What exactly is Dispensationalism?

[JDS]

I don't know if you visited this website. It lists a number of dispensational views.
http://www.theologue.org/DispensationsChart.html
Ryrie's is most appealing to me but I like Wilmington’s too. The schemes should not be view as divisive, but as educational. There is a sense of purpose and fluidity to the flow of redemptive history.

Schemes or charts are attempts to simplify the whole into a working small visual look.

The key is not if some differ but when taking the definition of what a dispensation is then honestly searching for the portions of Scripture than agree with the meaning. At that point we have what we would call another dispensation or the beginning of it.

I looked at the charts and noticed they all had 7 dispensations, except Wilmington, who put the tribulation in as a separate dispensation. Larkin is showing 8 but only 7 in time like everyone else.

I think the patterns that God sets in scripture has much to do with our understanding and so I have 7 dispensations, which usually begins with a covenant and ends with a castatrophic judgment. Seven is God's number for complete things and nobody disagrees with that. I also noticed that the common pattern for the number 7 is the division of 3 and 4 or 4 and 3. For instance, time itself is divided in BC and AD. Four thousand years BC and 3 thousand years AD. The Greek word that is translated as dispensation is used 7 times in scripture. Three times by our Lord is it translated "stewardship" and 4 times by Paul as "dispensation". Many other examples can be given and because of this it would surprise me greatly if this pattern was not maintained in the complete unfolding of human history.

I actually think God intends for us to view the eternal state as the eighth dispensation apart from time, but the number 8 is used by God to denote new things, so the new creature in Christ dwells in the new heaven and the new earth in the new Jerusalem with a new name. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the eighth day, the day after the sabbath which began a new week. Mr 16:9.

 

[Benefactor]

I looked at the charts and noticed they all had 7 dispensations, except Wilmington, who put the tribulation in as a separate dispensation. Larkin is showing 8 but only 7 in time like everyone else.

I think the patterns that God sets in scripture has much to do with our understanding and so I have 7 dispensations, which usually begins with a covenant and ends with a castatrophic judgment. Seven is God's number for complete things and nobody disagrees with that. I also noticed that the common pattern for the number 7 is the division of 3 and 4 or 4 and 3. For instance, time itself is divided in BC and AD. Four thousand years BC and 3 thousand years AD. The Greek word that is translated as dispensation is used 7 times in scripture. Three times by our Lord is it translated "stewardship" and 4 times by Paul as "dispensation". Many other examples can be given and because of this it would surprise me greatly if this pattern was not maintained in the complete unfolding of human history.

I actually think God intends for us to view the eternal state as the eighth dispensation apart from time, but the number 8 is used by God to denote new things, so the new creature in Christ dwells in the new heaven and the new earth in the new Jerusalem with a new name. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the eighth day, the day after the sabbath which began a new week. Mr 16:9.

I believe I have come across this before but don’t remember when and where. Thanks for sharing the significance of 7. It is amazing how all things are coming together.

Here are some other sites I enjoy:

http://www.hallindsey.com/

http://www.pre-trib.org/search-results.php?author=3&related=true

http://foi.org/

http://www.thekingiscoming.com/

http://www.raptureme.com/ttcol.html

 

[JDS]

I believe I have come across this before but don’t remember when and where. Thanks for sharing the significance of 7. It is amazing how all things are coming together.

Here are some other sites I enjoy:

http://www.hallindsey.com/

http://www.pre-trib.org/search-results.php?author=3&related=true

http://foi.org/

http://www.thekingiscoming.com/

http://www.raptureme.com/ttcol.html

Thanks for the links.

I left out a very important "new" thing.

I actually think God intends for us to view the eternal state as the eighth dispensation apart from time, but the number 8 is used by God to denote new things, so the new creature in Christ dwells in the new heaven and the new earth in the new Jerusalem with a new name. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the eighth day, the day after the sabbath which began a new week under a new covenant. The new covenant is the eighth covenant! Mr 16:9. Eden - Adamic - Noahic - Abrahamic - Mosaic - Palestinian (Land) - Davidic - New.

 

[A Brother In Christ]

no such thing ... man will be glorified and dispensations as well as faith will be done away with

Ages will continue ... God teaching man something about God