running in each dispensation. A study will reveal seven governing principles which move the dispensation forward in history from one dispensation to the next until the final one which fines competition in the dispensations of eternity, Ephesians 1:10. (NOTE: The word administration or dispensation are interchangeably because the meaning is the same.)

Dispensational teaching should not be considered as a movement but a truth that is found in scripture,

Dispensations clarify God’s dealings with men from the time He designed His plan and it covers how it was implemented and how life was to be carried out by men. However, if history repeat itself there will be those who oppose a study of this type. They will misrepresent it with terms such a dispensationalism trying to make it a movement or something to be rejected. Why? It is hard to know the intent of every Christian but most of the time it is because of ignorance or a refusal to change from what was taught them in some school or seminary. The understanding of the dispensational approach to the truth of God’s Word takes growth and if given a correct evaluation of dispensational truth will hold up. Other reasons for opposition is the threat to what they have always believed (a flesh problem). At times it will be a direct attack by the enemy Satan, who is trying to keep one in confusion. Let us hope and pray as Paul did for the Ephesians that their eyes would be open. The challenge is to study the scripture to see if these facts are there. One who studies God’s Word will fine new strength and understanding to ones life with greater ability to apply Scripture. No way studying the dispensations (administrations) is to be a movement! Symmetrical approach gives the understanding of today's events, the future and the past events of God.

Evangelist, pastors and teachers need to have a clear understand of dispensational truth in leading their flock into maturity. Knowing were a truth is found dispensationally will help brothers and sisters in their handling of their problems. Correct information is important in our witness to non-believer. Dispensational teaching gives believers today stability and guidance. It encourages other, keeping them from falling into errors were others have fallen. It keeps one from being deceived by false teaching or teachings spoken in error. Dispensational truths give freedom to worship with other believers without falling into their same errors they have embrace do to their lack of a dispensational approach to scripture. When understanding wrong teaching which came from a dispensational error you will be kept from the same error not being tossed 'to and fro’. The truth of God’s Word dispensationally will give clarity and understanding to why other religions which claim to be Christian are wrong with their religious practices that accompany their belief (Ephesians 4:14,16).
Dispensational truths shows how God has worked through the ages since the world began providing redemption to all who will receive His Word. It gives order and understanding to tough question. Dispensations give systematical understanding to the whole Bible, clearing up the confusion which has plagued the church since the first century. It puts in order the historical, progressive revelation of God’s dealings with man since the beginning of the world and will show how future events all tie together. Dispensations show the differences between historical events and changes. Christians do not have to ‘spiritualize' God’s word or tell 'spiritual lies’ which harm the working of Christ in the world. Dispensations give the understanding of – who the passage was written to - the purpose it was written – why it was written and how it all ties together in God’s working. All the scripture comes alive in an orderly, progressive, and understandable way helping us to understand our creation in real life examples. (2 Timothy 3:15,16, 2 Peter1:19-21,
Romans 15:4)
The gathering by the church of God’s written word the Bible (by the Apostles and prophets) gives the complete and total revelation of God. We learn the total of the existence of man from the beginning to the end of the world. The Apostles and prophets were spokesmen of God Himself and put the exact words which God spoke or inspired them to write and by using their personalities God completed the Bible. The whole of scripture is for our learning with numerous examples showing the character and nature of God and revealing man’s character. The Bible reveals man’s fallen nature in response to God and man’s future. The historical past needs to be seen from today’s administration for accuracy and clarity for living.

   Click on to enlarge or print basic chart

Dispensation
1.NT:3622 oikonomia (oy-kon-om-ee'-ah); from NT:3623; administration (of a household or estate); specifically, a (religious) "economy" KJV - dispensation, stewardship.
2. NT:3623 oikonomos (oy-kon-om'-os); from NT:3624 and the base of NT:3551; a house-distributor (i.e. manager), or overseer, i.e. an employee in that
capacity; by extension, a fiscal agent (treasurer); figuratively, a preacher (of the Gospel): KJV - chamberlain, governor, steward.
3. NT:3624 oikos (oy'-kos); of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication a family (more or less related,
literal or figuratively): KJV - home, house (-hold), temple.
4. NT:3551 nomos (nom'-os); from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case
(regulation), specifically (of Moses [including the volume]; also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle): KJV - law.

1,2,3,4 (Biblesoft's New Exhaust

 

This study has been broken down so to examine the different administrations (dispensations) found in scripture. It is broken down in the order of their occurrence.

  Click to see basic chart

The dispensations are given names which represent the major way God guided man. God was looking for man to trust and obedience Him. In all the dispensations God wants man to trust Him and being obedient brings Him glory, Ephesians 1:6. In return God gives forgiveness, purpose, freedom of chose, security of life, and heavenly pleasures. We know that because of one man's sin all the righteous and holy intent of God was corrupted by man and mankind was condemned, Romans 5, 8:18-25. And because of the corruption, God has been working on man, demonstrating His love and showing His long suffering, mercies and grace.

God's love has been shown in Christ Jesus and offered to all and given to those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord, Romans 5, John 3:16, 1 John 5:9-14. God is working to redeem man back on an individual bases and allowing those who reject to perish by their own choosing, John 3:18-21. This working of God is called redemption and is found in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those who individually receive Jesus as Lord and savior receives His provisions. We see the redemption plan represented on the chart by the red line. It is representing the redemptive covenants leading from eternity past through the historical event of the cross going into eternity.

Let us go through each dispensation briefly trying to show continuity and clarity of the past, present and future hoping it gives a clearer understanding of the symmetry and how recorded Biblical events tie together but before we take each individually we need a understanding of some basic truths in the understanding a dispensation.
 
The Names of the Dispensations and historic order of the Dispensations
Match the numbers which correspond to the names of each Dispensation of God throughout the history of the world on the chart:.
1. Dispensation of Innocence - Genesis Chapters 1 through 3
2. Dispensation of Conscience - Genesis Chapters 4 Through 8
3. Dispensation of Human Government - Genesis Chapters 9 through 11:26
4. Dispensation of Promise - Genesis 11:26 Exodus 1 through Acts 7, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3rd John
5. Dispensation of Grace or Equality Romans through Hebrews
6. Dispensation of the Kingdom - Matthew through Mark, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1st, 2nd & 3rd John, Jude Revelation
7. Dispensation of Eternity - Eternity Eph.1:10, Revelation 21
 
There are 7 Keys or governing principles in all dispensations.
Without all seven a dispensation has not changed.
  1. Rules which Govern the new Dispensation's operation. These are unique to this dispensation not found in the proceeding dispensation.
  2. Universal rules and moral principles relating to God's character, His creation and of man that go through all dispensations. Some were reveal in the proceeding dispensations and some new one revealed to man in the new dispensation.
  3. Failure of Man’s obedience - With the failure of man we see changes which happened in time, not that time was or is the controlling factor but the events of man's failure and God's longsuffering coming to an end. Coupled with the foreknowledge, purpose, patience and the love of God the dispensation ends. Man fails in every dispensation except the Dispensation of the fullness of time. The eternal dispensation never ends it is completely under the redemption brought about by God through Christ Jesus which is eternal, Ephesians 1:10.
  4. Rule which changed because of man’s failure in the former dispensation (living environment, dietary rule, governing rules, leadership, approach to God, etc.)
  5. Transition to the New dispensation - which is seen in every dispensation moving from the old to the new dispensation. It starts at the failure and end some point into the new dispensation. 
  6. There is the institution ordained of God to carry His plan out. God chose this institution to carry out the operation of His administration historically. (family heads. Select family, personal equality through the Church call His body and finally Christ’s ruling reign on earth)
  7. Judgment from God - after His longsuffering and the exercises of  His attributes the judgment is carried out and with the completion of the judgment the new dispensation starts. (Expulsion from Garden of Eden, Flood, Languages confounded, Captivity, Tribulation wrath, and Great White Throne Judgment)

All events since the creation of this world are moving to the eternal Kingdom of God which is God’s end purpose.  Dispensations are related to the different ways God has shown His mercy and grace. And each dispensation show how man responded in faith to Him and His grace and mercy. (Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, special promises, law, equality of grace, special position grace). All dispensations has/or will fail from man ability.  But God’s efforts and His provision in His love, longsuffering, grace and mercy has redeemed some. His actions will bring about the Eternal Kingdom dispensation where there will be no failure, sin and Satin because they are gone forever, Ephesians 1:10.

The broken and solid red line on the chart represents Christ’s death on the cross for the redemption of man.  The broken line is before the historical fact when animal sacrifices covered sin. The solid line is after the historical fact which then becoming applicable to all the dispensations of God.   Note: that  the broken line is red and extends before the creation of the world which represent Christ’s death being the plan of God before the world began. The broken line represents the time of the Old Covenant and the solid red line represents the New Covenant. These are the only two covenants which relate to redemption of man from his condemned state and it was a blood sacrifice.
 On the bottom of the chart are the different covenants throughout the Bible and where they were given.
    I.   A covenant agreement, in pl., Iliad:—settled government, order, Aeschylus.
   II. An arrangement between two parties, covenant Aristophanes, N.T.
   III. Covenant: A pact, treaty, alliance, or agreement between two parties of equal or of unequal authority. The covenant or testament is a central, unifying theme in Scripture, God’s covenants with individuals and the nation Israel finding final fulfillment in the new covenant in Christ Jesus. God’s covenants can be understood by humans because they are modeled in human covenants or treaties.
  • The Covenant of Eden (Covenant God with God) given to man. Genesis chapter 1 & 2.
  • The Old Covenant blood sacrifice of animals until Christ’s blood shed Genesis 3:21.
  • The Covenant with Adam after sin Genesis 3:14-20.
  • The Covenant with Noah after the Flood  Genesis 9:1-17
  • The Babel Covenant with mankind until the end of the world (Covenant God with God) given because of mankind.
    Genesis 11:6-9
  • The Covenant with Abraham until end of world Genesis 17:1-21, Chapter 15, Exodus 32:13
  • The Palestinian Covenant – Deuteronomy 30:1-10
  • The Mosaics Law to the 12 tribes until end of world, Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy
  • The Covenant with David says a king would sit on his throne referring to Christ during the Millennial Reign 2 Samuel, 7th Chapter.
  • The New covenant with Israel setting up the Kingdom Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:8-12; 10:16,17; Luke 22:19,20; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25 The New Covenant with the Gentiles 1 Corinthians 11:20, 24-26; 10:16, 21; Ephesians 3rd chapter and Romans the 11th chapter.
  • The Eternal Covenant which never ends (Covenant God with God), with those who were obedient and accepted God requirement over sin in their life time on earth, will be in heaven Ephesians 1:10, 3:11; Revelation 9:11-21, and chapter 11. Those who have rejected His provision for forgiveness of sin will spend eternity in the Lake of fire
Above the covenants on the chart are the people groups whom God was dealing with in His program (dispensation) for mankind.   Note: how the person who God was working with relates to the other aspects of the chart. Each Dispensation ends with man’s failure and God providing a new dispensation where He provides salvation and hope based on His covenants of redemption.
Today the Nation of Israel is experiencing a delay in the prophesized Kingdom fulfillment which will come after the rapture.  This delay is occasioned by God’s dealing with today’s program which He inserted when the Nation of Israel rejected the Holy Spirit. When the last person is saved in today dispensation He will finish dealing with Israel and will pick up where He left off, finishing the prophesized 70th week of Daniel.
If you would take the 5th dispensation out of the chart you would see how all of prophecy of scripture would have been fulfilled even if we did not have a Church administration called His Body. God inserted the dispensation for today which was a mystery hide in God and He revealed it to the Apostle Paul, Acts 7-10, Ephesians 3:1,2, and the other Apostles when Israel rejected the third person of the Godhead, Act 7,15, 13:46-48, 14:2, 18:6, 22:21, 28:28,29, Romans 11:11-14. The Apostles received it by revelation from the Lord, Galatians 1:14 - 2:2, 2 Corinthians 12:1-7 (Paul after his conversion received the fullness of it in a number of revelations and Peter in Acts 10). Paul was the thirteenth Apostle and called to be the specific apostle for today’s dispensation, Acts 9, Romans 11:13,2 Timothy 2:11.

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