A key to understanding dispensationalism is to understand what the job was of a steward of a household. There were no corporations for employment. People would either work for families as members or as slaves. The steward would be like a foreman handing out tools, supplies, clothing, money, etc. for each persons daily assignments. It was with this context of dispensing that Paul speaks of the dispensation of grace he was given.
The bible also mentions a dispensation of the fullness of times of which I wish more had been mentioned. Some see seven “dispensations”. One might see in Moses giving the law to Israel an act that could described as “dispensing”. However, since the bible does not call it that I am reluctant to do so.
Many in dispensationalism see a point at which God ceases dealing with Israel and starts the church. Some see this in Acts 2, Acts, 7, Acts 9, or even Acts 28. I would suggest consideration of a transition of overlap such that the offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel would extend to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
One might see a sort of “plan A” with the offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel with the expectation that a nation of priests would go forth to fulfill the great commission. A “plan B” might be the extension of the offer of the kingdom to include gentiles (Acts 10:45) to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Rom 11:11). A “plan C" might be seen in offer of immediate salvation by grace not previously offered (Heb 11:39-40). By the time of the meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15) Peter has recognized that both Jews and Gentiles are offered the same salvation by grace (Acts 15:11).
In the fading light of the likelihood of the nation of Israel accepting her Messiah and his kingdom the offer of individual salvation becomes a sort of “plan D” out of which the church as we know it today would form.
The bible also mentions a dispensation of the fullness of times of which I wish more had been mentioned. Some see seven “dispensations”. One might see in Moses giving the law to Israel an act that could described as “dispensing”. However, since the bible does not call it that I am reluctant to do so.
Many in dispensationalism see a point at which God ceases dealing with Israel and starts the church. Some see this in Acts 2, Acts, 7, Acts 9, or even Acts 28. I would suggest consideration of a transition of overlap such that the offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel would extend to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
One might see a sort of “plan A” with the offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel with the expectation that a nation of priests would go forth to fulfill the great commission. A “plan B” might be the extension of the offer of the kingdom to include gentiles (Acts 10:45) to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Rom 11:11). A “plan C" might be seen in offer of immediate salvation by grace not previously offered (Heb 11:39-40). By the time of the meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15) Peter has recognized that both Jews and Gentiles are offered the same salvation by grace (Acts 15:11).
In the fading light of the likelihood of the nation of Israel accepting her Messiah and his kingdom the offer of individual salvation becomes a sort of “plan D” out of which the church as we know it today would form.
