The Dispensations
Summary:
Dispensations, or time periods, are the basis of dispensational doctrine. Learn about several variations of dispensational theory.
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Dispensationalism hinges on the view that there are different dispensations—different times and ways that God works in different groups of people. The seven dispensations are usually described as follows:
1. The Age of Innocence (Genesis 1 to 3:7) that leads up to Adam’s fall into sin.
2. The Age of Conscience (Genesis 3:8 to 8:22) from Adam’s fall to Noah’s flood.
3. The Age of Government (Genesis 9:1 to 11:32) from Noah, to the tower of Babel and to Terah (Abram’s father).
4. The Age of Promise (Genesis 12 to Exodus 19:25) from Abram (who becomes Abraham), through the 12 sons of Israel, to Moses (just before the Ten Commandments).
5. The Age of Mosaic Law (Exodus 20 to Acts 2:4) from Moses to the beginning of the Christian Church.
6. The Age of Grace (Acts 2:4 to Revelation 20:3) referred to as “The Church Age,” or the “Present Dispensation.”
7. The Age of the Millennium Kingdom (Revelation 20:4 to the end of the Bible) this is the literal earthly reign of Christ from Jerusalem for 1000 years. This is still to come in the future.
Another variation of classical dispensationalism has four periods:
1. The Patriarchal Period (Genesis 1 to Exodus 20).
2. The Mosaic Period (Exodus 20 to Acts 1).
3. The Ecclesial or Church Period (Acts 2 to Revelation 20.)
4. The Zionic Period including the millennium and the Eternal Kingdom (Revelation 20 to 22).
And still another variation has three periods of time:
1. The Age of Law (Genesis to Acts 1).
2. The Age of Grace (Acts 2 to Revelation 20).
3. The Age of the Kingdom (Revelation 20 to 22 and into eternity).
The information in this section is derived from the Wikipedia article on dispensationalism.
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