The 7 dispensations in the Bible are clearly presented in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. In this publication, Pastor Tom explains the dispensations and their application to Christians today. The advent of Christ brought believers out from under the Law (dispensation of Moses). This is one of seven dispensation changeovers that didn’t cancel those before it, but instead changed its focus. The Seven Dispensations in the Bible are an important topic that one must understand if they would like to grasp the overall plan of God within His Word. This document is actually a study of those seven dispensations. It begins by showing that the Lord uses prophetic times and seasons throughout His dealings with mankind (Heb 1:1–2). We know that He uses years for days, months for hours, and days for hours (Gen 2:4). From this general statement, we can see that there is set time in which God works out His plans in dealing with mankind.
The 7 dispensations in the Bible is an extensive list of prophecies and events that point to the return of Jesus Christ. This book explains what each dispensation is, where it fits into history, who was involved and why it was necessary for it to occur. This book goes into much more detail than most books explaining spiritual laws regarding sin, obedience and punishment for both men and angels.
How many biblical dispensations are there?
Dispensationalism is a method of interpreting history that divides God’s work and purposes toward mankind into different periods of time. Usually, there are seven dispensations identified, although some theologians believe there are nine. Others count as few as three or as many as thirty-seven dispensations. In this article, we will limit ourselves to the seven basic dispensations found in Scripture.
The first dispensation is called the Dispensation of Innocence (Genesis 1:28–30 and 2:15–17). This dispensation covered the period of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In this dispensation, God’s commands were to (1) replenish the earth with children, (2) subdue the earth, (3) have dominion over the animals, (4) care for the garden, and (5) abstain from eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God warned of the punishment of physical and spiritual death for disobedience. Adam and Eve’s disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit and their expulsion from the garden brought an end to this short-lived dispensation.
The second dispensation is called the Dispensation of Conscience, and it lasted about 1,656 years from the time of Adam and Eve’s eviction from the garden until the flood (Genesis 3:8–8:22). This dispensation demonstrates what mankind will do if left to his own will and conscience, which have been tainted by the inherited sin nature. The five major aspects of this dispensation are: 1) a curse on the serpent; 2) a change in womanhood and childbearing; 3) a curse on nature; 4) the imposing of difficult work on mankind to produce food; and 5) the promise of Christ as the seed who will bruise the serpent’s head (Satan).
The third dispensation is the Dispensation of Human Government, which began in Genesis 8. God had destroyed life on earth with a flood, saving just one family to restart the human race. God made the following promises and commands to Noah and his family:
- God will not curse the earth again.
- Noah and family are to replenish the earth with people.
- They shall have dominion over the animal creation.
- They are allowed to eat meat.
- The law of capital punishment is established.
- There never will be another worldwide flood.
- The sign of God’s promise will be the rainbow.
Noah’s descendants did not scatter and fill the earth as God had commanded, thus failing in their responsibility in this dispensation. About 325 years after the flood, the earth’s inhabitants began building a tower, a great monument to their solidarity and pride (Genesis 11:7-9). God brought the construction to a halt, creating different languages and enforcing His command to fill the earth. The result was the rise of different nations and cultures. From that point on, human governments have been a reality.
The fourth dispensation, called the Dispensation of Promise, started with the call of Abraham, continued through the lives of the patriarchs, and ended with the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, a period of about 430 years. During this dispensation, God developed a great nation that He had chosen as His people (Genesis 12:1–Exodus 19:25).
The basic promise during the Dispensation of Promise was the Abrahamic Covenant. Here are some of the key points of that unconditional covenant:
- From Abraham would come a great nation that God would bless with natural and spiritual prosperity.
- God would make Abraham’s name great.
- God would bless those who blessed Abraham’s descendants and curse those who cursed them.
- In Abraham, all the families of the earth will be blessed. This is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and His work of salvation.
- The sign of the covenant is circumcision.
- This covenant, which was repeated to Isaac and Jacob, is confined to the Hebrew people and the 12 tribes of Israel.
The fifth dispensation is called the Dispensation of Law. It lasted almost 1,500 years, from the Exodus until it was suspended after Jesus Christ’s death. This dispensation will continue during the Millennium, with some modifications. During the Dispensation of Law, God dealt specifically with the Jewish nation through the Mosaic Covenant, or the Law, found in Exodus 19–23. The dispensation included temple worship under the direction of priests and additional guidance delivered through God’s prophets. Eventually, due to the people’s disobedience to the covenant, the tribes of Israel lost the Promised Land and were subjected to bondage.
The sixth dispensation, the one in which we now live, is the Dispensation of Grace. It began with the New Covenant in Christ’s blood (Luke 22:20). This “Age of Grace” or “Church Age” occurs between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9:24. It starts with the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and ends with the Rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4). This dispensation is worldwide and includes both Jews and Gentiles. Man’s responsibility during the Dispensation of Grace is to believe in Jesus, the Son of God (John 3:18). In this dispensation, the Holy Spirit indwells believers as the Comforter (John 14:16–26). This dispensation has lasted for almost 2,000 years, and no one knows when it will end. We do know that it will end with the Rapture of all born-again believers from the earth to go to heaven with Christ. Following the Rapture will be the judgments of God lasting for seven years.
The seventh dispensation is called the Millennial Kingdom of Christ and will last for 1,000 years as Christ Himself rules on earth. This Kingdom will fulfill the prophecy to the Jewish nation that Christ will return and be their King. The only people allowed to enter the Kingdom are the born-again believers from the Age of Grace, righteous survivors of the seven years of tribulation, and the resurrected Old Testament saints. No unsaved person is allowed access into this kingdom. Satan is bound during the 1,000 years. This period ends with the final judgment (Revelation 20:11-14). The old
The 7 Dispensations In The Bible pdf
All Christians are familiar with the fact that there are two major time periods in the Bible:
Age of the Law and the Age of Grace. Many people never think about the fact that there were
other ages before the giving of the Law, starting in Exodus 20, and that there will be one more
age—the Millennium—which will come after the age we are living in now. There are 7 of these
time periods in all, starting with the Creation of Man in the Garden of Eden, and ending at the
end of the Millennium.
During these 7 Biblical eras, or Dispensations, salvation was always by Grace because man has
always been powerless to save himself. During the 5 Dispensations of the Old Testament, people
were looking forward to Christ for salvation. Today, during the Dispensation of Grace, we look
back to Calvary for salvation.
These 7 eras are called
1. Dispensations – Eph. 3:2
2. Ages – Eph. 2:7
Definition: Dispensation (Gr. οκονομίαoikonomía), the administration of a household. Just as
different households in the neighborhood are managed in different ways, God managed – and will manage
– His relationship to His people and His creation in different ways from Genesis through Revelation.
1. The Dispensation of Innocence – Gen 1:28-3:13
a. The condition of Man –
i. Had never sinned, so Adam and Eve were innocent. Adam and Eve were the only
innocent people in history.
ii. Were not even aware of the existence of good and evil
b. The test – Gen. 2:15-17
i. You can eat of any tree in the Garden, but one
ii. Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
c. The result
i. Adam and Eve disobeyed God – Gen. 3:6
ii. They acquired a knowledge of evil – Gen. 3:7
iii. They experienced guilt – Gen. 3:8
iv. Even in the midst of judgment, the Redeemer was promised – Gen. 3:15
v. They were expelled from the Garden of Eden – Gen. 3:23
1. Life in the Garden was easy
2. Life outside of the Garden was much more difficult
3. Sin and the devil always promise good times and a better life, but in
reality, sin always makes life more difficult, and of course, it brings the
judgment of God.
d. The distinctions of this dispensation
i. No other dispensation started with sinless innocence.
ii. God’s expectation and command was for the people to remain innocent.
2. The Dispensation of Conscience – Gen. 3:22-7:23
a. In the previous dispensation there was no conscience, because there was no sin
and no guilt.Lesson 18 – The 7 Dispensations of Bible History
©2007 Bob Sharpe 2
b. Conscience gave people a basic knowledge of evil and the responsibility to do
right.
c. The Failure: The human race did evil continually – Gen. 6:5, 11-12
d. The judgment: God destroyed all but 8 people in the Flood – Gen. 7:11-12, 23.
i. God chose Noah to continue the human race after the judgment of the
Flood– why? Was it an arbitrary function of sovereignty? No. God chose
Noah because he was obedient to Him – Gen. 6:9, 12-13.
e. The distinctive of this dispensation: There was no institution of government or
human law yet, and everyone was personally responsible to God to do right.
3. The Dispensation of Human Government – Gen. 8:20-11:9
a. God instituted human government – man governing man – for the first time after
the Flood
i. Note that government was instituted by God Himself – see also Rom.
13:1-2
ii. The prohibition of murder – Gen. 9:6
iii. The responsibility for those in authority to carry out punishment for the
guilty – Gen. 9:6
iv. This is the first time in history that God put the responsibility of
punishment for crime into the hands of men.
b. After the Flood, God gave Noah and his family the responsibility to be fruitful
and multiply – Gen. 9:7
c. The distinctive of this dispensation: Human Government was established to carry
out the will of God.
4. The Dispensation of Promise – Gen. 12:1-Ex. 19:8
a. It starts with the call of Abram – Gen. 12:1-2
b. God promised Abram . . .
i. He will make a great nation from Abram’s descendents – Gen. 12:2
ii. He will make Abram’s name great – Gen. 12:2
iii. He will make Abram a blessing to others – Gen. 12:2
iv. He will protect Abram and his descendents – Gen. 12:3
v. He will bless those who bless Abram and his descendents – Gen. 12:3
vi. He will curse them who treat Abram and his descendents wrong. – en.
12:3
c. During this Dispensation, God created the nation of Israel through Abraham’s
descendants.
d. This is the beginning of God’s dealing with His chosen nation, Israel.
5. The Dispensation of Law – Ex. 19:8-Matt. 27:35
a. God gave His Law through Moses
b. The Law had 3 distinct parts
i. Eternal Moral Law of God
1. The things that were always right and wrong, regardless of
Dispensation.
2. Love and obey God with all your heart, soul and mind
3. Love your neighbor as yourself
ii. Ceremonial Law – developing a relationship of obedience to God.
1. Temple worship
2. Sacrifices
3. Circumcision
4. Sabbath keepingLesson 18 – The 7 Dispensations of Bible History
©2007 Bob Sharpe 3
iii. Civil Law – developing a relationship of mutual good with other people.
1. This was the Constitution of the Nation of Israel.
2. It forms the basis for a lot of our laws today in the U.S. and many
other countries that have been influenced by Christianity.
c. During the Dispensation of Law, God’s people had a history of failing Him
i. The Israelites rebelled against God while Moses was on Mt. Sinai
receiving the Law from God – Ex. 32:4
ii. They grumbled and complained against God while He was leading them
from Egypt to the Promised Land – Ex. 16:3
iii. They rebelled against God in the Book of Judges. – Judges 2:11; 3:7, 12;
4:1, 6:1; 10:6; 13:1
iv. They rejected God’s plan of a pure theocracy. They wanted to have a king
like the other nations around them – 1 Sam. 8:7
v. Many of their kings did evil and led them into evil – 1 Kings 11:6; 15:26,
34; 16:19, 30, etc.
d. Israel faced severe judgment for rebelling against God
i. The kingdom was divided into two kingdoms
ii. The Northern Kingdom was taken captive by Assyria in 722 B.C. – 2
Kings 15:29
iii. The Southern Kingdom was taken captive into Babylon in 586 B.C. – 2
Kings 24:12-16
6. The Dispensation of Grace
a. Jesus came with grace to redeem us from sin – John 1:17
b. The Law was a curse because nobody could keep it. Its ultimate purpose was to
show us that we are sinners in need of the Savior – Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:24-25
c. Characteristics of the Dispensation of Grace
i. Does not mean that people were not saved by Grace in the Old Testament.
They were
1. Noah – Gen. 6:8
2. Abraham – Gen. 15:6
ii. It means that Grace is the dominant theme of the Dispensation.
iii. God moved beyond the Jews and reached out to the Gentiles
1. It began with the conversion of Cornelius, a Roman soldier
2. Paul was sent out as an apostle to the Gentiles – Acts 13:46; 15:12;
Eph. 3:1
iv. The church, which started out Jewish, became dominated by Gentiles over
the years, so that today, there are not many Christian Jews.
d. The testing in the Dispensation of Grace
i. Not obedience to the Law
ii. Relationship with Christ
1. Acceptance of Him – John 1:12
2. A life of good works – Eph. 2:10
e. Grace has a twofold manifestation
i. Our Salvation – Rom 3:24
ii. Our walk with God – Rom. 6:15
7. The Dispensation of the Kingdom (The Millennium)
a. The people of Israel will return to their Land
b. They will have peace.
c. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will rule over them for 1,000 years, – Rev. 20:4Lesson 18 – The 7 Dispensations of Bible History
©2007 Bob Sharpe 4
d. There will be peace and goodwill toward men
e. Satan will be bound for the 1,000 years – Rev. 20:2-3
f. This Dispensation will end in rebellion when Satan is loosed – Rev. 20:7-9
g. The New Heaven and New Earth will usher in the Eternal State after the
Millennium – Rev. 21:1
Sermon 7 Dispensations
Understanding the seven dispensations is necessary to rightly divide the Word of God, meaning to correctly understand the Bible. Everything written in the Bible is written for us, but everything written is not necessarily written to us. Commandments, promises, blessings and warnings given to Israel in the Dispensation of Law do not apply to the Christian Church today in this Dispensation of Grace. We are not under the law but under grace. Instructions given to Adam and Eve do not apply to us today. The dietary restrictions given by God to Israel do not apply to us today. We must follow the teachings of the Apostle Paul as they apply to Church in this Dispensation of Grace.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin [leading] to death, or of obedience [leading] to righteousness?
Ephesians 1:10 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–in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also [trusted], after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
The resurrection not only gave Jesus Christ life but gives us eternal life for all who believe. The resurrection gives the believer the power to live a victorious Christian life filled with the Holy Spirit. We are saved by His life.
The Seven Dispensations
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
by Dr. C. I. Scofield
The Scriptures divide time (by which is meant the entire period from the creation of Adam to the “new heaven and a new earth” of Rev. 21: 1) into seven unequal periods, usually called dispensations (Eph. 3:2), although these periods are also called ages (Eph. 2:7) and days, as in “day of the Lord.”
These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God’s method of dealing with mankind, or a portion of mankind, in respect of the two questions: of sin, and of man’s responsibility. Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment, marking his utter failure in every dispensation. Five of these dispensations, or periods of time, have been fulfilled; we are living in the sixth, probably toward its close, and have before us the seventh, and last: the millennium.
- Man innocent.
“This dispensation extends from the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7 to the expulsion from Eden. Adam, created innocent and ignorant of good and evil, was placed in the Garden of Eden with his wife, Eve, and put under responsibility to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The dispensation of innocence resulted in the first failure of man, and in its far-reaching effects, the most disastrous. It closed in judgment: “So he drove out the man.” See Gen. 1:26; Gen. 2:16,17; Gen. 3:6; Gen. 3:22-24.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
- Man under conscience.
“By the fall, Adam and Eve acquired and transmitted to the race the knowledge of good and evil. This gave conscience a basis for right moral judgment, and hence the race came under this measure of responsibility — to do good and eschew evil. The result of the dispensation of conscience, from Eden to the flood (while there was no institution of government and of law), was that “all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth,” that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” and God closed the second testing of the natural man with judgment: the flood. See Gen. 3:7, 22; Gen. 6:5,11-12; Gen. 7:11-12, 23.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Do good and do not do evil, or love what is good and hate what is evil.
Genesis 3:22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”– 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
- Man in authority over the earth.
“Out of the fearful judgment of the flood God saved eight persons, to whom, after the waters were assuaged, He gave the purified earth with ample power to govern it. This, Noah and his descendants were responsible to do. The dispensation of human government resulted, upon the plain of Shinar, in the impious attempt to become independent of God and closed in judgment: the confusion of tongues. (See Gen. 9: 1, 2; Gen. 11: 1-4; Gen. 11:5-8.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Believe God and build an ark. Genesis 6:16 “You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it [with] lower, second, and third [decks]. 17 “And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which [is] the breath of life; everything that [is] on the earth shall die. 18 “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark–you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
- Man under promise.
“Out of the dispersed descendants of the builders of Babel, God called one man, Abram, with whom He enters into covenant. Some of the promises to Abram and his descendants were purely gracious and unconditional. These either have been or will yet be literally fulfilled. Other promises were conditional upon the faithfulness and obedience of the Israelites. Every one of these conditions was violated, and the dispensation of promise resulted in the failure of Israel and closed in the judgment of bondage in Egypt.”
“The book of Genesis, which opens with the sublime words, “In the beginning God created,” closes with, “In a coffin in Egypt.” (See Gen. 12:1-3; Gen. 13:14-17; Gen. 15:5; Gen. 26:3; Gen. 28:12-13; Exodus. 1: 13-14.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Believe God’s promise. Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you.
- Man under law.
“Again the grace of God came to the help of helpless man and redeemed the chosen people out of the hand of the oppressor. In the wilderness of Sinai He proposed to them the covenant of law. Instead of humbly pleading for a continued relation of grace, they presumptuously answered: “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” The history of Israel in the wilderness and in the land is one long record of flagrant, persistent violation of the law, and at last, after multiplied warnings, God closed the testing of man by law in judgment: first Israel, and then Judah, were driven out of the land into a dispersion which still continues. A feeble remnant returned under Ezra and Nehemiah, of which, in due time, Christ came: “Born of a woman-made under the law.” Both Jews and Gentiles conspired to crucify Him. (See Exodus. 19:1-8; 2 Kings 17:1-18; 2 Kings 25: 1 -11; Acts 2:22-23; Acts 7:5152; Rom. 3:19-20; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3: 10.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Obey God and keep His commandments.
Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth [is] Mine.
- Man under grace.
“The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ introduced the dispensation of pure grace, which means undeserved favor, or God giving righteousness, instead of God requiring righteousness, as under law. Salvation, perfect and eternal, is now freely offered to Jew and Gentile upon the acknowledgment of sin, or repentance, with faith in Christ.”
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:27-28). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
The predicted result of this testing of man under grace is judgment upon an unbelieving world and an apostate church. (See Luke 17:26-30; Luke 18:8; 2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 3:15-16.)
The first event in the closing of this dispensation will be the descent of the Lord from heaven, when sleeping saints will be raised and, together with believers then living, caught up “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:16-17). Then follows the brief period called “the great tribulation.” (See Jer. 30:5-7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15-18; Matt. 24:21-22.)
Some teachers number the Tribulation as one of the dispensations, while combining the dispensations of Promise & Law. However, we see the Tribulation as a special period during which human civilization crumbles under the weight of the combined features of its ages long rejection of God. The Lord has limited this period to a short 7 years, to prevent man’s self-destruction.
After this the personal return of the Lord to the earth in power and great glory occurs, and the judgments which introduce the seventh, and last dispensation. (See Matt. 25:31-46 and Matt. 24:29- 30.)”
Salvation Gospel in this dispensation:
Confess Jesus as Lord and believe in His resurrection.
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Man under the personal reign of Christ.
“After the purifying judgments which attend the personal return of Christ to the earth, He will reign over restored Israel and over the earth for one thousand years. This is the period commonly called the millennium. The seat of His power will be Jerusalem, and the saints, including the saved of the dispensation of grace, namely the church, will be associated with Him in His glory. (See Isa. 2:1-4; Isa. 11; Acts 15:14-17; Rev. 19:11-21; Rev. 20:1-6.
But when Satan is “loosed a little season,” he finds the natural heart as prone to evil as ever, and easily gathers the nations to battle against the Lord and His saints, and this last dispensation closes, like all the others, in judgment. The great white throne is set, the wicked dead are raised and finally judged, and then come the “new heaven and a new earth.” Eternity is begun. (See Rev. 20:3,7-15; Rev. 21 and 22.)”
God sees your heart and hears your prayer. You will have eternal life with God when by faith you believe on Jesus Christ for salvation. No works! No doing! No one else! No judge! God judges the heart. You can trust Him.