The Book of Revelation
All things to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)
A Brief Survey
DISPENSATIONALISM
Dispensationalism is accused of replacing the gospel with an "Israel" centered hermenutic. However upon closer examination Dispensational thought rests on three important essential points known as the sine qua non.
The Foundation
The Sine Qua Non
Dispensationalism honors God in its reading of the Holy Bible
Dispensationalism is accused of replacing the gospel with an "Israel" centered hermenutic. However, upon closer examination, Dispensational thought rests on three important essential points known as the sine qua non (which is Latin for "without which not").
What Dispensationalism Actually Teaches
A Consistent Method
Dispensationalism seeks to understand the words of the Holy Bible in thier plain sense in their immediate and general context, in a consistent manner, paying special attention to the grammar, history, and culture seeking to observe each text from the writer's perspective. One example of this method is highlighted in God's interaction with male and female. This method is called the Consistent Normative Grammatical Historical (Cultural) method (CLGHC)
Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-17
Proper Distinctions of Israel & The Church
Because dispensationalist strive to be consistent with language of the Holy Bible seeking to observe the normative understanding of the words in thier immediate and general context and paying careful attention to the grammar, hsitory, and culture. There is a recognition of the distintions between Israel and the church.
Israel; cf., Exodus 19:1-6
Church: cf., Ephesians 2:11-22
The Glory of God
The dispensationalist does not observe God's work in salvation as the primary objective, but the glory of God in all of His works and activity, which includes the gospel of Christ, man's salvation, and even the final judgment of the wicked. Those who claim dispensationlist minimize the gospel of Christ is false claim as minimizing the gospel of Christ would violate the method the dispensationalist uses.
Psalm 19:1,
cf., 1 Corinthians 10:31
Biblical Precedent
Dispensationalism Rooted In Scripture
Not only the concept dispensationalism is found in Scripture, but the word translated dispensationalism is found in Scripture
Dispensation Defined Etymolgically
" late 14c., dispensacioun, "power to dispose of," also "act of dispensing or dealing out," also "a relaxation of the law in some particular case," from Old French despensacion (12c., Modern French dispensation) and directly from Latin dispensationem (nominative dispensatio) "management, charge," noun of action from past-participle stem of dispensare "disburse, administer, distribute (by weight)...is from the origin of the Greek word oikonomoia" meaning, "office, method of administration."
The Greek word is okionomia, which comes from the words oikos, meaning "house," and nomia, meaning "law." This Greek word is also associated with the word economy. The word refers to the act of giving out or managing something that requires management. In short, it refers to a person or persons who administer or manage something. This word in the Bible is usually translated as administration or management, found in the various Scriptures.
"And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?"
Luke 12:42 NKJV
"He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’"
Luke 16:1-2 NKJV
"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 NKJV
"Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. "
Galatians 4:2 NKJV
"For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money. "
Titus 1:7 NKJV
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. "
1 Peter 4:10 NKJV
The concept of an administrator (or steward) appears in the Hebrew Scriptures within the Egyptian cultural context in the life of Joseph.
Genesis 39:1-6 NKJV
"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus, he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate..."
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote about the "administration" or "dispensation" of God to Timothy, and all saints were responsible for promoting
"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ?"
Ephesians 3:8-9 NKJV
To Timothy: "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith..."
1 Timothy 1:3-4 NKJV
"As having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth?"
Ephsians 1:8-10 NKJV
Dispensationalism's Focus
01
Dispensational theology focuses on the distinctions of God’s economies
Dispensationalism does not seek to fabricate or "pigeon-hole" these periods within Scripture. A dispensational thinker recognizes, by a plain, normal, consistent reading of Scripture, the differences in the way God dealt with humanity (e.g., the way He interacted with Noah was different from the way He interacted with Abraham, and was distinct in the way He interacted with Moses). In short, the dispensationalist seeks to understand the differences between these economies and their distinctives from each other.
02
Dispensational theology focuses
on the progression of God’s work through the economies.
This is observed in the Holy Bible: Creation made by God, the Fall of man, the calling of the Patriarchs, the enslavement of the nation of Israel, the exodus and calling of a national Israel, etc. God’s word reveals history through these dispensations, which move progressively toward the culmination of the Eternal Age.
03
Dispensational theology focuses on the purpose of God.
As mentioned, the dispensationalist would argue that the chief purpose of these dispensations is the glory of God. This is seen all throughout the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures. Dispensational theology seeks to unpack and lay out that the purpose of God would be in full view.
Extra-Biblical Sources
Dispensationalism Thought Through The Ages
Some who are critical of dispensationalism claim that C.I. Scofield and John Nelson Darby manufactured this theological perspective. However, observing some of the comments of the saints throughout history this criticism may be short-sided.
Irenaeus
105-202 AD
Clement of Alexandria
105-202 AD
Augustine
354-430 AD
Pierre Poiret
1646-1719
Dispensationalism's Focus
John Edwards
1703-1758
Isaac Watts
1648-1748
These scholars didn't approach the Bible with a rigid, systematic "framework" or a preconceived agenda. Though they recognized the distinct administrations of God’s plan, they weren't trying to force the text into a box. Instead, they took Scripture at face value, allowing their observations to flow naturally from the words on the page.
History & Culture
Important Highlights In Church History
Although the dispensational system was not articulated historically, it may be that the concept of dispensational thought was buried throughout church history. The brief timeline below highlights major historical events that may have affected the consistent, normal, grammatical, historical, and cultural method.
Brief Church History
1 / The start of the administration of grace (33 AD)
The administration of grace began at the death of Christ, and the message of Christ (aligned with this new economy) began in Jerusalem and spread from Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. During this time, the Scriptures were understood in their normative sense.
2 / The Destruction of the Temple (70 AD)
The destruction of the temple by Titus Flavius was never rebuilt, thus ending the sacrificial system in Jerusalem. Most of the Jewish people were killed and scattered from Jerusalem. However, most Jews remained in Israel (cf. Josephus, The Wars of the Jews or the History of the Destruction of Jerusalem.
3 / The Bar Kochba Revolt (132-135 AD)
The emperor of Rome (Hadrian) promised the Jewish people could rebuild their temple in Jerusalem, but later had refused for them to build it in Jerusalem. The Jewish people resisited in 123 AD and engaged in guerrilla warfare. Ultimately in 135AD the Jewish people lost and Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina and a temple dedicated to Jupiter was built were the temple was. Additionally the region of Israel was later renamed Syria Palestina (or Syria Palesitine).
4 / The Reimagining of Scriptures Concerning Physical Israel (130-300 AD)
Due to the destruction of the temple, the sending out of the Jewish people, and the renaming of Jerusalem and Israel, theologians around this time period, such as Iranaeus (130-202 AD) and Justin Martyr (105-165 AD), even though they took the Scriptures in thier plain sense, began to doubt the promises of Israel given to an ethnic people. And since the nation of Israel no longer dwelled in the land, ancient theologians began to reinterpret the word of Israel and the promises of physical Israel being attributed to Christians (specifically Gentile believers).
5 / The Rise of Allegorism (185-254 AD)
A theologian by the name of Origen promoted what be believed to be the "deeper meaning" of the text instead of understanding the Scripture in its plain sense, which was understood by the theologians in the past. This method of reading Scripture further buried the natual historical, grammatical, historical, and cultural method of understanding Scripture.
6/ National Christianity Under Emperor Constantine (306-337 AD)
The emperor Constantine, influenced by Augustine, sought to unify people under Christianity and promoted the spread of the Scriptures throughout the empire, drawing on Origen's and Augustine's explanations. Additionally, most of the explanations of Scriptures adopted a "Christological" method, reading Christ Jesus into every single text of Scripture, further separating itself from the normative understanding of Scripture and, by extension, dispensational thought.
7/ Council of Nicea & The Nicean Creed (318-319 AD)
The Council of Nicaea was convened to address the nature of Jesus following a theological dispute by Arius. Within the council, the Nicene Creed was developed to address the false instruction of Arius. This creed, along with others, became the standard for biblical interpretation, creating a further divide from a normative understanding of Scripture.
Historically, a comprehensive dispensational system was suppressed because the literal-grammatical approach to Scripture was largely suppressed. The foundational pillars of the system were actively rejected and restrained these doctrines, the framework remained fragmented, and was denied the oxygen needed to develop into a thorough, unified system.
Scriptural Examiniation
The Parable of The Wicked Husband
Matthew 21:33-46 | Mark 12:1-12 | Luke 20:9-19
Critics of dispensationalism maintain that all covenantal promises have been given to the church. This belief system is known as Supersessionism (or Replacement Theology. This is the belief that the covenant promises outlined throughout the Scriptures have been fulfilled in Christ, and therefore, those promises given to national Israel have been replaced by the church. One Scripture that proponents of this view cite for supersessionism is Matthew 21:33-46.
"There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him." (vs. 33-39)
"Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people bearing the fruits of it." (v. 43)
Observations
There are a couple of observations that ought to be observed specfically in verse 43. The Greek word translated "people" is ethnos, which is frequently translated nation. In the historical context the Israelite nation was awaiting the arrival of the physical kingdom of God where would receive land, seed (descendants), blessing, a king to govern them, and a land to dwell in with their king would be given to them. However, the understanding of the text is underscored in proceding statement.
Counterpoints
Objections & Counterpoints
Answering some of the major objections to Dispensationalism
Jeremiah 31:35-37 is about the New Covenant and how Israel is continued with the church.
The counterpoint in this passage of Scripture is found in the surrounding context. God, through Jeremiah, referred to the "house of Israel" and "Judah" (vs. 27, 31), and recalled their history (v. 32) mentioned the former covenant of their fathers (i.e., the Mosaic Covenant) as God wrote the Law of God on tablets of stone (c.f., Exo. 31:18), He will write the law of Moses on thier hearts (v. 33).
Like Jeremiah 31:35-37 First Peter 2:9 supports that God has now made Israel the church.
The counterpoint to this statement is 1 Peter 2:9, which highlights all statements concerning the nation of Israel in the Hebrew Scriptures (Exo. 19:5-6, Deut. 4:20, 7:6, 14:2). Additionally, Peter separates the "holy nation" from the Gentiles, which in this context refers to those who are non-Jewish (c.f., 1 Pet. 2:12) emphasizing Israeli focus. Furthermore, Paul mentioned that Peter, the author of this epistle, was an apostle to Israel (i.e., "the circumcised") (cf. Gal. 2:8). This statement in 1 Peter is not endorsing supercessionism, but reminding the Jewish believers of their calling from God as a national people.
The statement "all of Israel will be saved" (Rom. 11:26) refers to the church, not ethnic Israel.
Romans chapter 11 ought to be read in the overall context of chapters 9 & 10. In Romans 9, Paul outlines the blessings of God that belong to Israel (9:4-5). In the overall context, Paul is speaking of the believing remnant of national Israel who believe in the promises God gave them, which are rooted in His compassion and mercy rather than physical lineage (Rom. 9:27, 11:5). Furthermore, Romans 11:26 discusses that when Jesus returns, He will fulfill the New Covenant with national Israel when He rescues them from physical destruction. In short, the statement "all of Israel will be saved" is NOT shorthand for the church; Paul is highlighting God's promises to national Israel, which will be fulfilled by God's mercy and compassion.
The Abrahamic promises from God are completed
in Christ and His Church
This statement is true-ish, but falls short of a comprehensive answer. It is true that the promise of God providing a righteousness apart from the Law has been completed in Christ, and Abraham is THE example of righteousness being obtained by believing in what God said, not by the Law (since Abraham had no Law) (Gal. 3:6-8). However, the unfulfilled promises of land, seed, blessing, covenants, king, and kingdom have NOT been realized (cf., Gen. 15:18).
The land promises are spiritualized in the book of Hebrews, so it cannot a physical land that is given to an ethnic people.
The overall context and audience ought to be considered. The writer of Hebrews is addressing Hebrew believers, as evidenced by the language throughout the book. Within chapter eleven, the point is made that one gains approval from God by being convinced in what God has said (v. 6), which are associated with the promises that none of the Hebrew saints have obtained (vs. 13, 39), which included life from the dead (v. 35), and ultimately a city built by God (v. 16), as opposed to a city built by humankind. In short, the land promises are not "spiritualized" in Hebrews chapter 11. The chapter discusses that the promises that have been communicated by God pertaining to the nation of Israel, none of the saints in the Hebrew Scriptures had obtained the promises, but one day the Hebrew saints, along with the saints of old, will obtain all of those promises physically. This includes land, physical seed, blessing, king, and kingdom.
The believing church is the olive tree in Romans chapter 11,
not ethnic Israel.
The olive tree described in Romans 11 is not Israel. In Romans 11:15, the root is described as holy, and if one is attached to the root, they are also holy. The natural branches that are attached to the root were broken off due to their unbelief (vs. 20-21). Whether they are natural branches or wild olive branches. Paul stated that Gentiles have become "partakers" (sygkoinōnos) of the rich olive root. The point of the olive tree is to explain that the Gentile nations, by the grace of God, are not a part of Israel, but a part of the administration of grace, who, due to their belief, could partke in the spiritual blessings that were also promised to Israel (cf. Ephesians 1:3-14).
Galatians 3:28 makes a case for supersessionism,
not for an ethnic people (i.e., Israel).
This statement of Paul has nothing to do with the ethnic nation of Israel. The point is to discuss the justification found from the same Source, which is found in Christ, based upon the Jew and Gentile being convinced of God's promises and work. This statement from Paul does not mean that Israel's promises are removed or transferred to the church, and to use this verse, or others like it, is to engage in inference.
Matthew 21:43 is not just about the Pharisees, but all of Israel.
Based on the language, it is clear that Jesus was speaking directly to them. The immediate audience Jesus interacts with is the chief priests and elders (v. 23), not all of Israel. Additionally, in v. 43, when Jesus says that the kingdom will be taken away from "you" (v. 43), the general context demands that the reader observe this as the elders, Pharisees, and chief priests. Once more, this is talking about the kingdom of God being taken from them and given to a nation (ethnos) that receives the Messiah (Matt. 24:42), it DOES NOT say that the COVENANT will be taken from them and given to a nation believing. One more those who are convinced this is talking about Israel as a whole are refusing to submit their explanation to the plain reading of the text.
Scriptural Problems With Supersessionism
If supersessionism is the proper way to understand Scripture, below are just a sample of Scriptures that involve national Israel in the future. How would these Scriptures below be understood through the lens of this perspective?
"Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms." (Ezekiel 37:21-23)
In this statement, God, through Ezekiel, said that he would take the two nations (Israel and Judah) and make them into one nation that would dwell in the mountains of Israel. This is not talking about the church.
"My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant, will be their prince forever..." (Ezekiel 37:24-25)
In this context, God, through Ezekiel, said that David would be king over Israel. How would a supersessionist explain this passage if they believe the land is spiritual?
"...Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil..." (Jeremiah 23:7-9)
In this context, God, through Jeremiah, wrote that there will be a time when Israel will say they will not use Egypt as a marker of God's work, but rather the regathering of the remnant to live in the land where they will dwell safely. How would a supersessionist explain this text if it is not to bey understood in its plain sense.
"...Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths..." (Zechariah 14:16-19)
There is much detail in these sentences, but if any nation comes against Israel in the future, they will have to pay homage to the King every year to celebrate the Feast of Booths and if they do not, they will experience plague in the form of withholding rain (which would result in famine). How would a supercessionist explain this passage from their perspective if the church is now Israel?
"...And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel..." (Zechariah 14:16-19)
In the above statement, Jesus is talking to the disciples who will become the apostles, and explains that in the future, when the Son of Man sits on his throne, the twelve apostles will sit on 12 thrones ruling over the 12 tribes of Israel. How is this Scripture ought to be understood from a supersessionist view, especially regarding the above passages from the Hebrew Scriptures.